The first time I ordered Chicken Madeira at The Cheesecake Factory, I knew I had to recreate it at home. This dish combines tender chicken breasts with a rich, complex Madeira wine sauce, melted fresh mozzarella, and perfectly cooked asparagus, all served over creamy mashed potatoes. It’s the perfect special occasion dinner that’s actually achievable in your kitchen.
This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Table of Contents
What Makes This Recipe Special?
This isn’t just another chicken dish – it’s a masterful combination of flavors that The Cheesecake Factory has perfected. The Madeira wine sauce is the star, creating a rich, caramelized flavor that elevates simple chicken breasts into a restaurant-worthy entrée. Combining mushrooms, wine, and beef stock is a good sauce to clean your plate.
Understanding Madeira Wine
This recipe’s key ingredient is Madeira wine. It is a fortified wine like Sherry and Marsala; I love cooking with them. Why do I love them? If you cook with wine only occasionally, these are perfect. Because they are fortified, they aren’t going to go bad.
So, if you ever want to make a little wine sauce and you don’t want to open a whole bottle of wine, you keep a couple of these on hand. For white wine, I often use Sherry. For the red wine, I will use Marsala or Madeira.
What does Maderia wine taste like? It tastes like a warm, rich glass of wine with hints of caramel, hazelnuts, and some citrus fruits. You can sip on it like you would a glass of sherry. It is bursting with so many flavors it’s perfect for cooking.
Chicken Madeira Recipe Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- Chicken breasts – Form the foundation of the dish, sliced and pounded thin for quick, even cooking
- Butter – Creates golden crust on chicken and adds richness
- Vegetable oil – Prevents butter from burning during high-heat cooking
- Salt and pepper – Enhances overall flavor profile
For the Sauce:
- Madeira wine – Provides the signature rich, caramelized flavor base
- Beef stock – Adds depth and umami to the sauce
- Mushrooms – Adds meaty texture and earthy flavor
- Cornstarch – Thickens the sauce to perfect consistency
- Butter – Adds silky finish to the sauce
For Topping:
- Fresh mozzarella – Creates a creamy, melted topping; fresh provides superior texture
- Asparagus – Adds color, nutrition, and complementary flavor
- Mashed potatoes – Serves as a base and soaks up the delicious sauce
Notes About Cheesecake Factory Chicken Madiera Recipe Ingredients
This recipe has Mozzarella cheese in it. I recommend using fresh Mozzarella. The shredded or sliced mozzarella in the regular deli case also works but will not have the same result as fresh mozzarella. So it’s better to use fresh if you can get it.
We are going to be economical with our chicken here. I like to use two chicken breasts for this recipe, but we are going to cut them in half and then we are going to pound them out nice and thin. This will help you stretch out the chicken and it also makes it cook in a flash.
How to Make Cheesecake Factory Chicken Madeira
- Slice chicken breasts in half horizontally. Cover with plastic wrap and use a meat pounder to flatten out to 1/4 inch thickness.
- Season chicken with salt and pepper.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, add butter and vegetable oil. When the butter begins to foam slightly, add chicken.
- Cook chicken until both sides are lightly browned. Remove the sauteed chicken breast from the skillet.
- Add butter and mushrooms to the pan after the butter melts. Saute the mushrooms until they begin to brown. Remove mushrooms from the pan.
- Add Madeira wine to the skillet and scrape the browned bits from the bottom.
- Add beef broth and stir to blend well. Cook the sauce until it reduces by a third.
- Add a slurry of cornstarch and water. Stir to blend well in the fresh mushroom Madeira sauce and cook for about 2 minutes.
- Add butter to the sauce and stir well. Return mushrooms to the Madeira sauce.
- Spoon sauce over the chicken and add a slice or two of the Mozzarella cheese on top of the chicken.
- Place the chicken under the broiler and broil until the mozzarella cheese browns and melts. Alternatively, place the chicken with cheese in a hot oven to warm the cheese.
Dietary Modifications
- Gluten-Free: Naturally gluten-free with cornstarch
- Low-Carb: Serve over cauliflower mash
- Alcohol-Free: Substitute additional beef stock (though flavor will differ)
- Dairy-Free: Use dairy-free butter and skip mozzarella
Make-Ahead Options
- Pound chicken up to 24 hours ahead
- Prepare mushrooms in advance
- Make sauce base ahead and reheat
Scaling and Variations
Scaling
- Recipe easily doubles
- Maintain sauce ratios for best results
- Don’t overcrowd the pan when scaling up
Variations
- Try different mushroom varieties
- Add caramelized onions
- Experiment with cheese types
- Add fresh herbs to the sauce
Common Questions
Q: Can I use chicken thighs? A: Yes, but adjust the cooking time accordingly.
