Recreate chicken Madeira from Cheesecake Factory at home. Juicy chicken, mushrooms, and a creamy sauce are covered in cheese making it fancy and comforting!
More chicken recipes we love include this Tuscan chicken recipe, marry me chicken and chicken piccata.
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Easy Creamy Chicken Madeira
If you’ve ever dined at the Cheesecake Factory and fallen head over heels for their chicken Madeira, you’re in for a treat. I’m about to unveil the secrets behind recreating this mouthwatering dish right in your own kitchen!
This is one of my family’s favorite copycat recipes. It’s an elevated comfort meal perfect for a family weeknight dinner similar to my chicken marsala and salisbury steak recipe!
Ingredient Notes
Let’s take a look at what you’ll need to make this recipe for Madeira chicken.
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Mushrooms and onions: I used baby bella mushrooms but shiitake, crimini, or oyster would all work in this recipe.
- Skinless chicken breasts: While this chicken Madeira recipe calls for breasts, you can also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs if you prefer. Just adjust the cooking time slightly as chicken thighs might take a bit longer to cook through.
- Italian seasoning: A blend of dried herbs like oregano, basil, and thyme, this seasoning adds a touch of Italian flair. You can make your own Italian seasoning at home or buy a blend.
- Madeira wine: Madeira wine lends its distinct depth and sweetness to the sauce. If unavailable, you can substitute with other dry red or white wines. The alcohol from the wine will cook off which does make it kid-friendly.
- Low-sodium broth: The broth forms the base of the sauce. Choose either beef or chicken broth based on your preference.
- Asparagus: Asparagus adds a wonderful touch, but you can use other vegetables like green beans, broccoli, or spinach if you’d like. Just make sure to adjust the cooking time as needed for the vegetable you choose.
- Whipping cream: Cream adds a luxurious, velvety texture to the sauce. Using room-temperature heavy cream prevents curdling when added to the hot sauce.
- Mozzarella cheese: Mozzarella cheese tops the dish. You can experiment with different cheeses like provolone, Gruyère, or Swiss for a cheesy finish.
How to Make Chicken Madeira
- Sauté. Add the onions and mushrooms to an oven-safe pan and sauté until they have softened. Add the garlic, continue to sauté then transfer everything to a plate.
- Pound. Pound the chicken to ¼-inch thick and season.
- Cook. Add the chicken cutlets to the pan and cook on medium-high for 3 – 4 minutes per side until they are golden brown and cooked through. Remove them from the pan.
- Make the sauce. Deglaze the pan with the wine, then add the broth and let it boil until reduced to ¼ of its original liquid. Reduce the heat and slowly whisk in the cream and simmer for 2 minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Boil asparagus. Place the asparagus in a large pot and boil until bright green and tender.
- Broil. Return the cooked cutlets to the pan and top it with the vegetables. Sprinkle the cheese over the top and broil until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Recipe Tips
- Pound your cutlets to an even thickness to ensure uniform cooking.
- When sautéing the onions and mushrooms, let them cook until they release their moisture and start to brown for best flavor.
- To prevent curdling, make sure your whipping cream is at room temperature before adding it to the Madeira sauce. Slowly whisk it in and simmer gently.
- Plunging the asparagus in cold water avoids overcooking it plus it locks in that vibrant green color.
- Keep a close eye on the cheese as it is broiled. It only takes a few seconds to achieve melty perfection.
- Creamy mashed potatoes or mashed red potatoes are a classic side dish to serve with this popular chicken dish as the potatoes soak up the buttery wine sauce!
Storing Leftover Chicken Madeira
- Store: Put your chicken Madeira leftovers into an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Gently reheat at lower power in the microwave or reheat the leftovers on the stovetop in a non-stick skillet or saucepan over medium-low heat. If the meat looks a bit dry, add a splash of broth, wine, or water to keep things moist as you warm it up.
- Freeze: I don’t recommended freezing this dish as the texture of the sauce will change.
More popular chicken recipes include creamy chicken pasta, chicken tetrazzini, and chicken Parmesan pasta!
More Chicken Recipes
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Chicken Madeira Recipe (Cheesecake Factory Copycat)
Recreate chicken Madeira from Cheesecake Factory at home. Juicy chicken, mushrooms, and a creamy sauce are covered in cheese making it fancy and comforting!
Video
Ingredients
Chicken
- 3 tablespoons salted butter , divided
- 1-2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion or 1/2 large, finely chopped
- 8 ounces mushrooms , thinly sliced
- 1 ½ Tablespoons minced garlic (about 3 cloves)
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 large breasts)
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
Sauce
- 1 ½ cups Madeira wine , or white cooking wine
- 1 cup low-sodium beef broth or chicken broth
- 8 ounces asparagus , ends trimmed (about 25 thin spears)
- ½ cup whipping cream (heavy or regular), at room temperature
- Ground black pepper
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley , for serving
For serving: Mashed potatoes
Instructions
Chicken
- In a heavy-bottomed, oven-safe pan, melt 2 Tablespoons butter and 1 Tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Stir in 1 small onion and 8 ounces mushrooms. Sauté 5 minutes, or until softened. Stir in 1 1/2 Tablespoons garlic and cook 2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate.
- Slice 1 pound chicken breasts in half lengthwise. Place each piece between plastic wrap and pound to 1/4-inch thick. Rub the chicken with 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning.
- In the same pan, melt the remaining 1 Tablespoon butter over medium-high heat. Once the butter is no longer foaming, add the chicken breasts and sauté 3 to 4 minutes on each side, or until they are golden brown and cooked through. Transfer chicken to the same plate with the mushroom mixture.
Sauce
- In the same pan, add 1/2 cups Madeira wine and boil over medium-high heat, scraping the bottom of the skillet to deglaze and pick up any browned bits, 5 minutes, or until wine is reduced by half. Stir in 1 cup broth and boil 10 minutes, or until reduced to 1/4 of its original liquid.
- While the sauce is reducing, fill a large pot with water and add salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Add asparagus and boil 3 to 4 minutes, or until bright green and tender. Place on a plate lined with paper towel or to keep crisp transfer asparagus to a bowl of ice cold water. Drain.
- Reduce heat on the sauce to medium-low and slowly whisk in 1/2 cup cream. Simmer 2 minutes, or until sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Return the cooked chicken breasts to the pan, ensuring the chicken is well coated in the sauce. Top with mushroom mixture, asparagus, and mozzarella. Broil 3 to 4 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Sprinkle with parsley and serve with mashed potatoes.
Nutrition
Calories: 535kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 151mg | Sodium: 2829mg | Potassium: 1004mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1526IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 211mg | Iron: 3mg
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and recipe creator at I Heart Naptime. She is the author of the I Heart Naptime Cookbook and shares easy family-friendly recipes and desserts for every occasion.
Love this meal at Cheesecake Factory & love it even more knowing I can make it at home!! I think it even tastes better!! Definitely great for a date night in!
Turned out really good! Juicy chicken, creamy sauce. It was a hit. Thanks for sharing.
Loved this recipe and will make this again. One of my favorite dishes is Chicken Marsala and I was not familiar with Madeira, but it turned out even better than Marsala in my opinion…slightly sweeter. We enjoyed the asparagus and addition of cheese at the end.