Chicken Madeira

Chicken Madeira is creamy, cheesy, and delicious. Tender and juicy chicken is seared and tossed in a madeira wine sauce with mushrooms and tender crisp asparagus, topped with melty mozzarella cheese and baked until golden and bubbly. This family favorite is one of the most popular dishes at the Cheesecake Factory and can be easily made so much better at home. Serve it over pasta, mashed potatoes, or rice for a filling meal that you won't be able to get enough of.

Why You’ll Love Chicken Madeira

• It’s a Cheesecake Factory Chicken Madeira copycat — but better. Seriously! This Chicken Madeira recipe delivers fresh chicken breasts in a perfectly cooked Madeira sauce with sautéed mushroom and blanched asparagus, topped with melted mozzarella cheese. This Chicken Madeira will have you thinking you’re eating at a fine-dining restaurant.
• The earthy sauce pairs so well with chicken and asparagus. Imagine the slightly bitter crunch of bright green asparagus combined with a bite of juicy, tender chicken. Now, add in an earthy sauce complete with sautéed garlic mushrooms (and made with that sweet and nutty Madeira wine, of course). It's similar to Chicken Marsala but with asparagus and cheese.
• It's quick and easy. There may be a few different steps involved here (blanching the asparagus, sautéing the mushrooms, searing the chicken, and assembling it all together before popping in the broiler to melt the cheese), but it's easy to follow. You can have this fancy meal on your table in just 40 minutes. It's great for busy weeknights but definitely a strong date night dinner contender as well.

Ingredients and Substitutions

To make this delicious Chicken Madeira, you will need the following ingredients (full quantities in recipe card below):

• asparagus
• butter
• white mushrooms - feel free to substitute with brown mushrooms or shiitake mushrooms.
• salt and pepper
• yellow onion
• garlic
• parsley
• chicken
• Madeira wine - for a classic Chicken Madeira taste, don't substitute the wine. It adds a warm, sweet, and nutty flavor. If you must substitute, you can substitute with sherry wine or balsamic vinegar. Note that the taste will not be the same, but it will still be delicious.
• chicken broth
• heavy cream - or substitute with half and half
• cheese - I recommend using mozzarella cheese or any cheese that melts well. You can try provolone or white cheddar.

You will also need measuring cups and spoons and a skillet such as a 12-inch cast-iron skillet.

How to Make the Best Chicken Madeira

1. Cook asparagus. In a large pot of boiling water, add asparagus and blanch until slightly but still bright green, about 2-3 minutes. Rinse the asparagus under cold running water to stop the cooking process and drain in a colander. Set aside.
2. Cook mushrooms. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it starts to bubble, about 1 minute. Add mushrooms and sauté until the moisture evaporates from them, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes until the mushrooms turns golden brown. Stir in onion, garlic, and parsley and cook until tender, about 2 minutes. Transfer the mushroom mixture to a plate and set aside.

3. Sear chicken. Slice each chicken breast in half lengthwise (horizontally) and season with salt and pepper to taste (about ¼ teaspoon of each). Use a paper towel to wipe the same skillet clean. Melt the remaining butter over medium heat until it starts to bubble, about 1 minute. Sear the chicken until golden brown and fully cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. The internal temperature for the chicken should reach 165F on a meat thermometer. Remove the chicken from the heat and transfer to the same plate with mushrooms.

4. Make the sauce. In the same skillet, add wine and stir well to deglaze the bottom of the pan. Stir in chicken broth and heavy cream. Mix well and bring the sauce to a simmer. Continue to simmer until thickened to a desired consistency, about 2-3 minutes. Turn off the heat.
5. Assemble the chicken madeira. Return the chicken to the pan and toss to coat in the sauce. Arrange the mushrooms and asparagus around the chicken. Top with shredded mozzarella cheese.
6. Broil. Transfer the pan into the oven and broil on HI for 3-4 minutes (or bake in a preheated 450F oven for 5-7 minutes) until the melted cheese turns golden brown.

How to Serve Chicken Madeira

Serve chicken madeira on it's own or with a side of pasta or rice. Some of my favorite sides to serve with this are:

• Fettuccine Alfredo
• Steamed Rice
• Ciabatta Rolls
• Garden Salad
• Cacio e Pepe
• Garlic Breadsticks

More Chicken Recipes

• 60 Best Chicken Recipes
• Chicken Marsala
• Creamy Lemon Chicken Piccata
• Chicken Penne Pasta
• White Chicken and Spinach Lasagna
• Baked Queso Chicken

Print