Chicken Madeira – Cheesecake Factory Copycat (VIDEO)
Juicy chicken and mushrooms in a madeira cream sauce under melty cheese and asparagus… all you need is mashed potatoes to go with it. This creamy Chicken Madeira is one of the most popular menu item at the Cheesecake Factory. It is popular for good reason! We love recreating our favorite restaurant copycat recipes like this one from Olive Garden!
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The madeira cream sauce has incredible flavor. You will want to dip your bread into the pan before the night is over and get every last drop of it. This Chicken Madeira recipe tastes fancy and will impress your family, dinner guests or your special someone for a date night in! This is one of our favorite copycat recipes.
Everyone in our family loved this Chicken Madeira, even the baby! My Mom was particularly impressed (she was trained as a chef so naturally when Mom is impressed, I’m beaming!).
This made for a lovely and fancy dinner and there was nothing overly difficult about it. Now you can also enjoy homemade Chicken Madeira for a fraction of the price!
Watch How to Make Chicken Madeira Recipe:
We went to the Cheesecake Factory on our Anniversary for my husbands’ first (and my second) time ever and ordered their world famous Chicken Madeira. It was love at first bite and we just knew we had to recreate this dish at home.
We made a copycat Chicken Madeira, except I love the homemade version even better! And, when you make it at home, you can feed a family of 4 for the cost of 1 serving at the restaurant. This is why we love copycat recipes so much!
Ingredients for Easy Chicken Madeira Recipe:
These simple ingredients work together to make a memorable one-pan dinner. If the wine section of your grocery store does not have Madeira, check at the liquor and wine store – I purchased this bottle for $6. If you aren’t able to find Madeira wine, you can substitute with Marsala wine which is also a sweet wine although it will taste more like chicken marsala ;).
How to Make Copycat Chicken Madeira:
1. To blanch asparagus: Remove fibrous stems from asparagus by snapping them off (watch video above). To blanch asparagus, fill a medium pot with 6 cups water, bring to a boil and add 1 Tbsp salt. Add asparagus and boil uncovered until crisp tender and bright green (2-3 minutes then remove immediately from hot water and set aside).
2. Place a large heavy (oven-safe) pan over medium/high heat and melt in 2 Tbsp butter and 1 Tbsp oil. Add thickly sliced mushrooms and cook 5 minutes until soft. Stir in diced onion and cook 3 minutes. Add minced garlic cloves then season with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper and 2 Tbsp fresh parsley. Cook another 2 minutes then remove mixture to a plate and wipe skillet clean with wet paper towel.
3. Slice chicken breasts in half lengthwise and pound each cutlet between plastic wrap until no more than 1/4″ thick. Season chicken breasts all over with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Place same pan over medium/high heat and add 1 Tbsp butter and 1 Tbsp oil. When butter is finished foaming, add chicken breasts and saute 3 to 4 minutes per side or until golden brown and cooked through. Remove chicken from pan to the same plate as mushrooms.
4. In the same pan, add 1 1/2 cups Madeira and boil until reduced by half (5 minutes of vigorous boiling), scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze. Add 1 1/2 cups beef broth and boil until 2/3 cup liquid remains or about 1/4 of it’s original volume (10 min). Reduce heat to medium, add 1/2 cup cream and simmer until sauce thickens (2 min). Season sauce with salt and pepper to taste and turn off heat.
5. Return chicken to the pan, turning it to coat in the sauce. Top with mushrooms, asparagus and sprinkle 1 cup of mozzarella cheese over the top. Broil 3-4 minutes or until cheese is melted. Remove from oven, garnish with fresh parsley.
Are you hungry yet? This dish always gets rave reviews at the dinner table and it’s so good paired with Mashed Potatoes. I hope it becomes a new favorite for your family.
Our Most Popular Chicken Recipes:
- Chicken Avocado Salad – our #1 most popular chicken recipe
- Spatchcock Chicken – the juiciest way to roast a whole chicken
- Garlic Butter Stuffed Chicken – you won’t believe what’s inside!
- Stuffed Chicken Parmesan – a classic chicken recipe just got better
Chicken Madeira Recipe (Cheesecake Factory Copycat)
Ingredients
- 1 lb Chicken Breasts (2 large)
- 1 lb asparagus, blanched*
- 3/4 tsp sea salt, divided, and black pepper to taste
- 3 Tbsp Unsalted Butter, divided
- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil, divided
- 16 oz button mushrooms, thickly sliced
- 1 small or 1/2 medium yellow onion, finely diced
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 2 Tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped, plus to garnish
- 1 1/2 cups Madeira Wine, sweet white wine*
- 1 1/2 cups low sodium beef stock or broth
- 1/2 cup Whipping Cream, heavy or regular
- 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
Instructions
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To blanch asparagus: Remove fibrous stems from asparagus by snapping them off. Fill a medium pot with 6 cups water, bring to a boil and add 1 Tbsp salt. Add asparagus and boil uncovered until crisp tender and bright green (2-3 minutes then remove from hot water and set aside).
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Place a large heavy (oven-safe) pan over medium/high heat and melt in 2 Tbsp butter and 1 Tbsp oil. Add sliced mushrooms and cook 5 min until soft. Stir in diced onion and cook 3 min. Add minced garlic cloves then season with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper and 2 Tbsp parsley. Cook another 2 min then remove mixture to a plate and wipe skillet clean with wet paper towel.
