Chicken a la King
​Chef JP Dublado
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Chicken ala King is a dish that traces its origins to the late 1800s—believed to have been first prepared by Chef William “Bill” King of the Bellevue Hotel in Philadelphia.

Regardless of where chicken ala King came from, this dish was made popular in the Philippines during the 1960s by Nora Daza, cookbook author of Let’s Cook with Nora. 

This dish was what my grandmother, Lola Adeling, regularly prepared for our family Sunday lunches with my aunts, uncles & cousins, as we gathered at my lola’s home. 

To this day, chicken ala King brings memories of reunions, birthdays & holidays as a child. When a lot of Filipinos left the Philippines for other countries, they all came armed with their dog eared copies of Nora Daza’s cookbook and prepared this dish for their families and passed on their little bit of home.

Chef JP Dublado is preparing his lola’s recipe of chicken ala King, interpreted his way, and with definitive influences from Nora Daza.

                                                                        - Mitzi Manzano

Ingredients

• 3 tbsp butter and 1T canola oil
• 1 lg onion
• 1 tbsp garlic
• 1 lbs Chicken thighs
• 1/2 cup bacon
• 1 can vienna sausage
• 1 can water chestnuts
• 1/2 lbs button mushrooms
• 1 tub 250 ml cottage cheese
• 2 cans cream of mushroom soup
• 1 can evaporated milk
• 1/2 cup peas
• 8 quail eggs fresh/ canned works too
• 4 puff pastry sheets
• 2 eggs
• salt+pepper
• (optional) Shaved parmesan, white truffle oil and pea shoots to finish

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Procedure

1. Sear the chicken thighs on grill or pan and render fat from the skin. Lower the heat and continue cooking.
   
2. In a hot large, heavy bottom pot, put butter and oil. 
   
3. When the butter melts and the oil is hot, add the diced onions until translucent. 
   
4. Add bacon until rendered.  
   
5. Add garlic, mushrooms, hotdogs, and water chestnuts together. Cook until caramelized. 
   
6. Add cream of mushroom and evaporated milk. Bring to a simmer and lightly reduced. 
   
7. Fold in the cottage cheese, season, and add the four egg yolks for more body and shine. 
   
8. Transfer the thighs to the pot and finish in the cream mixture. Garnish with parmesan. 
   
9. While it's stewing, brush one pastry sheet with the egg wash and set aside. 
   
10. Cut another pastry sheet in doughnut shapes using a ring mold and place it over the first sheet.  
    
11. Brush with egg wash and bake at 350* until done. 
    
    You can serve with rice, or as is.