Longhorn Parmesan Crusted Chicken

Longhorn Parmesan Crusted Chicken is a restaurant-quality dish that brings together tender, juicy chicken breasts topped with a golden, crispy Parmesan-garlic crust that’s absolutely irresistible. This copycat recipe captures that signature steakhouse flavor with simple ingredients and an easy method that guarantees success every single time.

Love More Chicken Recipes? Try My  Tomato Basil Chicken or this Loaded Potato Ranch Chicken Casserole next.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

The combination of browning the chicken first, then baking it with that incredible Parmesan crust creates layers of flavor and texture that make every bite memorable. It’s fancy enough for dinner guests but simple enough for a Tuesday night. Plus, with just a handful of pantry staples and about 40 minutes total, you’re getting restaurant results with homemade love.

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Ingredient List

For the Chicken:

• 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

For the Parmesan Crust:

• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• ½ cup breadcrumbs (or panko)
• ¼ cup melted butter
• 3 cloves garlic, minced

Optional Cheese Topping:

• ½ cup shredded mozzarella
• ¼ cup provolone

For Garnish:

• Fresh parsley, chopped

Why These Ingredients Work

Okay so the Parmesan is where all the magic happens. It gets crispy and salty and has that nutty flavor that’s just… ugh, so good. I splurge on the real stuff from the deli counter—not the kraft shaker kind. Learned that lesson the hard way when I tried to be cheap. It came out all gummy and weird. Never again.

Breadcrumbs are your crunch factor. I’ve got both regular and panko in my cabinet right now, and honestly? Panko wins every time for this recipe. Those big flaky pieces just crisp up better. The melted butter is what glues everything together and makes it all brown and gorgeous. And three cloves of garlic sounds like a lot, right? It’s not. It’s perfect. My sister-in-law uses four because she’s obsessed with garlic, and that works too.

So about browning the chicken first—look, I get it. It’s an extra step and you’re tired and you just want dinner done. But I’m begging you, don’t skip it. I did once when I had to get dinner on the table in like 20 minutes because we had soccer practice. The chicken came out so dry and boring I actually apologized to my family. My 10-year-old said “it’s okay mom” in the saddest voice. That’s how bad it was.

The mozzarella and provolone layer is technically optional, but come on. That’s what makes it taste like the real deal. When you cut into it and that cheese just oozes out? That’s the moment. That’s what we’re here for.

Essential Tools and Equipment

• Large oven-safe skillet or regular skillet plus baking dish
• Medium mixing bowl
• Meat thermometer (best $12 I ever spent on Amazon)
• Tongs for flipping chicken
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Whisk or fork for mixing

How To Make Longhorn Parmesan Crusted Chicken

Step 1: Preheat and Prep Your Workspace

Get your oven going at 375°F. I always forget to do this first and end up standing around waiting for the oven, so learn from my mistakes. Spray down a baking dish with that cooking spray. If you’ve got one of those oven-safe skillets, even better—you can use it for the whole thing and have one less dish. My mother-in-law got me one for Christmas two years ago and I use it constantly now.

Step 2: Season the Chicken

Pat your chicken dry with paper towels. I know, I know, it seems extra. But I watched some cooking show once where they explained that wet chicken doesn’t brown, it just steams and gets weird. So now I always do it. Hit both sides with salt and pepper—like, more than you think. My grandmother always said you can’t undersalt chicken, and she made the best chicken I’ve ever had, so I listen to her even though she’s been gone five years.

Step 3: Brown the Chicken

Heat up your olive oil in the skillet on medium-high. You want it hot—like, shimmering but not smoking. I used to crank it to high and just burn everything, so medium-high is the sweet spot. Put your chicken in there carefully because that oil will absolutely spit at you if you’re not careful. Ask me how I know. Then—and this is the hard part—leave it alone. Don’t poke it, don’t lift the corner to peek, just let it be for 3-4 minutes. It’ll get this gorgeous golden color on the bottom. Flip it, do the same to the other side. It’s not gonna be cooked through and that’s fine—we’re finishing it in the oven.

Step 4: Transfer to Baking Dish

Move your chicken to that baking dish you prepped, or if you’re using the oven-safe skillet, congrats, you’re already done with this step. Make sure the pieces aren’t smooshed together. They need room to breathe so the crust gets crispy all over instead of steamy where they touch.

Step 5: Make the Magic Crust Mixture

Dump your Parmesan, breadcrumbs, melted butter, and minced garlic into a bowl. Mix it up with a fork until it looks like that kinetic sand stuff my kids have—wet but crumbly. If it’s not holding together at all, add a tiny bit more butter. Not too much though or it gets greasy.

Step 6: Add Optional Cheese Layer

Sprinkle that mozzarella and provolone over each chicken breast. I put “optional” in the ingredient list but between you and me, it’s not really optional if you want it to taste like Longhorn’s. This is the layer that makes people go “wait, you made this at home?” My dad straight up didn’t believe me the first time.

