Longhorn Parmesan Crusted Chicken

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5 from 1 vote

Longhorn Parmesan Crusted Chicken

This Longhorn Parmesan Crusted Chicken tastes just like the steakhouse classic, but better!

Prep Time10

Cook Time16

Chill Time2

Total Time2 26

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 717kcal

Author: Jennifer Fishkind

Ingredients

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts cutlets approximately ½-inch thickness
1 cup Italian salad dressing Kraft Zesty Italian dressing
1¼ cups shredded Italian cheese blend parmesan, provolone, fontina & asiago
¾ cup bottled ranch dressing Hidden Valley Original Ranch brand
2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
½ cup plain panko breadcrumbs
½ teaspoon garlic salt
½ teaspoon dried parsley flakes
2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

Place your chicken breast cutlets and Italian salad dressing into a large zip-top bag or a lidded container, and allow your chicken to marinate in the Italian dressing for a minimum of 2 hours or up to overnight in the refrigerator.
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts cutlets, 1 cup Italian salad dressing
Preheat the oven to 475°F and remove the marinating chicken breast cutlets from the refrigerator and allow them to come to room temperature.
In a small bowl, you will combine the shredded Italian four-cheese blend and the bottled ranch dressing. Set aside.
1¼ cups shredded Italian cheese blend, ¾ cup bottled ranch dressing
In a separate small bowl, stir together the melted unsalted butter, panko breadcrumbs, garlic salt, and dried parsley flakes. Set aside.
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, ½ cup plain panko breadcrumbs, ½ teaspoon garlic salt, ½ teaspoon dried parsley flakes
In a large (10-12 inch) heavy-duty, oven-safe skillet on medium-high heat, add the olive oil.
2 tablespoons olive oil
Once the oil is hot in the skillet, add the chicken breast cutlets. Be sure to allow as much of the excess Italian dressing to drip off before adding the chicken to the hot skillet.
Cook and brown the chicken for 4-5 minutes per side. If your chicken cutlets are slightly thicker than ½ inch, that is ok, as your chicken will continue to cook in the oven. You want to make sure the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 165°F.
Turn off the heat to the skillet and evenly add the shredded cheese mixture to the tops of each chicken breast. I like to divide the cheese mixture into four equal portions in the bowl before adding it to my chicken to make sure that I have even proportions.
Top each of the cheese-topped chicken cutlets with 2 tablespoons of the reserved breadcrumb mixture.
Transfer the skillet to the preheated oven, and bake for 8-10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the breadcrumbs are a lightly golden brown and crispy.
Remove the skillet from the oven and allow the chicken to rest for 3-5 minutes before plating and serving.

Notes

Storage:

To Store: Leftovers can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
To Freeze: You can freeze the browned chicken breast cutlets in an airtight freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight before reheating.
To Reheat: reheat in the microwave or oven oven until heated through.

Tips:

For this recipe, I used a 4-ounce container of BelGioioso brand fresh shredded Italian four cheese blend. You can use any brand you prefer; you just need to make sure it is a blend that contains at least the provolone and parmesan cheeses in it. You can substitute this four-cheese blend with a simple combination of freshly shredded parmesan cheese and freshly shredded provolone cheese. Be sure to use non-smoked provolone cheese.
You can substitute your favorite brand of bottled Italian dressing for this recipe. I like to use the Kraft Zesty Italian, but you can use a balsamic vinaigrette, house vinaigrette, or your favorite from-scratch Italian dressing recipe. A small 8-ounce bottle is a perfect amount for marinating the chicken breast cutlets for this recipe.
I often find that when I buy my chicken breast cutlets in bulk, they are often very large and thick. I suggest that if yours are the same, then you will want to cut them in half, lengthwise, to give you two ½ inch thick boneless-skinless chicken breast cutlets. You may also need to use a rolling pin or meat mallet to pound them out into a uniform thickness. I like to buy bags of pre-portioned, individually sealed chicken breast cutlets (Perdue brand is a great one) as I find that they are typically the perfect size to use.
If you do not have a heavy-duty, oven-safe, large skillet, then you can certainly brown your chicken breast cutlets on the stovetop and then transfer them to an aluminum foil-lined rimmed baking sheet to finish cooking. You will just want to wait until after you have placed your browned chicken cutlets onto the prepared baking sheet before adding the cheese blend and bread crumb topping.
When choosing a brand of bottled ranch dressing, I like to use one that is a thicker consistency. I find that when mixed with the shredded cheese, it does not cause the cheese to spread as much once placed into the oven. You can make your own ranch dressing from the packet of seasoning mix if you desire, and that will work great too.
You can substitute the plain panko breadcrumbs and parsley flakes for an Italian seasoned panko breadcrumb. You will still need to add the garlic salt to it, though. I do not suggest using a standard breadcrumb for this recipe as they do not have the same crunch as the panko.
If you find that your cheese is melting too much in the oven, but your breadcrumbs are not as golden brown as you prefer, you can turn your oven temperature to broil for 1-2 minutes to brown your breadcrumbs if needed. You will want to keep a close eye on your breadcrumbs, though, as they can burn quickly.

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