Longhorn Parmesan Crusted Chicken is a moist chicken recipe topped with a creamy herb ranch filling and crisp parmesan crust. It’s so easy to make at home and is seriously delicious!
We love recreating dishes from our favorite steakhouse restaurants, like this Alice Springs chicken and Outback Bread.
Longhorn Parmesan Crusted Chicken Recipe
Anything we order at Longhorn Steakhouse is delicious, especially the Parmesan-crusted chicken and the stuffed mushrooms.
There’s something about creamy fillings and crispy crusts that takes ordinary dishes to something amazing.
Longhorns Parmesan-crusted chicken is light and so flavorful. The crisp Parmesan crust has a creamy ranch filling underneath, and the cheese is proportional and not overpowering.
I ordered mine with creamy mashed potatoes, but was thinking of going between the baked potato and broccoli. You can’t really go wrong with sides, I mean, the chicken is the star of the show after all.
When attempting to recreate Longhorn’s chicken based on my sense and taste, I came up with mixing the panko and parmesan cheese with ranch dressing, then topping that over the chicken with the parmesan crust. It worked really well that way, but little did I know how close I was.
However, after a former employee mentioned some tips and emphasized the marinade, I later found a Dropbox document with a screenshot of the actual recipe from Longhorn Steakhouse Restaurant. I was so excited because it is so easy to make!
Mise en Place
Equipment:
- Cast-iron skillet (10-inch)
- Set of mixing bowls
- Set of measuring spoons
- 11x8 Baking Dish
Ingredients for Longhorn Parmesan Crusted Chicken:
As someone who has made many creamy parmesan toppings for fish recipes, I can say that you can pretty much use part mayonnaise, yogurt, or sour cream for the creamy filling instead of ranch dressing, so don’t be stuck on making it if you’re not a ranch dressing fan.
- Marinade for seasoning and grilling the boneless and skinless chicken breasts.
- Ranch Spread- equal parts of parmesan cheese and your favorite ranch dressing.
- Parmesan Crumb Topping- a mixture of Panko bread crumbs and parmesan cheese. Add garlic powder or garlic salt for extra flavor. I find freshly shredded parmesan cheese to be salty, so use garlic powder instead.
How To Make Parmesan-Crusted Chicken:
- Marinate the chicken breasts in Italian dressing. You could mix it with half ranch dressing if you wish.
- Prepare the ranch spread and then the Parmesan crust.
- Grill or sear the chicken in a skillet over medium-high heat until it reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Transfer the cooked chicken into an oven-safe casserole dish.
- Position the oven rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat broiler over high heat.
- Smear the ranch spread over the top of the chicken, then top with provolone cheese and sprinkle generously with the Parmesan crumb topping.
- Broil the chicken in the oven until the cheese melts and the crumb topping turns light brown. Serve.
Pro Chef Tip
Pro-Tip: Be careful not to marinate the chicken too long in the Italian dressing. The acidic ingredients can break down the protein structure in the chicken too quickly, making it mushy to handle and tough to eat later.
Storing Parmesan-Crusted Chicken:
The parmesan crust on this chicken can get soggy when stored overnight in the fridge. The best way to revive the crispy texture is to steam and bake the chicken breasts covered in the oven until they are warm, then uncover them and bake them open to revive and crisp up the parmesan crust.
Otherwise, leftovers can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days, stored in an air-tight container to prevent the fridge odors from interacting.
Make-Ahead for a Crowd:
Are you planning to cook for a big event? Marinated and grilled chicken breasts (or tenders) freeze very well! Grill the chicken until it is almost done (leave it slightly undercooked for reheating later) and cool them down. Transfer chicken breasts to a gallon-sized freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months (one week is ideal).
To serve: thaw the chicken in the fridge. Arrange on top of a baking sheet and top with the ranch spread and parmesan crust. Bake at 375°F for 14 minutes or broil in the oven on the middle rack for 4-5 minutes until the chicken is done and the crumb topping is golden.
I helped cater a wedding with a friend using this technique.
