Skip the takeout and try these Copycat Recipes featuring from-scratch versions of your favorite restaurant dishes and fast food picks.

author’s note

Better Off The Menu Copycat Recipes!

I don’t know what it is, but takeout always sounds like the best idea… until the total hits or the portions show up way smaller than I expected. And I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve taken one bite and thought, I could totally make this better at home.

So I started doing exactly that. I’d take a reliable restaurant meals and test them over and over until they hit that same flavor, but with easier steps, better portions, and way more flexibility. Extra sauce, more toppings, no upcharge for guac, all the things that make it better.

These are the meals I turn to when the craving hits but I don’t want to leave the house or spend a ton, and they’ve quickly become some of my most-made dinners. If you’ve ever been stuck between ordering out or cooking at home, this is the sweet spot right in the middle.

Chick-Fil-A Chicken Salad

This Chick-Fil-A Chicken Salad Recipe brings the classic sandwich back to your kitchen! Creamy, crunchy, and super simple to throw together.

Kneader’s French Toast

People travel far and wide for this local bakery’s french toast and I got the inside scoop on how to make it.

Applebee’s Chicken Salad

My absolute favorite thing on the Applebee’s menu, so of course I had to recreate it for whenever the craving hits.

Olive Garden Fettuccine Alfredo

This is one of those copycat recipes you want in your back pocket so you don’t have to pay $22 at Olive Garden for something you can make at home for $1.89.

Chipotle Burrito Bowl

Chipotle servings tend to be underwhelming, and an extra dollar for a scoop of guac? Make it at home and measure the guac with your heart!

Raising Cane Chicken Tenders

These Raising Cane’s Chicken Tenders are one of a reliable copycat recipes, crispy, juicy, and packed with flavor.

Crunchwrap Recipe

Why did no one tell me Crunchwraps are ridiculously straightforward to make at home?

Chick-Fil-A Coleslaw

One of the best copycat recipes, this Chick-Fil-A Coleslaw tastes just like the original they took off the menu.

Chipotle Chicken Recipe

This Chipotle Chicken Recipe is smoky, full of flavor, and gorgeously charred. Just season, broil, and load it into tacos, bowls, or whatever sounds good!

Wendy’s Taco Salad

Taco Salad Recipe with seasoned beef and beans, cheddar, tomatoes, crispy tortilla strips, and a creamy chili-lime dressing.

Panda Express Orange Chicken

When one menu item makes up 1/3 of a restaurant’s sales, you know it’s doing something right. Yep, the Panda Express orange chicken is that good.

Bonefish Grill Bang Bang Shrimp

If you’re looking for a flavor-packed QUICK weeknight dinner, this is the move.

Raising Canes Sauce Recipe

I used to go to Raising Cane’s just to get the sauce… until I figured out how to make it at home.

Panera Chipotle Chicken Avocado Melt

Make Panera Chipotle Chicken Avocado Melt at home with crisp bread, melty cheese, tender chicken, and creamy avocado.

Chipotle Beef Barbacoa

Skip the takeout and make Chipotle Beef Barbacoa at home with melt-in-your-mouth beef and a smoky, flavorful sauce.

Sweet Green Baked Chicken Thighs

I make this Sweet Green’s baked chicken thighs copycat recipe almost weekly. It is reliable for meal prep and packed with flavor.

Chick-Fil-A Nuggets Recipe

100 test batches, way too many grocery runs, and more Chick-fil-A orders than I’d like to admit… and I think I beat their chicken nuggets.

In-N-Out Sauce Recipe

I’m convinced the sauce is what basically carries the entire In-N-Out menu.

Chick-Fil-A Chicken Sandwich Recipe

Copycat Chick Fil A Chicken Sandwich Recipe is crispy, juicy, and packed with flavor on a soft bun with pickles just like the original.

Olive Garden Salad

Olive Garden Salad Recipe filled with crisp lettuce, juicy tomatoes, crunchy croutons, and tossed in a creamy Italian dressing you’ll want on everything.

Bajio Queso Recipe

A local Mexican restaurant favorite called Bajio makes the best queso I’ve ever had, so of course I had to get in the kitchen and test until I nailed my own copycat version.

Cheesecake Factory Brown Bread Recipe

A hill I will die on: The best thing at Cheesecake Factory isn’t the cheesecake… it’s the brown bread.

Restaurant Desserts to Serve With These Copycat Recipes

When I’m going all in on a takeout-style dinner at home, I’m definitely not skipping dessert. It just makes the whole meal feel more fun and complete, and honestly, some of these are the best parts of the restaurant anyway.

These are a few of a reliable copycat desserts to finish things off: