You don't need gluten to make decadent, creamy sauces; real whipping cream is the secret. Chicken in Madeira Cream Sauce with asparagus is a spring recipe for entertaining. Celebrate asparagus season by serving this colourful, veggie forward dish to friends.
Adventurous cooks like to try cuisines from around the world and are excited to try new ingredients. A smart strategy when trying something new is to serve familiar favourite dishes for the rest of the meal. For this dish I'd serve rice pilaf, a green salad with homemade vinaigrette dressing and end with homemade lemon curd or strawberry cheesecake ice cream. That's a spring celebration!
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Ingredients
Madeira is a Portuguese fortified wine made on the Madeira Islands, off the coast of Africa. I’ve never been there but I've read they have plenty of options for gluten free travellers.
- Red & yellow peppers - This adds the colour combination I love.
- Asparagus - Thick or thin doesn't matter, fresh is what you want.
- Chicken - I prefer boneless, skinless thigh meat for the best flavour.
- Butter & olive oil - The combination adds flavour to the finished dish.
- Madeira (see substitutions below) - If you’re keen to try this fortified wine my bottle says Blandy’s Madeira, Duke of Clarence from Funchal, Portugal. It's the only brand I've ever bought.
- Dried thyme & rosemary - These dry herbs give this dish its' mediterranean flavour.
- Tomato - One more vegetable and a little more colour.
- Whipping cream - This makes the sauce decadent, just be sure to taste for salt before serving.
See recipe card for complete ingredient list and exact amounts.
What is Madeira
Madeira gives this dish a unique taste that I would say “tastes like Madeira.” Apparently it has a somewhat nutty flavour and is very acidic. The label on my bottle says, “This is the richest style of Maderia, full bodied, rich and soft textured. It is a splendid after dinner drink.”
If you bought the Madeira it’s worth looking for ways to serve it. Pair it with any of these cheeses; aged cheddar, Parmigiano-Reggiano, Manchego, Gruyère, or pungent blue cheeses like Stilton or Roquefort.
A simple idea is to serve it with the Spanish tapa, Manchego with quince , or make that part of a beautiful charcuterie board.
Substitutions and Gluten Free Alcohol
I substitute Madeira and Marsala in any recipe, depending on what's in my cupboard. According to Google the substitutions for Madeira are:
- Marsala
- Dark sherry
- Port
- Red vermouth
To learn more about gluten free alcohol bookmark this page from Celiac Canada, Alcohol Labelling in Canada. The longer you're gluten free the more you see that things change and you need a way to keep up with the research.
Get The Tools
This is a pretty big recipe so I make it in my flat bottom wok. It's got a huge cooking surface and the shape prevents food from flying out of the pan. and making a mess you'll have to clean up later. Not enough people have a wok and I don't know why. It's the best tool in my kitchen.
Top Tip
It’s all in the first bite! Even on TV cooking shows professional chefs are frequently criticized for not tasting their finished dish. I too am guilty of this and nowhere is it more apparent than in a dish with whipping cream. To ensure that first bite is delicious taste your sauce before serving and salt it accordingly.
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Chicken in Madeira Cream Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 red pepper, cut into large cubes
- 1 yellow pepper, cut into large cubes
- 12 oz asparagus, trimmed and cut diagonally into 2-inch pieces
- 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into large cubes (approximately 1 lb 10 oz)
- 2 tablespoon butter divided
- 2 tablespoon olive oil divided
- ½ cup Madeira (see notes for substitutes)
- ¾ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 small tomato, diced
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¾ cup whipping cream
- salt and pepper to taste
- GARNISH – fresh, snipped chives
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon each of butter and oil on medium-high heat in wok or large sauté pan. Add peppers and stir-fry until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Use slotted spoon to transfer to a bowl.
- Add asparagus and stir-fry 5-8 minutes until crisp-tender. Transfer to a bowl with peppers.
- Heat remaining 1 tablespoon each of butter and oil on medium-high heat. Add chicken cubes and stir-fry just until cooked, about 8 minutes. Transfer to bowl with vegetables using a slotted spoon and leaving any juices in the wok.
- Add Madeira, thyme, rosemary and tomato to wok. Heat to boiling and cook until syrupy, 4-5 minutes.
- Add lemon juice and bring to a boil.
- Stir in cream and cook until thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Return chicken and vegetables to the wok and coat with sauce, allowing chicken and vegetables to heat through.
- Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with snipped chives.
Notes
Nutrition
More Recipes with Alcohol
People love recipes made with alcohol because they sound fun and add a unique flavour. These are a few of my favourites.
Cinde
A delicious cream sauce. Whether it's made with Marsala or Madeira, it is decadent!