What To Serve with Parmesan Crusted Chicken:
Longhorn offers many sides to accompany their meats. Here are some ideas:
- Steamed broccoli or roasted asparagus. A fresh salad is always a quick side to throw together!
- Creamy mashed potatoes with brown butter
- Instant Pot Baked Potatoes.
- Scalloped potatoes or fries.
Helpful Tips:
- Use a cast-iron skillet to replicate the grilling effect without actually grilling. It will also give the chicken a charred crust and distribute heat evenly.
- Provolone usually comes in slices. It is best to grate the provolone cheese so it won’t be too gloopy and stretchy when eating.
- Don’t keep the chicken in the marinade too long. The acidic ingredients from the dressing can breakdown the structure of the chicken too quickly. We find 10 minutes works best!
- Use shredded parmesan cheese from a bag sold in the fridge section of grocery stores, not the stuff that comes in the shaker. This will give optimum flavor like the restaurant!
- Cut the chicken breasts in half, lengthwise. This way, the chicken cooks faster and isn’t overwhelming per serving. I personally don’t like too thick chicken breasts, as they tend to be dry and overcooked.
- Use your favorite ranch dressing; it just needs to be creamy to adhere to the chicken breasts when broiling.
Have you made this version of Copycat Longhorn Parmesan Crusted Chicken? I’d love to hear back from you. Leave a comment below to share all about it! Including any tips or feedback for our community!
More Juicy Chicken Recipes To Make At Home:
Chicken is so versatile, you can fry them, bake, or grill them! We love easy chicken recipes, try these restaurant-style dishes at home made easily!
Longhorn Parmesan Crusted Chicken
Equipment
- 1 Set of measuring spoons
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup provolone cheese (shredded)
Chicken Marinade:
- 2 chicken breasts (cut in half, lengthwise)
- 1/3 cup Italian dressing
Ranch Spread:
- 1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 1/4 cup ranch dressing (any favorite brand)
Parmesan Crust (Crumb Topping):
- 2 Tbsp Panko bread crumbs
- 2 Tbsp shredded parmesan cheese
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 Tbsp salted butter (melted)
Instructions
Directions:
Marinate the halved chicken breasts in Italian dressing for 10 minutes.- While the chicken marinades, prepare the ranch spread by mixing 1/4 cup parmesan cheese and 1/4 cup ranch dressing. Set aside.
- Make the parmesan crumb topping by combining the Panko bread crumbs, garlic powder, parmesan cheese, and melted butter in a small bowl. The crumbs should be evenly moistened.
- Preheat a cast-iron skillet over high heat. Add 1/2 tbsp of butter and 1/2 tsp of cooking oil. Then add two halved chicken breasts and cook on each side until charred and fully cooked. The internal temperature should be 165°F. Transfer all the chicken to an oven-safe dish.
- Place one heaping Tbsp of the ranch spread onto the center of each chicken breast and slightly smear. Top with provolone cheese and sprinkle generously with the Parmesan crumb topping.
- Turn the broiler on high in your oven. Position the rack in the middle of the oven. Place the chicken under the broiler and cook until the cheese melts and the parmesan crust topping turns golden brown (about 4 minutes). Serve.
Notes
- Recipe Yield: This recipe makes four thin boneless skinless chicken breasts after slicing each breast in half.
- Serving size: 1 serving is a halved chicken breast.
- Provolone Cheese: typically comes pre-sliced (it is hard to locate a block of provolone cheese), so grate the slices using a box grater. It is best to grate the cheese, as provolone is gloopy and stretchy, if you add a whole slice.
- Use a cast-iron skillet or grill the chicken breasts on an outdoor grill until it is fully cooked. This is because it only goes under the broiler in the oven and won't cook thoroughly.
- Don't let the chicken sit in the marinade too long. The acidic ingredients in the Italian dressing can break down the chicken's structure too quickly, making the meat tough later.
- Use shredded Parmesan cheese, not the stuff in the shaker. You can find shredded parmesan in the cheese section of major grocery stores sold in 8 oz bags.
- Work in batches when cooking the chicken in a skillet. You don't want to overcrowd the pan so the chicken cooks evenly and gets a nice sear. It will start poaching in the juices if you overcrowd it.
