The Secret Restaurant Chef

Applebee's® Oriental Chicken Salad Copycat Recipe

Oriental Dressing

3 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Grey Poupon Dijon Mustard
1/8 teaspoon sesame oil

Salad

1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup cornflakes crumbs
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 skinless chicken breast half
2 cups vegetable oil (for frying)
3 cups chopped romaine lettuce
1 cup red cabbage
1 cup napa cabbage
1/2 carrot, julienne or shredded
1 green onion, chopped
1 tablespoon sliced almonds
1/3 cup chow mein noodles

Preheat oil in deep fryer or deep pan over medium heat.

Heat Oil to 350° F.

Blend together all ingredients for dressing in a small bowl with an electric mixer.

Put dressing in refrigerator to chill while you prepare the salad.

In a small, shallow bowl beat egg, add milk, and mix well.

In another bowl, combine flour with corn flake crumbs, salt and pepper.

Cut chicken breast into 4 or 5 long strips.

Dip each strip of chicken first into egg mixture then into the flour mixture, coating each piece completely.

Fry each chicken finger for 5 minutes or until coating has darkened to brown.

Prepare salad by tossing the chopped romaine with the chopped red cabbage, Napa cabbage, and carrots.

Sprinkle sliced green onion on top of the lettuce.

Sprinkle almonds over the salad, then the chow mein noodles.

Cut the chicken into small bite-size chunks.

Place the chicken onto the salad forming a pile in the middle.

Serve with salad dressing drizzled over it or on the side.

Applebee's® Santa Fe Chicken Salad Copycat Recipe

Tequila-Lime Chicken Marinade

2 tablespoons gold tequila
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
1 teaspoon fajita seasoning mix
3/4 teaspoon minced fresh jalapeno pepper (seeded)
3/4 teaspoon minced fresh garlic
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 boneless chicken breast, skin on or boneless skinless chicken breast

Pico de Gallo

1 small tomato, diced
1/2 small onion, diced
1-2 teaspoon diced jalapeno (we like more!)
1/8 cup fresh cilantro (diced)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 teaspoon white vinegar

Dressing

3 tablespoons ranch dressing (they use Naturally Fresh brand lo-fat)

Garnish

tortilla chips or corn tortilla strips (multi-colored or regular)
chopped scallion, sprinkled on top
1 ounce sour cream (ramekin at 9 o'clock)
1 ounce guacamole (ramekin at 3 o'clock)
2 ounces pico de gallo, recipe above (ramekin at 12 o'clock)

Salad Ingredients

3-4 cups torn salad greens
1/8-1/4 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese or shredded cheddar cheese

Combine marinade ingredients in a container with lid. Add Chicken and place in refrigerator overnight.

Combine Pico de Gallo ingredients in a small bowl with lid and place in refrigerator overnight as well.

Remove chicken from marinade and sprinkle with fajita seasoning. Grill skin-side down for about 5 minutes, turn and continue to grill for about 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

While the chicken is grilling combine ranch dressing with 2 Tablespoons of the Pico de Gallo and set aside.

Prepare Garnishes. Toss salad greens with cheese and remaining Pico de Gallo (or less depending on taste).Sprinkle with fried tortilla strips or lightly crushed tortilla chips.

Cut chicken into strips and place on top of greens. Add Garnishes to plate.

Applebee's® Classic Patty Melt Copycat Recipe

1 burger patty
Salt, pepper, granulated garlic, to taste
Melted butter, as needed
2 pieces Italian bread
2 tablespoons mayonnaise with roasted garlic and mustard
2 slices Swiss cheese
2 slices Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup sliced onions

Season one side of the burger with salt, pepper and garlic lace on grill or in broiler, seasoned side down. Then season the other side. Cook to desired doneness. (The minimum internal temperature of any burger is 155 degrees F.)

While burger is cooking, melt butter in fry pan on medium heat or in electric skillet. Spread mayonnaise onto bread. Drop bread, dry side down, onto melted pools of butter and swirl to coat (to avoid sticking/burning).

Cover one slice of bread with two slices of Swiss cheese and the other with two slices of cheddar.

In a separate frying/sauté pan, melt butter and sauté sliced onions. Season with salt, pepper and garlic while heating.

Place cooked burger patty on top of one cheese-topped slice of bread and the sautéed onions on the other.

Carefully close and cut sandwich.

Applebee's® Club House Grill Copycat Recipe

2 slices French bread (thick)
1 tablespoon butter, softened
2 teaspoons mayonnaise
1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 slices deli turkey
2 slices deli ham
2 slices tomatoes
2 teaspoons barbecue sauce

Spread the butter evenly over one side of each slice of bread. Put one slice of bread, butter side down, into a preheated frying pan over medium heat.

Spread the mayonnaise over the un-buttered side of the grilling bread. Sprinkle half of the Cheddar cheese over the mayonnaise. Lay the turkey and ham in the pan next to the bread for about 30 seconds to heat it up. When it's warm, lay the turkey on the cheese. Place the tomato slices on the turkey. Spread the barbecue sauce over the tomato slices. Lay the ham on top of the tomatoes. Sprinkle the remainder of the cheese over the ham.

Top off the sandwich with the other slice of bread, being sure that the buttered side is facing up.

By now the first side of bread should be golden brown. Flip the sandwich over and grill the other side for 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown as well.

Remove the sandwich from the pan and cut in half diagonally. Serve with additional barbecue sauce on the side.

Applebee's® Aztec Chicken Salad Copycat Restaurant Recipes

1 chopped red pepper
1 chopped green pepper
1 can black beans, rinsed
1 can sweet corn
Grated pepper jack cheese
1/2 purple onion, chopped
Chips
Salad mix

2 chicken breasts, cooked in fajitas seasoning, cut into bite-size pieces

Toss with Catalina dressing with a dash of Tabasco.