Copycat Longhorn Steakhouse Parmesan Crusted Chicken Recipe

Longhorn Steakhouse may be best known for its delicious steaks — it is in the name, after all — but the restaurant chain also caters to those who aren't looking for red meat. One such menu option is the Parmesan-crusted chicken, a cheesy smorgasbord of breaded chicken breasts and ranch-infused cheese sauce (yes, ranch dressing). Recipe developer Patterson Watkins admits that it was a bit tricky trying to replicate that cheese factor in her copycat version, explaining, "I've had the Longhorn classic before, that cheesy melty medley was a bit of a stumper."

Watkins pondered what could make the cheesy crust such a winner, and even wondered if Longhorn used a specialty spice blend or even added creamy soup to the mix somehow. After some diligent sleuthing, she discovered that no special seasoning was required for the cheesy element of this chicken dish, just good old-fashioned ranch dressing, strange as it may sound (and don't worry, we'll touch more on that later). The result is a juicy chicken breast that's absolutely smothered in cheese, "Just as scrumptious as the OG restaurant version," according to Watkins. So when it comes to going to Longhorn, you can keep ordering the steak — you can get your Parm-crusted chicken fix at home thanks to this recipe.

Start by gathering the marinade and chicken ingredients, which include ranch dressing, olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, lemon juice, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and the chicken breasts themselves. Cheese topping ingredients include more ranch, grated Parmesan, grated provolone, grated mozzarella, and more garlic. Finally, you'll need panko breadcrumbs (or crushed-up Ritz crackers, stale croutons, or sourdough bread crumbs) and melted butter for the crispy topping, along with fresh chopped parsley as garnish.

Place the ranch dressing, olive oil, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, lemon juice, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper in a shallow baking dish. Whisk to combine the marinade.

Coat the chicken in the marinade and arrange it in a single layer to maximize contact with the marinade.

Cover the dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Once the chicken is marinated, heat the olive oil in a large, oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat.

Once the oil is hot, remove the chicken from the marinade, letting any excess marinade drip off, and place in the skillet. (Discard the marinade).

Sear the chicken, about 5 minutes per side, until deeply golden and the chicken is mostly cooked through. Remove the skillet from the heat and set aside (keep the chicken in the skillet).

Preheat the oven to broil on low.

To make the cheese topping, place ½ cup ranch dressing, Parmesan, provolone, mozzarella, and garlic in a small saucepan. Stir to combine.

Warm the cheese mixture over low heat, stirring frequently, until the cheese has melted, about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the breadcrumb topping by placing the panko and melted butter in a medium bowl. Stir to combine.

Spoon a hearty dollop of the cheese topping over each chicken breast.

Place the skillet in the oven and broil until the cheese mixture has browned slightly, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Remove the skillet from the oven and top the chicken with a hearty spoonful of the panko topping.

Return to the oven and broil until the panko topping has toasted, about 2 minutes. (Keep an eye on the breadcrumbs, they will burn quickly).

Garnish the chicken with fresh parsley and serve with any remaining cheese topping and serve.

We've already established that the cheese component of this recipe is nothing short of unique. Watkins describes it as "some straight-up surprising stuff," a sort of saucy and melty mix of various cheeses that even left her a bit dubious as she was testing out the recipe. Nevertheless, her cheese topping prevailed just as successfully as it does at Longhorn, with Watkins noting, "The cheese combo is a nice blend of sharp and mild, a good melty mix." 

And, of course, there's also ranch dressing in the mix, something that also threw Watkins for a bit of a loop, but an ingredient that proved itself quite tasty in the cheese realm. "The ranch dressing is that secret ingredient, imparting herbaceous peppery pops, and serving as a really tasty base for this sauce," she describes, "It reduces the need for excess ingredients, it maintains it's stability during simmering and broiling, and it packs a mighty flavor punch." Though Watkins simply uses Hidden Valley ranch in her rendition, she notes that you could also use your favorite ranch brand, or opt for a homemade ranch.

Aside from the ranch, the blend of cheeses is also what makes this saucy topping such a success. Watkins notes that the Parmesan is pretty paramount here, but the other cheeses — mozzarella and provolone — can easily be swapped out for something like Monterey Jack or mild white cheddar.

When it comes to pairing options for a copycat recipe, it only makes sense that any additional sides might also be copycat recipes. Watkins seconds this idea, noting that you could easily take a (literal menu) page from Longhorn Steakhouse, customizing your plate to be a spitting image of something you'd see at the restaurant. Longhorn has no shortage of popular items, so something like the chain's Firecracker Chicken Wraps, loaded potato soup, French onion soup, or white cheddar stuffed mushrooms would all make for worthwhile accompaniments. Or, take a cue from Watkins: "I could see a copycat version of their loaded baked potato, crispy Brussels sprouts, asparagus, baked sweet potato, or rice pilaf being an excellent accompaniment."

While Watkins certainly does recommend going the Longhorn copycat route with your sides, she also says that she's one for sticking with the classics. Simple mashed potatoes, roasted broccoli, or green beans would all make for great side options, and with an entree so rich and cheesy, a vegetable (or three) would certainly help balance things out. If there's one side you should avoid, it's mac and cheese (be that a Longhorn copycat or any old mac and cheese) — it's just too much extra cheese on top of an already cheesy dish.