Copycat Cheesecake Factory Chicken Madeira
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Craving The Cheesecake Factory’s famous Chicken Madeira but don’t want to leave the comfort of your home? This easy-to-follow, copycat recipe brings the restaurant’s iconic dish right to your kitchen, combining tender chicken, fresh asparagus, and a rich Madeira wine sauce for a meal that’s sure to impress.
The Cheesecake Factory is renowned for its wide array of delicious dishes, but one that stands out is the Chicken Madeira. This dish combines tender chicken breasts, fresh asparagus, and melted mozzarella, all drenched in a rich, savory Madeira wine sauce. If you’ve ever wanted to recreate this iconic dish at home, you’re in luck. This comprehensive guide will walk you through every step of making a copycat Cheesecake Factory Chicken Madeira, ensuring your dish is just as delightful as the original.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Chicken Breasts – You’ll use approximately 2 large chicken breasts which you’ll slice in half and pound to ¼ inch thickness before cooking.
- Butter – You’ll add a little butter to the pan to cook your chicken.
- Mushrooms – You can use cremini, white button, or portobello mushrooms.
- Madeira Wine – this wine is what gives the dish its distinct flavor but if you’re looking for a substitute we have listed some alternatives below.
- Beef Broth – this added to the Madeira wine gives the sauce a rich flavor.
- Mozzarella Cheese – You can use fresh mozzarella or bagged shredded mozzarella.
- Asparagus – Fresh asparagus is the perfect compliment to the rich, flavorful sauce.
What Is Madeira Sauce?
Madeira sauce is a rich, savory sauce made with Madeira wine, a fortified wine from the Madeira Islands of Portugal. The sauce typically includes a base of beef or veal stock and butter; all simmered with the wine until reduced to a velvety consistency. The result is a deep, slightly sweet, and nutty sauce that’s often used to complement meats like chicken, beef, or pork, adding a sophisticated flavor to dishes.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken. Take thinly sliced chicken breasts and pound them out to about ¼ inch thick. Then add a little salt and pepper to each side.
- Cook chicken. Heat butter in a pan and cook them for about 5 minutes on each side until they are golden brown and cooked through. Set the cooked chicken aside.
- Cook the mushrooms. Add butter to the pan and add the mushrooms sautéing them until they are tender. Set them aside.
- Make the sauce. In the same dish add the Madeira wine and beef broth, bringing them to a boil. Turn the heat down to a simmer and let it reduce and thicken into a sauce .
- Assemble. Add the mushrooms and chicken to the pan with the sauce, making sure to spoon the sauce over it, and then top with thinly sliced mozzarella cheese and steamed asparagus. Cover with a lid and let everything cook for about 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted.
Serving Suggestions
Chicken Madeira is a versatile dish that pairs well with a variety of sides. For this copycat version, we’re serving it with mashed potatoes just like The Cheesecake Factory does; however, it also pairs well with white rice, rice pilaf, creamy polenta, or just a simple mixed green salad.
Frequently Asked Questions
Madeira wine is a pretty important part of this recipe because it gives the sauce a very distinct flavor. If you can’t find it you can substitute it with another fortified wine such as port or Marsala. If you don’t cook with wine you can skip the Madeira and add more beef broth but the flavor will not be the same.
Save a little time and cook the sauce and mushrooms the night before. Toss them together and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to use it place it in a skillet and heat over low heat until warmed through. Follow the recipe instructions from there.
Storing and Reheating Leftovers
Chicken Madeira is just as delicious the next day. Here’s how to store and reheat it properly:
Storage:
- Refrigerate: Place leftovers in an airtight container and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: You can also freeze the dish for up to 2 months.
Reheating:
- Oven: Reheat in the oven at 350°F (175°C) until warmed through.
- Microwave: For a quicker option, microwave on medium power, covered, to retain moisture.
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Copycat Cheesecake Factory Chicken Madeira
Ingredients
- 1 pound Chicken Breasts, approximately 2 large chicken breasts sliced in half and pounded to ¼ inch thickness
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1/4 teaspoon Pepper
- 4 tablespoons Butter
- 8 ounces Mushrooms, thinly sliced
- 2 cups Madeira Wine
- 1 ½ cups Beef Broth
- 8 ounces Mozzarella Cheese, thinly sliced
- 1 pound Asparagus, trimmed
Instructions
- Heat a skillet over medium high heat and add 3 tablespoons of butter. Salt and pepper the chicken breasts and place them in the hot pan. Don’t overcrowd the pan, you may need to cook in batches. Cook chicken for about 4 minutes on each side, or until chicken is golden brown and cooked through. Set aside.
- Add the remaining butter to the pan along with the sliced mushrooms. Cook over medium high heat, stirring often, until mushrooms are tender and cooked through, approximately 15 minutes. Set aside with chicken.
- Add the Madeira wine and beef broth to the same pan, turning up the heat and bringing the mixture to a boil. Boil for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly, and then reduce to a simmer. Keep cooking until mixture of reduced by half and the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Approximately 10 minutes.
- While the sauce cooks steam your asparagus until it is crisp tender.
- Add the chicken and mushrooms back to the sauce. Top with the steamed asparagus and sliced mozzarella cheese. Place a lid on the pan and continue to cook for 3-5 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
- Serve over mashed potatoes.
Nutrition
This post first appeared on The Slow Roasted Italian website