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Nothing says comfort food like chicken Parmesan. It ticks all the feel-good boxes, from the tender chicken to the crispy coating, tangy tomato sauce, and gooey cheese — especially when served with springy pasta noodles. The dish is a staple on many chain restaurant menus, particularly at Italian-American chains that focus on ultra-craveable food. But not all chain restaurant chicken Parms are created equal. Some spots stand out for offering better flavor, execution, and value for money than other places.
Some people might be surprised to learn that chicken Parmesan is among several “Italian” dishes that aren’t actually Italian. Italian immigrants in America created it, and it was likely a riff on melanzane alla Parmigiana, aka eggplant Parmesan. The first published recipes for the dish began appearing around the middle of the 20th century, and it soon became a must-have at “red sauce” restaurants across the country. With so many versions out there, it’s only natural to wonder which ones are actually worth ordering.
To find the top spots serving the absolute best chain-restaurant chicken Parmesan, we looked at discussions and reviews from the past year on food blogs, Reddit threads, and social media posts. Our goal was to weed out the ho-hum versions and uncover the dishes diners can’t stop raving about. Based on our research, these are the chains currently nailing the perfect balance of crispiness, cheesiness, and rich, savory flavors that make chicken Parmesan so irresistible.
1. Maggiano’s Little Italy
The first Maggiano’s Little Italy opened in Chicago in 1991, and it was an instant hit for its authentic Italian-American dishes served family-style in a casual setting. More locations followed, and it soon caught the attention of Brinker International, which purchased the chain in 1995. Now there are over 50 locations across the United States, each serving comforting Italian bites. It’s renowned for its pasta (in fact, it made our list of chain restaurants with the best spaghetti and meatballs), but many say you shouldn’t sleep on the new chicken Parm that just came out this year.
“The Grand” Chicken Parmesan is a classic take on traditional chicken Parm, but Maggiano’s claims it’s bigger and bolder than the versions it’s served before. It features a large piece of hand-breaded, fried chicken, topped with fresh whole-milk mozzarella, basil leaves, and a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese. It’s also served with a hefty portion of rigatoni in marinara sauce.
New menu items can often be hit or miss, but by most accounts, “The Grand” Chicken Parmesan is a winner. Many people comment on the generous portion size and the chicken’s perfectly crispy exterior. As for the flavor, one TikTok reviewer commented, “It’s everything I want my chicken Parm to taste like.” People also appreciate the saucy rigatoni on the side.
2. Carraba’s Italian Grill
When Johnny Carrabba and Damian Mandola opened Carrabba’s Italian Grill in 1986, their goal was to share the Sicilian food they grew up eating at home alongside Italian-American classics. Both had experience working in restaurants, and that know-how paid off, as the business steadily grew. It’s now part of Bloomin’ Brands, with over 200 locations across the country.
Carrabba’s consistently earns praise for its food, from the tasty Caesar salad that earned a spot on our list of chain restaurants with the highest-quality Caesar salad to the wide variety of pasta, seafood, and meat dishes. According to many diners, the chicken Parmesan is also a must-try. It consists of chicken coated in the chain’s signature breadcrumb mix. That gets sautéed and topped with pomodoro sauce, mozzarella, Parmesan, and Romano cheese. You can also get it with sides like penne pomodoro, fettuccine Alfredo, or garlic mashed potatoes.
The chicken Parmesan at Carrabba’s gets plenty of love online. In several Reddit threads about the best chicken Parm around, more than a few diners have mentioned it as a standout, including non-chain fans. One Redditor wrote, “Carrabba’s has the best to me. And I’m not a fan of chain restaurants. Their chicken is thinner, which I prefer.” A Reddit user on another thread said, “Carrabba’s chicken parm specifically is actually quite good, sorry chain restaurant haters. It’s also fairly unique.”
3. Biaggi’s Ristorante Italiano
In the world of Italian chain restaurants, Biaggi’s is atypical because it’s been privately owned since its 1999 founding. The concept is the brainchild of Todd Hovenden, who opened the first restaurant in Bloomington, Illinois, fresh off earning his MBA. It’s a smaller chain, with just 16 locations in eight states, including Colorado, Illinois, and Minnesota. The menus feature Italian classics, like pastas, pizzas, steaks, and a chicken Parmesan that many say is to die for.
