Pasta Da Vinci in Madeira Sauce

Pasta Da Vinci is comforting, insanely delicious and surprisingly easy copycat recipe from Cheesecake Factory. It's sweet, salty, and spicy all in one and it comes together in just 30 minutes. The creamy sauce is out of this world and is loaded with Madeira (or Marsala) wine, red pepper flakes and Parmesan cheese.

This Cheesecake Factory Pasta Da Vinci in creamy Madeira wine sauce is a delicious recipe, packed with flavor from sweet "dark" wine, sautéed mushrooms and caramelized onions. This copycat recipe will surely tempt your family and friends with mouth watering aromas, just like Lousiana Chicken Pasta did.

Why you'll love Pasta Da Vinci

Incredibly delicious Madeira sauce. The sauce is rich, creamy, and perfectly garlicky, and it pairs so well with the seasoned chicken. The original recipe calls for Madeira wine, which is dark and red. However since it's so pricy and a bit hard to find, I often substitute Marsala for Madeira and the result is absolutely delicious!

The secret ingredient reveal. Cheesecake Factory definitely uses some finely grated parmesan/Romano cheese in its original recipe and I concur.

Main ingredients

• Penne. You could substitute a different kind of pasta, but long, tubular like rigatoni or penne will work best.
• Chicken. Once its seasoned, you'll cook your chicken in olive oil and butter. After its done cooking, there will likely be brown bits in the bottom of the pan. Don't discard them! They'll create a flavorful base for our sauce.
• Madeira wine. If you are unable to find it - you can substitute Marsala. Marsala and Madeira are the same grape, just grown in different places.
• Parmesan cheese. THE main flavor in the the sauce. Make sure it's Parm/Romano and that it's freshly grated.
• Mushrooms. Thinly sliced white mushrooms.
• Heavy cream. For just the right amount of creaminess and thickness! The original Cheesecake Factory recipe does not use sour cream, heavy cream only.
• Seasonings & spices. Including salt, pepper,and red pepper flakes (if you like a little heat).
• Garlic & onion. As with my chicken penne, we'll use these two vegetables for lots of flavor.

How to make Pasta da Vinci

This is an overview of the process with step by step instructions and photos of each step.

1. Cook chicken

• Start by heating a stainless steel skillet over medium high and adding 1 tablespoon olive oil and then adding the chicken cubes.
• I like to season chicken chunks with salt as I cook.
• Sauté until the chicken is golden brown, then remove chicken from the skillet.

2. Sauté the vegetables

• Cook the onions: Add butter to the now empty skillet and turn up heat to medium high. Next add 1 chopped red medium onion and cook for 4 minutes on medium heat until softened.
• Brown the mushrooms: Add sliced mushrooms to onions and continue cooking for 3-4 more minutes on medium high heat. Once the mushrooms released the liquid and are softened, remove them and onions from the skillet onto a plate.

3. Madeira wine sauce

• Add butter to the now empty skillet and allow it to melt. Add 4 cloves chopped garlic and cook for 1 minute.
• Then add flour to butter and cook and stir for 1 minute to create a roux. This will help thicken the sauce for the pasta.
• Add Madeira. Reduce the heat and add 1 cup wine. Once the sizzling has subsided, turn the stove back on and heat to a gentle simmer.  Next add heavy cream and chicken stock.

4. Dish assembly

• Cook for 5 more minutes to allow the alcohol to evaporate and to allow the flavor of the sauce to develop. Turn off heat and add ½ cup Parmesan. Allow it to mix with the sauce using a wooden spoon.
• Taste the sauce, and if it seems too strong, add additional ¼ cup chicken stock.  Add a salt and pepper if needed. 
• Add the mushrooms and onions back into the pan with the garlic, and simmer 1-2 more minutes.
• Add chicken and cooked pasta into the sauce and reheat until sauce is gently bubbling. Done.

Tips for success

• Use Madeira wine to deglaze the pan after cooking chicken. This will help us scrape up those brown bits from cooking the chicken and deglaze the pan.
• Use correct sauce proportions: Many cooks have experimented with the pasta in Madeira wine sauce and I reviewed about 6 online versions as well as experimented with various proportions of the ingredients to come to the conclusion that the secret to that perfect tasty creamy wine sauce is the proportion of sauce ingredients listed in this recipe.
• Can I use milk instead of cream? Whole milk might work, but it would definitely thin things out too much. I recommend substituting with half-and-half for a perfectly thickened, velvety, chicken pasta sauce.

Madeira wine alternatives and substitutions

• Marsala or Sherry would probably be your best bet. Most white wine you would have to add a sweetener and Port may be too sweet.
• Balsamic vinegar with brown sugar is your non-alcoholic Marsala wine alternative that will add bright, acidic, similar to Marsala, flavor.
• Brandy, cognac or Triple sec can also be used as substitutes adding the right level sweetness and deep flavor to Da Vinci.
• I do not recommend using rum, regular white wine or vodka as all of these lack sugars which will result in a drier, more acidic taste compared to the sweet, syrupy flavor of Marsala

FAQ

• Can I make the sauce more runny? Just add a little extra splash of cream and about 1 teaspoon of chicken base to the sauce at the end.
• How can I make this recipe with different pasta? You can make it with a lighter pasta like Angel hair or penne.
• Can I use light wine? No. Please make sure to use dark wine, such as Madeira, or sherry.

Serving suggestions

I highly recommend serving your pasta with a salad (I like to do Olive Garden Copycat Salad but traditional Avocado Salad with Tomatoes works, too) and Dutch Oven Bread for a hearty and satisfying meal!

Storage, what to do with leftovers and reheating

• Make it ahead: Prepare according to the instructions the day before and refrigerate. Add a tablespoon of heavy cream before reheating in the oven.
• Refrigerate: Keep your Pasta Da Vinci refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days, any longer than that and pasta will become mushy and unpleasant in texture.
• Reheat any leftovers slowly over a low heat so that the chicken isn't overcooked and to prevent the cream sauce from separating. Add a splash more cream if needed.
• This recipe won't freeze well. I don't recommend freezing this dish because cream base sauces will become gritty when thawed.

Love Cooking with Wine?

If you enjoy wine in your cooking endeavors as well, I have a number of recipes on my site with wine in it for you to enjoy:

• Chicken Pasta in Creamy White Wine Parmesan Sauce
• Herb Roasted Chicken in Creamy White Wine Sauce
• Seared Chicken Pasta in Chardonnay Wine Sauce

More delicious chicken pasta recipes

• Creamy Chicken Pasta with Bacon
• Creamy Chicken Pasta with Spinach, Cherry Tomatoes in White Wine Cheese Sauce
• Spicy Chicken Lazone Pasta
• Creamy Cajun Chicken Pasta with Smoked Sausage

How about cooking with vodka:)?

Pasta Bolognese in Creamy Vodka Sauce

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For other popular chicken recipes see Balsamic Chicken with Brussels Sprouts and Apples and Chicken Pasta in Creamy White Wine Parmesan Sauce).