Spicy Chicken à la King Recipe

Chicken à la king is the kind of dish that feels like a warm blanket. Tender chicken and vegetables are tucked into a silky, sherry-scented cream sauce and spooned over comforting egg noodles. This version keeps everything you love about the original, including the mushrooms, peas, and retro-chic pimientos, but dials up the flavor with a spoonful of Calabrian chiles and a touch of Dijon mustard for balance. The result tastes familiar and fresh at the same time.

We streamline the method by browning quick-cooking chicken breast pieces first, then building the sauce right in the same pan. A classic roux meets chicken broth and cream for body, and sherry scrapes up the browned bits for depth. Because the vegetables are sautéed quickly, they retain their texture and bring a savory backbone to the sauce. The Calabrian chiles melt into the cream, adding gentle heat and a fruity chile aroma that never dominates.

Serve it as simply as you like, such as over buttery egg noodles, or dress it up for a dinner party by spooning it into puff pastry shells and garnishing with parsley. Either way, it’s on the table in 45 minutes but tastes like you fussed all afternoon. Cozy enough for a weeknight, special enough for company: That’s the sweet spot.

A note on dry sherry

Dry sherry brings nutty, gently oxidized, savory depth with hints of caramel, dried fruit, and salinity. Its bright acidity lifts creamy sauces, while its subtle sweetness balances heat and umami. Use fino or amontillado for clean, dry complexity.

For substitutes: Dry white wine plus a splash of brandy, dry Marsala, Madeira, dry vermouth, or Shaoxing wine all work. If you’d like to opt alcohol-free, use chicken broth with a teaspoon of sherry vinegar or apple cider vinegar, adjusted to taste. Avoid sweet liquids, like juice.

Pimientos versus red bell peppers

Pimientos are small, heart-shaped, thin-walled peppers with very mild heat and concentrated sweetness, often roasted, peeled, and jarred. Red bell peppers are larger, thicker-walled, juicy, and crunchy when raw, with a brighter, vegetal sweetness. Jarred pimientos deliver soft texture and color while fresh red bells add bite and more moisture overall.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen 

• Cut chicken into even 1-inch pieces for fast, uniform cooking and minimal shredding.
• Add liquids gradually while whisking, as this keeps the sauce silky and lump-free.
• Adjust thickness at the end. A splash of broth loosens, while you can cook for another minute over medium-heat to thicken the sauce.

Suggested pairing 

Creamy, mildly spicy sauces love bright, high-acid whites. A dry Italian Soave softens the Calabrian heat while cutting richness, while an unoaked Chardonnay or Pinot Grigio also snaps everything into focus. Sparkling wine, such as Cava or dry Prosecco, adds lift and feels celebratory served over puff pastry shells. Beer drinkers can reach for a crisp pilsner. For a zero-proof option, pour chilled, lightly sweetened iced tea with a squeeze of lemon.

This recipe was developed by Julia Levy; the text was written by Breana Killeen.