9 oz. Parmesan Crusted Chicken with Half-Rack Baby Back Ribs: LongHorn Menu Guide
Quick Facts
| Dish | 9 oz. Parmesan Crusted Chicken with Half-Rack Baby Back Ribs |
| Brand | LongHorn Steakhouse (Darden Restaurants) |
| Price | $27.79 |
| Calories (proteins only) | ~1,470 |
| Calories (full plate with side) | ~1,700 – 2,000 |
| Protein | ~95 – 100g |
| Chicken prep | Marinated, broiled, topped with cheese + buttery panko |
| Rib prep | Slow-cooked, fire-grilled, brushed with sweet-smoky BBQ sauce |
| Includes | One side + hand-chopped salad (or two sides) |
| Dietary | NOT gluten-sensitive (panko crust contains gluten) |
| Best paired with | Mashed potatoes and Zinfandel |
Of all the combo plates at LongHorn Steakhouse, this one isn’t trying to be lean. The Parmesan Crusted Chicken with Half-Rack Baby Back Ribs is built for the table that came for comfort food, not surf-and-turf — a cheese-blanketed chicken breast on one side, slow-cooked baby back ribs glazed in sweet and smoky BBQ sauce on the other.
It’s the combo for the guest who doesn’t want seafood, the one parents order when the kids actually need to eat both proteins, and one of the highest protein-per-plate orders on LongHorn’s menu (close to 100g). It’s also one of the highest calorie combos at the chain, and unlike the steak and salmon combos, it’s not gluten-sensitive — the panko crust on the chicken contains wheat. Worth knowing before you order.
Here’s what’s actually on the plate, how the two halves taste together, and where this combo fits in the wider LongHorn menu.
What Is the Parmesan Crusted Chicken with Half-Rack Baby Back Ribs?
The dish puts two LongHorn comfort entrées on the same plate.
The Parmesan Crusted Chicken is a 9-ounce boneless chicken breast, marinated in a mix of ranch and Italian dressings with garlic and seasoning, then broiled. Before serving, it gets a topping of melted Parmesan and Provolone cheese blended with more ranch, finished with a layer of buttery panko breadcrumbs and put back under the broiler until the crust turns golden. Some preparations add mozzarella to the cheese blend.
The Half-Rack Baby Back Ribs is exactly what it sounds like — roughly six bones of pork baby back ribs, slow-cooked until tender, finished on the open-flame grill, and brushed with LongHorn’s housemade sweet and smoky BBQ sauce.
The combo arrives with a side of your choice and a hand-chopped salad. You can swap the salad for a second side if you’d rather have two starches or two veggies.
Main Ingredients
The chicken half and the rib half use different ingredient systems.
Parmesan Crusted Chicken
- Boneless chicken breast (about 9 oz)
- Marinade base: ranch dressing, Italian dressing, garlic, Italian seasoning, Worcestershire
- Cheese topping: Parmesan and Provolone (sometimes with mozzarella), bound with ranch
- Crust: panko breadcrumbs, melted butter, garlic powder
Half-Rack Baby Back Ribs
- Pork baby back ribs (half rack, ~6 bones)
- House dry rub: seasoning blend with paprika and pepper
- Finish: housemade BBQ sauce — sweet and smoky base with brown sugar and molasses notes
The Plate
- One side: broccoli, mashed potatoes, rice, seasoned fries, or sweet potato (premium sides available for upcharge)
- One hand-chopped salad (or a second side instead)
Taste and Flavor Profile
The chicken bite is texture-driven. Crunchy panko crust on top, melted cheese underneath, juicy white meat below. The ranch-and-Italian marinade keeps the chicken from turning dry the way most chain restaurant breasts do at a 9-ounce portion. The cheese blend reads savory rather than sharp — Parmesan brings the salt, Provolone brings the melt, and the buttery panko adds the contrast.
The ribs are the opposite eating experience. No crunch. No layered crust. Just slow-cooked pork that pulls cleanly off the bone, coated in a glaze sitting firmly on the sweet side of the BBQ spectrum. LongHorn’s sauce uses more brown sugar and molasses than vinegar punch — it’s a sweet-smoky base, not a Carolina-style vinegar-forward one.
Alternating between them, you go from rich-and-cheesy to sticky-and-sweet. The two don’t fight, but they also don’t reinforce each other. They’re parallel comfort foods on the same plate, not a designed pairing the way the salmon-and-shrimp combo is.
That’s the honest read. If you came for one of these flavors, the combo is great. If you wanted a unified meal, get one entrée and a side instead.