Order the chicken Parm at Biaggi’s and you’ll get a chicken breast that’s been breaded, lightly fried, and topped with tangy marinara sauce and a gooey Italian cheese blend. It comes with rigatoni tossed in a three-cheese Alfredo sauce on the side. Biaggi’s also caters to food sensitivities with a gluten-free version of the dish. It includes a Parmesan-crusted chicken breast with marinara and cheese, and gluten-free brown rice penne in a three-cheese Alfredo sauce on the side.
Diners say there’s a lot to love about Biaggi’s chicken Parm. For one, the chicken is crispy with just a slight char on the edges, and the sauces on both the chicken and the pasta are flavorful. Many say that the chain also nails the gluten-free version. As one reviewer said on Instagram, “The gluten free pasta was the perfect texture — very bouncy and chewy.” People also love that you can get the dish as part of the party pans for families and large groups.
4. The Palm
Opened in New York City in 1926, The Palm is one of the oldest steakhouses in the U.S. Founders Pio Bozzi and John Ganzi originally wanted to name it Parma after their hometown in Italy, but it was mistakenly registered as The Palm, and the name stuck. Flash forward to the present, and there are now multiple restaurants across the United States, as well as one in Mexico City. It’s best known for its steak and lobster, but the Italian dishes, like the chicken Parmigiana, are also very popular.
The Palm’s chicken Parm has a lot going for it. As a former employee on Reddit explained, “They pound out the chicken cutlet sooo thin, so it is the size and circumference of a full-size steakhouse dinner plate. They lightly fry it to crispy perfection, then fire it in the steakhouse broiler with sauce and cheese for a minute or two to finish.” The poster also pointed out that many regulars would come to the restaurant specifically for the dish.
Many appreciate that the chicken Parm at The Palm is done the old-school way, with its massive size and pool of sauce that you can dunk those crispy, cheesy pieces of chicken into. The linguine marinara on the side is also a nice touch. And if you’re not sure you can handle the whole thing, you can order a half portion. However, you may just want to order the full size and take home the remainder so you can indulge all over again later.
5. Carmine’s
Carmine’s is another chain that was born in New York City. Restaurateur Artie Cutler opened the first restaurant on the Upper West Side in 1990, and now there are locations in New York (the flagship and another in Times Square), Atlantic City, New Jersey, Las Vegas, Nevada, Washington, D.C., and at theAtlantis in the Bahamas. The focus is on Southern Italian-style dishes served in huge portions meant for sharing. Based on reviews, the chicken Parmigiana is fantastic, whether you’re passing it around the table or having it all for yourself.
If you like your chicken Parm done the traditional way, Carmine’s won’t disappoint. It features a breaded chicken breast pan-fried until golden, topped with melted mozzarella and Romano, and served over rich marinara sauce. You can also get it on pasta if you’re really hungry. And if you want to try something slightly different, you can opt for the veal Parmigiana or swap to seafood with the shrimp Parmigiana.
The reviews for Carmine’s chicken Parm are overwhelmingly positive. One Instagram reviewer called it “crispy, cheesy, and absolutely massive.” Another reviewer on Facebook said, “Chicken was delicious. Not only did it taste very good, but it was super tender and cooked to perfection.” Given that people praise the dish at multiple locations, it’s pretty clear that Carmine’s has the recipe down pat and maintains consistency across the board.
6. The Cheesecake Factory
The Cheesecake Factory probably doesn’t need much introduction for many, but for those who aren’t familiar with the chain, it’s so much more than just a dessert spot. The seeds were planted when Evelyn Overton started selling cheesecakes based on a recipe she found in a newspaper in the 1940s. However, the business as we know it today was officially born when Overton’s son David opened a spot in Beverley Hills in 1978 and named it after his mother’s bakery. Today, it’s renowned for being the chain restaurant with the hands-down biggest menu.
With over 250 menu items to choose from at The Cheesecake Factory, deciding on a meal is no easy task. However, many say that the Chicken Parmesan “Pizza Style” is an absolute stand-out. It’s unique in that it features a crispy, breaded chicken breast that’s pounded ultra-thin into the shape of a pizza crust, and it’s topped with marinara sauce, cheese, and a mound of angel hair pasta in a creamy Alfredo sauce.
The Cheesecake Factory’s out-of-the-box take on chicken Parm has gone somewhat viral on social media, with many saying it hits all the right notes. A reviewer on YouTube said, “That chicken is so juicy. It’s breaded to perfection and it’s very tender. And, of course, you get all that caramelized cheese and all that tomato sauce on top. It makes it just a decadent bite.” People also love the abundance of pasta that comes on top.