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Slice chicken breasts in half lengthwise and pound each cutlet between plastic wrap until no more than 1/4" thick. Season chicken all over with 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Place same pan over medium/high heat and add 1 Tbsp butter and 1 Tbsp oil. When butter is finished foaming, add chicken breasts and sauté 3 to 4 min per side or until golden and cooked through. Remove chicken from pan to the same plate with mushrooms.
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In the same pan, add 1 1/2 cups Madeira and boil until reduced by half (5 minutes vigorous boiling), scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze. Add 1 1/2 cups beef broth and boil until 2/3 cup liquid remains or about 1/4 of it's original volume (10 min). Reduce heat to medium, add 1/2 cup cream and simmer until sauce thickens (2 min). Season with salt and pepper to taste.
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Return chicken to the pan, turning it to coat in the sauce. Top with mushrooms, asparagus and sprinkle with 1 cup of mozzarella cheese over the top. Broil 3-4 minutes or until cheese is melted. Remove from oven, garnish with fresh parsley.
Recipe Notes
*Found at the liquor and wine store - not carried in most grocery stores. $6 bottle.
If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen
This chicken madeira recipe is easy and so good – just the way it should be. And, it’s so smart to dine in, especially if you are feeding a crowd!
My husband and I celebrated our 14th wedding anniversary with this dish. 14 years feels just few by and we now have an 8 year old and 2 year old. WOAH!! I am so thankful that we are best friends after all these years and that we not only love, but really like each other – and we work side by side day after day. The longer I am married to my husband, the more I just want to be around him and with him. Our date nights are few and far between but they are a treat!
Q: What is your favorite celebration dish and restaurant? I’d love to hear about it in a comment below!
P.S. If you love one-pan chicken recipes, make sure to check out this reader favorite (EASY) pesto chicken!
Natasha Kravchuk
Hi! I'm Natasha Kravchuk. Here you'll find delicious, trusted recipes with easy step-by-step photos and videos. 
Hi Natasha could you do this in an electric pressure cooker and if do how long for please?
Hi! I have not tested that to advise. I think it could work but you’d have to experiment with it.
Hi Natasha! will it still be good without asparagus? Thanks
you!
Yes, it will! 🙂
This recipe was so delicious! My husband and I really loved this dish. Very tasty and easy to prepare.
So glad you enjoyed it, Terry! Thank you for sharing. 🙂
Good dish. The sauce seemed like it might be much and was afraid it would be too heavy, so I reduced the liquids; reduced the proportion of Madeira to broth, and used only a small amount of half-and-half. I also added some thyme to the sauce. I suspected the sauce would be too thin so I added some flour to the hot pan before the liquids, but it still turned out thin. Nevertheless, the sauce was great and just the right amount with the reduction.
Hi Phyllis, as you can see in the video, the sauce is intended to stay pretty thin and isn’t thick like an alfredo sauce. I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Hello! I have made this several times and it is soooooo delicious! Would it be possible to make this with Shrimp and Scallops? If so, how would i make those substitutions?
Hi Beth! That sounds delicious. I imagine it could work but I haven’t tested it myself to advise.
It was AMAZING! I simply sautéed shrimp and scallops and added it to the pan before melting the cheese. 🤤
Sounds great, so glad you loved it!
Could you use chicken broth instead of beef broth since it is a chicken recipe?
Hi Louise, we prefer it with the beef broth, it pairs nicely with this dish, but chicken broth can also be substituted. I hope you love this recipe!
I made your recipe and followed the instructions as written, and it turned out amazing! Cheesecake Factory’s Chicken Madeira is one of my husband’s favorite foods. I’m so happy to be able to make it at home. My boys loved it too! Thank you!!!
Yay, that’s great news and yes, you can now both enjoy this recipe anytime you’re both craving for this!
Hey natasha, I don’t have a broiler in my oven. Since it seems you’re mostly just using it to meld everything together and melt the cheese, maybe could I get away with just putting it in a high oven for a few minutes?
I Dere, I bet that could work. Under the broiler, you are just melting the cheese essentially. If you test it, let me know how it goes.
I have made this multiple times and it is always a hit. You definitely need the Madeira wine for this though. I have been unable to find it in grocery stores, but Binny’s and/or another well stocked liquor store should have it. I’ve made it with Marsala once before when my liquor store was out- it’s good but as noted in the recipe above it will taste like Chicken Marsala. Definitely helps to have your ingredients prepped beforehand too!
Thank you for sharing, Holly! I’m glad you love this recipe!
Great recipe but hate those bloody adverts that keep popping up all the time.
Five stars for the Madiera sauce, four stars for the final product.
I made this almost exactly as the recipe calls for (no substitutions, but I used a bit of cornstarch to thicken the sauce at the end.)
The flavor is incredible, and it was one of the few meals that my food-critical husband actually complimented multiple times while he ate it. So thank you for the win, ha!
We both felt that the mozzarella was one element too many, so when I make it again I’ll omit it. I’d also serve the asparagus on the side rather than in the skillet but that’s preference and not a criticism of the recipe. Everything together in the pan made for a messy plating but that didn’t affect the terrific flavor.
I made it with two large chicken breasts, thin sliced and pounded into cutlets. In the end, the sauce-to-meat ratio was pretty high so in my opinion, you could increase the amount of chicken and still have plenty of the sauce to go around. This is just as good the next day as leftovers, so stretch it and get two meals out of it for your efforts!