Nutritional Information
Component-by-component breakdown:
| Component | Calories | Protein | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 oz Parmesan Crusted Chicken | ~650 | ~55g | Cheese + panko crust |
| Half-Rack Baby Back Ribs | ~820 | ~45g | Slow-cooked, BBQ glazed |
| Side (broccoli — lightest option) | ~100 | ~3g | Add 200–400 for mashed/fries |
| Hand-chopped salad with dressing | ~150–250 | ~5g | Varies by dressing |
| Plate total (proteins only) | ~1,470 | ~100g | Just chicken + ribs |
| Plate total (full, with sides) | ~1,700 – 2,000 | ~108g | Depends on side choices |
This is a high-calorie combo. There’s no way to read the numbers otherwise. Most full plates land between 1,700 and 2,000 calories, putting it near the top of LongHorn’s calorie ladder.
Protein is the headline upside. Close to 100g across the plate is excellent for muscle-builders or anyone tracking macros. That ratio of protein to calorie still works out reasonably well even at the high calorie ceiling.
Sodium is the second watch-out. The BBQ glaze plus the cheese-and-ranch chicken topping push the plate well past the daily recommended sodium intake in a single meal. If you’re tracking salt, this isn’t the combo to pick.
Why People Love the Parmesan Crusted Chicken with Half-Rack Baby Back Ribs
A few reasons keep this combo on the order pad.
Two comfort foods on one ticket — cheesy chicken and sticky ribs are textbook crowd-pleasers, and most chains don’t serve them well together. LongHorn does.
It’s the no-seafood combo. For shellfish-avoiders, kids, or guests who don’t want surf-and-turf, this is the alternative that delivers steakhouse-level execution on familiar flavors.
The Parmesan crust is the dish people order LongHorn for. The chicken alone has a strong fanbase; pairing it with ribs makes it a destination order.
Nearly 100g of protein per plate. Few chain meals deliver that protein density at any price.
Reliable kid-friendly order. The chicken half handles selective eaters; the ribs handle the parent.
Best Side Dishes and Drink Pairings
The side choice changes this plate more than it does for the steak combos, because both proteins are already rich.
- Mashed potatoes — soaks up the BBQ sauce and balances the chicken’s crust.
- Loaded baked potato — classic rib companion if you want maximum indulgence.
- Sweet potato — works surprisingly well; the natural sweetness reinforces the BBQ glaze.
- Steamed broccoli — the rare healthy choice on this plate. Cuts the richness.
- Steakhouse Mac & Cheese — only if you intend to overeat. Cheese-on-cheese gets heavy fast.
- Seasoned fries — workable but redundant next to the panko crust.
Skip sweet potato fries (the cinnamon clashes with the BBQ glaze) and the coleslaw if your location offers it on the chicken-crust side (the acidity fights the cheese).
For drinks, this combo is wine-friendly but works best with bigger pours.
- Zinfandel — the classic American BBQ red. Handles both the ribs and the cheese.
- Chardonnay — oaked, not unoaked. The butter notes match the chicken crust.
- IPA — bitterness cuts the rich crust and sweet BBQ.
- Bourbon old fashioned — the smoke pairing for both proteins.
- Sweet tea or lemonade — non-alcoholic comfort-food match.
Skip light beer — it gets steamrolled by the BBQ glaze.
How It Compares to Other LongHorn Combos and Entrées
If you’re choosing between this and other LongHorn options:
| Menu Item | Approx. Calories | Approx. Price | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9 oz Parmesan Crusted Chicken (alone) | ~650 | $17–$19 | Lighter cheesy chicken meal |
| Half-Rack Baby Back Ribs (alone) | ~820 | $21.29 | BBQ-only pick |
| Full-Rack Baby Back Ribs (alone) | ~1,630 | $29.29 | Big rib appetites |
| Parmesan Chicken + Half-Rack (this combo) | ~1,470 | $27.79 | No-seafood comfort combo |
| 6 oz Renegade Sirloin + 8 ct Redrock Shrimp | 480 | $25.49 | Lean steak surf-and-turf |
| 7 oz LongHorn Salmon + 8 ct Redrock Shrimp | ~460 | $27–$30 | Lightest combo |
This is the only LongHorn combo where calorie load is the trade-off rather than the seafood. If you’re not picky about the flavor pairing, you can get most of the experience by ordering the chicken entrée alone at $17 and saving the rib half for a return visit.
Variations and Popular Versions
LongHorn keeps this combo stable but a few table-level swaps work:
- Full-Rack upgrade — same chicken, full rack of ribs instead of half. Steep calorie jump.
- Triple-protein add-on — some locations let you add a grilled shrimp skewer (Redrock or Wild West).
- Plain crust — ask for the chicken with cheese only and skip the panko if you want lower-carb (and gluten-free) preparation.
- Sauce on the side — request the BBQ glaze brushed light or in a ramekin. Default is a heavy brush.
- Extra cheese option — some servers will accommodate extra Provolone if you ask.
Similar plates exist at Texas Roadhouse (Chicken Critter + Ribs) and Outback (Alice Springs Chicken + Ribs), but LongHorn’s Parmesan crust is the most cheese-forward version of the format among the major chains.
