This Chicken Madeira recipe pairs tender chicken with fresh asparagus and mushrooms in a lightly creamy wine sauce. It’s an impressive meal that’s easy to make!
This easy Chicken Madeira recipe is a restaurant-worthy meal that’s easy to make at home. With a nod to the popular chicken madeira Cheesecake Factory dish, this recipe takes its name from the Madeira wine that infuses the sauce with added depth and a hint of sweetness. With tender, juicy chicken, asparagus, and mushrooms in a lightly creamy Madeira sauce, I like to say that this easy skillet recipe is “simple, with a touch of fancy”!
Why This Chicken Madeira Recipe is a Favorite
I like to make Chicken Madeira all year ’round, but especially during asparagus season – because asparagus is definitely one of my favorite veggies! There’s so much to love about this recipe:
- Flavorful. I adore a lightly creamy sauce that’s big on flavor, and this sauce with reduced Madeira wine is perfection. It’s heavenly with the chicken and sauteéd garlic, onion, and mushrooms – and delicious fresh asparagus!
- Hearty & happy. This dish includes hearty, lean protein (a big goal with my menu planning) that leaves me feeling satisfied. And the fresh veggies and super lovely sauce make me so happy!
- Wow Factor! This is an impressive meal that’s surprisingly easy to make, plus I think it’s so very pretty. Wow your family and friends with a skillet of exceptional deliciousness!
What You’ll Need
Here’s what you will need to make this copycat chicken madeira cheesecake factory recipe. Find the printable recipe card with the exact ingredient amounts at the end of this post.
- Asparagus – Full of fresh flavor and color, asparagus brightens up this savory dish.
- Salt & pepper
- Olive oil & butter – To saute the chicken and vegetables.
- Chicken – Use skinless, boneless chicken breasts for this recipe.
- Italian seasoning – Use a dried Italian seasoning mix. Or use a combination of dried oregano and basil.
- Mushrooms – You can use cremini or white mushrooms.
- Onion & garlic – For earthy flavor. You can use a red or yellow onion.
- Madeira – This sweet fortified wine adds gorgeous flavor to the sauce. (Learn more about Madeira wine in the next section.)
- Chicken broth – I use a low-sodium variety.
- Heavy cream – This makes the sauce lightly creamy, when combined with the chicken broth and Madeira. In a pinch, use half & half – just know that the sauce will be much thinner.
- Mozzarella cheese – This adds creamy, melty goodness.
- Fresh parsley – For fresh, herby garnish.
What is Madeira Wine?
Madeira is a fortified wine from Portugal – made on the Madeira Islands, just off the coast of Africa.
Fortified wine is wine that is fermented and then supplemented with distilled spirits. Madeira involves a unique process that incorporates heat and aging, which results in a long-lasting wine that’s robust and flavorful.
This wine is noted for its caramelly, nutty flavor. Dry varieties are typically served as an aperitif, before or between meals, while sweet varieties are poured as dessert wines. Chicken Madeira traditionally features a sweet variety.
How to Make Chicken Madeira
You might think that this recipe sounds fancy, but it’s really as simple as searing some chicken breasts and then making an easy pan sauce. I’ve outlined how to make it below. Find the detailed instructions in the recipe card lower down.
- Blanch asparagus. Boil the asparagus in water until crisp-tender. Drain and cool down with cold water.
- Season chicken. Slice the chicken breasts in half horizontally and then season with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
- Cook chicken. Melt butter and olive oil in a skillet, then cook the chicken on each side until golden. Remove chicken to a plate.
- Sauté mushrooms and vegetables. Cook the mushrooms and onion in the same skillet.
- Add garlic & seasoning. Stir in the garlic, then salt & pepper. Remove mushrooms and vegetables to a plate.
- Reduce Madeira wine. Add Madeira to skillet and boil vigorously to reduce by half.
- Add chicken broth, reduce. Stir in chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce liquids to 2/3 cup.
- Add cream. Add heavy cream and simmer to a thickened sauce.
- Assemble & Broil. Place the cooked chicken into the skillet. Spoon the sauce and mushrooms over the top. Nestle in the asparagus. Sprinkle with mozzarella. Broil until the cheese melts.
- Serve. Enjoy this meal hot from the oven. Serve chicken breasts, asparagus, and mushrooms on individual plates with a generous amount of sauce spooned over the top.
Tips for Success + Variations
Here are a few tips to help you make this recipe, plus a few variation ideas:
- Bring chicken to room temperature. Let chicken sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes before you cook it. This step will also help the chicken to cook more evenly.
- Use a meat thermometer. To ensure chicken is cooked to a safe temperature of doneness, a meat thermometer is your best bet. The chicken is done when an instant-read thermometer shows 165℉.
- Wine substitute: Madeira wine gives this dish its signature flavor – so if you use something else, your dish will not be a true Chicken Madeira. If needed, you can substitute with sweet Marsala or sweet sherry.
