by Wilbur, Todd
2. While the chicken marinates, make the Mexi-ranch dressing by combining the ingredients in a medium bowl. Cover and chill so the flavors will develop as the chicken marinates.
3. You’ll also make the pico de gallo in advance so that it can rest a bit in the fridge. Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl, then cover and chill this as well.
4. When the chicken has marinated for 2 hours, fire up the grill to medium/high heat. Grill the chicken breasts for 4 to 7 minutes per side or until chicken is done. Take the chicken off the grill then let it rest for a bit while you prepare the salads.
5. Build each salad in a large bowl by first tossing 2 cups chopped iceberg lettuce and 2 cups chopped romaine lettuce with ¼ cup chopped red cabbage and about ¼ cup of the dressing.
6. Combine the shredded cheeses then add, about ½ cup to each salad on the lettuce. Sprinkle a handful of tortilla strips or crumbled chips on next.
7. Slice each chicken breast into strips and arrange each one on each of the salads. Sprinkle about ¼ cup of pico de gallo over the top.
8. Finish off each salad by adding a 2-tablespoon scoop of sour cream on one side of each salad, then a 2-tablespoon scoop of guacamole on the other side of the salad.
• Serves 4.
APPLEBEE’S ALMOND RICE PILAF
You’re grilling some steaks or baking some chicken and don’t know what to serve on the side? Try out this simple clone for a dish that’s served along with several of Applebee’s entrees. Since the recipe requires converted rice (because instant rice is gross) you have to plan ahead about 25 minutes to give the rice time to cook. It’s worth the wait. The secret to an authentic, great-tasting rice pilaf is sautéing the uncooked rice kernels in butter first, before adding the liquid—in this case chicken broth. Then, as the rice is cooking, you have plenty of time to saute the almonds, celery, and onions that are tossed into the rice at the end.
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup uncooked converted rice
2¼ cups chicken broth
⅛ teaspoon salt
cup sliced or slivered almonds
¼ cup diced celery
¼ cup diced onion
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1. Melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Be sure to use a saucepan with a lid. Add I cup uncooked converted rice and saute rice for 2 to 4 minutes in the butter or until some of the rice begins to turn light brown. As the rice is cooking heat chicken broth on high in microwave for 3 to 4 minutes or until the broth begins to bubble. When the rice begins to brown, quickly add the hot stock and salt to the pan. Cover the pan, reduce heat to low and simmer rice for 20 minutes.
2. As rice cooks, melt remaining I tablespoon butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add almonds and saute for I to 2 minutes or until the almonds begin to brown. Add celery and onion and saute for another couple of minutes or until the onion begins to turn translucent.
3. When the rice has cooked for 20 minutes, remove it from the heat. Add almonds, celery, onion and parsley to the rice, then let it sit, covered, for 5 minutes or until the remaining liquid is absorbed.
• Serves 4.
APPLEBEE’S BOURBON STREET STEAK
MENU DESCRIPTION: “This succulent 10 oz. steak is jazzed up with Cajun spices and served with sautéed onions, mushrooms, garlic mashed potatoes and garlic toast.”
This Cajun-style dish is named after the famous street in the French Quarter in New Orleans. No bourbon is needed to re-create the secret taste of this signature steak entree from America’s largest casual dining chain. Plan to make this dish approximately 24 hours in advance, so the steaks have time to soak up the goodness. This long marinating time will also give the meat tenderizer a chance to do its thing, but don’t go longer than 24 hours, or the protein fibers may become so tender that they turn mushy. I used McCormick brand tenderizer, which uses bromelian, a pineapple extract, to tenderize the meat. Lawry’s (Adolph’s) meat tenderizer, uses papain, from papayas, to tenderize the proteins, but this brand also brings other spices into the mix and will alter the flavor of your finished product. Both of these tenderizers include a lot of salt, so we won’t need to include salt as part of the marinade formula.
2 10-ounce top sirloin steaks
MARINADE
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
4 teaspoons chili powder
4 teaspoons minced garlic
1 ½ teaspoons meat tenderizer
(McCormick is best)
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon ground oregano
2 cups water
GARLIC BUTTER
3 tablespoons salted butter
⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
pinch salt
ON THE SIDE
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon salted butter
2 cups thinly sliced white onion
(about ½ onion)
2 cups sliced white mushrooms
⅛ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
1. Combine all marinade ingredients in a medium bowl.
2. Pound steaks with a kitchen mallet until about ¾-inch thick.
3. Submerse steaks in marinade, cover and store overnight in the refrigerator.
4. When your steaks have marinated for approximately 24 hours, preheat a barbecue grill to medium/high heat and grill the steaks for 3 to 5 minutes per side or until cooked as desired.
5. Melt 3 tablespoons butter and combine with ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder and a pinch of salt.
