When I think of classic Diner dishes I think of Meatloaf, Burgers, French Fries, Onion Rings and of course the oft ill thought of “Blue Plate Special” but there is another very simple recipe that has seen a bit of a resurgence lately and the one I am referring to is Chicken A L King.
The little bit of culinary history that I know about this dish is that it started as a way for restaurants to use up left over chicken and thus (did I really use the word THUS?) lower the wastage of food and to add more dollars to their bottom line. It doesn’t hurt that this dish is also easy to make and oh so good.
The other thing I like about this particular recipe is it is inexpensive to make. If you use generic ingredients, except for the chicken, then you can feed a family of four for around $20.00 and in today’s economy that’s not half bad. Oh and although this looks “prep heavy” it’s not really.
So here’s my take on a classic Diner dish……..
Ingredients:
– Two medium sized boneless skinless chicken breasts or six boneless skinless chicken thighs – diced
– One package extra broad egg noodles
– One package frozen peas and carrots
– 2 Tins mushroom pieces
– 1 ½ cups Chicken stock
– ¼ cup All Purpose flour
– 3 Tablespoons butter
– 1 Teaspoon granulated garlic or two chopped garlic cloves
– 1 Teaspoon White pepper
– 1 ½ Tablespoons Tarragon
– Pinch of salt
– 3 Tablespoons Olive oil
– ¼ Cup heavy cream (35% whipping cream)
Method:
– Bring a large pot of water to a rolling simmer
– In a large mixing bowl place the chicken and the herbs and spices and mix well
– Add the oil to a large fry pan and add the chicken in batches removing with a slotted spoon when done
– Add the butter and when melted whisk in the flour and make a blonde roux
– Add in the Chicken stock and whisk until you get the consistency you like
– Add the frozen peas and carrots and the mushrooms and simmer for approximately four minutes
– Add the chicken and the heavy cream and bring to a boil
– Cover and turn the heat down to low
– Bring the pasta water to a boil, add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions
– Drain the pasta, plate and top with the Chicken mixture
You can serve this dish with pasta, as I like to, or with rice and if you get really ambitious you can use fresh baked biscuits.
So there you have it another “simple but tasty recipe for the grilling season and beyond”
Until next time…….
Bon Appetit
gardensandgrills 