- Use beef broth. For a deeper, richer flavor to the sauce, use beef broth instead of chicken broth.
- Swap in green beans. You can substitute green beans for the asparagus if you can’t get good asparagus, or if you just want to change it up.
Serving Suggestions
Include a fresh salad or some warm, crusty bread when you put this meal on the table. Also – mashed potatoes are FANTASTIC with this creamy sauce. Here are a few of my favorite ways to serve this chicken madeira recipe:
- With salad. A rich main dish loves a fresh side salad. Try my juicy winter apple salad or make a roasted beet salad or arugula beet salad to go with this creamy chicken.
- Over mashed potatoes. Top buttermilk mashed potatoes or easy creamy mashed potatoes with portions of chicken madeira. Y.U.M.!!!
- A side of potatoes. Other potato options include garlicky roasted potatoes or the best baked potatoes EVER!
- Bread. Pick up a loaf of crusty, fresh-baked French bread and use the slices to soak up the creamy sauce.
- Popovers. Try my regular popovers recipe or sourdough popovers – what a wonderful way to swipe up that delicious sauce!
How to Store & Reheat Leftovers
Save leftover chicken madeira and enjoy it for another meal. Here’s how to store any leftovers:
- Fridge – Place cooled portions of chicken, vegetables, and sauce in airtight containers and store them in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- To Reheat – Reheat chicken madeira in an oven-safe dish in a 300°F oven until the sauce is bubbling and the chicken is heated through. Or, use the microwave: Place a portion of chicken madeira on a plate, cover it to prevent any splatter, and heat it in the microwave in 20-second increments until it’s hot to your liking.
More Easy Chicken Recipes
Chicken Madeira
Yield: 4 servings
This Chicken Madeira recipe pairs tender chicken with fresh asparagus and mushrooms in a lightly creamy wine sauce. It's an impressive meal that's easy to make!
Print
Ingredients
- 1 pound asparagus, tough ends snapped off
- 2½ teaspoons Morton kosher salt, divided
- 2 large chicken breasts (1 pound total weight)
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried Italian herb seasoning
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
- 1 cup Madeira wine (sweet)
- 1½ cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions
- Blanch asparagus: In a medium pot, bring 6 cups water and 1 teaspoon of the salt to a boil. Add asparagus and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until bright green and just crisp-tender. Cook time will depend on size of asparagus. Gently pour asparagus into a colander set in the sink, then run very cold water over the hot asparagus to stop the cooking process and retain the bright green color. Let drain while you prepare the chicken.
- Prep chicken: Slice chicken breasts in half horizontally, so you have 4 thin chicken breast halves. Place the chicken pieces between two layers of plastic wrap and gently pound until each piece reaches a ¼" thickness. Season chicken pieces on both sides with 1 teaspoon of the salt, ½ teaspoon of the black pepper, and the Italian seasoning.
- Cook chicken: Heat a large, wide, oven-safe skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Once butter has melted, add chicken pieces and sauté for 3-4 minutes on each side, or until they are cooked through and nicely browned. Place the cooked chicken on a plate; set aside.
- Cook mushrooms, onion & garlic: In the same skillet, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of the butter and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Once butter has melted, stir in mushrooms and onion. Sauté for 5-7 minutes, or until softened. Then stir in minced garlic. Season mixture with remaining ½ teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of black pepper. Sprinkle in half of the chopped parsley. Transfer mixture to a plate; set aside.
- Make Madeira cream sauce: In the same skillet, add the Madeira wine and let it boil until reduced by half. At a vigorous boil, this should take 4-6 minutes. While wine is boiling, scrape the flavorful bits from the bottom of the skillet to deglaze.
- Pour in chicken broth and bring to a boil. Boil until the liquids reduce to 2/3 cup total, about 8-12 minutes.
- Reduce heat to medium and stir in cream. Let the sauce simmer 2-3 minutes, or until lightly thickened. Taste test; season with additional salt and pepper if needed.
- Finish: Add sautéed chicken pieces back into skillet and spoon sauce and mushrooms over each piece. Nestle the asparagus into the skillet. Then sprinkle mozzarella over the top.
- Place skillet in oven and broil until the cheese is melty. Remove from oven and garnish with remaining chopped fresh parsley. This meal is wonderful with mashed potatoes!
Nutrition Information:
Serving: 1 Calories: 756kcal Carbohydrates: 17g Protein: 50g Fat: 51g Saturated Fat: 27g Polyunsaturated Fat: 21g Trans Fat: 1g Cholesterol: 216mg Sodium: 1535mg Fiber: 3g Sugar: 7g
Nutrition information is automatically calculated by Spoonacular. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee accuracy. If your health depends on nutrition information, please calculate again with your own favorite calculator.
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