How to Make Chicken Madeira Just Like The Cheesecake Factory
Updated: Oct. 12, 2022
Follow this step-by-step recipe (with photos!) to prepare The Cheesecake Factory's copycat chicken Madeira at home.
Don’t bother with the other 492 pages of the enormous menu at The Cheesecake Factory. Just skip to the chase and order one of the best-selling menu items: chicken Madeira. You can thank us later.
Don’t want to go out? Then make this copycat chicken Madeira from The Cheesecake Factory at home! You don’t need to be intimidated by the restaurant’s fancy presentation. This recipe consists of everyday ingredients you likely already keep stocked in your kitchen and requires minimal tools and equipment.
What Is Chicken Madeira?
Made with tender, lightly breaded chicken breasts, melty mozzarella cheese, crisp asparagus and fluffy mashed potatoes, all bathed in a savory, rich Madeira wine mushroom sauce, chicken Madeira is a divine dish that’s similar to chicken Marsala in terms of taste and preparation.
Unlike chicken Marsala, however, which is made using a fortified red wine from Sicily, chicken Madeira is made using a fortified wine from the Portuguese islands of Madeira.
As with most recipes, countless versions of chicken Madeira exist, but we think this one is best, and most like the dish served at The Cheesecake Factory.
The Cheesecake Factory Chicken Madeira Copycat Recipe
The Cheesecake Factory serves chicken Madeira with a rich mushroom sauce (it’s actually the same sauce served with the equally beloved steak Diane). The sauce is a reduction of sauteed onions, mushrooms, garlic, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, Madeira wine and herbs. It’s savory, full of flavor and downright delicious.
Yield: 2 restaurant-sized servings
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, butterflied and pounded 1/2-inch thick
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 8 ounces white or cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 white or yellow onion, diced
- 1-1/2 cups Madeira wine (see below for substitution options)
- 1/2 cup chicken broth or stock
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to season chicken
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, plus more to season chicken
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
- 1 cup asparagus spears
- Mashed potatoes, for serving
Editor’s Tip: Here’s the best mozzarella cheese, according to our Test Kitchen.
Directions
Step 1: Coat chicken
Combine the flour and seasoning (here’s how to make your own Italian blend) on a large plate. Dredge the butterflied and thinly pounded chicken breasts in the mixture to evenly coat on all sides.
Step 2: Cook chicken
In a large skillet, warm 1/4 cup of olive oil over medium heat. When it begins to shimmer, add the chicken. Cook the chicken on both sides until golden and crisp; about 4-5 minutes per side. Remove the chicken to a paper towel-lined, oven-safe plate and repeat until all of the chicken is fully cooked. Transfer the chicken to a low oven to keep warm while you prepare the sauce.
Editor’s Tip: You can use an instant-read thermometer like this to check on the doneness of the chicken and prevent overcooking.
Step 3: Saute onions and mushrooms
In the same skillet used to cook the chicken, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the diced onions. Saute until softened, 3-4 minutes, and then add the garlic and mushrooms. Saute until the garlic is fragrant and mushrooms have softened; about 4-5 minutes.
Step 4: Season and deglaze
Add the Worcestershire sauce, Dijon mustard, honey, thyme and parsley to the pan and stir. Deglaze the pan with the Madeira wine and chicken stock, scraping the bottom of the pan to release any stuck-on bits. Bring the sauce to a strong simmer and then reduce the heat to medium-low.
Step 5: Simmer and reduce
The key to making this sauce great is patience. Let it simmer until the wine reduces by half, about 20 minutes. In this time, the sauce will thicken and the flavors will become concentrated. When the sauce has reached the desired consistency, stir in the butter until melted and then season with salt and pepper, to taste. Remove from heat.
Step 6: Cook the asparagus
While the sauce simmers, remove the chicken from the oven and increase the temperature to 350°F. Then, warm a grill pan or second large skillet over medium heat with the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the asparagus, season with salt and pepper and cook until crisp-tender; about 4 minutes. Remove from heat.
Step 7: Bake the chicken
Transfer the cooked chicken back to the skillet, placing it over the finished mushroom sauce. Spoon a bit of the sauce and mushrooms over the chicken and then top with half of the cooked asparagus. Sprinkle the chicken evenly with mozzarella cheese and then layer with the remaining asparagus. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
Step 8: Serve the finished chicken Madeira
To serve, mound a large serving of mashed potatoes in the middle of a plate. Top with 2-3 pieces of chicken and half of the asparagus spears. Spoon a generous amount of the Madeira wine sauce over everything and serve.
Don’t miss all of our recipes inspired by The Cheesecake Factory!
Tips for Making Copycat Cheesecake Factory Chicken Madeira
What can you use if you don’t have Madeira wine?
Madeira wine can be hard to come by depending on your location. You’ll have the best luck at a specialty wine or liquor store as opposed to your local grocery store. To replicate the golden color and flavor of The Cheesecake Factory’s sauce, Madeira is essential.
If you’re not having any luck finding a bottle in your area and don’t wish to order Madeira online, use Marsala wine, cognac, sherry or a semi-dry white wine. In testing, we had great luck preparing this recipe with an affordable pinot grigio. It tasted almost exactly like The Cheesecake Factory’s mushroom Madeira sauce!
How should you store copycat Cheesecake Factory chicken Madeira?
Leftovers may be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days. To reheat, warm gently in a microwave-safe container until heated through.
Editor’s Tip: You may add a splash of chicken stock to the Madeira sauce if it needs to be rehydrated prior to warming.
What can you serve with this chicken Madeira?
The Cheesecake Factory serves its chicken Madeira with creamy mashed potatoes and crisp asparagus spears. To complete the meal at home, set a fresh green salad and copycat brown bread on the table, and finish with a slice of cheesecake.
Originally Published: September 28, 2021