Serve with crusty bread to dip in the sauce…heaven!
This is a very rich, deeply flavorful meal so it probably won’t go into regular weeknight rotation but it’s definitely going into the recipe binder.
(I also found a dusty bottle of Borges Madiera in my local bottle shop, for under eight dollars. Look for it with the ports.)
Thank you for your detailed comments and feedback. We appreciate that you shared your experience trying out this recipe!
I thought this dish was quite delicious. I set the timer for cooking down both the Maderia wine and the chicken broth. It did not thicken as needed. Next time I will reduce the broth longer as someone else pointed out in a previous comment.
The Sandemans Madeira wine at Harris Teeter in NC was 19.99. Called around and the price was about the same. Not sold at all grocery store chains. But it does taste pretty good as a sipping wine as does a good Port.
Thanks for your comments and feedback, Suzanne!
I don’t consume alcohol/wine. Is There some thing that I could substitute for that?
The wine is what makes this dish unique. You could use broth, but it would not taste the same.
All the alcohol cooks off so you will only have the sweet flavor of madeira. No concerns of it making you drunk.
If you don’t consume alcohol, this might not be a good recipe for you to try.
Cooking/simmering does not burn off all of the alcohol. I’ve read in multiple sources that as much as 40% still remains even after a good 15-20 minute simmer.
If you don’t like the taste of alcohol, then you might still enjoy this because it isn’t an alcohol-forward dish, once it’s been simmered (ie, there’s no “burn”)—there’s just the flavor of the Madiera.
If you *cannot* have alcohol, then you may have to just give this one a miss.
Personally, I would not serve this to guests or family members who need to abstain for whatever reason.
Hi Natasha, can I cook this on a regular pan (not oven safe)- and then transfer everything to bake in a casserole dish? I’m thinking of scaling up the recipe to feed 8 people if that works. 😋
Hi Isabel, I bet that could work, but transferring it may get tricky. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
Hi Natasha, I tried this tonight and sauce was very sweet for my taste, how do I back off the sweetness? I think I would really like it if the sauce less sweet.
Hi Diane, we believe we have found the perfect balance between the sweet wine and the ingredients. Be sure you didn’t substitute or leave out the sea salt.
Has anyone substituted the asparagus for another vegetable, such as green beans? My husband doesn’t like asparagus but I want to make it.
Hi Christina! I think that would be fine. Cooked spinach or carrots work as well. Or serve the veggie on the side and it will not affect the flavor of the dish.
I have made this recipe many times for company. I always get
rave reviews!!!
Thank you for the review, Diana! I’m so glad it’s loved.
Sounds awesome!
Can this recipe be revised to just bake and not do on top of stove….and if so how?
Hi Laney, I haven’t tried those process substitutions, so I can’t speak to that. Sauteeing the mushrooms and cooking down the Madeira wine is a crucial step. Substitutions may hinder the recipe outcome. I always suggest making a recipe as written the first time around.
The only dish my husband ever gets at Cheesecake Factory is chicken madiera. Made this and we both loved it! He said it was pretty dang close to Cheesecake Factory, next time I would just try to thicken the sauce a little more and double the sauce portion. That sauce was soooo good! Love this recipe.
Wonderful! So glad it was enjoyed. Thank you for the review, Allison. 🙂
Thank you Natasha. Enjoyed reading about your anniversary and how special your marriage is. How do I get my husband to cook with me? It is a very romantic activity for a couple. Thanks for your recipes, especially the recent Chicken Madeira! Yum! You really make it easy to follow your recipes. You’re the best!
I’m glad you enjoyed that. My husband really enjoys cooking so I’m lucky because I didn’t have to convince him. I think it can be a great bonding if you do it with your husband, just let him know, maybe he will be up for it too!
Really good! Tastes just like CF. The sauce is definitely the star of the show, delicious!
I lightened it up slightly by using half the butter and oil indicated, 1/3 cup of cream, and 1/2 regular mozzarella 1/2 fat free mozzarella.
I did find I had to boil the sauce in the second step quite a bit longer. Reducing the madeira did take about 5 mins as indicated by the recipe, but it took almost 20 mins to reduce down the beef broth/madeira mixture.
I served it with cauliflower mash and it was wonderful.
Thank you for the feedback, Jeff! I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe.
Apparently, where I live in Canada (Ontario) madeira wines in the local LCBO’s are few and far between and priced from $30. – $300.00! Guess I’ll stick with Chicken Marsala!!
Hi Val, woah! That is wild for pricing on madeira. They are pretty inexpensive here but as I have written above: “If you aren’t able to find Madeira wine, you can substitute with Marsala wine which is also a sweet wine although it will taste more like chicken marsala”
This recipe was delicious! I used green beans & substituted balsamic vinegar for the Madeira Wine because my husband cannot have alcohol.
I’m glad you enjoyed it using the substitutions that you tried!
hi gina! I also can’t have alcohol, cooked out or not. did you use same amount ( 1and a half cups) of balsamic as wine?
Made this dish last night and it was wonderful! My wife said the sauce was the best and a new favorite! We put the chicken and sauce over bowtie pasta. We may have this for our twentieth wedding anniversary next week.
That’s really awesome to hear that you both enjoyed this recipe. I hope you’ll love whatever recipe that you will try and Happy Anniversary in advance!
This sounds like a fabulous dish and I do plan on making it. I am sure this will be a family favorite. But is there a substitute for the cream? To reduce the cholesterol a bit.
