The Problem With Texas Roadhouse's Herb-Crusted Chicken

Among the many casual chain restaurants across the country, few have the passionate following of Texas Roadhouse. For more than three decades, it's served a mix of approachable steakhouse fare and down-home barbecue, paired with its handmade sides and iconic delicious rolls. Although it's hard to go wrong when selecting from the restaurant's menu, a few options unfortunately don't live up to the rest. A perfect example is the Herb-Crusted Chicken, which falls short of other Texas Roadhouse chicken specials our taste tester ranked in several ways.

It's important to be clear, as our reviewer notes, that nothing about this 260-calorie main course is particularly unpleasant. His main problem came down to, as he noted, "It's just not as fun as the menu's other chicken offerings." Nevertheless, the dish was also labeled "a bit boring" and was the driest of the six options sampled. It's also rarely a good sign when a garnish (in this case, a caramelized half lemon) is described as "the star of the dish."

Aside from the issues above, even without sides, the Herb-Crusted Chicken is far from healthy. It contains over half of the daily recommended cholesterol intake and a flat 50% of the recommended sodium at a whopping 1,210 milligrams. Despite the savory nature of the dish, it still also contains 8 grams of sugar. Even a substantial 47 grams of protein can't make up for these other downsides.

Those looking for a superior chicken option at this beef-focused eatery should try either the Portobello Mushroom Chicken, which took the top spot for its flavorful combination of mushroom sauce and cheese, or the "Chicken Critters," Texas Roadhouse's version of chicken tenders. Alternatively, those who opt for a steak instead can save their chicken craving for their next home-cooked meal, where it's easy to produce top-tier results from a variety of our best grilled chicken recipes.

In any case, it doesn't appear that many Texas Roadhouse fans are unhappy with the Herb-Crusted Chicken as it stands. Social media posts from the chain featuring the dish include hundreds of likes and approving comments, with some calling it their favorite. Negative sentiments about the chicken seem to be relatively uncommon, a reflection of our reviewer's conclusion of a solid but unspectacular meal. In any ranking, some contender, no matter how tasty, always has to come in last. In this case, it was Texas Roadhouse's Herb-Crusted Chicken, which doesn't necessarily wow the taste buds.