6. Combine I tablespoon butter and I tablespoon olive oil in a medium skillet over medium/low heat. When the butter is melted, add 2 cups of sliced onion and saute for 2 to 3 minutes or until onion begins to soften. Add sliced mushrooms, ⅛ teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon black pepper to pan, and saute for another 2 to 3 minute or until onion and mushrooms begin to lightly brown.
7. When the steaks are done, spoon a couple teaspoons of garlic butter over the top of each steak and serve with mushrooms and onion on the side.
• Serves 2.
APPLEBEE’S CHICKEN FAJITA ROLLUP
MENU DESCRIPTION: “A large flour tortilla topped with melted Monterey Jack and Cheddar cheeses, grilled chipotle chicken, shredded lettuce and pico de gallo. Rolled, sliced and served with a Mexi-ranch dipping sauce”
Take Applebee’s delicious chicken chipotle fajita recipe, roll it up in a large flour tortilla with lettuce, cheeses and fresh pico de gallo and you’ve got a meal to wrap your hands around. The Mexi-ranch dipping sauce is the perfect creamy compliment for this recipe and you can use what’s left over for a dressing on your next salad. The sauce is actually just a kicked-up ranch dressing recipe that includes a small amount of buttermilk in the ingredients list. But if you don’t want to buy a whole carton of buttermilk to use just a tablespoon for this recipe, that’s okay. Substitute the regular moo juice you’ve got sitting in the fridge. For the spicy marinade it’s best to use ground chipotle pepper (dried smoked red jalapeno) made by McCormick. If you can’t find that stuff, cut the amount in half and use cayenne pepper For the cheeses, many major brands make a Cheddar/Jack blend that will work great here if you’d rather not buy the cheeses separately That’s helpful if you’re about to tip the limit for the express lane checkout line.
MARINADE
2 cups water
⅓ cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 tablespoon ground chipotle
pepper(or 1½ teaspoons
ground cayenne pepper)
2 teaspoons hickory smoke
flavoring
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoon garlic powder
I teaspoon onion powder
I teaspoon ground black pepper
4 skinless chicken breast fillets
MEXI-RANCH DIPPING SAUCE
½ cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons minced onion
2 tablespoons diced tomato
1 tablespoon buttermilk
1 tablespoon white vinegar
2 teaspoons minced fresh cilantro
I teaspoon canned chopped mild
green chiles
¾ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
pinch dried dill weed
pinch ground cumin
pinch cayenne pepper
PICO DE GALLO
2 medium tomatoes, diced
⅓ cup diced red onion
1 jalapeno, seeded and
diced
2 teaspoons lime juice
2 teaspoons minced fresh
cilantro
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
4 large flour tortillas
1 cup fancy shredded Cheddar
cheese
I cup fancy shredded Monterey
Jack cheese
4 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
1. The chicken needs to marinate for 2 hours, so make the marinade first by combining the ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir well until the sugar has dissolved. Add four chicken breasts to the marinade, cover and chill for 2 hours. Don’t let the chicken marinate for much more than that or it could get tough.
2. While the chicken marinates, prepare the dipping sauce by combining the ingredients in a medium bowl. Stir well then cover and chill. This will allow all the flavors to develop nicely while parked in the fridge.
3. The pico de gallo will also develop nicely in the fridge. Combine all those ingredients, then cover and chill it as well.
4. When you’re ready to make your roll-ups, preheat your grill to medium/high heat. Grill the chicken breast for 4 to 7 minutes per side or until done.
5. Build each roll-up by first laying a large flour tortilla in a large skillet over low-heat. Sprinkle about ½ cup of the combined cheeses over the surface of the tortilla while it heats up in the pan. When the cheese begins to melt, remove the tortilla from the pan. Sprinkle about I cup of shredded lettuce in a strip across the center of the tortilla, followed by about 3 tablespoons of pico de gallo. Slice one grilled chicken breast into bite-size chunks and arrange the chicken on the lettuce. Fold the ends of the tortilla over the filling, then roll the tortilla from the bottom. Make a diagonal cut across the center of the roll-up and serve with a small dish of the dipping sauce on the side.
• Serves 4.
APPLEBEE’S CRISPY ORANGE CHICKEN BOWL
MENU DESCRIPTION: “Breaded boneless chicken breast is delicately spiced and covered in a spicy-sweet orange glaze. Served in a big bowl over almond rice pilaf and a flavorful mixture of mushrooms, broccoli, red pepper, sugar snap peas and shredded carrots. Topped with toasted almonds and crispy noodles.”