Hi Sharon. I have not tested an alternative. Maybe you can reduce some of the amount by adding extra broth in its place or using milk? This could affect the texture of the cream but still may work well. You’d have to experiment with it.
This came out incredibly flavorful. I’m not sure if this was just as good or better than the Cheesecake Factory because I’ve never ordered this most popular dish when I ate there so many years ago. I preferred their shrimp scampi or breakfast egg quesadilla. I did make some adjustments to this recipe for my own personal preferences. So I basically followed your recipe except I didn’t pan fry the chicken and then broil them. I baked them. And I increased the servings to 8 and I used thighs instead of breasts. If I can avoid using chicken breasts, I will. And I did in this case. Chicken thighs adds so much more flavor and succulent moisture that breasts sorely lack. I seasoned the uncooked chicken with a family recipe of herbs and spices and then placed them in a baking casserole dish and poured the sauce all over them, added the mushrooms and asparagus that I all made following all your steps, minus the fried breasts. I then added the mozzarella on top of everything and baked at 375 degrees for 30 minutes and it turned out fantastic. Thanks for sharing. I will definitely be making this again.
Hello there Kazy, thank you so much for your detailed feedback, we appreciate it. We’re happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe a lot!
Hi Natasha
I plan on making this dish this Monday. I really like sliced onions over chopped onions as you can feel them in your mouth when you eat them. Would sliced onions work in this dish? Also I have an 8 ounce unopened bag of spinach I need to use before it goes bad. I was wondering if I could add that to the dish. Perhaps wilt them right after sauteeing the mushrooms, onion and garlic. Would the spinach corrupt the flavor?
Hi Kazy, I don’t think spinach would corrupt the flavor. I think it would go well. As for the sliced onions, that could work fine. Let us know how it turns out. 🙂
This recipe is so, so delicious! The flavour in that sauce is to die for. This is definitely a recipe that would be well received by dinner guests.
Thanks for the awesome feedback, Janice!
This recipe is amazing. I can never get the sauce to thicken bt it goes great with the cubed, seasoned potatoes I bake with the dish.
Hi Elizabeth, It is a light sauce. You can thicken it by simmering longer, but it is meant to be a light sauce and not thick. I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
This was a great recipe! We are making it again. We could not find Madeira so we used brandy, cut in half, delish!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Nancy!
Ask for it at your liquor store; they will definitely carry it. You will be very happy you sought it out. a flavor like no other in a dish like this.
Maderia Wine is impossible to find near me, is there another wine substitute that would work?
If you aren’t able to find Madeira wine, you can substitute with Marsala wine which is also a sweet wine although it will taste more like chicken marsala.
Thank you, great recipe. I appreciate the simple step by step instruction. I normally look up a few recipes and create my own blend of what I like and what I have. But this time you were going toward processes that I was not familiar with, so I followed it as close as I could. Good work! Mmmmmmmm. Finding inexpensive Medeira Wine in this area was a challenge, but worth it.
Hello Bob, good to know that you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for sharing your experience making this.
I’ve been wanting to try this recipe for a while now but haven’t because I don’t cook with wine. What is a substitute for the wine in this recipe? Or can I omit it altogether? I understand the taste will be different but I’m fine with that.
Hi Lily, Most of the alcohol is cooked out in the pan, so you get the added flavor, and the sauce ends up with an insignificant amount of alcohol, which isn’t really a concern. My children loved this. We haven’t tried another substitution since the Madeira wine is what makes the flavor. If you are looking to make it completely wine-free, you could just use more broth, but the flavor profile wouldn’t be quite the same.
I simply added a bit more broth and the end result was so tasty! We’ll definitely be remaking and recommending this recipe. Also, we used more chicken (1.5 pounds) than the recipe called for but next time we’ll add even more so we can have leftovers. Thanks Natasha
OMG…made this for dinner tonight. Hubby said to rate it 5 stars times 2 🤣. I’ve never had Cheesecake Factory’s Chicken Madeira but I can’t imagine it’s better than this recipe. This is our new favorite chicken dish. Thank you for the recipe.
Sounds like this was a major hit, Christine! I’m glad you found a new family favorite!
Hi Natasha,
Planning to make this tomorrow for friends coming over. Do you think I can make it ahead of time and then warm up in the oven or do you think it will make the chicken taste dry?
Hi Shelly, to make the entire dish ahead, let it cool to room temp then refrigerate. Before serving, complete that last step of putting it in the oven until hot and the cheese is melted over the top. You might need a few extra minutes in the oven since it is going in chilled from refrigeration. I suggest checking the chicken temperature with an instant-read thermometer to make sure it reaches the correct internal temperature of 165˚F.
Your recipes always look amazing, but how about some whole food plant based?
Thank you, Beth. Have you checked out my Vegetarian recipes? If not, definitely give them a look and see if there is anything here that would interest you. Click HERE for Vegetarian Recipes.
While I’ve never had the original from The Cheesecake Factory, I have made your version of this recipe at least a half-dozen times, and it’s been delicious and enjoyed by everyone in our family. Yesterday, I doubled the recipe and had our 7-year-old son assist as my sous-chef when he got home from school. I had him thick-slice the mushrooms in the food processor, snap the ends off of 2 lbs of asparagus, and use the Kitchenaid spiralizer attachment to peel and “cut” the potatoes for quicker and more uniform boiling for the mashed potato side dish. Using some of the kitchen gadgets gets him more excited about helping to prepare meals with daddy in the kitchen. This time I also cut the cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces, as I did with the asparagus (which I steamed instead of par-boiling), which allows for coating everything more easily in the delicious sauce, and consumption using only a fork, lol. We had a nice dinner, and have enough leftovers for at least another meal this week. I would attach a pic, but there doesn’t appear to be a way to do that here in the comments. You and your husband do a great job together, and of the literally dozens of your recipes I have made (many made countless times over), every one has turned out great. Thank you!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your excellent review, Scott! I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe!
Thank you- I was curious if I could cut to bite size after cooking for a group as well! Did you double sauce recipe?
Omg this exceeded my expectations! I am so excited for the leftovers. Will definitely be making this again soon!!!
Hello Julie, that’s lovely feedback! Thank you for sharing that with us, the leftovers should be good too.
I love this recipe! It’s my go-to recipe when I want to treat myself or have company!!
This is the perfect treat for company 🙂 I’m so glad you loved it!
Thank you for this amazing recipe Natasha! Made it last night. Had RAVE reviews from family, claiming it was the best chicken dish I’ve ever made! And I like to think I’m a good cook. Will make again and again!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!
Doing Keto and this recipe looks great except the sugar in the wine. What would be a no sugar / low sugar alterative for the wine?
Hi there, you could just use more broth but the flavor profile wouldn’t be quite the same.
How can this dish be prepped to freeze and make later to shorten dinner prep time? After 4-5 years, my daughter & I want to quit “Dream Dinners”. Because of Covid, we can’t go to the local shop to assemble the meals ourselves. They now assemble them, and we just pick them up, so it’s become quite expensive. Maybe you could add prep and freeze instructions to your recipe offerings?? Thank you!
Hi Sandy, I haven’t tried freezing this so I am not sure how the sauce would hold up once it is thawed. If you experiment, let me know how it goes 🙂
chicken madeira, Made this tonight and it came out perfect!! thank you !!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Donna!
One of our favorite family meals. My kids request thos at least once a week.
Lovely to hear that, Kristia!
This looks delicious and I plan on trying it tonight! Any reason for beef broth instead of chicken?
Hi Shelly, we prefer it with the beef broth, it pairs nicely with this dish, but chicken broth can also be substituted. I hope you love this recipe!
I am having trouble finding white Madeira wine. Could I sub it with red Madeira?
Hi Shana, Madeira wine is usually an amber color and isn’t a true “white” wine. It can be made with red or white grapes.
A port wine or a sherry.
Hi Natasha. I made this dish following the recipe and it was wonderful. Would like to serve it at a dinner party where one guest is dairy free and gluten free. How could I modify? Thanks!
Hi Beverly, thanks for your good feedback. I haven’t tried making a gluten-free or dairy-free version yet but you can check the comments section or may others here can share some tips?
Hi Natasha, I love the variety of recipes you share. Can I substitute the wine with chicken broth. ❤
Hi Susan, Most of the alcohol is cooked out in the pan, so you get the added flavor, and the sauce ends up with an insignificant amount of alcohol, which isn’t really a concern. My children loved this. We haven’t tried another substitution since the Madeira wine is what makes the flavor. If you are looking to make it completely wine-free, you could just use more broth, but the flavor profile wouldn’t be quite the same.
Hi Natasha! Another question since I’m having difficulty find madeira wine, would Moscato wine be a too sweet wine with the apple juice?
Thanks so much!
Hi Cortney, that may work. It won’t have the traditional Madeira wine flavor, but here’s what one of our readers wrote: “I made this last night and it was incredible!! Thank you for the recipe. Only found Madeira at one store and they wanted $20 for it so I sub. It for moscato since that’s sweet and really reduced it a little more then the 1/4 cup you called for before putting the beef broth in… it was perfect. When my husband goes back for seconds I know the meal is good!” I hope that helps!
I’d rather just make chicken Marsala. It’s very similar, however, the wine is too sweet for. Which is why I waited years to try it, I know what I like and had a hunch. $80 dollar bottle of wine down the drain.
The moderator won’t allow this review because it’s negative… which isn’t helpful to people. Thanks for that.
I’m sorry you spent so much on the wine and did not enjoy the recipe, not sure where it went wrong. Hopefully, you’ll give our awesome Chicken Marsala a shot.
80 dollars for a bottle of Madeira ?
I got mine for 4 bucks
I made this tonight with Moscato and the sauce turned out amazing!
I have made a lot of your dishes this is by far one of my favorites, thanks much.
I’m so glad this is your favorite! It’s popular for a good reason!
Hi Natasha. Can I use veal scallopine instead of chicken in this recipe?
Hi Lina, I haven’t tested that to advise, but I imagine it should work. If you experiment, let me know how you liked the recipe.
I have made this with Taylor Madeira Wine ($8) sold in a liquor store but the cooking section.
This recipe is spot on to the Cheesecake Factory version.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Hi Natasha! This dish looks amazing. Planning to make tomorrow for Sunday dinner. Would it be okay to use the minced garlic that comes in a container? Trying to save a bit of time. Thanks so much!
Hi Masia, we prefer fresh but that should work here. I hope you love this recipe!
Hi Natasha! I wanted to clarify, is the Madeira wine red or white? I’ve found the red Madeira wine, but having a hard time finding the white Madeira wine even in specialty wine and liquor stores. I’m not sure what the difference is and if the recipe would taste different if I used the red Madeira wine? Thank you!
