Chili's Launches New Chicken Parm Big Crispy Exclusively in Florence

Oct. 14, 2026

The Big Crispy is getting a cheesy and pull-worthy upgrade. Since Chili’s® Grill & Bar introduced the Big Crispy® chicken sandwich earlier this year with six different variations, chicken sandwich orders have jumped 175%.* Now, Chili’s is combining two fan favorites to create the new Chicken Parm Big Crispy.

The new sandwich puts an unmistakably Chili’s spin on Chicken Parm by bringing together two guest favorites: Chili’s Big Crispy chicken sandwich and Fried Mozzarella layered with marinara sauce. The sandwich is served with fries, white cheddar mac & cheese, and sides of marinara and Chili’s house-made ranch.

George Felix, chief marketing officer and executive vice president of Brinker International said:

“We’ve loved seeing how guests responded to the Big Crispy, and it got us thinking about how we could build on that with flavors we know they already love. A Big Crispy topped with our fan-favorite Fried Mozz and marinara is craveable, over the top in all the right ways and unmistakably Chili’s. You won’t find a Chicken Parm with a better cheese pull than this.”

 

Chicken Parm isn’t actually Italian, and neither is Chili’s. But Florence, Rome and Venice sound pretty Italian. Close enough. Beginning Oct. 13, Chili’s restaurants in Florence, Ky.; Rome, Ga.; and Venice, Fla. will offer guests an exclusive first taste of the new Chicken Parm Big Crispy before it is available nationwide.

The three Chili’s restaurants will also feature fun surprises for guests to enjoy for a limited time, such as an Italian mural booth photo opp in Florence and commemorative plates for the first 150 guests that try the sandwich at each location.

By the end of Q4 fiscal 2026 (June 2026), Chili’s number of chicken sandwiches sold per restaurant per day increased 175% compared to sandwiches sold prior to the Big Crispy launch.

In a full commitment to the bit, Chili’s enlisted reality TV icon Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi, who, like the sandwich, is not actually Italian, for a tourism video filmed in Florence, Ky. Because when you have a not-actually-Italian sandwich in a not-actually-Italian Florence, there’s only one person to call.

Not in Florence, Rome or Venice? Good news: starting Oct. 20, guests nationwide can get a taste of the Chicken Parm Big Crispy — but they have to know to ask for it through a Chili’s team member.