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LongHorn Parmesan Crusted Chicken
Tender grilled chicken topped with a golden Parmesan crust — LongHorn Steakhouse's most popular chicken dish. A savory, cheesy topping that gets broiled until bubbly and crisp.
chicken · longhorn-steakhouse · dinner · parmesan
🕑Prep10 min
🍳Cook25 min
⏱Total35 min
🍽Serves4
⭐DifficultyMedium
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup garlic butter (4 tablespoons butter mixed with 2 cloves minced garlic)
- 1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- Kosher salt and black pepper
Instructions
- 1.Prepare the chicken. Season the chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning on both sides. If they are thick, pound them to an even 3/4-inch thickness so they cook evenly.
- 2.Grill or pan-sear the chicken. Heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Cook the chicken for 5-6 minutes per side until cooked through (internal temp of 165°F). Transfer to a baking sheet lined with foil.
- 3.Make the Parmesan crust. In a bowl, mix the grated Parmesan, panko breadcrumbs, softened garlic butter, mayonnaise, and Dijon mustard until it forms a thick, spreadable paste.
- 4.Top and broil. Spread the Parmesan mixture generously over the top of each chicken breast — about 1/4 inch thick. Set the oven broiler to high and broil for 2-3 minutes, watching carefully, until the topping is golden brown and bubbly.
- 5.Rest and serve. Let the chicken rest for 2 minutes before serving. The crust continues to set as it cools slightly. Serve with mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli for the full LongHorn experience.
LongHorn Parmesan Crusted Chicken
LongHorn Steakhouse is known for its steaks, but their Parmesan Crusted Chicken is quietly one of the most ordered items on the menu. It is a grilled chicken breast topped with a thick layer of Parmesan, garlic butter, and breadcrumbs, then broiled until golden and bubbling. The contrast between the juicy chicken and the crispy, cheesy crust is what makes it special.
At the restaurant, this dish runs about $18 with two sides. At home, you can make four servings for about $14 total.
Why Make It at Home?
The restaurant version is good, but it often arrives with the chicken slightly overcooked from sitting under a heat lamp. At home, you control the timing. The chicken goes from grill to broiler to plate in minutes, which means juicier meat and a crispier crust.
Tips & Variations
- Pound the chicken evenly. Uneven thickness means one part dries out while the other finishes cooking. Take 30 seconds to pound them to uniform thickness.
- Use freshly grated Parmesan. Pre-grated Parmesan from a can has anti-caking agents that prevent it from melting properly. Block Parmesan grated on a microplane melts into a better crust.
- Do not skip the mayonnaise. It sounds odd, but the mayo adds moisture and fat to the crust mixture, which helps it brown evenly under the broiler instead of drying out.
- Watch the broiler carefully. Broilers are unpredictable. The difference between golden brown and burnt is about 30 seconds. Stay by the oven.