Q: My sauce is too thin, what should I do? A: Add more cornstarch slurry and simmer longer.
Q: Can I make this without mushrooms? A: Yes, though they add significant flavor.
What to Serve with Chicken Madeira
Cheesecake Factory Chicken Madeira is served with asparagus and red mashed potatoes. You can use red potatoes, or you can use another type. The important thing in this recipe is making sure you have something to enjoy with that sauce.
How to store leftover Chicken Maderia
If you know you are going to have leftovers, it is best to store everything separately in airtight containers in your refrigerator. You do not want the sauce to soak up into the potatoes. Everything will stay fresh for about five days in the refrigerator.
How to reheat the Cheesecake Factory Chicken Madeira
The mashed potatoes, asparagus, and chicken can easily reheat in the microwave. I recommend that you heat the sauce in a saucepan on the stove. If the sauce has become super thick you can thin it with some additional Madeira, chicken broth, or a bit of water.
Place the saucepan on the stove, heat to medium-high heat, and add the sauce, if it is super thick you can thin it with a splash of wine, chicken broth, or water. Whisk very well, and the sauce should return to the desired thickness.
Love the Cheesecake Factory? Try these copycat recipes!
Popular Chicken Dinner Recipes
- Easy Shoyu Chicken Recipe
- Longhorn Chicken Parmesan Recipe
- Weight Watchers Chicken Piccata
- Chicken Casserole with Pasta
- Grilled Chicken Strips Recipe
- Homemade Chicken Carbonara
- Chicken Flatbread Pizza
- KFC Recipe Fried Chicken
- Home Style Southern Fried Chicken
- Quick and Easy Chicken Parmesan
Be sure to check out more of my easy chicken recipes and the best casual dining restaurant copycat recipes.
Cheesecake Factory Chicken Madeira
Ingredients
- 1 pound chicken breast
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 8 ounces mushrooms (white or baby Portobello mushrooms)
- 8 ounces beef stock
- 2 cups Madeira wine
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- 1 tablespoon water
- 6 ounces Mozzarella cheese (fresh is best)
- 8 asparagus spears steamed
Instructions
- Slice chicken breasts in half horizontally. Place cut chicken breast onto a sheet of plastic wrap, and cover the chicken with plastic wrap, use a meat pounder to flatten out chicken to 1/4 inch thickness. Flatten out remaining pieces of chicken with a meat pounder. Season chicken with salt and pepper. In a large skillet over medium heat add butter and vegetable oil. When the butter begins to foam slightly add chicken. Be
- careful not to overcrowd the pan. You may need to cook the chicken in batches. When the chicken’s edges turn white, flip over, and cook chicken on the other side. The chicken should be slightly browned. Remove chicken from the pan. Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the pan, and add mushrooms. Cook the mushrooms for a couple of minutes. The mushrooms will begin to brown and sear. Remove mushrooms from the pan.
- Add 2 cups of Madeira wine in the pan, scrape the browned bits up from the bottom of the skillet. Add beef broth to the wine, stir to blend well. Cook the sauce until it reduces by 1/3. When the sauce has reduced add a slurry of 1 tablespoon cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water. Stir to blend well cook for about 2 minutes. Add two tablespoons of butter to the sauce and stir well. Return mushrooms to the sauce. To serve: place chicken breast on a pile of mashed potatoes.
- Spoon sauce over the chicken, and add a slice or two of the Mozzarella cheese on top of the chicken. Place the chicken under the broiler until the cheese browns if desired. You can place the chicken with cheese in a hot oven to warm the cheese. Garnish with Asparagus spears.
Video
Notes
Pro Tips
- Chicken Thickness: Even pounding ensures consistent cooking
- Mushroom Browning: Don’t overcrowd pan for better caramelization
- Sauce Reduction: Look for coating consistency on the back of a spoon
- Fresh Mozzarella: Pat dry before using to prevent excess moisture
- Temperature Control: Adjust heat as needed in order to avoid burning
Brooke
I’m pregnant but want to make this dish tonight, do you know if all the alcohol burns out while cooking? Thank you!