Step 7: Apply the Parmesan Crust

Divide up that Parmesan mixture between your four pieces of chicken. Get in there with your hands and really press it onto the top. Pack it down like you’re making a snowball. The first time I made this, I barely sprinkled it on top and half of it fell off in the oven. Don’t be gentle—pile it on thick and press it down.

Step 8: Bake Until Golden and Cooked Through

Stick it in the oven and set your timer for 20 minutes. Then check it. My oven’s a little wonky—it runs hot on the left side for some reason—so I usually rotate the pan halfway through. You want the chicken at 165°F internal temp and the crust all golden and crispy looking. Mine’s usually done at 23 minutes but give yourself up to 25 depending on your oven.

Step 9: Optional Broil for Extra Crispiness

If you want to get fancy, flip the broiler on high and give it another minute or two. But I’m serious—stand there and watch it. I was loading the dishwasher once and came back to find a burned crust. I almost cried. It only takes like 90 seconds under the broiler to go from perfect to ruined.

Step 10: Rest and Garnish

This is where you practice patience, which I’m terrible at. Let it sit for 5 minutes before you cut into it. I know it smells amazing and everyone’s hungry but those juices need to settle back into the meat. Otherwise it all runs out onto your cutting board and you end up with dry chicken. Chop up some parsley and sprinkle it on top. Makes it look like you know what you’re doing.

You Must Know

I’m gonna be super blunt here—browning the chicken first is not negotiable. I’ve tried skipping it multiple times trying to save time and it never works. The one time I made it without browning was for a potluck at church and I was so embarrassed by how it came out that I went and bought fried chicken from the grocery store and pretended that’s what I brought. My friend Sarah saw me and we never spoke of it again. That sear at the beginning is what keeps it juicy and gives you actual flavor. Please don’t skip it.

Personal Secret: I pound my chicken breasts flat before I even start. Like, every single time. One end’s always way thicker than the other, which means uneven cooking, which means dry edges and raw middles. I put them between two pieces of plastic wrap (don’t skip the plastic wrap—I learned that when raw chicken juice splattered my entire counter) and whack them with my meat mallet.

Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks

Buy the good Parmesan. The block kind you grate yourself. I resisted this for ages because it’s like three times the price, but it makes such a huge difference. The pre-grated stuff has cellulose in it to prevent clumping, which means it doesn’t melt right. Your crust won’t hold together the same way. I finally broke down and bought a microplane grater last year and now I’m one of those people who grates fresh Parmesan over everything. No regrets.

Don’t crowd your pan when you’re browning. My mom does this constantly and I’m always like “Mom, no!” If they’re all touching, they steam instead of getting that nice sear. Brown them in two batches if your pan’s not huge. Takes an extra five minutes but it’s worth it.

Take your chicken out of the fridge like 15-20 minutes before you start cooking. Cold chicken cooks unevenly—the outside gets done before the inside catches up. I set mine on the counter while I’m getting everything else ready. Sometimes I forget, but when I remember, it definitely cooks better.

If your crust starts browning too fast, just tent some foil over the top loosely. Easy fix. Happened to me last month when I forgot my oven runs hot.

Panko over regular breadcrumbs, always. The flakes are bigger so you get way more crunch. I keep both in my pantry but I always grab the panko for this.

Flavor Variations and Suggestions

Italian Herb Version: Throw in a teaspoon each of Italian seasoning, basil, and oregano. Tastes more like something you’d get at Olive Garden.

Spicy Kick: Add half a teaspoon of red pepper flakes to the crust. My husband can’t handle spicy food at all so I only make this when he’s traveling for work.

Lemon Garlic: Grate a whole lemon’s worth of zest into the crust mix. Serve it with lemon wedges on the side. Made this for Easter last year and my aunt asked for the recipe three times.

Ranch Style: Mix in a tablespoon of ranch seasoning. My kids lose their minds over this version. They’ll eat seconds and thirds, which never happens with vegetables but whatever, I’ll take the win.

Bacon Lovers: Fry up three strips of bacon, crumble them, mix them into the crust. I make this for my birthday every year because I have no self-control around bacon.

Pesto Twist: Smear a tablespoon of pesto on each chicken breast before the cheese goes on. Did this last week and my teenager said it was “actually really good” which is the highest compliment I’ve gotten from her in months.

Make-Ahead Options

You can totally prep this ahead if you’re one of those organized people. I’m not, but sometimes I pretend to be. Brown the chicken and stick it in a container in the fridge for up to a day. Make the crust mixture and keep it separate. When you’re ready to cook, take the chicken out 15 minutes before you start so it’s not ice cold, then do the cheese and crust and bake.

The crust mixture by itself keeps in the fridge for like two days. Just stir it up before you use it because the butter kind of separates.

Sometimes I’ll cook it all the way through on Sunday, then reheat portions throughout the week. Keeps in the fridge for 3-4 days. Reheat at 350°F for about 12 minutes. Do not microwave it unless you enjoy soggy disappointment.

Recipe Notes & Baker’s Tips

Grocery store chicken breasts are wildly different sizes. Sometimes I get these massive ones that are like two inches thick. If yours are huge, butterfly them by cutting them almost in half horizontally, or just pound them thinner. Otherwise you’re playing chicken roulette with cooking times.

