You know that Applebee’s oriental chicken salad that’s so tangy and delicious? Well, here’s the handheld version: a knockoff of Applebee’s oriental chicken roll up recipe. I don’t see this old favorite on Applebee’s regular menu anymore, but you can still get these yummy wraps from the source in a catering order.
Or, you can keep reading to learn how to make them yourself.
When to make Applebee’s oriental chicken roll ups
Stuffing romaine and cabbage into a tortilla with fried chicken and a tangy sauce is a great strategy for getting kids and husbands to eat some roughage.
So when can you make Applebee’s oriental chicken wraps? Anytime, really. Cut them into pieces for a snack or potluck. They also make a nice weekend lunch, particularly if you’re starting with frozen chicken strips. Because once you air fry or bake those chicken strips, the rest of the recipe comes together in minutes.
I’ve also made these oriental chicken roll ups for dinner. They are substantial enough for hearty appetites, particularly if you opt for fried chicken. If you need a little extra on the side, try chilled sesame noodles tossed in sesame-peanut sauce or jasmine rice. If you prefer a lighter option, try a cucumber-vinegar salad.
Ingredients for Applebee’s oriental chicken roll ups
Here’s what you need to make these wraps:
- Honey
- Rice wine vinegar
- Mayonnaise
- Dijon mustard
- Sesame oil
- Chopped romaine lettuce
- Cole slaw mix (cabbage and carrots)
- Green onion
- Cilantro
- Sliced almonds
- Chow mein noodles
- Flour tortillas
- Frozen chicken strips or fresh, boneless, skinless chicken breast
Admittedly, it’s a long list for one dish. But you may have the first 5 ingredients on hand already, which makes things more manageable.
How to make Applebee’s oriental chicken roll up recipe
Follow these steps to prepare these roll ups.
1. Prep your chicken
If you’re using frozen chicken strips, prepare them according to the package directions. This usually involves baking, oil-frying, or air-frying.
You can alternatively bake, pan-fry, or shallow-fry fresh boneless, skinless chicken breast. Start by cutting the chicken breast into strips or small pieces. Then, choose an option below:
- To bake the chicken: Season your chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Heat the oven to 375°F or 191°C. Place the chicken in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in a hot oven for about 20 minutes until the chicken’s internal temperature reaches 165°F or 74°C.
- To pan fry the chicken: Season your chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Place the chicken in the pan so they pieces don’t touch each other. Fry for 3 minutes, then flip. Continue cooking until the chicken’s internal temperature reaches 165°F or 74°C.
- To shallow-fry the chicken: This method gives you a breaded chicken strip. Start by place 3/4 cup flour in a pie plate or shallow dish. In another shallow dish, crack an egg and beat it gently. Roll each chicken piece in the egg first, then the flour. Place breaded chicken pieces on a tray lined with parchment paper. Then add enough oil to cover the bottom of a nonstick skillet. Heat over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the chicken pieces, taking care not to crowd the pan. Fry them for 3 minutes, then flip. Continue cooking until the chicken’s internal temperature reaches 165°F or 74°C.
2. Make the dressing
To make the tangy oriental dressing, mix these ingredients in a small bowl:
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 1/2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/8 teaspoon sesame oil
Stir to combine.
Blog Chef Tip: This dressing makes a delicious salad. Hang on to the leftover ingredients and make another batch when you need a dressing that will turn a bowl of lettuce into a salad.
3. Mix the salad
Now chop 3 cups of romaine lettuce, 1 green onion, and 1 tablespoon of cilantro. Mix those in a large bowl along with 2 cups of cole slaw mix (cabbage and carrots).
4. Stack and roll
Lay a tortilla on a flat surface. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of dressing down the middle of the tortilla. Add 1 cup of the salad on top of the dressing. Then layer on 1/3 cup chicken strips, 1/4 of the sliced almonds and 1 tablespoon of chow mein noodles. You can drizzle more dressing on top.
Then roll up the tortilla. Start by rolling in the sides, then fold in from one of the remaining open edges. Cut in half and enjoy!
Applebee's Oriental Chicken Roll Up Recipe
This is a copycat recipe for Applebee's oriental chicken rollup -- which is basically an oriental chicken salad wrapped up in a flour tortilla.
Ingredients
- 4 flour tortillas, 10-inch
- 4 frozen chicken strips
Dressing
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 1 1/2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/8 teaspoon sesame oil
Salad
- 3 cups chopped romaine lettuce
- 2 cups cole slaw mix
- 1 green onion, chopped
- 1 tablespoon almonds, sliced
- 1/3 cup chow mein noodles
- 1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
Instructions
- Cook the chicken strips according to package directions. Slice the pieces into small chunks. See notes for cooking fresh chicken.
- While chicken cooks, mix honey, rice wine vinegar, mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, and sesame oil in a small bowl.
- In a large bowl, combine romaine lettuce, cole slaw mix, green onion, and cilantro.
- Lay a tortilla out on a flat surface. Spread a thin layer of sauce onto the tortilla. Pile a cup of salad on top of the sauce in the center of the tortilla.
- Add 1/3 cup chicken strips on top of the salad. Sprinkle with almonds and chow mein noodles.
- Roll up the tortilla by folding in the sides first, then rolling. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
Notes
Applebees makes this dish with fried chicken, but it's quite good (and healthier) with baked or pan-fried chicken. In the images above, I pan fried the chicken without breading. To do that:
- Slice chicken breast into small pieces
- Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper
- Heat 2 teaspoons of oil over medium-high heat in a nonstick skillet
- Add the chicken pieces so they're not touching each other
- Let them cook for 3 minutes, then flip
- They're done with the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F or 74°C.
You could alternatively make your own chicken fingers. The process is mostly the same, except you'll bread the chicken first and add more oil to the pan (enough to cover the bottom). To bread the chicken:
- Put 3/4 cup flour into a pie plate. Crack an egg in a separate pie plate and whisk it gently.
- Roll each chicken piece in egg first, then flour. Set coated chicken pieces on a tray lined with parchment until you're ready to fry them.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 631Total Fat: 35gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 27gCholesterol: 32mgSodium: 962mgCarbohydrates: 66gFiber: 5gSugar: 24gProtein: 14g
Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.
More Applebee’s recipes to try
If you like this recipe, you’ll also enjoy Applebee’s queso dip, Applebee’s three-cheese chicken penne, and Applebee’s chicken quesadilla grande.