Not Herb Crusted: Texas Roadhouse's Best Chicken Dinner Has Steak-Inspired Toppings

Texas Roadhouse is a budget-friendly steakhouse, but there are plenty of options to order that aren't steak. So if red meat isn't what you're craving, you can peruse the chicken dinner menu instead. We sampled five chicken dinner meals, ranking each one on the taste and texture of the chicken. And Texas Roadhouse's best chicken dinner is the smothered chicken, which features steak-inspired toppings like fried onions and mushrooms.

While the herb crusted chicken came in second place, it was miles behind the much more complex and flavorful smothered chicken. The chicken itself had a smoky, grilled flavor and a succulent, tender, and moist interior. But what really made it stand out from the herb crusted chicken was the wealth of toppings and sauces. The mushrooms were decadently meaty and chewy, and along with the grilled onions, added a pleasant saltiness to the dish. 

The meal comes with your choice of either white or brown gravy or melted cheese to go on top of your chicken. Our server kindly let us have both gravy and melted cheese for the ultimate creamy, gooey, saucy bite. The wealth of veggies piled on top of the chicken brought more texture and heartiness to the protein while also making it a more well-rounded meal. In fact, the inclusion of the mushrooms and onions almost made it feel like we were getting three sides instead of the standard two sides that come with the chicken dinner. We aren't the only ones who love this meal; the internet has a lot more to say about the smothered chicken.

Not only did we love Texas Roadhouse's smothered chicken dinner, but Facebook and TripAdvisor customers also wrote glowing reviews. One Facebook review gushed, "I always get the smothered chicken. I think it's better than their steaks." A TripAdvisor customer who decided to go with the smothered chicken instead of a steak dinner described the meal as "so moist and so delicious, I will be ordering it from now on." The outstanding flavor combination of savory and aromatic ingredients was yet another source of praise from one Facebook customer, who proclaimed, "The chicken is tender and juicy, and add in those sauteed onions, mushrooms, and cheese? ... That's fantastic." Like they did, we recommend pairing your smothered chicken with a side salad to start as it's one of the overlooked Texas Roadhouse side dishes that customers swear by.

Considering how many copycat recipes exist for Texas Roadhouse's smothered chicken, you can tell it's a fan favorite. Some Texas Roadhouse customers surmise that the flavorful mushroom and onion mixture comes together with the help of butter and a bit of liquid to deglaze the pan. Purported former employees in the know recommend marinating the chicken in Italian dressing before searing it for the juiciest, most flavorful outcome. You can get the full experience at home by picking up a bag of Texas Roadhouse's mini frozen rolls at Walmart. Instead of spreading standard butter or margarine on them, pair them with this copycat recipe for cinnamon butter.