Description

Chicken Madeira is an elegant yet easy-to-make dinner recipe featuring juicy skinless, boneless chicken breasts seared to perfection and simmered in a rich, savory mushroom Madeira wine sauce. Perfect for quick weeknights or casual entertaining, it combines tender poultry with a deeply flavorful sauce enhanced by garlic, shallots, fresh herbs, and a touch of lemon juice for brightness.

Ingredients

Scale

Chicken

4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper, to taste

Sauce

8 ounces cremini or button mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced
1 cup Madeira wine
1 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves or chopped parsley

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Instructions

Prepare Your Ingredients: Slice the mushrooms and mince the garlic and shallots. Pat the chicken breasts dry and season them with salt and pepper to enhance flavor and ensure a better sear.
Sear the Chicken: Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook about 4-5 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Cook the Mushrooms and Aromatics: In the same skillet, add more butter if needed. Sauté mushrooms, garlic, and shallots until the mushrooms release moisture and brown, developing deep savory flavors.
Deglaze with Madeira Wine: Pour Madeira wine into the skillet, scraping the caramelized bits from the bottom to add rich flavor to the sauce.
Thicken and Simmer: Sprinkle in the flour and stir for about a minute to cook off raw taste. Gradually whisk in chicken broth, bring to a gentle simmer until sauce thickens and flavors meld.
Return Chicken to the Skillet: Nestle chicken breasts back into the sauce and simmer a few minutes until cooked through and sauce coats the meat. Finish with fresh lemon juice and sprinkle with chopped herbs before serving.

Notes

Pat chicken dry to ensure a better sear and avoid steaming.
Take your time deglazing to incorporate flavorful browned bits.
Use fresh herbs to add brightness and contrast to the rich sauce.
Simmer the wine gently to avoid burning the sugars.
Thicken sauce gradually by adding broth slowly while whisking to prevent lumps.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Category: Main Course
Method: Searing and Simmering
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 chicken breast with sauce
Calories: 370
Sugar: 3g
Sodium: 450mg
Fat: 15g
Saturated Fat: 6g
Unsaturated Fat: 7g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 10g
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 40g
Cholesterol: 110mg