Cheesecake Factory Chicken Madeira with chicken breasts, mushrooms and asparagus in a buttery wine sauce is a copycat of the most popular chicken dish.
Plus it is the most popular chicken item on the Cheesecake Factory menu, which I learned as I got a bunch of requests from you guys for this recipe. I bet you wouldn’t have guessed the short list of ingredients.
What can I use instead of Madeira wine?
This recipe calls for Madeira wine which can be difficult to find/expensive. Some substitutes are a dry port wine, Marsala, or a dry sherry wine. As a last resort I’d use stock with additional base mixed in.
How to lighten this Chicken Madeira recipe:
- Use half the butter, I was liberal with it for the purposes of the copycat.
- Use half the Mozzarella cheese or use the Trader Joe’s shredded lite Mozzarella (I LOVE this product).
- Double the asparagus in your serving and double the mushrooms. Adding vegetable bulk to your plate is an easy swap.
- Skip the mashed potatoes you normally get with this recipe at the restaurant and serve with some steamed/roasted potatoes and cauliflower.
Looking for more Cheesecake Factory recipes?
- Cheesecake Factory Pasta Da Vinci (Copycat)
- Cheesecake Factory Luau Salad (Copycat)
- Cheesecake Factory Louisiana Chicken Pasta (Copycat)
- Cheesecake Factory Spicy Cashew Chicken (Copycat)
- Cheesecake Factory Corn Cakes (Copycat)
- Cheesecake Factory Spicy Chicken Chipotle Pasta (Copycat)
- Cheesecake Factory Cajun Jambalaya Pasta (Copycat)
Tools used in the making of this Cheesecake Factory Madeira Chicken:
Skillet with Lid: I used my All-Clad pan for this recipe but I also own this exact pan which I use for clients and it is great quality at 1/4th the price. I cook for us with All-Clad pans I hope to pass down to my kids (I’m sappy, I know).
Vegetable Steamer: I steam vegetables in this when I am not using the microwave for a smaller amount. Also available for much less and works well too.
Madeira Wine: Some substitutes are a dry port wine, Marsala, or a dry sherry wine. As a last resort I’d use stock with additional base mixed in.
Better Than Bouillon: I almost never buy boxes of broth because I keep the beef, chicken and vegetable version of this Better Than Bouillon.
Cheesecake Factory Chicken Madeira (Copycat)
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts trimmed (5 ounces)
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 tablespoons butter divided
- 2 cups white mushrooms sliced thinly
- 2 cups madeira wine
- 2 cups beef broth
- 1/2 pound asparagus trimmed
- 4 ounces mozzarella cheese
- Parmesan cheese shaved for garnish
Instructions
- Put the chicken between two pieces of saran wrap and lightly flatten using a rolling pin or heavy pot or flat mallet (don't use a spiked side).
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Heat two tablespoons of butter in your skillet (that has a lid) on medium-high heat.
Cook the chicken on medium heat for 4-5 minutes on each side, until slightly browned and just cooked through.
- Remove the chicken, add in 2 more tablespoons of butter and add the mushrooms.
Cook on medium-high heat for 1-2 minutes before stirring, cook an additional 1-2 minutes.
- Remove the mushrooms and put with the chicken on another plate.
- Add in the Madeira wine and beef broth.
Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook for 10-12 minutes.
While sauce is reducing boil your asparagus for 3-5 minutes in another pot or microwave on a plate in a single layer with a wet paper towel on top for 4-5 minutes.
- Add the chicken back into the pan, top with mushrooms and asparagus.
Cook an additional 1-2 minutes, cover the chicken with Mozzarella cheese and mushrooms.
Cover the pan and let cook for 2-3 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Just made this recipe this weekend and it was AWESOME, the sauce was perfect with a little sweetness that made it addictive. I just made a couple of adjustment that made this recipe absolutely perfect: doubled the quantity of Bella mushrooms (16 oz total), dredged the chicken in flour before cooking it for a nice delicious crust, and finally, after adding the chicken back to the pan I made a slurry with one tsp of corn starch using the sauce of the pan, otherwise the sauce was way too liquid 😉
Thank you so much for this amazing recipe!
You’re welcome, Alex.
This was easy and delicious! I wish I would’ve followed the exact recipe for the gravy, but after reading other reviews, I halved it and then didn’t have enough for my mashed potatoes. I mixed 2 Tbsp of corn starch with 1/4 c of the beef broth and it thickened up nicely. I’ll definitely be making this again as written. Thanks for a great recipe!
You’re welcome, Kathie. I’m glad you enjoyed it.
This is delicious. When I’m short on time, I cheat and use Costco rotisserie chicken breasts sliced into thick medallions. Make everything else as directed and slide the medallions into the sauce at the end to warm them through and soak up the sauce. A few sautéed onions with the mushrooms kicks it up another notch. Thank you Sabrina!
Costco rotisserie chicken breasts are such a great kitchen hack!
Are you saying that each breast should weigh 5 oz. or the total amount of chicken is 5 oz.?
Each should be about 5 ounces.
I was born in Madeira Island and we use this wine in many ways. This is a very delicious recipe. What made you use Madeira wine? Are you Portuguese?
Congratulations!
How awesome! I used it because it’s a copycat recipe from that restaurant and that’s the wine they used. I wanted to get it as close to the original as possible.
Fantástico
Finally a recipe that has enough sauce for this sauce loving family!!!
Do not use four cups of liquid. I wish that I had read the reviews first. One person said simmer 45 min. or another said add some thickener. People were trying to find out what to do with all of that liquid. I used a half a bottle of expensive Madeira. I didn’t have 45 minutes. It wasn’t even cooking down. Simmer it said. I finally put it on boil, but that didn’t help much. I think everybody else was really polite here.
