Copycat Recipes That Taste Just Like The Real Thing 

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Anything they can do, you can do better. 

By Camille Lowder 

Delish.com 

We LOVE a copycat recipe here at Delish. Not only is it fun to try and figure out just exactly what makes our favorite restaurant dishes as good as they are, there are myriad other reasons to make these imitation recipes at home: cost efficiency, being able to control ingredients, being able to try foods from places located too far away … the list goes on. We’ve got tons of options here, from sit-down spots like The Cheesecake Factory to caffeine hot-spot Starbucks, with tons of fast-casual and fast food in between. Check out our list of 85 copycat recipes for ideas at bit.ly/420VnKm and get ready to never have to deal with the drive-thru again. 

CPK BBQ Chicken Skillet Pizza 

Yields 2 

Prep Time 20 minutes 

Total Time 45 minutes 

Ingredients 

1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing 

1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1″ pieces 

Kosher salt 

Freshly ground black pepper 

All-purpose flour, for dough 

1 lb. pizza dough, at room temperature 

2 tbsp. barbecue sauce, plus more for drizzling 

1/2 c. shredded cheddar 

1/2 c. shredded fontina 

1/4 small red onion, thinly sliced 

Ranch dressing, for drizzling 

Freshly chopped chives, for garnish 

Directions 

Preheat oven to 500°. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil. Add chicken and cook until golden and no longer pink, 6 minutes per side. Season generously with salt and pepper.  

Meanwhile, brush an ovenproof skillet with oil.  

On a floured work surface, roll out dough until circumference matches your skillet. Transfer to skillet.  

Leaving a 1⁄2″ border for crust, spread barbecue sauce onto dough. Top with cheddar, fontina, chicken, and red onion.  

Brush crust with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. 

Bake until crust is crispy and cheese is melty, 23 to 25 minutes.  

Drizzle with barbecue sauce and ranch and garnish with chives. 

Panda Express Orange Chicken 

If you just can’t get enough of the classic Panda Express dish, our copycat recipe is a game-changer. Ready in under an hour with all of the same sweet and savory flavors you love, staying in for weeknight dinner has never been easier. Serve over rice (and maybe with some crab rangoons if you’re feeling extra fancy) for a stay-at-home meal to impress even the biggest Panda lover in your life. 

Orange Chicken 

Yields 4 

Prep Time 15minutes 

Total Time 35 minutes  

Ingredients 

2 large eggs, beaten 

1/2 c. plus 1 tbsp. cornstarch, divided 

1/4 c. all-purpose flour 

Kosher salt 

Freshly ground black pepper 

2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1” pieces 

Canola oil 

2 cloves garlic, minced 

1/2 tsp. freshly minced ginger 

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flake s 

2/3 c. freshly squeezed orange juice 

2 tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce 

1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar 

2 tbsp. sweet chili sauce 

2 tbsp. hoisin sauce 

1 tbsp. brown sugar 

Juice of 1/2 lemon 

2 green onions, thinly sliced 

Cooked white rice, for serving 

Directions 

Set up dredging station: In one bowl, add eggs, and in a second bowl, mix together ½ cup cornstarch and flour and season with salt and pepper. Coat chicken pieces in egg, then toss in cornstarch mixture, tapping off any excess.  

In a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat, heat ¼” oil. Fry chicken in batches until golden and crispy, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain on a paper towel-lined plate.  

In a saucepan over medium heat, heat 1 tablespoon oil. Add garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes and cook 2 minutes. Whisk in orange juice, soy sauce, apple cider vinegar, chili sauce, hoisin sauce, brown sugar, and lemon juice and bring to a simmer.  

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together remaining tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water. Slowly whisk into sauce to thicken and simmer until sauce is syrupy, about 5 minutes.  

Toss chicken with sauce and green onions. Serve over rice. 

In-n-Out Animal-Style Fries 

Yields 4 

Prep Time 10 minutes 

Total Time 30 minutes 

Ingredients 

Neutral oil, for frying (about 6 cups) 

1/2 c. mayonnaise 

3 tbsp. ketchup 

2 tbsp. sweet pickle relish 

1 tsp. distilled white vinegar 

1 tsp. yellow mustard 

Kosher salt 

2 tbsp. unsalted butter 

1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped 

16 oz. frozen shoestring French fries, divided 

6 oz. American cheese, chopped into 1/2″ pieces 

1/3 c. whole milk 

Directions 

In a heavy, 5-quart Dutch oven or pot fitted with a deep-fry or candy thermometer, heat oil over medium-high heat until thermometer registers 375°.  

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk mayonnaise, ketchup, relish, vinegar, mustard, and 1/4 teaspoon salt to combine. 

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter. Add onion and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is well browned and translucent, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer onions to a small bowl; set aside.  

Using a metal spider, lower half of fries into oil and cook, stirring to keep fries from sticking together, until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Using spider, transfer fries to a paper towel-lined sheet tray; season with a pinch of salt. Repeat with remaining fries.  

In a small heatproof bowl, microwave cheese and milk in 30-second increments, whisking in between, until cheese is melted and smooth, about 3 minutes.  

Top fries with cheese mixture, then cooked onions, and finish with animal sauce. 

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