Tips Before Ordering
- Gluten warning is real. The panko breadcrumbs on the chicken contain wheat. Unlike LongHorn’s steak and salmon combos, this dish is NOT a gluten-sensitive option as ordered. If you have celiac or gluten sensitivity, ask for the chicken with cheese only and no panko, or order the ribs alone.
- This is a leftover-friendly combo. Both proteins reheat well. Chicken goes under a low broiler for 3 minutes to re-crisp the crust. Ribs reheat covered in foil at 275°F for 15 minutes.
- The cheese crust softens fast in takeout. If you’re ordering to-go, eat within 30 minutes or pop it back under a broiler at home for 2 minutes to revive the texture.
- Half-rack is the right starting point. A full rack at LongHorn is genuinely large. If you’ve never had their ribs, the half rack alone is enough to know if you want to upgrade next time.
- Ask for extra BBQ sauce. The brushed glaze is good but the ramekin extends the meal.
- Skip the combo if you’re moderate-hungry. The chicken entrée alone at $17 is the smarter pick if you won’t finish both proteins. Combos make sense when you’ll eat both.
- Use the salad-or-side swap. Most regulars swap the hand-chopped salad for a second side. The salad is fine but the side gets more eating value.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the LongHorn Parmesan Crusted Chicken gluten-free? No. The panko breadcrumb topping on the chicken contains wheat, which means the dish as served includes gluten. LongHorn will prepare the chicken without the panko crust if you ask, but the standard preparation is not gluten-sensitive.
What cheeses are in the Parmesan crust? The crust uses primarily Parmesan and Provolone bound with ranch dressing. Some preparations include mozzarella for extra melt. The exact blend isn’t publicly listed by LongHorn, but copycat recipes from chefs who have analyzed the dish consistently identify Parmesan + Provolone as the core.
How many calories are in the full combo? The chicken half is about 650 calories. The half-rack ribs add roughly 820. The proteins alone total around 1,470 calories. With a side and the hand-chopped salad, the full plate lands between 1,700 and 2,000 depending on side choice.
What kind of BBQ sauce does LongHorn use? LongHorn uses a housemade sweet and smoky BBQ sauce. It’s brown sugar and molasses forward, with smoky spices and a milder vinegar note than Carolina-style sauces. It pairs cleanly with the chicken crust without overpowering it.
Can I order this combo with a full rack of ribs instead? Yes. Most locations will substitute a full rack for the half rack with a price adjustment. Note that full-rack alone is already 1,630 calories, so the full-rack version of this combo would land north of 2,280 calories for the proteins alone.
What sides come with the Parmesan Crusted Chicken and Ribs combo? The combo includes one side of your choice (broccoli, mashed potatoes, rice, seasoned fries, or sweet potato — premium sides available for upcharge) plus a hand-chopped salad. You can swap the salad for an additional side.
Is the half rack of ribs enough for one person? For most adults, yes — especially paired with the 9-ounce chicken breast and a side. The half rack is roughly six bones of slow-cooked baby back ribs. Together with the chicken, this combo is one of the larger non-steak plates on the menu.
Is the Parmesan Crusted Chicken cooked under a broiler? Yes. LongHorn marinates the chicken, sears it, applies the cheese topping and panko crust, and finishes it under a broiler until the crust turns golden brown. The broiler step is what gives the dish its signature texture.
People Also Order at LongHorn
If you’re building a larger order or planning a return visit, these items frequently land on the same table:
- 9 oz Parmesan Crusted Chicken (alone) — the chicken entrée by itself for lighter appetites.
- Full-Rack Baby Back Ribs — the bigger rib portion without the chicken side.
- Renegade Sirloin with Redrock Grilled Shrimp — for guests who want surf-and-turf instead.
- LongHorn Salmon with Redrock Grilled Shrimp — the seafood combo alternative.
- Wild West Shrimp — the cherry pepper garlic butter shrimp appetizer.
- Texas Tonion — LongHorn’s signature blooming onion starter.
- Loaded Baked Potato — the most-ordered side with this combo.
- Strawberries ‘n’ Cream Shortcake — popular dessert close after this rich plate.
Conclusion
The 9 oz. Parmesan Crusted Chicken with Half-Rack Baby Back Ribs isn’t trying to be the healthy pick. It’s the order for guests who want indulgence, the backup option for tables that don’t want seafood, and one of the highest-protein meals on LongHorn’s menu at any price point. The chicken half delivers texture and cheese; the rib half delivers slow-cooked BBQ comfort.
Order it when you want steakhouse-quality comfort food and don’t mind the calorie load. Skip it if you’re gluten-sensitive (the panko crust contains wheat) or if you’re calorie-conscious — either constraint kills the value of this specific combo. For a lighter alternative, the salmon combo runs less than a third of the calories at a similar price.