Crazy thing is I knew better. I’m thinking that usually recipes like this call for a half of cup of the wine, but stupidly I just kept following the recipe.
Also, I’m sure that they plate it at the restaurant. So you have all of this food in the pan, but now you have to put it on the plates. The cheese drips off of the spoon. Try to find enough mushrooms for everybody, and I doubled the amount of mushrooms assuming we would have leftovers. Now my leftovers have cheese mixed in, but not exactly on the top. Do I now add more cheese? How about plating it? Put the cheese on last and put it in the microwave for twenty-five seconds. This is the first review that I have ever written for a recipe. I just felt that other people who read the reviews need to know.
I enjoyed making and could not stop eating it. I did use the wine, the flavor, and the smell of the atmosphere made it.
So instead of the wine I would use 4 cups of broth?
Yes 🙂
This so easy and delicious. I can’t wait to try more of your recipes!
Thank you so much Julie! So glad you enjoyed it! Be sure to register on the site so you can save recipes to a recipe box for later too. 🙂
5 oz of chicken is not 4 chicken breasts
Super good and easy, too! I substitutes Marsala and also used cornstarch to thicken the sauce and it turned out GREAT1
This was wonderful but I also had to thicken the sauce with cornstarch and water. I had a lot of extra sauce as well. Next time I’d use 1.5 C of the wine and broth. Otherwise it was delish, thank you!!
Thanks for the 5 stars, Deb.
Love this recipe and have made many times with no tweaks. Small issue I hope you can help or guide me. I’m making triple batches for a dinner party and I’m wondering if I can make this the day before or maybe 6 hours before the dinner? I’m thinking it naught work if leaving the cheese off and reheating in a large fry pan or oven reheating? Thanks for advice!!
I haven’t prepped it ahead of time personally, but it sounds like you have the right idea. I would do the 6 hours ahead if that’s possible, I’m not sure the sauce will be as wonderful after a night in the fridge. I would reheat in the oven on low so it doesn’t dry out. Let me know how it turns out!
My answer is too late for your dinner party but maybe someone else having the same question will see it. I have a similar recipe and I have made it a day or two before and heated the night of a dinner party many times the key is browning the chicken but not cooking it totally through. I assemble everything in my casserole dish and cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. I remove from frig and let it sit 30 min then bake until heated through. Add any cheese to the top the evening you’re baking it. The extra baking will complete the cooking of the chicken without making it chewy.
That looks so yummy but the original doesnt have mushrooms and is in a lemon cream sauce. 🙂 I wanted to know how to make the lemon cream sauce . 🙁
That’s Chicken Costaletta…
I made this last night for my wife and we both loved it. One thing that took MUCH longer than expected was the reducing of the broth and Madeira, which took over 45+ minutes and even then didn’t get as thick as I was hoping. I wonder if I did something incorrectly or if I was supposed to add a thickener. Any recommendations would be appreciated.
I’m so glad you both enjoyed it! It sounds like maybe the heat wasn’t high enough or your pan was really thick to not allow the heat to come through.
You’re right on this one. According to the recipe, there is nothing in the pan except beef broth and wine, so it isn’t really a sauce that can reduce. I would just add some corn starch mixed with a little flour – up to 2 T – a little at a time until it gets to the right thickness.
This recipe tastes exactly like it!! I used boneless skinless thighs instead and flattened them pretty thin because I prefer that cut. I used two packs of chicken, so I doubled the mushrooms. It makes a lot of sauce, so I only did 1.5 of the amount for the wine and broth (even though I doubled everything else). Even then, I thickened it and it was excellent when thickened with equal parts of cornstarch and water I did about 5 tbsp. Had plenty of sauce for the chicken, made mashed potatoes and used the extra sauce as gravy. Everyone loved it! Will 100% sure make it again!!!
Thanks for coming back to let me know how much you enjoyed it Laura! I appreciate the 5 star rating!
This recipe looks delicious! Did you use Madeira dessert wine or regular wine?
I used the dessert wine but you can substitute with a dry port wine, Marsala, or a dry sherry wine.
Made the Chicken Maderia, delicious! I would advise to use 1cup of broth and 1cup of wine as it seemed to be swimming in the sauce.
Delicious! Although the recipe calls for 6 TBS of butter and directions only use 4 TBS.
I used 4 per directions and it came out great.
Glad you were able to catch that and for letting me know!
Hi, Sabrina! John was being humorous! In the directions it states to “flatter the chicken” instead of to “flatten the chicken”. ? I can’t wait to make your recipe!
Haha, oh my gosh! I didn’t even catch that!! Thank you. Although everyone loves a little flattery now and then….even a chicken 😉
What opener should I use to flatter the chicken?
I’m sorry but I’m not quite sure I understand your question. To flatten the chicken, put it between two pieces of saran wrap and lightly flatten using a rolling pin or heavy pot or flat mallet (don’t use a spiked side). Hope this helps answer your question.
I might add in a diced shallot to the mushrooms as there were some beautiful ones on sale today…can’t wait to try it! No Cheesecake Factory where I live, so this’ll be new.
Sounds like a wonderful addition! Enjoy!!
This dish looks so yummy! And I love all the ingredients!!!
You nailed it! It looks so good!
Thanks, Amy!
This looks like such a comforting dish. And since our temperature dropped overnight, I’m gonna need some of this goodness soon!
Yay for fall weather! Definitely perfect comfort food.
Yum! This looks absolutely fantastic! I am loving all the mushrooms. 🙂
Thanks, Carrie!
I can’t wait to make this — My family loves the Cheesecake Factory!
Hope you love it!
I’m all for buttery wine sauce with shrooms!
Sometimes the most delicious meals have relatively simple ingredients… and it’s a beautiful thing 🙂 Love this copycat!!