7. Buca di Beppo
Quirky Italian chain Buca di Beppo has had its ups and downs over the years. It all began when Phil Roberts and Joseph Micatrotto opened a restaurant in the basement of an apartment building in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1993. People loved the family-style approach to dining and the Italian-American flavors, and it wasn’t long before more locations opened across the U.S. Then the pandemic hit, and revenue plummeted, prompting the chain to file for bankruptcy in 2024. However, the chain still has 44 locations in operation and plenty of fans who love its comforting dishes, like chicken Parmesan.
If you’re looking for a fun spot to satisfy your chicken Parm craving, many say Buca Di Beppo is your spot. Each location features eclectic decor like vintage posters, fairy lights, and themed rooms. Plus, all of the dishes come in huge portions, and you have your choice of regular size (designed to feed three to four people) or “Buca big,” which is suggested for groups of five to six. And according to The Hyphen, “The Chicken Parmigiana is a standout, with its crispy breading and generous layer of melted cheese.”
For many people, it’s the flavor that puts Buca di Beppo’s chicken Parmigiana ahead of many competitors. The house-made marinara sauce is robust, just like a good red sauce should be, and there’s enough there to complement the crispy chicken without making it overly soggy. In addition, the cheese adds another layer of texture and flavor to the dish that diners love.
8. Brio Italian Grille
While many Italian restaurant chains aim to be ultra-casual spots, Brio Italian Grille is a bit more upscale. The restaurants are designed to look like Tuscan villas with marble countertops and Italian-inspired mosaics, and there are comprehensive wine and cocktail lists to complement the main menu. The food is also a bit more sophisticated than your typical “red sauce” restaurant, with offerings like gorgonzola lamb chops and shrimp-and-scallop risotto. You can still find some familiar Italian favorites, though, like the chicken Milanese, which is Brio’s version of an elegant chicken Parm.
A classic chicken Milanese has some similarities to chicken Parm in that the chicken is pounded thin, breaded, and fried. However, it’s often served with just a squeeze of lemon juice and light sides, such as an arugula salad. Brio goes more of the chicken Parm route by crusting the chicken with Romano cheese, topping it with mozzarella, and serving it on a bed of herb pasta and house-made marinara sauce. In fact, many would argue that it’s actually an authentic chicken Parm.
Brio’s chicken Milanese gets plenty of rave reviews from diners who love the elevated flavors. As one Instagram reviewer said, “Reminded me of a fancier version of chicken Parm, this was sooooo good.” The dish is called out for its creamy pasta, which pairs perfectly with the tangy marinara and crispy chicken. Plus, diners say the portion is huge, so it’s a great dish for sharing. Even with sharing, you might have plenty of delicious leftovers to take home.
9. North Italia
Founded in 2002, North Italia isn’t your typical Italian chain. From the beginning, it focused on serving the neighborhoods it served, with unique designs for each location and menu additions to appeal to local tastes. And although The Cheesecake Factory now owns the chain and has close to 50 locations across the country, you’ll still find a slightly different vibe at each restaurant you visit. That said, some favorites, like the chicken Parmesan, make an appearance on many of the menus.
North Italia prides itself on creating hand-crafted dishes from scratch, and based on multiple reviews, that shines through in the chicken Parmesan. It features breaded and fried chicken topped with crushed tomatoes, aged Provolone, and mozzarella, and it’s served with Parmesan rigatoni on the side. If you swing by for lunch, you can also try the Parmesan chicken sliders with prosciutto, marinara, mozzarella, aged Provolone, and Calabrian aioli with your choice of greens or Parmesan herb fries.
Diners consistently call out North Italia for its stellar take on the dish, like one reviewer who said on Instagram, “I’m soo obsessed with their chicken Parmigiana!” On a TikTok video, the chain posted of the dish, one fan commented, “No joke this chicken Parm changed my life last night.” Most agree that it’s delightfully crispy and that the chain doesn’t skimp on the cheese. And if you want to switch things up with the sandwich instead of the classic version of the dish, diners also say you’re in for a yummy treat.
Methodology
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Chicken Parmesan is a pretty standard offering at most Italian chain restaurants, but the truth is that some chains simply do it better than others. To determine which chain restaurants offer the absolute best chicken Parms, we scoured reviews and comments on platforms like Reddit, TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram. We also looked at what food bloggers and publications are saying. We only looked at comments from within the past year to ensure the dishes are still getting a lot of love, and not just riding on previous reputations. Flavor was the first thing we looked at, followed by ingredient freshness, execution, portion size, consistency, and value for money. These are the spots that came out on top for serving chicken Parms that customers adore and return to time after time.
Dining and Cooking