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Our copycat Applebee's Oriental Chicken Salad recipe has crispy cornflake-crusted chicken strips served over fresh romaine, cabbage, and colorful vegetables with an easy honey mustard dressing that tastes better than the restaurant version.
I'm always excited for this Applebee's Salad copycat.
I'm always excited for this Applebee's Salad copycat.I first made this in my High School cooking class, and I've loved it ever since. The ingredients are simple and delicious, and I'm so in love with the cornflake crusted chicken that I use that flavor combo in several other recipes (like popcorn chicken, cordon bleu, and chicken casserole). For my younger kids, I let them eat this salad deconstructed or in a wrap with my homemade tortillas and they devour.
Don't miss my other salad recipes, like Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad, Asian Chicken Salad, Chicken Pasta Salad, Orzo Salad, and Cold Noodle Salad!
How to make Applebee's Salad:
Prep Dressing and Chicken: Mix all of the ingredients together for the salad dressing. After slicing the chicken into strips, dip the chicken in the bowl with egg and milk then into the cornflake crumbs mixture.
Cook Chicken: Cook chicken in a pan with hot oil and pan fry for 3-4 minutes, or until the coating is a dark golden color and the chicken is cooked.
Assemble: Place the romaine, cabbage, carrots, onions, and cucumber in a bowl. Place fried chicken on top then sprinkle with almonds and a drizzle of the oriental dressing.
Oriental Chicken Salad Recipe (Applebee's Copycat)
Ingredients
For the Dressing:
- 6 Tablespoons honey
- 3 Tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
For the Chicken*:
- 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
For the Salad:
- 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).6 Tablespoons honey, 3 Tablespoons rice wine vinegar, ½ cup mayonnaise, 2 teaspoons dijon mustard, ¼ teaspoon sesame oil
- 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: In 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.2 large eggs, 1 cup milk, 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 cup corn flakes cereal, salt and freshly ground black pepper, 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 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.3 cups oil
- Assemble Salad: Combine the romaine, red cabbage, napa cabbage, carrots, onions and cucumber. Add chicken on top and then add almonds. Serve with dressing!6 cups chopped Romaine lettuce, 1 cup chopped red cabbage, 1 cup chopped napa cabbage, 2 carrots, 2 green onions, ½ cucumber, ¼ cup slivered almonds
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: Omit the cornflake coating and use my chicken marinade instead.
- Vegetarian: Replace the chicken with Air Fryer Tofu.
Nutrition
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I originally shared this recipe June 2014. Recipe updated June 2022 and January 2026.
I was introduced to this recipe in my High School “Gourmet Foods” class in 2005, from the book Top Secret Restaurant Recipes.
Delicious and satifying. We loved the dressing and will use it for other salads.
Super delicious, lots of veggies and the sweet asian dressing is lovely. I was able to convince the little kids to dip their veggies in it. Chicken was also super yummy! Thanks!
Have made this before and loved it. This time I mixed half Greek yogurt and half mayo..still amazing dressing!
I have eaten this many times. We moved and our new town does not have an Applebee’s. 🙁
Glad to have this recipe; similar salads also have mandarin oranges.
It’s funny that your directions don’t mention the use of the cornflake crumbs. But, I’m sure most of us can figure it out. 🙂
Nancy, you can see where the cornflake crumbs are added in step 3 of the recipe. (They’re added to the flour mixture.)
The Oriental Chicken Salad is my favorite dish to eat from Applebee’s!!!
Just in case anyone wants a truly simple dressing that will surprise at just how much it tastes like Applebees (discovered by accident) check this out. Publix had a sale on coleslaw and Marie’s Coleslaw dressing. I’d never tried this Marie’s dressing before and I wanted coleslaw!. Upon looking at it the consistency it looked like Applebees. Upon tasting it i thought wow, it’s really close! I then bought some sesame oil and Dijon. Added it to taste and I couldn’t believe how good it is! I initially used a little of the original coleslaw for tomorrows lunch but then just made the whole bottle as oriental dressing. Totally awesome!
I have always loved that salad and now can make it myself. Thank you!!!
I’ve made this twice now and my husband and I both really like it. Thanks for the recipe. My 7 year old, not so much but she just eats the chicken instead.
I love this salad! Do you know how to make that teriyaki-sake sauce is that they put over the top of the chicken? That is my favorite part of the salad. Thanks for the recipe.
Looking for the same thing did you find out anything on this. E mail me curtlewis951@gmail.com