Easy Chicken Madeira

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!

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!

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.