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
- 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).
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Notes
Nutrition Per Serving
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!
Amazing recipe! The best thing I’ve ever cooked. I’ve shared it with all my family and friends and they are raving about it too.
I’m happy to hear the recipe is a HIT! Thanks for sharing your excellent review!
Tried this and certainly will be making again and again!! Used cooking sherry instead of wine and it was oh my goodness yummy. Thanks, love your recipes ♡
You’re welcome Victoria! I’m glad you love the recipe! Thanks for sharing your great review!
And have you tried cheesecakes steak Diane?? It’s so delicious I would love for you to copy cat that recipe I think it would be a hit!!! 🙂
Oh my goodness that sounds wonderful!! Is there a recipe or restaurant where you suggest I try it for the first time? I’m just google it and it’s making me hungry!!
From the Cheesecake Factory. It is really good. Please copy cat that recipe. Bybthe way, your vanilla cupcakes are awesome! The frosting is the best !
I was just looking up their menu the other day wondering if they had it and I found it so I have already requested that my husband take me there to try the dish!! 😉
It’s also from Cheesecake Factory called steak Diane it’s my husbands favorite dish! I would love to make it if you can get a recipe together! You got the chicken Madeira on point!!’
I’m so glad you loved the recipe and I have already asked my husband to take me there to try the steak Diane!! Thanks for the tip!! 🙂
Oh you’re more than welcome it’s delicious! I know you’ll be able to remake it no doubt:)
I’m happy to hear that Ella! 🙂
Natasha, I’m not a fan of the popular marsala chicken dish does this taste similar? Also would you know if Sauvignon Blanc white wine would work with this dish? Thank you.
Hi Elena, it is pretty close to the Cheesecake factory version (I think it’s better but maybe I’m biased ;)). I think Sauvignon Blanc would work but you would get a very different flavor profile since Madeira is sweet and that white wine is not really sweet and more dry.
Omg i made this tonight it’s good, beyond delicious but I use broccoli instead of asparagus. Still yummy thank you for the recipe. I love it. I will make more of this chicken madeira. Thank you thank you
You’re welcome Susie! I’m glad you love the recipe! Thanks for sharing your fantastic review!
Made this recipe tonight, and left out the cheese.. and it was so delicious!! I didn’t leave out the cheese on purpose, so I can’t imagine how amazing it would had been if I did have cheese!
Thank you!
My pleasure Leesa! I’m glad to hear how much you enjoy the recipe already! Thanks for sharing your great review!
This is my first ever comment ever…anywhere. I am from Canada and have visited the Cheesecake Factory often when travelling to the U.S.A. and I loved this recipe at their restaurant. I made this for tonight and my husband said it was even better than the restaurant!!!!! I did use boneless chicken thighs which are more moist and more forgiving if overcooked and Marsala wine. Thank you soo much!!! Never thought I could match a restaurant meal but this was definitely a keeper!
You’re welcome Donna! I’m happy to her how much you both love this recipe! Thanks for sharing your excellent review with other readers! 🙂
This has quickly become a family favorite! Thank you so much for this fantastic recipe.
You’re welcome Susanne! I’m glad to hear the recipe is a HIT with your family! Thanks for sharing your great review!
Can i use the same wine from Filet Mignon recipe? Barefoot
Hi Oksana, yes I do think that would work and taste great (very much like the filet mignon sauce!). It would just be a different flavor profile since Madeira wine is sweet and merlot is not.
Thanks for amazing recipe!!!!
My pleasure Marina! I hope you love it!!
I made this recipe a few weeks ago and it was delicious!! I baked my asparagus in olive oil and parmesan cheese and then broiled the asparagus with the rest of the dish. Turned out AMAZING!! Going to make again tonight!!
Awesome! I’m glad to hear how much you love the recipe! Thanks for sharing your great review with other readers!
I made this dish tonight! It was very tasty and very much like the Cheesecake Factory! My family loved it, too.
I also made mashed potatoes with it. Unless you do already, consider mixing a little sour cream into mashed potatoes, it adds a lot to the flavor.
The only madeira I was able to find was the Taylor brand which was in the Port/Sherry section at the grocery store. I might be able to get the Cribari at some point which is about the same caliber.
On our last anniversary we went to Mon Ami and had the seafood buffet. Not quite the “dish”. But I think the Steak Diane at the Cheesecake Factory is another tasty dish I’d love to make at home.
Thanks for your input about the Staub braiser!
My pleasure Kris! I’m glad you love the recipe! Thanks for sharing your excellent review and helpful tips with other readers!
I made this a few days ago and it was a hit. My entire family loved it. I mistakenly bought green beans instead of asparagus and went ahead and cooked dinner with it and still tasted amazingly. I will definitely make it again soon.
Hi Alla! I’m so happy to hear that and thank you for the amazing review! I always love hearing from you 🙂
This looks absolutely delicious!! For some reason, I can never cook the chicken on the stove to the texture that I like. Is it possible to only precook it on the stove, but then combine everything and put it in the oven to finish cooking (and then add the cheese toward the end)? If you think that would work, would you put uncooked asparagus or still cook it before combining? Thank you SO much!!!
Hi Olga, I have the opposite problem where my chicken breast tends to be dry in the oven since you can’t monitor it as closely for doneness. Since this chicken is pounded to an even thickness, it will cook more evenly on the skillet. I also think the sauce taste better when you sauté the chicken in the skillet and the browning from the chicken adds to the flavor of the sauce.
Hi Natasha,
So this looked so good, I had to make it. We just finished our dinner and this was by far the best dish I have ever made!! It was beyond delicious!!
I did end up using the oven. :). I still cooked the chicken on the skillet and followed the recipe. The only thing I changed was I kept the chicken with sauce and mushrooms in the oven at 350 for about 40 minutes and then topped it with cooked (per the recipe) asparagus and cheese and broiled for a few minutes.
So so good!!! I even took a picture — wish I could post it. So THANK YOU so much for such an awesome recipe!!!
Hello Olga! I’m glad to hear how much you love this recipe! Thanks for following and sharing your helpful review with other readers! I would love it if you joined our private Facebook group where you can share your yummy photos!!
Natasha, will this dish work with chicken broth instead of beef? This just seems odd to use beef in a chicken recipe. It looks delicious!
Hi Dasha, it does have a little more flavor and color with beef broth but yes chicken broth is a great substitution in this recipe :-).
hi there, i really fancy making this dish as it looks delicious.
Is it possible to make the entire sauce earlier in the day and just cook chicken on the night and add?…Im having a dinner party and this may be easier? thanks
Hi Lydia, with this recipe, I’m not sure it is much easier. You could prepare the entire dish earlier in the day and then bake until cheese is melted and chicken is heated through before serving. Since the chicken, mushrooms and sauce are all made in one pan, you might lose some of the flavor if you cook the chicken separately and you would have an extra pan to wash. I hope that answer is helpful!
I made this a few weeks ago for dinner. It was DELICIOUS!! My family loved it. My two year old even approved of the chicken. This has become a favorite and I plan on making it again for dinner next week. I highly recommend it!
Awesome! I’m happy to hear how much everyone enjoys the recipe! Thanks for sharing your excellent review Hailey!
Wow. I’m impressed that everyone in your family enjoyed this awesome homemade recipe. It truly looks like a delicious meal. Will give this one a go soon. Thank you for taking time to share this recipe! 🙂
My pleasure Greg! Please let me know what you think!
Does anyone know the nutritional value on this dish such as calorie count.
Due to time constraints, I don’t typically include nutritional info, but check out this nutrition analyzer – you can plug in the ingredients from any recipe, select the serving size and it will give you nutritional info, calories, etc. I hope that is helpful to you Dawn!
I know this might be a silly question but can a 3 year old eat this even with the wine it?
If not, can you please suggest a substitute for the wine so that my daughter can eat it?
Thanks 🙂
Hi Ging, the alcohol cooks out while the sauce is reducing. My 2-year old enjoyed this dish very much 🙂