Copycat Cheesecake Factory Pasta Da Vinci Recipe
Dining at our favorite restaurants is always an enjoyable occasion. Still, we can't go out every time a craving for a specific dish strikes. Thankfully, with a bit of tinkering, restaurant recipes can be imitated to provide a similar culinary experience at home. The dozens of savory dishes at The Cheesecake Factory are no exception.
Mashed recipe developer Catherine Brookes created this copycat Cheesecake Factory pasta Da Vinci you'll want to whip up immediately. With simple ingredients and an easy cooking process, you can enjoy the deeply savory flavors of this chicken and mushroom pasta from the comfort of your home. She shares, "I love the deliciously rich and creamy taste of this pasta. The sauce is so silky and packed with flavor!" You may want to serve this winning dish to friends — though they might naturally expect a slice of copycat Cheesecake Factory cheesecake for dessert too!
Gather the ingredients for copycat Cheesecake Factory pasta Da Vinci
For this weeknight-friendly pasta dish, you'll need olive oil, penne pasta, chicken breasts, a red onion, fresh garlic, cremini mushrooms, Marsala wine, sour cream, heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, butter, and salt and pepper to taste. Before you begin, prep your ingredients: Dice the chicken and red onion, crush the garlic cloves, slice the mushrooms, and grate the Parmesan.
"I like to add some chopped fresh parsley on top to serve," Brookes elaborates. "You can also sprinkle on a little extra grated Parmesan." If you're unaccustomed to using Marsala, a type of fortified wine, she explains that it "adds a real depth and slight sweetness to the sauce," but notes that Madeira is a good substitute.
Start by cooking the chicken
Set a large frying pan on the stovetop and heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium heat. Toss in the diced chicken and cook it for 5-7 minutes until it is well browned and cooked. Season it to taste with salt and pepper and transfer it to a plate in the meantime.
Fry the vegetables in the same pan
Drizzle more olive oil into the pan and fry the diced onion for about 5 minutes until it is soft. Add in the garlic and stir while you cook the alliums for another minute. Toss the sliced mushrooms into the pan as well, then cook for around 5 minutes until they are soft and starting to brown. Finally, pour in the Marsala wine and increase the burner to high heat. Let everything bubble, uncovered, for another 5 minutes.
Cook the pasta
Meanwhile, in a pot of salted boiling water, cook the penne pasta according to the package instructions. Brookes notes that this pasta shape usually cooks in 10 minutes. When it's done, drain off the water.
Add the creamy ingredients to the sauce
Reduce the heat to low and stir the sour cream, heavy cream, and Parmesan into the mushroom mixture. Give it a taste and season with salt and pepper to your liking.
Stir in the chicken and pasta, and serve
Now, toss the cooked chicken into the sauce and add the butter, stirring to distribute the ingredients evenly. Toss the pasta in with the sauce, mixing well to coat each piece of penne.
Serve this delicious copycat Cheesecake Factory pasta Da Vinci with freshly chopped parsley and extra Parmesan if desired. If you have any leftovers, Brookes recommends storing them in the fridge for up to 2 days and reheating them in the microwave or on the stovetop — no takeout bag required!
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 chicken breasts, diced
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 red onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
- 16 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 1 cup Marsala wine
- 12 ounces penne pasta
- ⅓ cup sour cream
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ⅓ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
- 1 tablespoon butter
- Fresh parsley, for garnish
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.
- Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.
- Fry the chicken for 5-7 minutes until well browned and cooked through. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.
- Heat the remaining oil in the same pan over medium heat and fry the onion for about 5 minutes until softened.
- Add the garlic and cook for another minute, stirring constantly.
- Add the mushrooms and fry for about 5 minutes, until they soften and start to brown.
- Pour in the Marsala wine, increase the heat to high, and leave the contents to bubble for 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook the pasta in the boiling water according to the package instructions, then drain.
- Turn your attention back to the pan with the mushrooms and wine, reducing the heat to low. Stir in the sour cream, heavy cream, and Parmesan cheese, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the chicken and butter to the pan and stir to combine.
- Toss the pasta into the sauce and serve with fresh parsley and extra Parmesan, if desired.
| Calories per Serving | 946 |
| Total Fat | 43.0 g |
| Saturated Fat | 21.2 g |
| Trans Fat | 0.9 g |
| Cholesterol | 193.9 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 77.6 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 4.4 g |
| Total Sugars | 8.5 g |
| Sodium | 1,232.2 mg |
| Protein | 51.8 g |
