Instant Pot Chicken à la Queens: Creamy Caribbean-Inspired Recipe

Many of you know Chicken a la King: a creamy mix of chicken and vegetables often served over noodles or in a pot pie. Growing up in Queens, New York, I took that idea and swapped the noodles for biscuits — welcome to Chicken a la Queens. It’s comfort food with big flavor, easy to make in an Instant Pot, and a longtime favorite from my cookbook made simple for your kitchen.

Watch the Video!

Man showing Queens hat — Hats off to Queens, New York — a place with incredible food and plenty of inspiration.

Sauté the Base

Melted butter in Instant Pot — Start by melting butter in the Instant Pot using the Sauté function.

Adding sliced mushrooms and diced shallot and yellow pepper to pot — Add sliced mushrooms, diced shallot, and diced yellow pepper and sauté until softened.

Adding chunks of raw chicken breasts to pot — Stir in bite-size pieces of boneless chicken (breasts or thighs) and sauté until the outside turns opaque.

Adding chicken broth to pot — Pour in chicken broth and season with garlic powder, seasoned salt, and black pepper.

Stirring pot before pressure cooking — Stir everything, secure the lid, and pressure cook on high for a few minutes following your Instant Pot settings.

Prepare the Biscuits

Cooked biscuits on a baking sheet — While the pot cooks, bake canned biscuits or use your favorite biscuit recipe so they’re warm and ready to serve.

Finish with Creamy Goodness

Pressure cooked chicken. — When pressure cooking is complete the mixture will look rustic — that’s okay because we’re about to transform it.

Adding cream to chicken in pot — Switch back to Sauté and stir in heavy cream or half-and-half for richness.

Adding herb cheese to pot — Add herb cheese or a package of Boursin to melt into the sauce for an herby, savory boost.

Adding roasted red peppers to pot — Fold in chopped roasted red peppers for color and sweetness.

Adding frozen peas to pot — Stir in frozen peas; they’ll quickly heat through in the pot.

Everything combined in pot — Bring the mixture to a gentle bubble, then whisk in a cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce.

Adding grated Parmesan into pot — Finish with grated Parmesan for extra savory depth and stir until smooth.

Serve It Up

Biscuits in a bowl — Place a biscuit or two in a deep plate or bowl.

Ladling chicken and sauce over biscuits. — Ladle the creamy chicken mixture over the biscuits and serve immediately.

The Taste Test

Man holding bowl of finished Chicken a la Queens — This dish brings comforting, saucy chicken and vegetables together in a bowl — a real crowd-pleaser.

Man trying the food — Pop on your Queens hat, take a bite, and enjoy.

Man giving a thumbs up in approval — One bite and you’ll see why this is fit for a king, a queen, and everyone in between.

Yield: 6

Instant Pot Chicken a la Queens

This recipe reimagines Chicken a la King by serving the creamy chicken and vegetables over warm biscuits instead of noodles — an easy, comforting Instant Pot meal that delivers big flavor.

Prep Time
10 minutes

Cook Time
4 minutes

Additional Time
10 minutes

Total Time
24 minutes

Ingredients

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) salted butter
1 pound baby bella mushrooms, sliced
1 large shallot, diced
1 yellow bell pepper, diced
3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts and/or thighs, cut into bite-size chunks
1 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
1 (5.2-ounce) package Boursin or 3/4 cup herb cheese, cut into chunks
1 (12-ounce) jar roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
1 cup frozen peas
2 tablespoons cornstarch + 2 tablespoons cold water (slurry)
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Canned biscuits, baked according to package instructions or your favorite biscuit recipe

Instructions

Set Instant Pot to Sauté (More/High). Melt the butter, then add mushrooms, shallot, and bell pepper. Sauté about 3 minutes until slightly softened.
Add the chicken and sauté 2–3 more minutes until the pieces turn opaque but are not fully cooked.
Pour in chicken broth, add garlic powder, seasoned salt, and pepper. Stir, secure the lid, set the valve to sealing, and pressure cook on High for 4 minutes. Quick release when done.
While the pot cooks, bake the biscuits and prepare the cornstarch slurry by mixing cornstarch with cold water.
After pressure cooking, cancel and return to Sauté. Stir in cream, Boursin or herb cheese, roasted red peppers, and frozen peas. Heat until the mixture bubbles and the cheese is melted.
When bubbling, whisk in the cornstarch slurry and let it bubble briefly to thicken, about 30 seconds. Stir in Parmesan until smooth. For a thicker sauce, add up to 2 tablespoons more cornstarch mixed with water.
Serve by ladling the creamy chicken and vegetables over warm biscuits.

Jeffrey’s Tips

If you prefer a thicker sauce, increase the cornstarch slurry by another tablespoon or two. Swap peas or mushrooms for other vegetables you like, such as corn or green beans.