Cheesecake Factory Chicken Madeira (Copycat Recipe)

Share this recipe!

Unlock the irresistible flavors of the Cheesecake Factory Chicken Madeira with this easy-to-follow, copycat recipe! This replication features tender chicken breasts smothered in a rich Madeira wine sauce – it’ll taste just like the original.

If you’ve ever had Cheesecake Factory’s signature Chicken Madeira, you’ll know why it’s the most popular dish on the menu.

With it’s tender fillets of chicken breast bathed in a rich and tangy Madeira wine sauce, accompanied by perfectly sautéed mushrooms and melted mozzarella – it creates a truly indulgent and satisfying dish.

It’s my go-to meal at the Cheesecake Factory and after tasting this dish over 50 times in my lifetime, I think I’ve developed the perfect copycat recipe. Try it out and let me know how close it comes, to the Cheesecake Factory original.

Chicken Madeira’s Most Important Ingredient: Madeira Wine

As the name implies, Chicken Madeira is made with Madeira wine – in fact, that’s the base of the sauce itself. While it is not a rare wine, it may not be the most common wine to find in your local grocery store.

I had to venture out to my local wine & liquor store to find it, and it wasn’t the cheapest to buy. (The bottle I purchased was a nice 5-year aged Madeira, that cost me $21.00 USD.)

If you can’t find a good Madeira wine, you could try another fortified wine, like Marsala or Port wine. But to truly replicate the authentic taste of Cheesecake Factory’s Chicken Madeira – you have to have real Madeira wine.

The Ingredients for Chicken Madeira

• Seared Chicken Breasts
  • 2 Large Boneless Chicken Breasts
  • 1/2 cup All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 teaspoon of Salt
  • 1 teaspoon of Black Pepper
  • 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
• Chicken Madeira Wine Sauce
  • 2 tablespoons Butter (unsalted)
  • 8oz Mushrooms (thinly sliced)
  • 2 cups Madeira Wine
  • 2 cups Beef Broth
  • 2 teaspoon Brown Sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Balsamic Vinegar
  • 3 cloves Garlic (minced)
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
  • 1/3 cup Fresh Parsley (minced)
  • 1 bundle Fresh Asparagus
• Cornstarch Slurry
  • 1 tablespoon of Cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons Water

The Equipment Needed

• Large Sauce Pan (or Skillet)
• Kitchen Mama Auto Can Opener
• Wooden Spoon

Pan-Sear Your Chicken Breast

If you’ve ever had Cheesecake Factory Chicken Madeira, you’ll have noticed that their chicken is incredibly moist and tender. These are the steps to replicating that same amazing chicken quality.

Start by mixing your all-purpose flour, salt, pepper into a large bowl. Make sure all of these dry ingredients are thoroughly incorporated. Then set aside.

Place a flat hand on top of your chicken breasts and slice through each breast horizontally so that each resulting piece is 1/2 the thickness.

Then dredge the chicken in the seasoned flour (making sure every inch of the chicken is coated), then set aside on a rack until you are ready to cook them.

In a large sauce pan (or skillet), add in olive oil and heat it over medium-high heat.

Once the oil is hot and looks shimmery, place 2 chicken breast pieces in the pan and cook each side for approximately 3-4 minutes or until they develop a slight sear.

Once the chicken has been searing for about 3-4 minutes, remove from the pan and set aside.

Crafting Your Chicken Madeira Wine Sauce

Start by blanching your asparagus. Bring about 3 cups of water to a boil, and drop in your asparagus – letting them blanch for about 3-4 minutes. Then remove and set aside until the rest of your sauce is made.

Next, in the same pan you cooked your chicken, add in your butter, and let it melt over medium heat.

Once the butter is melted, add in your garlic and mushrooms and sauté for about 4-5 minutes.

Then, add in your madeira wine, beef broth, brown sugar, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper, and it bring to a boil.

Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and add in your cornstarch slurry (mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water).

Give your sauce a good stir, and then add your chicken & asparagus back into the pan.

Let it simmer for about 15 minutes so that the chicken, mushrooms and asparagus can cook further. The sauce should thicken up and get darker here as well.

After about 15 minutes of simmering, top the chicken breast pieces with shredded mozzarella cheese and close the lid on the pan and let simmer for 5 more minutes. (You could also add the cheese when you plate and melt it with a food torch – optional.)

Serving Your Chicken Madeira

The Cheesecake Factory Chicken Madeira is best served over mashed potatoes with a garnish of fresh parsley, but for this copy cat recipe, you can serve over rice, pasta (essentially, whatever you choose), or even just by itself. Enjoy!

Share this recipe!