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This Chicken Madeira recipe has juicy mushrooms in a buttery wine sauce with melted mozzarella and asparagus. It’s like at the Cheesecake Factory but way tastier!
If you’ve never tried Chicken Madeira, it’s similar to Chicken Marsala.
Why you’ll love it
You order this dish from your favorite restaurant all the time, but making Chicken Madeira from scratch tastes so much better than at the Cheesecake Factory! This isn’t a straight-up copycat since I like to put my own stamp on all my recipes, but I have a feeling you’ll enjoy it even more. The homemade sauce is just over-the-top delicious!
This chicken dinner tastes gourmet but is really easy to make at home with not many ingredients, and the best part is how there’s plenty of that irresistible wine sauce to go with a big portion of mashed potatoes!
Ingredients you’ll need
- Fresh asparagus – it’s a classic pairing with the chicken in this recipe
- Chicken – we’re not going to pound the chicken breasts, saving you a ton of time
- Garlic powder – garlic powder and salt & pepper makes for perfectly seasoned chicken
- Olive oil and butter – for pan frying the chicken until golden
- Mushrooms – I chose cremini for their flavor and meaty texture, but you can change this up to suit your preferences or what you have on hand, e.g. white button mushrooms
- Garlic – minced to sauté with the mushrooms and really complement them
- Madeira wine – this variety of wine gives this dish its distinct flavor. I used Blandy’s “Duke of Clarence” rich Madeira, and it’s quite sweet. Just make sure to buy a sweeter variety vs. dry! You may need to go to a specialty liquor store, but check the Portuguese section of your grocery store wine aisle first.
- Beef broth – it’s rich and has deeper flavor than chicken broth
- Cornstarch – combine it with water, and you’ve got a quick slurry to thicken up the sauce
- Mozzarella – for all that melty goodness on top of the chicken!
What is Madeira?
- Madeira is a fortified wine that’s named after where it’s produced, in the Madeira Islands, an autonomous region of Portugal off the coast of Morocco that’s really well known for winemaking. Madeira uses a unique process of heating during its ageing, which gives it its amazing flavor! This was an accidental discovery when barrels of wine were transported on ships that passed through tropical climates. Cool, right?
How to make Chicken Madeira
This is an overview with step-by-step photos. Full ingredients & instructions are in the recipe card below.
Boil the asparagus for 2-3 minutes, then set aside. Cut the chicken in half lengthwise, season it, and pan fry in a skillet with oil and butter until gently browned. Transfer to a plate.
Sauté the mushrooms and garlic with the rest of the butter in the same skillet until tender, about 5 minutes. Add in the wine, beef broth, and the cornstarch slurry.
Let it bubble, and then return the chicken to the skillet. Top with the asparagus and mozzarella. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until it’s hot, bubbly, and the cheese is beautifully melted!
Pro tip
- It’s a good idea to trim the woody ends off fresh asparagus since they can be dry and chewy! You can simply snap the ends off using your fingers, or use a knife to trim about a half inch to an inch off the ends. Look for where the white part starts to turn green.
Substitutions and variations
- The Madeira wine is what gives this dish its iconic signature flavor, so if you sub it, you won’t be making Chicken Madeira. With that said, you could use marsala wine, dry sherry, or dry port instead.
- If you prefer, you can pound the chicken, but cutting it in half lengthwise ensures thinner cutlets with very little effort!
- You can swap the beef broth for chicken broth if you prefer, but beef broth provides a richer color and flavor.
- Serve the asparagus on the side if you don’t want to add it into the skillet with the rest of the dish. If you can’t find asparagus, green beans work as well.
Tools for this recipe
- An instant read meat thermometer is very helpful to confidently make sure that chicken isn’t undercooked or overcooked.
- An oven-proof skillet is one of the most versatile cookware pieces you can buy.
- Cooking tongs can help you turn the chicken easily.
Leftovers and storage
- Leftovers can be stored for 3-4 days in the fridge in an airtight container.
- Reheat over a low heat either on the stove or microwave until the chicken is warmed through.
- I don’t recommend freezing this recipe.
What to serve with it
- A mountain of Easy Garlic Mashed Potatoes is the best way to go with all that ridiculously good Madeira sauce!
- Or try these Easy Roasted Potatoes and Carrots.
- If you want to lighten it up a bit, serve this chicken with steamed vegetables or a side salad.
More restaurant-quality chicken recipes
Any questions about this Chicken Madeira recipe? Let me know in the comments!
Chicken Madeira
Ingredients
- 12 spears thin asparagus trimmed & cut into thirds
- 2 large chicken breasts cut in half lengthwise
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 tablespoons butter divided
- 8 ounces cremini mushrooms sliced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup Madeira wine
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch + 1 tablespoon cold water
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F, and move the rack to the top third of your oven. Cut the woody ends off the asparagus, then cut the asparagus into thirds. Boil a pot of water. Once the water is boiling, cook the asparagus for 2-3 minutes (it'll be tender-crisp by the time the recipe is done) then rinse under cool water, drain, and set aside.
- Meanwhile, cut the chicken breasts in half lengthwise and season with the garlic powder and salt & pepper.
- Add the oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter to a skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the chicken and cook it for about 5-6 minutes/side until golden (it'll finish cooking in the oven if it's not quite cooked through). Transfer chicken to a plate.
- Add the remaining butter to the skillet, along with the mushrooms and garlic. Sauté for 5 minutes.
- Add the Madeira wine and beef broth to the skillet. Scrape any brown bits off the bottom of the pan and let it bubble for 5 minutes.
- Make the cornstarch slurry by combining 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of cold water and stirring it together in a small bowl. Pour it into the skillet and let the sauce continue bubbling for another 5 minutes (it should thicken up up a fair bit and will thicken a little more in the oven).
- Turn the burner off, then add the chicken back to the skillet and spoon some mushrooms over top of each piece. Arrange the asparagus around and on top of the chicken and then sprinkle the mozzarella over top (concentrate on the chicken but you can sprinkle it all over the skillet).
- Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook for 5-7 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the chicken is cooked through (165F). Broil for a couple of minutes if desired (watch it carefully).
- Season with extra salt & pepper as needed and serve immediately.
Notes
- If you don’t own an oven-proof skillet, transfer everything to a casserole dish once the sauce has finished reducing after step 6.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Can I substitute green beans for Asparagus.
I think that should work!
Amazing!!!
Thank you so much, Dave!! Very glad you liked it. 🙂
Do I have to use maiderA wine? Any alternatives that are not wine or that are
Hi Penny! Madeira is the signature flavor in the sauce, so we don’t recommend it. Take a look at the “Substitutions and variations” section of the blog post for inspiration in a pinch, though. If you’re looking for something without alcohol, you’d probably want to look for a different recipe.
Hi Penny,
To substitute wine, you can try combining 1/2 cup water, 1/3 cup apple juice, 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, and 1/4 teaspoon soy sauce. 🤍