Concoct a carbon copy of the delicious spicy orange glaze that’s tossed over the crispy chicken and you’re well on your way to re-creating this Applebee’s signature meal-in-a-bowl. The sweet, tangy and spicy sauce is made easily from simmering a mixture of orange juice, brown sugar, marmalade and a few other secret ingredients. As for the crispy chicken, rather than going to the trouble of breading and frying the chicken from scratch, I’ve cut a lot of time off the prep by including frozen breaded chicken fingers that you simply bake in the oven just before you’re ready to assemble the dish. I used Claim Jumper brand chicken tenderloins for this recipe, since one 20-ounce box was perfect for the two servings this recipe yields. These are mongo-huge restaurant-size portions, so you’ll be able to divide this recipe up into four modest servings with ease.
SPICY ORANGE SAUCE
1 cup orange juice
½ cup light brown sugar
3 tablespoons orange marmalade
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
½ teaspoon minced parsley
¼ teaspoon chili flakes
4 cups almond rice pilaf (from
recipe on page 15)
20 ounces breaded chicken
fingers, baked
(approx. 12 strips)
1½ cups broccoli florets
¼ teaspoon minced garlic
⅛ teaspoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 cup sliced red bell pepper
I cup sliced mushrooms
¾ cup sugar snap peas
¼ cup shredded carrot
½ cup crispy chow mein noodles
¼ cup sliced or slivered almonds
1. Make the spicy orange sauce by combining all ingredients, except vinegar, in a medium saucepan. Simmer over medium/ low heat for 15 minutes or until thick. Remove from heat and add vinegar.
2. If you haven’t already baked your chicken fingers, now is the time to cook them following the directions on the package.
3. Steam the broccoli, red bell pepper, mushrooms, sugar snap peas and carrot in a steamer basket in a covered saucepan over simmering water for 10 minutes or until the broccoli is tender. Salt and pepper the veggies.
4. Prepare each dish by spooning 2 cups of the rice pilaf into two large bowls. Divide the steamed vegetables in half and spoon them over the rice. Cut each of the chicken fingers in half and slide them into a large bowl. Pour the orange sauce over the chicken and toss. Spoon the chicken and sauce onto the veggies in each bowl. Sprinkle ¼ cup of chow mein noodles over each dish, followed by about 2 tablespoons of almonds, and serve.
• Serves 2.
APPLEBEE’S HONEY GRILLED SALMON
MENU DESCRIPTION: “Flame-grilled Atlantic Salmon with Applebee’s Honey Pepper Sauce served with a side of almond rice pilaf, seasoned vegetables and toasted garlic bread.”
It’s all about the sauce. This sweet, tangy and slightly spicy sauce goes perfectly with salmon, but can also be used on chicken or ribs. Just be sure to watch the sauce closely as it cooks in case it starts to bubble over. If it sounds like I’m speaking from experience, you’re right—oh, what a beautiful mess I made on one attempt. So cook the sauce slowly, and watch it closely as it thickens. If it gets too thick, you can always add a bit of water to thin it out. I suggest serving this salmon with almond rice pilaf as they do in the restaurant. You’ll find that clone recipe on page 15.
HONEY PEPPER SAUCE
¾ cup honey
⅓ cup soy sauce
¼ cup dark brown sugar,
packed
¼ cup pineapple juice
juice of I lemon (about 2
tablespoons)
2 tablespoons white vinegar
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
4 8-ounce salmon fillets (without
skin)
vegetable oil
1. Make the sauce by combining all ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium/low heat. Stir occasionally until sauce begins to boil, then simmer uncovered for 15 minutes or until syrupy Watch the sauce closely to be sure it doesn’t bubble over
2. Preheat barbecue grill to medium heat. Rub each salmon fillet with vegetable oil, then add a light sprinkling of salt and pepper. Grill the salmon for 4 to 7 minutes per side or until done. Serve salmon with a small cup of the honey pepper sauce on the side.
• Serves 4.
APPLEBEE’S TEQUILA LIME CHICKEN
MENU DESCRIPTION: “A tender boneless chicken breast marinated with lime juice and tequila flavors and grilled. Served on a bed of crisp tortilla strips. Topped with a Mexi-ranch and Jack-Cheddar sauce. Served with Southwest rice and pico de gallo.”
Because of the huge success of this dish, Applebee’s has recently changed the name to “Fiesta Lime Chicken” and trademarked the name.
Most people still know this dish by its original title, so that’s what I’m going with for this book. When making your clone, just be sure not to marinate the chicken for much longer than the 2 to 3 hours specified, or the acid in the lime juice may toughen your chicken. The bed of crispy corn tortilla strips can be easily made by simply crumbling store-bought tortilla chips, or, if you want strips more closely resembling those served at the restaurant, just follow the Tidbits below. Serve this dish with your choice of rice, and some salsa or pico de gallo on the side.
MARINADE
1 cup water
⅓ cup teriyaki sauce
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon liquid mesquite smoke
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon tequila
4 skinless chicken breast fillets