Hi Lena, I used the Madeira Wine sweet white wine. I haven’t tried using red yet but I think it will also work. Please share with us how it turns out if you try that!
This recipe is legit, lick your plate good! I’ve got a super picky eater in the house and he absolutely thought it was the best dish he’s ever had! This recipe will be added to my regular rotation! My whole family loved it!
Love it! Thanks for your review, glad this recipe was a hit!
I loved this recipe, all the stores were out of asparagus at the time. so I used fresh green beans Instead…was amazing. Looking forward to making it again but with asparagus.
I’m so glad to hear that, Kimberly! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
I did it with Marsala, my google said that would be OK, and it was great, I also used spinach instead of asparagus, we like spinach better, I just wilted it in the sauce. But my sauce was so so thin, I had to mix a little slurry into it. But thumbs up!!
Hi Lilly, yes, Marsala will still work here. The flavor profile is slightly different, but the taste is still great. I’m glad you enjoyed it!
my wonderful wife made this dish this evening,it was delish and as a matter of fact the only giveaway that we werent in C.Factory was that there were no cold mash potatos with it!
Yay, so great to hear that the recipe was a hit! Thanks for sharing that with us, Art.
Can’t wait to try this out!
What is the non-alcoholic alternative that can be used in place of the Madeira wine?
Hi Afiya, Most of the alcohol is cooked out in the pan, so you get the added flavor, and the sauce ends up with an insignificant amount of alcohol, which isn’t really a concern. My children loved this. We haven’t tried another substitution since the Madeira wine is what makes the flavor. If you are looking to make it completely wine-free, you could just use more broth, but the flavor profile wouldn’t be quite the same.
THANKS FOR ALL YOUR VERY GOOD RECEPIES; WE LIVE IN GERMANY BUT ARE VERY BIG-LOVERS OF THE USA AND EVEN YOUR ACCOUT. EVERY RECIPE WE TRIES WAS SO GOOD AND EASY DOING AND ALLWAY A LITTLE PART OF VACANCY ON EVERY-DAY LIVE! MUCH GREETINGS FROM THE SOUTH OF GERMANY HEILBRONN YOURS CHRISTINA AND FAMILY
Aww, that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me. I’m all smiles
Your recipes are simply the best. This is a wonderful dish.
Thank you so much for sharing that wonderful review with me, Howard!
Love it, came out better than TCF
Thanks for your great compliment and feedback, Celine! Glad you loved it.
I just made the Chicken Madeira, delicious!
Isn’t it the best, Elaine! Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Made this for dinner tonight, it was excellent! I served it with egg noodles, but kind of wished I had done as you suggested with mashed potatoes. It was really really good though, I’ll make this again.
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Janice!
This came out amazing! The blend of flavors is wonderful. Definitely a keeper – all of your recipes are!
Super awesome! I’m so glad you loved it, Pat.
Another smashing success from Наташа. It really was good.
I’m so happy you enjoyed that, Dale. Thank you for sharing that with us!
Hi Natashas,
I would like to serve this for a dinner party of 6 so I will triple the recipe and then transfer it to a nice baking dish for the final broil in the oven. I am also serving appetizers so would like to have it ready for the oven before the guests arrive. Do you see any problem with it sitting in the baking dish for an hour or so before broiling?
Hi JoAnne, that should be ok for an hour before broiling. Just make sure the chicken reaches the right internal temperature of 165˚F.
Diner tonight and looks delicious!! Everyone like it thank you.
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review, Claudia!
Natasha ALL of your recipes are great. Thank you for posting them all. I tell everyone about you, now my family and friends are hooked.
You are awesome, thank you for doing that and for giving a wonderful review!
Would you please share what brand of Madeira wine you used? Hoping that might make it easier to find. Thank you!
Hi Heather, we have a photo of it in the recipe post. For this recipe, we used a $6 wine called the Paul Masson California Madeira wine.
If I can’t find Madeira wine what other wine can use as substitute
Hi Christine, We haven’t tried another substitution since the Madeira wine is what makes the flavor. If you are looking to make it completely wine-free, you could use more broth, but the flavor profile wouldn’t be quite the same. There are other wines, but they’re just not the same.
This meal was absolutely AMAZING! The family asked for it to be added to the rotation list, which is huge when you have a 13 and 8 year old! I can not wait to try more of your recipes!!!
That is the best when kids love what we moms make. That’s so great!
Is the sauce supposed to thicken? Mine is really runny. But overall very good
Hi Nancy, It is a light cream sauce. You can thicken it by simmering longer, but it is meant to be a light sauce and not thick. I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe!
I made this a month ago with a Pinot Grigio because I couldn’t find Madeira wine. I thought it was delicious. I went to CF and ordered chicken Madeira. Either they made it different than it’s supposed to be, it lacked flavor. There were no onions, or cream sauce. Way to sweet for me. I liked your version the best. Won’t order CF version again.
I’m so glad you loved it more than Cheesecake Factory! That is an amazing review and thank you!
I love you page! I used your madeira sauce recipe to recreate a dish a relative used to make and I miss so much. I used filet mignon instead of chicken, no asparagus, and served over simple spaghetti aglio e olio. It was amazing and reminded me of that dish. Thanks you!
Yum! That sounds delicious! Thank you so much for sharing that with me!