Stephanie
Alcohol does not burn off as much as we think it does. https://www.oasas.ny.gov/admed/fyi/fyi-cooking.cfm As you can see by this governmentally prepared report very little of the alcohol cooks out. Sure, the water evaporates, but alcohol takes much longer to burn off.
Stacy
Really fantastic job on this recipe. My sauce broke a little bit, but the flavors were spot on!
Ayesha Shamim
Hello! Loved the recipe. Just wanted to know if i can use an alternative for the vine? Thanks
Christopher Copley
Love be the recipe, and was great. My sauce was a little sweet, is there a way to make it less sweet?
Stephanie
Was the wine sweet to begin with?
Homly
Just made this tonight! Delicious. Thank you so much. Do you have any tricks for making the sauce maybe a bit more rich? The CF tastes so rich and has a nice bite to it. I am perfectly content with this though. Yummy!!
Stephanie
I am glad you found this recipe good. To make the sauce more rich, you could add more butter to the sauce to finish it.
Anita
My daughter, who has a peanut allergy, had a reaction after ordering this at our local CF. I don’t see anything that looks even remotely close to a legume in the recipe. Am I missing something? This may have been an unfortunate mix-up in the kitchen.
Jennifer
I ordered this dish yesterday and thought it tasted very nutty. I would ask the staff at Cheesecake Factory as they may use peanut oil to cook the chicken.
Mariela
Hi I’m sorry but I don’t see the recipe
Tiffany
U have to watch the video
Joanne McGuire
I have never eaten the chicken Madeira at the Cheesecake Factory. But today I ate it at Cooper’s Hawk. It was delicious! Kind of sweet. Do you have their recipe?
Stephanie
I am sorry I do not have a copycat for their recipe.
Michelle
Can I use marsala wine instead? I have it.
Stephanie
Sure, I think you could, the taste will be slightly different.
Candi
Hi can you please post exact measurements and what kind of oil thanks!
Bball_momof3
The pasta Davinci is delishhhh.. I think it uses the same sauce as the chicken Madeira.. Yummmm..
Stephanie
I will have to give this a try sometime.
Jessica
My husband and I just tried this for the first time at Cheesecake Factory last night. OMG! Can you say “new favorite menu item!”? I told him immediately that I would be looking up the recipe!
Where do you buy the Madeira wine? Is it common enough to find at a grocery store (I live in Dallas, TX area)? I am not enough of a wine connoisseur to know this! 🙂
Stephanie
You find this wine in most stores near where the fortified wine is sold. It is fairly common, and isn’t something that is exotic.
Jessica
Where do you buy the Madeira wine? Is it common enough to find at a grocery store (I live in Dallas, TX area)? I am not enough of a wine connoisseur to know this! 🙂
Mary Compan
At a liquor store…never use grocery store wine to cook!
John
Just curious, what kind of cooktop is that? Portable induction?
Thank you! I am going to try this tonight!
Stephanie @CopyKat.com
It is a portable gas burner, they run about 30 dollars at most restaurant supply stores.
Cecilia
Never tried this one before, definitely gonna try it tomorrow! 🙂
Karen Taylor-Biggs
Goodness I had this for the first time at the Cheesecake factory and fell love with it.
THANK YOU so much for sharing a recipe and showing howeasy it looks.
I can not wait to try.
Stephanie
I hope you enjoy this one. It is one of my favorite recipes. It’s a great way to serve up ordinary chicken breasts.
Rhonda Pries
Making this dish for my daughter’s birthday she wanted Italian food and so I came across to you and decide to make madrita dish
And for dessert I am preparing a cheesecake from cheesecake factory all homemade
Stephanie
I hope this went well for you.
Jeannie
Love this recipe!! Made it again tonight and it was delicious!!!
Nick Capretta
Stephanie, I love this recipe and have been looking for more meals similar to this one. Can you please recommend one or two to me?
kalynskitchen
Okay, sorry to be dumb, but where is the recipe?
Stephanie Manley
It’s there now. Sometimes when I edit my recipe flag turns itself off :(. It’s back now.
kalynskitchen
Good, thought I was losing it!
Stephanie Manley
What is your favorite menu item at the cheesecake Factory?
Mrst Troublecat
Snickers Cheesecake 🙂
Nikki
I love the pasta Divinci @Cheesecake Factory… can we copycat this recipe?
Stephanie
I need to try this dish. I appreciate your suggestion.
Tami
Bang bang chicken and shrimp
Stephanie
Thank you for your suggestion.