Chicken Madeira Recipe

Chicken Madeira Recipe is a classic American-Italian fusion dish featuring tender poultry topped with fresh asparagus and melted mozzarella. This meal uses button mushrooms, sweet Madeira wine, and double cream to create a savory, velvety sauce that feels like a restaurant treat.

The first time I made this, I didn’t reduce the wine enough and the sauce ended up thin and sharp. Now I always wait until the liquid is syrupy before adding the beef stock. That’s the difference between a weak sauce and one that clings to the chicken properly.

Pounding the meat to a thin, even thickness is doing more work than you’d think. Without it, the outside of the breast dries out before the middle is safe to eat. This is one of those recipes that looks harder than it is, but it really just comes down to patience with your reductions.

Jump to Recipe

Chicken Madeira Recipe Ingredients

The Chicken

• 450g (1lb) chicken breasts (2 large)
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 15g (1/2oz) unsalted butter
• 15ml (1tbsp) olive oil

The Vegetables

• 450g (1lb) asparagus, woody ends trimmed and blanched
• 450g (1lb) button mushrooms, thick-sliced
• 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 15g (1/2oz) unsalted butter
• 15ml (1tbsp) olive oil

The Sauce and Topping

• 350ml (12fl oz) Madeira wine
• 350ml (12fl oz) low-sodium beef broth
• 120ml (4fl oz) double cream
• 15g (1/2oz) unsalted butter
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 115g (4oz) shredded mozzarella

How To Make Chicken Madeira Recipe

1. Prepare the chicken: Slice the large chicken breasts in half horizontally to create four thinner cutlets. Place them between two sheets of clingfilm and pound them with a rolling pin to an even 6mm (1/4-inch) thickness. Season both sides with 1/2 tsp salt and black pepper.
2. Sear the chicken: Heat 15g (1/2oz) butter and 15ml (1tbsp) olive oil in a large, oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken cutlets and cook for 3 to 5 minutes per side until they are golden brown and reach an internal temperature of 75°C (165°F). Remove the chicken to a plate and set it aside.
3. Sauté the mushrooms and onions: Melt another 15g (1/2oz) butter and the remaining 15ml (1tbsp) olive oil in the same skillet. Add the sliced mushrooms and leave them alone for 5 minutes so they brown. Stir and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes until they are dark, then add the diced onion and cook for 4 minutes until soft.
4. Build the sauce base: Add the minced garlic and 2 tbsp chopped parsley to the pan. Stir the mixture for 1 minute until you can smell the garlic but it hasn’t turned brown.
5. Deglaze and reduce: Pour the Madeira wine into the pan and scrape up the bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Bring the liquid to a boil and let it simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until the wine is syrupy and has reduced by half.
6. Simmer the sauce: Add the beef broth and bring the mixture back to a simmer. Let it cook for another 10 to 15 minutes until the liquid reduces and starts to look thick.
7. Finish the cream sauce: Reduce the heat to low and stir in the double cream and the final 15g (1/2oz) of butter. Season the sauce with 1/4 tsp salt and a little more pepper.
8. Assemble the dish: Place the seared chicken breasts back into the skillet so they are sitting in the sauce. Arrange the blanched asparagus spears on top of the chicken pieces. Sprinkle the shredded mozzarella evenly over the chicken and asparagus.
9. Melt the cheese: Set your grill to high and place the skillet under it for 1 to 2 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and golden. Do not leave it alone as the cheese can burn in seconds under a hot grill.
10. Serve: Garnish the pan with extra fresh parsley and serve the chicken immediately. Spoon plenty of the mushroom sauce over each portion.

Recipe Tips

• Choose sweet Madeira wine. Look for “Malmsey” or “Bual” styles on the label rather than dry versions. The sweetness is what balances the salty beef broth and makes the sauce taste authentic.
• Blanch the asparagus properly. Boil the spears for 2 minutes and drop them into ice water before you start the chicken. This keeps them bright green and prevents them from turning to mush under the grill.
• Use a heavy skillet. A cast iron or heavy stainless steel pan holds heat better for searing the meat. Make sure it’s oven-safe so you can put it under the grill to melt the cheese at the end.
• Keep the mushrooms chunky. Slicing the button mushrooms into thick pieces prevents them from disappearing into the sauce. They should have a meaty texture that stands up to the rich cream.
• Prep the chicken in advance. You can pound the cutlets and season them a few hours before cooking. Store them in the fridge on a tray covered with clingfilm to save time when you’re ready to eat.

What To Serve With Chicken Madeira

This dish has a lot of sauce, so you need something to soak it up. Creamy mashed potatoes or buttered egg noodles are the traditional choices.

If you want something lighter, try a simple green salad with a sharp vinaigrette. A crusty baguette or garlic bread also works well for cleaning the plate.

How To Store Chicken Madeira

• Fridge: Place the leftovers in an airtight container and keep them in the fridge for up to three days. The sauce will thicken as it cools, so it might look solid when you take it out.
• Reheat: The best method is to put everything in a small saucepan over low heat. Add a splash of beef broth or water to thin the sauce back out and heat until the chicken is hot through. You can use a microwave for two minutes, but the chicken may become rubbery and the sauce might split.
• Freeze: I don’t recommend freezing this dish because the cream sauce usually separates when it thaws. The asparagus also loses its crunch and becomes quite watery after being frozen and reheated

Chicken Madeira Recipe Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 540
• Protein: 38g
• Fat: 32g
• Carbohydrates:14g,
• Sugar: 8g
• Sodium: 890mg

Estimated. May vary based on ingredients and cooking methods.

FAQs