Description
Chicken à la King served in crisp, golden puff pastry vol-au-vents is a delightful and elegant dish perfect for entertaining. Tender chicken thighs, sautéed mushrooms, and fresh vegetables are simmered in a creamy brandy-infused sauce, then spooned into flaky puff pastry shells for a comforting yet refined meal.
Ingredients
Puff Pastry Shells
- 2 puff pastry sheets (store bought and slightly thawed)
- 1 egg
- 1 tbsp half and half (or milk/water)
Filling
- 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs (cut into bite-sized cubes)
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 8 oz cremini mushrooms (quartered)
- 1 small onion (finely diced)
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
- ½ cup brandy (or dry sherry)
- 3 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 cups chicken stock (warmed)
- 1 cup heavy cream (or half-and-half for lighter)
- ⅛ tsp nutmeg (a small pinch)
- 1 cup green beans (trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces, blanched 2 minutes)
- 1 cup frozen peas (thawed)
- ½ cup pimientos (diced)
- Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley or chives (chopped, for garnish)
Instructions
- Prepare Puff Pastry Shells: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, whisk the egg with the half and half to create an egg wash.
- Cut Pastry Circles: On a lightly floured surface, cut the thawed puff pastry into 3–4 inch circles using a biscuit or cookie cutter. Use a smaller cutter to cut out the centers from half of the circles to create rings.
- Assemble Shells: Place the whole circles on the baking sheet. Brush the tops with egg wash, avoiding the sides. Stack a pastry ring on each whole circle to form a hollow shell, then brush the tops with more egg wash.
- Bake Pastry Shells: Bake for 15 minutes until puffed and golden brown. Remove from oven and gently press down the centers with the back of a spoon to create space for filling.
- Cook Chicken: Season the cubed chicken with salt and pepper. Heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook for 8–10 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer chicken to a plate.
- Sauté Vegetables: Add mushrooms and onion to the skillet with a pinch of salt. Cook 6–7 minutes until softened and browned. Stir in garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Deglaze with Brandy: Pour in brandy, scraping up browned bits from the pan bottom. Simmer 1–2 minutes to cook off alcohol.
- Make Sauce: Sprinkle flour over vegetables and stir to coat. Cook 1 minute, then gradually whisk in warm chicken stock until smooth. Stir in cream, season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper, and simmer 4–5 minutes until slightly thickened.
- Combine Filling: Return chicken to skillet. Add green beans and simmer 15 minutes until beans are tender and mixture heated through. Add pimientos and peas during last 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning to taste.
- Fill and Serve: Spoon hot chicken à la King filling into baked puff pastry shells. Garnish with chopped parsley or chives and serve immediately to keep pastry crisp.
Notes
- Use half-and-half instead of heavy cream for a lighter sauce.
- Blanch green beans before adding to the filling to ensure tenderness.
- Brandy can be substituted with dry sherry or white wine.
- If puff pastry is frozen, thaw slightly to make cutting easier.
- Serve immediately after filling the shells to prevent sogginess.
