Now you can make the ever-popular Applebee’s Asian Chicken Salad recipe at home with this copycat recipe. Save money, but with the same delicious results!
More copycat recipes recipes we love include our KFC Coleslaw, Chick-fil-A Frosted Lemonade, Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana, Disney Dole Whip, and Sonic Cherry Limeade.
Applebees Copycat Asian Chicken Salad Recipe
To be honest, I’ve only ever been to an Applebee’s restaurant a handful of times in my entire life, and all of those times were during my college years. But every time I went, I would always get their Asian Chicken Salad (I think originally called Oriental Chicken Salad) – It was my absolute favorite.
Then one day I went back for lunch and it was no long on their menu. After I stopped crying, I went to work in my own kitchen trying to recreate it. Luckily, it was super easy using frozen Tyson’s Crispy Chicken Strips and bottled dressing. Years later, I developed the dressing from scratch.
This remains one of my all-time favorite salads, often making an appearance for dinner, too. My kids love it.
Ingredients Needed
Here’s what you need to make this Applebee’s copycat salad.
(Scroll to the bottom for our easy printable recipe with the complete directions.)
- Tyson’s Crispy Chicken Strips – These are breaded, frozen chicken strips. Bake according to package directions, then cut into pieces.
- Mixed greens – Any mixed greens you prefer. I like a mix of romaine and iceberg.
- Bagged coleslaw mix – You can make your own coleslaw mix, but the bagged kind makes this salad so easy.
- Sliced almonds – Provides a nice nutty flavor.
- Chow mein noodles – The crunchy kind that comes in a canister or bag. Not the chewy kind used in stir fry.
- Dressing – I make the honey sesame dressing from scratch. It’s a simple but amazing mixture of honey, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, rice wine vinegar, and sesame oil.
How to Make Asian Chicken Salad
Making this asian chicken salad is so easy, thanks for frozen breaded chicken strips and pre-cut bagged lettuce.
(Scroll to the bottom for our easy printable recipe with the complete directions.)
- Make the dressing. Whisk together the honey, mayo, mustard, vinegar, and sesame oil.
- Bake the chicken. Bake the chicken strips according to the package directions. Remove and allow to cool off. Cut up into thin pieces.
- Assemble the salad. Mix together some of the lettuce and coleslaw. Divide among individual plates, top with the chicken pieces, almonds, and chow mein noodles. Drizzle the dressing on top.
Storing Leftovers
The dressing can be made up to a week before using, stored in a sealed jar in the fridge. Give it a good shake before drizzling over the salad. The chicken is best baked and cooled shortly before assembling the salad, so the breading stays crispy. Once the salad is assembled, it should be eaten right away. Leftovers don’t keep well, since the greens will become soggy.
More Dinner Salad Recipes:
- Big Mac Salad
- Chicken Salad
- Cobb Salad
- Greek Pasta Salad
- Chicken Broccoli Pasta Salad
- Italian Chopped Salad
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Asian Chicken Salad (Applebee’s copycat recipe)
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup honey
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 4 pieces Tyson’s Crispy Chicken Strips
- 4 cups mixed greens
- 2 cups bagged coleslaw mix
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds
- 1/3 cup chow mein noodles
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, mayo, mustard, vinegar, and sesame oil. Refrigerate while you prepare the salad.
- Bake the chicken strips according to the package directions (about 20 minutes.) Remove and allow to cool off. Cut up into thin pieces.
- Mix together some of the lettuce and coleslaw.
- Divide among individual plates, top with the chicken pieces, almonds, and chow mein noodles. Drizzle the dressing on top.
- Serve right away and enjoy!
This salad was great! Every bit as good as Applebees
This was excellent!
My favorite at Applebees also. I remember the salad had small mandarin oranges (the canned ones). I have found a sesame dressing that I use. I believe it is Kraft.
Hey Lady, thanks for the recipe! Do you use regular or toasted sesame oil? There is quite a difference between the two and I can’t find which to use anywhere in the recipe. Thanks!
I prefer toasted, but either will work. Enjoy!
Very tasty! Used sugar free honey! Will make a lot!
So good! This is the only thing I order at Applebee’s. I’m so glad this popped up on my email.
So good my favorite sakad
This recipe is spot on so yummy
This recipe is really great! I’ve made it several times now
Love it!
This is a great recipe! My husband and I are loving it
Made this several times and the flavor is on point ! Delicious. Just would like it to be a little thicker consistency, is there anything you suggest?
Just made this- so delish and easy too! Thanks for a great recipe!
Amazingly delicious
Litehouse Coleslaw dressing is also good with this wonderful salad.
I took the idea of an earlier commenter and served this at a bridal brunch I was hosting. Made enough to feed 20 gals, but just kept all the ingredients separate and let everyone build their own. Big hit!
This was my favorite on the Applebee’s menu, too. So happy to find this recipe!
They just opened an Applebees near me…and now I want this salad!
This was so good. Perfect dinner salad – whole family loved it.
Spot on copycat. Thanks for sharing!
Delicious. Oue of our favorites but wish the dressing was thicker….
Love this salad!! That was one of my favorites (when I waited tables at good ‘ol Applebees years ago)
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!
I highly suspected that you had gone on vacation! how fun!! Such a perfect place for the kiddos. But I totally get the need for salads. I feel like I mostly eat dessert lately and that has to change!
I love the sound of this salad!
We rarely eat at chain restaurants but my Dad loves Applebees so when we go out with my parents, we’re going to Applebees. I always order the Asisan Chicken Salad. I love it! Now I can make it at home! I love you! Have a magical day!! (hee hee)
We eat salads like fiends in the summer. I pulled some chicken out of the freezer and just might try this tonight!
We have had this salad from Applebees but without the chicken. I wrote down all the ingredients and we make at home but I never get the dressing right. This was wonderful. Second time I made it, I added sliced “Asian seasoned” broiled tofu.
Gee, I’ve never printed a recipe, before I commented!! This is one of my husband’s fav salad’s from Applebee’s!! I’m in “salad mode” during the summer months, so this is a perfect “new addition” to the “mix!” Thank you Amy for sharing!!!
This salad looks fantastic! I actually think my whole family would eat this one!
Growing up, when we went out to dinner as a fam, Applebees was one of the few places we could agree on, and their Asian chicken salad was always my favorite. Love having an at-home version.
This was great. Super easy to throw together. Would be great for a large group, too by doubling/tripling all the ingredients and letting people build their own.
I was skeptical my kids would eat this but what do you know – they loved it! Frozen chicken fingers, yes ma’am.
This is so good!!