There are so many amazing flavors at play in this copycat Applebee's Salad recipe, including cornflake crusted chicken on a bed of colorful greens and veggies, with honey mustard dressing.
Looking for more delicious salads? Try my Burrata Salad, Waldorf Salad, or Asian Chicken Salad!
Why I love this recipe:
- Homemade Dressing – The honey mustard dressing adds the perfect flavor and ties everything together. Best part – it is SO easy and made with just a few ingredients!
- Crispy Chicken – The cornflake crusted, juicy, crispy chicken on top of the salad is truly the highlight of the dish!
- Great for All Ages: Applebee's Oriental Chicken Salad is a hit with everyone in my family, including my three year old. For younger kids try it deconstructed with cut up chicken and veggies and sauce on the side for dipping. Or, make it into a wrap.
This recipe was shared with me when I was teenager, in my High School Gourmet Foods class. The original recipe is from is by Todd Wilbur, from “Top Secret Restaurant Recipes“.
How to make Applebee's Salad:
Make Dressing: Blend together all ingredients for the dressing. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Prep Chicken For Frying: Preheat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat to be at about 350° F. In a small bowl beat the egg and milk together. In another bowl combine the flour, cornflake crumbs and salt and pepper. Cut chicken breast into several long thin strips. Dip the strips in the egg mixture, and then into the flour mixture, coating completely.
Fry Chicken: Add chicken strips to the hot oil and fry for 3-4 minutes or until cooked through and coating is dark golden brown.
Assemble Salad: Combine the romaine, red cabbage, napa cabbage, carrots, onions and cucumber in a bowl. Add chicken pieces on top and sprinkle with almonds. Serve this fresh chicken salad with the honey oriental dressing!
Make Ahead Instructions:
To Make Ahead: All the veggies can be chopped and the oriental dressing can be made ahead of time for the Applebee's salad and kept all separately in the fridge until you're ready to eat.
Recipe Variations:
- Baked Chicken: Prepare and coat chicken as instructed, and place greased or lined baking pan in a 425°F oven for 15 minutes, or until cooked through.
- Grilled Chicken: Try my Asian Chicken Salad that has similar flavors, but the chicken is marinated and grilled.
- Vegetarian: Replace the chicken with Air Fryer Tofu.
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Recipe
Applebee's Salad
Ingredients
Dressing:
- 6 Tablespoons honey
- 3 Tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
Salad:
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup corn flakes cereal , crushed into crumbs
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 3 cups oil (vegetable or canola), for frying
- 6 cups chopped Romaine lettuce
- 1 cup chopped red cabbage
- 1 cup chopped napa cabbage
- 2 carrots , shredded
- 2 green onions , chopped
- 1/2 cucumber , chopped
- 1/4 cup slivered almonds
Instructions
- Make dressing: Combine dressing ingredients in a bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use. (Dressing can be made a few days in advance).
- Heat oil: Preheat oil in a pot over medium heat. You want the oil at about 350 degrees F, (or test the oil by putting a small piece of torn bread into the pot and if the bread sizzles, it's ready.)
- Coat chicken: ChickenIn a small bowl beat the egg and milk together. In another bowl combine the flour, cornflake crumbs and salt and pepper. Cut chicken into several long thin strips. Dip the strips in the egg mixture, and then into the flour mixture, coating completely.
- Fry Chicken: Carefully add coated chicken to the hot oil and fry for 3-4 minutes or until cooked through and coating is dark golden brown.
- Assemble Salad: Combine the romaine, red cabbage, napa cabbage, carrots, onions and cucumber. Add chicken on top and then add almonds. Serve with dressing!
Notes
- Baked Chicken: Place chicken on a greased pan in a 425°F oven for 15 minutes, or until cooked through.
- Grilled Chicken Oriental Salad: Use my chicken marinade!
Nutrition
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I originally shared this recipe June 2014. It's a recipe I first made in my High School “Gourmet Foods” class in 2005! Recipe updated June 2022.
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Doesn’t mix well at all with amount of ingredients
I’m not sure I understand your comment–can you explain so I can help you have success with this recipe?