Get a meat thermometer if you don’t have one. I fought this for years because I thought I could just “tell” when chicken was done. I couldn’t. I either overcooked it into shoe leather or undercooked it and panicked. Spent $12 on Amazon Prime and it changed my whole chicken-cooking life. 165°F and you’re golden.

That cheese layer under the crust? That’s what makes it actually taste like Longhorn’s. But if you’re watching calories or just want pure crust action, you can skip it. Still gonna be good. Just different.

Got leftover crust mixture? Keep it in a container in the fridge. It’s amazing on roasted broccoli, stirred into pasta, or mixed into boxed mac and cheese when you’re feeling fancy.

Serving Suggestions

We always have this with mashed potatoes because my kids insist. The creamy potatoes with the crispy chicken is just a perfect combo. Sometimes I’ll do garlic butter pasta instead if I’m feeling Italian vibes. You need something that’ll soak up the pan juices—don’t waste those.

When I’m pretending to be healthy (which is rare when I’m making this), I’ll do roasted asparagus or green beans. Or just a bagged salad because let’s be real, sometimes you’re tired.

My friend Christina slices hers up and puts it over greens with cherry tomatoes and balsamic for lunch. Very fancy. Very adult. I’ve done it twice and felt very sophisticated both times.

If you want to go full steakhouse mode—and why wouldn’t you—add loaded baked potatoes and sautéed mushrooms. Open a bottle of wine. Light a candle. Pretend you’re not in your kitchen with kids screaming in the background.

Leftovers are killer sliced over a grain bowl. I’ll throw together some quinoa, whatever vegetables are in my fridge drawer, slice up the leftover chicken, and drizzle ranch all over it. Totally different meal, zero extra cooking.

This recipe’s probably in my top five favorite things to make. It’s one of those dishes that looks impressive but isn’t actually hard once you’ve done it a couple times. And watching people’s faces when they take their first bite never gets old. Make this, you won’t regret it.

How to Store Your Longhorn Parmesan Crusted Chicken

Let it cool completely—and I mean completely, not just “eh, it’s not burning hot anymore.” Then stick it in an airtight container in the fridge. It’ll last 3-4 days. We’ve never had it last that long though because someone always sneaks a piece for lunch the next day.

When you reheat, please don’t use the microwave unless you absolutely have to. It turns that beautiful crispy crust into a sad, soggy mess. Put it on a baking sheet, pop it in a 350°F oven for 10-12 minutes. Comes out almost as good as when you first made it.

Freezing works too. Wrap each piece individually in plastic wrap—I use Press’n Seal because I’m fancy like that—then throw them all in a freezer bag. Good for about 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Or here’s a trick my sister taught me—freeze it after browning but before you add the crust. Then you just take it out, thaw it, add the cheese and crust, and bake. Fresh crust, less work. Genius.

Allergy Information

This is loaded with dairy—Parmesan, butter, mozzarella, provolone, all the good stuff. Also has gluten from the breadcrumbs.

Dairy-Free Option: Nutritional yeast instead of Parmesan works surprisingly well. Gives you that cheesy flavor. Swap butter for olive oil or whatever vegan butter you like. Skip the mozz and provolone obviously.

Gluten-Free Option: Just use gluten-free breadcrumbs. They sell them at literally every grocery store now. Or crush up some gluten-free crackers. My cousin does this with Ritz-style gluten-free crackers and swears it’s better than regular breadcrumbs. Almond flour works too if you’re doing keto.

Egg-Free: Good news—no eggs in this recipe. One less thing to worry about.

Questions I Get Asked A Lot

My crust keeps falling off—what am I doing wrong?

You’re probably not pressing it on hard enough. Really get in there and pack it down. Also make sure your butter’s mixed in really well with the breadcrumbs—that’s what makes it stick. And don’t flip the chicken after the crust’s on. I did that once and half the crust ended up stuck to the pan. Learned that lesson real quick.

Can I make this without browning the chicken first?

Listen, technically yes. But you’re asking me to tell you it’s okay to skip the best part. It’s like asking if you can make chocolate chip cookies without the chocolate chips. Sure, but why would you? If you’re really in a bind, skip it and add 5-10 minutes to the baking time since you’re starting with raw chicken. But you’ll be sad about it later.

What if I don’t have an oven-safe skillet?

No big deal! Brown it in whatever pan you’ve got, then move it to a regular baking dish before you add the crust. One more dish to wash but same delicious results. I did it this way for years before I got my oven-safe skillet.

How do I know when the chicken is done without a thermometer?

You can cut into the thickest part and check that the juices run clear and there’s no pink. But honestly? Just buy a meat thermometer. They’re cheap and they’ll save you so much stress. I overcooked chicken for like 10 years before I finally got one. Wish I’d done it sooner.

💬 Tried this recipe? Leave a comment and rating below! Seriously, I love hearing how it turned out for you. And if you tried one of the variations, tell me which one—I’m always looking for new ideas!