Best recipe EVER!!! We don’t go out very often and this chicken Madeira was my go to at the Cheesecake Factory… thanks to you I can do this at home anytime… and all my little ones loved it…. this is definitely a keeper!
Aww, that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me. I’m all smiles
Question: I have a glass top stove and I am afraid to use cast iron on it due to scratching and potential breakage. What can I use instead?
Hi Pan, a seasoned stainless steel pan (which is more non-stick) or any oven-safe pan will work here.
Made this tonight. First thing my husband said was “ this one is a keeper”. It was delicious!
Wow, that’s so awesome! Thanks to you both for your wonderful feedback.
I want to make chicken Madeira for 6 people. I don’t want to spend a lot of time in the kitchen. What can be done in advance? Can I cook the mushrooms and chicken before company arrives and make the sauce fresh while they are here. What would you recommend?
Hi Diane, yes to make the entire dish ahead, let it cool to room temp then refrigerate. Before serving, complete that last step of putting it in the oven until hot and the cheese is melted over the top. You might need a few extra minutes in the oven since it is going in chilled from refrigeration. I suggest checking the chicken temperature with an instant-read thermometer to make sure it reaches the correct internal temperature of 165˚F.
Thanks. That would work well and keep me in the party entertaining. It can heat while we have appetizers. I’m using your recipe for Shrimp in lettuce wraps with peanut sauce as the appetizer. My guests will all be so impressed. Both recipes are so delicious!!
One of our favourite “special” dinners at home is tarragon cream chicken. It is just heavenly. Pure comfort!
Thank you so much for sharing that with me.
Just curious, why not chicken broth instead of beef broth?
Hi Beth, It could be substituted for chicken broth successfully if you have it on hand.
Natasha, this was probably my favorite chicken recipe of all time. The asparagus was so good with the sauce. Who am I kidding, everything was good with that sauce. Once again, thanks for the recipe.
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
Hi Natasha,
I’ve always wanted to try this but I’m not allowed to cook with alcohol… even tho I understand it burns off in the cooking process. What non alcoholic substitutes will give the closest flavour? Could you please suggest what proportions as well. Thank you so much!
Hi Rez, most of the alcohol is cooked out in the pan, so you get the added flavor, and the sauce ends up with an insignificant amount of alcohol, which isn’t really a concern. My children loved this. We haven’t tried another substitution since the Madeira wine is what makes the flavor. If you are looking to make it completely wine-free, you could just use more broth, but the flavor profile wouldn’t be quite the same.
This was my first try at making chicken Madeira, and the only comparison I could make was to Cheesecake Factory! It’s like the only thing I order from there. Lol It came out sooooooo much better than Cheesecake Factory!! I will def save this recipe and add it as my one of my staple meals. My boyfriend def enjoyed it too. The sauce came over very savory, and worked as a nice gravy to my mashed potatoes.
Wow, what an amazing review! Thank you so much for your perfect rating and feedback.
Tonight is Valentine’s Day and this is my 5th time making this!! Chicken Madeira is my FAVORITE dish at Cheesecake Factory, we would have ordered this in otherwise… but I love this more. I don’t even need the potatoes! After the first time, my husband didn’t need to be convinced to finally get an oven safe pan. EVEN BETTER THE NEXT TIME!! Thank you for sharing this!
Wow, that is so awesome! I’m really happy to hear that you are loving this recipe. Thanks for your wonderful comments and review!
I plan on making this dish this weekend but we do not eat meat – only fish. I presume I could substitute cod for chicken right? any difference on cooking time?
Hi Tony, great question. I haven’t tried this with fish to advise on cook time. If you happen to experiment, I would love to know how you like this recipe.
I made this recipe today. It was a hit. Your recipes never disappoint. Thanks!
I’m happy to hear that, Dan. Thank you so much for sharing!
I made this tonight for dinner and my family rated it a 10! I’m thankful for the Madeira substitute in the comments below, as I could not find it anywhere but the Sauvignon and apple juice worked great! Love your blog and recipes, thank you!
I’m so happy that worked! Thank you for that wonderful feedback.
Hi! My son helped me made this for dinner tonight. It was super delicious, thank you for sharing.
Aww, that’s the best! Thank you so much for sharing that with me. I’m all smiles
I love the Louisiana spicy chicken pasta dish from Cheese cake factory. Can you make it?
I love and love your cooking
Thanks for your suggestion, Sherly. I’ll try to add that to the list.
Oh my God!!! First time I tried the recipe and it was a huge hit!! My family loved it. It was soooo good! The madeira wine was indeed the secret ingredient. This will be in the favorites rotation. I am so happy I found your recipe. Thank you! Thank you!
You’re welcome, Mari! I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe
Natasha can I make your chicken Madeira in advance?? I looks so delicious!!
Hi Lynn, you can reheat this! It like most recipes is best fresh but it does reheat well!
Wow! This was fabulous! I haven’t had the Cheesecake Factory version but it couldn’t be any better than this recipe. I prepared this with broccoli instead of asparagus to please everyone, other than that, I followed your directions exactly. I’m in my 70’s and was getting pretty tired of cooking the same old same old but someone turned me on to your website and you have turned me on to cooking new and delicious meals again! Thank you for your wonderful, easy, creative and scrumptious recipes!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite! Thank you for that thoughtful comment, Jane.
I really want to make this recipe but my husband really does not like asparagus. What you recommend as a substitute?
