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Quick Notes: This Oriental Chicken Salad is an Applebee’s Copycat. It’s been so damn long since I’ve actually eaten this salad, that I’m making some guesses on what I consider to be the most important part of the recipe, which is the dressing. So, if it’s not like Applebee’s, I’m sorry? (not really tho). This should make about four salads.
Ingredients
- 6 chicken tenderloins cut in half lengthwise (hotdog, not hamburger). Remove the weird cartilage thingy (*clearly not a chef*)
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 3 eggs
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 cups flour
- 2 tablespoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons cayenne (if you don't like spice, omit this)
- 1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1/2 tablespoon cumin
- Salt and pepper to taste (I use grinders, and I tend to go with 8 twists of each)
- oil for frying
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- 2 bags of romain mix (should include some carrots, etc) or you can make your own
- sliced almonds
- chow mein noodles (which is literally the only thing making this "oriental" and they should probably change the name of the salad)
Instructions
Chicken
- Place your chicken in a large freezer bag. Pour the buttermilk over them and place in the refrigerator for about two hours.
- Whisk eggs and milk together in a dish that is large enough, and shallow enough to dredge your chicken.
- On a separate similar dish (or even on a plate if necessary) add the dry ingredients and stir together until thoroughly mixed.
- Take the chicken from the bag, and dredge each piece through the flour, then through the eggs/milk, and then back through the flour to give it a double coating (which will make the chicken good and crunchy). Do this until all pieces are coated, and keep on a plate.
- In a large pan, warm at least a half an inch of oil to about 350 degrees. I personally prefer to use a deep flat pan because I don't want the oil to pop all over my stove, and all over my goddamn body while I cook. If you don't have a thermometer, just watch to ensure that your oil isn't too hot. If you're burning a lot of shit to the pan, you're too warm. Turn it down a smidgen.
- Add chicken to the oil. Don't crowd the pan (which is the best advice to give which I never take myself). Do it in batches. Cook each side for about 3-5 minutes (depending on temp).
- Remove from pan, and place on a plate covered in a paper towel to collect excess grease.
- Set aside to cool
- Once cooled, gently cut the chicken with a good knife. Please don't annihilate all that breading and frying we just did. It should be cut into bite-sized pieces and still resemble breaded chicken when you're done.
Dressing
- Add the mayo, apple cider vinegar, and sugar into a bowl. Mix all that dressing shit together. BOOM. You're done. Much easier than the chicken.
Salad Assembly
- Start with a layer of greens.
- Add a layer of chow mein noodles.
- Sprinkle over the almonds. (careful with the crunchy stuff, cuz you don't want to be left with nothing except this shit at the bottom of your plate. It doesn't make for a tasty salad).
- Top with chicken pieces.
- Cover with as much or as little dressing as you like. Personally, I prefer to completely counteract any health benefits this salad can provide by adding copious amounts of dressing.
Start this dinner off right with some Beer Dip.
