Salad

Asian Chicken Salad (Applebee’s Copycat)

By Amy Flanigan

Published Jul 7, 2025

Read 42 Reviews

Prep 10 minutes mins

Cook 20 minutes mins

Servings 4

By Amy Flanigan

Published Jul 7, 2025

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This copycat Applebee’s Asian Chicken Salad recipe is super quick and easy, with breaded chicken strips, a honey sesame dressing, and crunchy greens. It’s one of my all-time favorite salads and makes a frequent appearance on our dinner table, especially during the summer months. Even my kids love it!

To be honest, I’ve only ever been to an Applebee’s restaurant a handful of times in my entire life. But every time I went, I would always get their Asian chicken salad. Then one day I went for lunch and it was no longer on the menu, so I was determined to get busy in the kitchen and figure out how to make it at home. Now I make it all the time – it’s one of my family’s favorites!

Helpful Tips & Variations

• Crispy chicken strips. Use breaded, frozen chicken strips – Tyson, BARE, Foster Farms, Perdue, etc all work. I cook mine in the air fryer, which results in the crispiest frozen chicken strips and is also faster than the oven. Crispy chicken is key to a good Asian chicken salad!
• Crunchy chow mein noodles. For this salad, use the crunchy chow mein noodles that come in a canister or bag, not the chewy noodles used in stir fry.
• Try a different dressing. I use my honey sesame dressing in this recipe. It’s a simple but amazing mixture of honey, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, rice wine vinegar, and sesame oil. But feel free to experiment with other dressings or even grab a bottle of dressing at the store.
• Use mixed greens. I like to use a combination of romaine lettuce, iceberg lettuce, and coleslaw mix in my copycat Applebee’s Asian chicken salad. It just adds more texture and flavor. Feel free to use all of one or the other, or a combination of your favorite greens.

4.98 from 42

Asian Chicken Salad (Applebee’s copycat recipe)

Prep: 10 minutes mins

Cook: 20 minutes mins

Total: 30 minutes mins

Servings: 4

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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!

Step-by-step photos can be seen below the recipe card.

Ingredients 

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FOR THE DRESSING

• ▢ 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• ▢ 1/4 cup honey
• ▢ 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
• ▢ 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
• ▢ salt and pepper, to taste

FOR THE SALAD

• ▢ 5 pieces frozen breaded crispy chicken strips, (see note)
• ▢ 2 cups chopped Romaine lettuce
• ▢ 2 cups chopped iceberg lettuce
• ▢ 2 cups tri-color coleslaw mix
• ▢ 1 scallion, diced
• ▢ 15 ounce can mandarin oranges, fully drained
• ▢ 1/4 cup sliced almonds
• ▢ 1/3 cup crunchy chow mein noodles

Instructions 

• Make the dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together all the ingredients for the dressing until incorporated. Refrigerate while you prepare the salad.
• Cook the chicken: Bake the chicken strips according to the package directions (I typically do this in the air fryer.) Remove and allow to cool a bit, then cut up into small bite-size pieces.
• Assemble the salad: In a large mixing bowl, combine the chopped romaine lettuce, chopped iceberg lettuce, coleslaw mix, diced scallion, mandarin oranges, and the cooked chopped chicken.
• Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss to coat.
• Serve: Divide among individual plates, and top with sliced almonds and crunchy chow mein noodles. Serve right away and enjoy!

Video

Notes

Any frozen breaded chicken strips works – BARE, Tyson, Foster Farms, and Perdue, are all good options.

Nutrition

Calories: 388kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 14g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 254mg | Potassium: 356mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 3547IU | Vitamin C: 51mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and any changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are very important to you, I would recommend calculating them yourself.

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How to Make Asian Chicken Salad Step by Step

• Make the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 1/4 cup honey, mustard, 3 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate while you prepare the salad.

• Cook the chicken. Bake 5 crispy breaded chicken strips according to the package directions (I typically do this in the air fryer.) Remove and allow to cool off. Then cut up into small bite-sized pieces.

• Assemble the salad. In a large mixing bowl, combine the 2 cups chopped romaine lettuce, 2 cups chopped iceberg lettuce, 2 cups tri-color coleslaw mix, 1 diced scallion, 1 can drained mandarin oranges, and the cooked chopped chicken.

• Add the dressing. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss to coat.

• Serve. Divide among individual plates, and top with sliced almonds and crunchy chow mein noodles. Serve right away and enjoy!

Storing Leftovers

• The dressing. The dressing can be made up to 5 days before using, and stored in a sealed jar in the fridge. Give it a good shake before drizzling over the salad.
• 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
• Asian Steak Salad
• Southwest Chicken Salad
• Cobb 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!