Hi Mary, You can substitute the asparagus with cooked spinach or carrots or serve the veggie on the side and it will not affect the flavor of the dish. I hope this helps!
I made this last week for me and my husband and it turned out delicious even though I forgot the parsley. 🙄 Family is visiting this week so I made it last night and it impressed the pants of them! Pro-tip: shred your own mozzarella as the pre-shreded usually has a calling agent that prevents it from melting properly!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review.
Hi. Can I substitutes wine with something eles?
I saw a comment that someone shared this “Didn’t have Madeira wine but, I read another reviewer used apple juice, so I used 1-1/4 cups Sauvignon blanc and 1/4 cup apple juice. My family loved it. Thanks for another amazing recipe!”
Dear Natasha,
I have made quite a few if you’re recipe’s now and I love them all.
I’ve made chicken Madeira twice now. My kids and my husband enjoys it. Thanks so much 💕
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!
absolutely the best chicken recipe i ever made. I put it over smashed red potatoes. Followed the recipe to the letter. Highly recommend this flavorful and simple dish!
I’m so happy to hear that! Thank you for sharing your great review, Debra!
I’m so excited to make this recipe.
Delicious! Didn’t have Madeira wine but, I read another reviewer used apple juice, so I used 1-1/4 cups Sauvignon blanc and 1/4 cup apple juice. My family loved it. Thanks for another amazing recipe!
You’re welcoem! I’m glad you enjoeyd this recipe. Thank you for sharing those tips with us!
I made this recipe for dinner today it was absolutely delicous
Thank you for sharing
Best chicken recipe EVER! This dish was outstanding, my entire family loved it. A definite keeper. Thank you!
That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!
HI Natasha this looks fabulous. My husband’s a bit of a picky eater do u think that fresh, blanched green beans could be used instead of asparagus? I’m also having difficulty finding madeira wine absolutely anywhere. Do you recommend a certain sauvignon blanc brand? Thanks so much!
Hi Cortney, you could try broccoli or green beans but green beans will have slightly longer blanching/cooking time.
This recipe was awesome! My family and I really enjoyed it. I couldn’t find Madeira wine, so I used sweet vermouth instead. I wasn’t sure which kind to get, so I went with the sweet, and the recipe turned out great anyway. What wine do you recommend if Madeira wine can’t be found?
If you aren’t able to find Madeira wine, you can substitute with Marsala wine which is also a sweet wine although it will taste more like chicken marsala.
Made this dish this evening for the first time. It was absolutely fantastic! However, it is important to note that Madeira is a fortified wine that has a higher alcohol content. I used a Madeira with an alcohol content of 19%. Poured it into a hot skillet just after cooking the chicken and SURPRISE! FLAMBÉ! I didn’t panic though and the flames subsided in about 30 seconds. The dish turned out great and I didn’t burn the house down. Just be mindful when you add the Madeira and keep flammable materials away from the stove and you too will look like a professional chef!
Why use beef broth can you use chicken broth
Hi Debbie, It could be substituted for chicken broth successfully if you have it on hand. If you are looking to make it wine-free, you could use more broth, but the flavor profile wouldn’t be quite the same. The Madeira wine gives it a unique, sweet flavor profile, and I haven’t experimented with anything besides wine to provide a specific recommendation. I hope this helps.
Just had the Chicken Maniera at Cheesecake Factory and it was fantastic. Cooked your version, it was better.
Wow, thank you for your compliment, Dennis. That is so inspiring!
I made this the other day and my liquor store didn’t carry Madeira so I ended up getting Marsala wine so I guess I made Chicken Marsala, but boy was it delicious! I’ve also never been so excited to eat leftovers the next day. 10/10!
I’m so happy you enjoeyd that Jane!
Absolutely Fabulous!!! Thank you so much!!
This recipe is awesome!!
As we are in Australia and obviously can’t travel ATM, we really miss the Cheesecake Factory.
Your recipe is perfect and easily as good as (if not better than) the Cheesecake Factory one.
Will be a regular on our menu from now on.
Big thanks again!
Hi Jase, I love that you enjoyed this recipe! That makes me so happy too as you can now make this at home anytime you’re craving for it. Thanks for your wonderful review and feedback.
Could I leave out the mushrooms? I truly HATE them. I soooo want to make this recipe.
Thanks, Jan
Hi Janet, I haven’t tested it without mushrooms so I’m not sure how much it would affect the flavor. You could try omitting them and maybe using some chopped zucchini instead. I hope you love it even without the mushrooms!
Made this for Thanksgiving last night and it was a hit!
Thank you, Natasha! Your recipe was superb!
You’re welcome! I’m so glad you enjoyed that, Cresta!
It was soooooooo gooooooddddd! My 1 and 4 years old loved it
Husband lover it and ask for this receipe to return each week. Did not have madère wine, i used regular red wine with some porto.
Love your video!
From quebec Canada!
I’m so glad that worked out, Alexandra!
My family loved it! Very easy to make with your video. It was a hit!🥰 They requested for me to make it again at least once a month.😊😊
Wow, that is awesome! Thanks for letting me know and I’m glad your family loved it.
Recipe easy to follow and meal was delicious. Will certainly make this again!!!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!
My favorite meal. Have made several times and never disappoints!
So great to hear that! Thank you for sharing, Olivia.
Tonight was my second time following your recipe and it was a hit for our family yet again. Thank you so much for sharing!
My pleasure, Alex. That makes me so happy, thanks for your great feedback!