If you love eating out but not the bill, these Applebees Copycat Recipes let you recreate the magic at home.
Last updated: October 2026 | Prices last checked: October 2026
Applebees Copycat Recipes: Homemade vs. Restaurant Cost Compared
The best reason to cook these copycats at home — beyond the fun of it — is the math. Restaurant prices for these three dishes typically land between $10 and $16 per serving in 2026, while the homemade versions use affordable grocery staples. From my experience, the savings are biggest on the dishes with the most components, because you are essentially getting several meals’ worth of ingredients for the price of one restaurant plate.
The applebees oriental chicken salad recipe is the lightest of the three, and many readers say the applebees oriental chicken salad recipe tastes closest to the restaurant version.
For burger night, the applebees quesadilla burger recipe combines a pepper-jack quesadilla with a juicy patty, and the applebees honey pepper chicken recipe uses a honey-pepper glaze over crispy chicken just like the original. These copycat applebees recipes save serious money, and once you master these copycat applebees recipes — including the applebees quesadilla burger recipe and applebees honey pepper chicken recipe — you will rarely pay full menu price again.
Each of the Applebees Copycat Recipes below includes exact ingredient amounts.
The secret to great Applebees Copycat Recipes is nailing the signature sauces.
| Recipe | Typical restaurant price (2026, approx.) | Homemade cost per serving (approx.) | You save (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oriental Chicken Salad | $10.50–$12.30 | ~$3.50 | ~65–70% |
| Quesadilla Burger | $11.80–$15.90 | ~$4.50 | ~60–70% |
| Four-Cheese Mac & Cheese with Honey Pepper Chicken | ~$12.50 | ~$4.00 | ~68% |
How I estimated the homemade costs: chicken tenders or breast at grocery prices (~$3/lb), pantry staples like flour, pasta, and rice noodles bought in bulk, and cheese purchased in blocks rather than pre-shredded bags. The Oriental Chicken Salad is the cheapest to replicate because greens, almonds, and chow mein noodles stretch across many servings. The Quesadilla Burger costs a bit more per serving because of the ground beef and bacon, but it still lands at less than a third of the menu price. These are approximate figures — grocery prices vary by region and store — but the direction is consistent: cooking any of these at home cuts the per-serving cost by roughly two-thirds.
Many Applebees Copycat Recipes taste even better the next day after the flavors meld.
Start with the easiest of these Applebees Copycat Recipes if you are new to copycat cooking.
Meal-Prep and Storage Guide for Applebees Copycat Recipes
All three recipes work well for meal prep with one rule: keep the crunchy parts separate until serving time. That single habit is the difference between leftovers that taste fresh and leftovers that taste soggy.
The Applebees Copycat Recipes scale well for parties, so just double the sauce.
For authentic flavor, follow the Applebees Copycat Recipes marinating times exactly.
These Applebees Copycat Recipes use grocery-store ingredients, with no specialty shops needed.
- Oriental Chicken Salad: Refrigerate undressed for up to 3 days. Store the dressing in a separate jar (up to 1 week refrigerated) and keep the chow mein noodles and almonds in a sealed bag at room temperature. Do not freeze — the greens will not survive it.
- Quesadilla Burger: Cooked patties keep 3–4 days refrigerated or up to 3 months frozen (wrap individually). Assemble the quesadilla “bun” fresh each time; a pre-assembled burger gets soggy within hours.
- Mac & Cheese with Honey Pepper Chicken: Refrigerate up to 4 days in an airtight container, or freeze the mac and cheese (without the chicken) for up to 2 months. Add a splash of milk when reheating to bring the cheese sauce back to life.
Reheating without losing the crunch: for anything breaded or fried — the chicken tenders, the quesadilla shell — skip the microwave and use an air fryer or a hot oven (400°F for 5–8 minutes). From my experience, the microwave is the fastest way to turn a crispy copycat into a rubbery disappointment, while the air fryer restores nearly all of the original texture. Sauces and dressings should always be reheated (or served) separately and added at the end.
Kids love helping with these Applebees Copycat Recipes, especially the breading steps.
The Applebees Copycat Recipes below beat takeout on both price and freshness.
Menu items, prices, and availability vary by location and franchise. Confirm details with your local Applebees before visiting. This site is an independent guide and is not affiliated with Applebees.
Store leftovers from these Applebees Copycat Recipes as directed to keep textures crisp.
Once you master these Applebees Copycat Recipes, try riffing with your own twists.
The Applebees Copycat Recipes are most popular around game-day weekends.
Share your results from these Applebees Copycat Recipes, since the community loves photos.
Few Applebees Copycat Recipes are as requested as the Fiesta Lime Chicken version.
With these Applebees Copycat Recipes in your rotation, restaurant night can happen any night.