14 Copycat Restaurant Favorites to Make at Home

Skip the takeout line — these copycat restaurant favorites nail the flavors you love at home. Fan-favorite dishes, secret-sauce vibes, and serious savings on every plate.

Below you’ll find 14 reader-favorite recipes, each with a photo, ingredients, and step-by-step instructions. Save your favorites and enjoy!

1. Orange Chicken (Takeout Style)

Crispy chicken in glossy, tangy orange sauce.

Ingredients

• 1 lb chicken breast, cubed
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tbsp vinegar
• 1 tsp ginger

Instructions

1. Toss chicken in cornstarch, then egg, then cornstarch again.
2. Fry at 350°F until golden; drain.
3. Simmer orange juice, soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, and ginger 5 minutes.
4. Toss chicken in the sauce.
5. Serve over rice with sesame seeds.

2. Creamy Chicken Alfredo

Silky, garlicky Alfredo with juicy chicken.

Ingredients

• 1 lb fettuccine
• 2 chicken breasts, sliced
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup Parmesan
• 4 tbsp butter
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 2 tbsp parsley

Instructions

1. Cook fettuccine; reserve pasta water.
2. Sear chicken slices; set aside.
3. Melt butter; sauté garlic.
4. Add cream and Parmesan; simmer until thick.
5. Toss with pasta, chicken, and parsley.

3. Double Smash Burger with Special Sauce

Crispy smash patties with tangy secret sauce.

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef
• 4 burger buns
• 4 cheese slices
• 1 cup shredded lettuce
• 1 tomato, sliced
• 1/2 cup special sauce
• 1 onion, diced
• pickles

Instructions

1. Mix mayo, ketchup, relish, and mustard for special sauce.
2. Smash beef balls flat on a hot griddle.
3. Cook 2 minutes per side; top with cheese.
4. Toast buns.
5. Assemble with sauce, lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickles.

4. Shrimp Scampi Linguine

Buttery garlic shrimp over silky linguine.

Ingredients

• 1 lb large shrimp
• 1/2 cup butter
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup parsley
• 1 lb linguine

Instructions

1. Cook linguine; reserve pasta water.
2. Sauté garlic and pepper flakes in butter.
3. Add shrimp; cook 3 minutes.
4. Deglaze with wine and lemon juice.
5. Toss with pasta and parsley.

5. Honey Hot Crispy Chicken Sandwich

Crunchy chicken with sweet-heat honey glaze.

Ingredients

• 2 chicken breasts
• 1 cup flour
• 1 tsp paprika
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/4 cup hot sauce
• 2 tbsp butter

Instructions

1. Dredge chicken in flour, egg, breadcrumbs.
2. Fry at 350°F for 6 minutes until golden.
3. Simmer honey, hot sauce, and butter 2 minutes.
4. Brush chicken with the glaze.
5. Serve on brioche buns with pickles.

6. Creamy Tuscan Sausage Pasta

Sun-dried tomatoes and spinach in rich cream sauce.

Ingredients

• 1 lb penne
• 1 lb Italian sausage
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup sun-dried tomatoes
• 1 cup spinach
• 1 cup Parmesan
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning

Instructions

1. Brown sausage; add garlic.
2. Add cream, sun-dried tomatoes, and seasoning.
3. Simmer 5 minutes.
4. Stir in spinach and Parmesan.
5. Toss with cooked penne.

7. Honey Mustard Chicken Tenders

Extra-crispy tenders with honey-mustard BBQ dip.

Ingredients

• 1 lb chicken tenders
• 1 cup flour
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups crushed cornflakes
• 1/2 cup honey mustard
• 1/4 cup BBQ sauce
• 1 tsp paprika
• oil for frying

Instructions

1. Dredge tenders in flour, egg, cornflakes.
2. Fry at 350°F for 5 minutes.
3. Mix honey mustard and BBQ sauce.
4. Drain tenders on a rack.
5. Serve with the dipping sauce.

8. BBQ Chicken Pizza

Smoky-sweet BBQ chicken pizza with red onion.

Ingredients

• 1 pizza dough
• 1/2 cup BBQ sauce
• 2 cups shredded chicken
• 2 cups mozzarella
• 1/2 red onion, sliced
• 1/4 cup cilantro
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp smoked paprika

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 475°F with a pizza stone.
2. Stretch dough; brush with olive oil.
3. Spread BBQ sauce; top with chicken, mozzarella, and onion.
4. Bake 12-14 minutes.
5. Garnish with cilantro.

9. Miso Glazed Salmon

Caramelized miso glaze on buttery salmon.

Ingredients

• 1 lb salmon fillets
• 1/4 cup miso paste
• 2 tbsp mirin
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp ginger, grated
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Whisk miso, mirin, sugar, soy, ginger, and sesame oil.
2. Marinate salmon 20 minutes.
3. Broil 8-10 minutes until caramelized.
4. Brush with extra glaze.
5. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

10. Crab Rangoon

Crispy wontons with creamy crab filling.

Ingredients

• 8 oz cream cheese
• 1 cup crab meat
• 1/4 cup green onions
• 1 tsp Worcestershire
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 24 wonton wrappers
• oil for frying
• sweet chili sauce

Instructions

1. Mix cream cheese, crab, green onions, Worcestershire, and garlic powder.
2. Fill wonton wrappers; seal edges with water.
3. Fry at 350°F for 2-3 minutes until golden.
4. Drain on paper towels.
5. Serve with sweet chili sauce.

11. Sizzling Chicken Fajitas

Smoky, sizzling fajitas with all the fixings.

Ingredients

• 1 lb chicken breast, sliced
• 2 bell peppers, sliced
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1/4 cup fajita seasoning
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 8 flour tortillas
• 1 lime, cut in wedges
• sour cream to serve

Instructions

1. Toss chicken and veggies with fajita seasoning and oil.
2. Sear in a screaming-hot skillet 8 minutes.
3. Warm tortillas.
4. Serve sizzling with lime wedges.
5. Add sour cream, cheese, and guac.

12. Buttery Garlic Parmesan Pasta

Simple, rich, and dangerously slurpable.

Ingredients

• 1 lb spaghetti
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup Parmesan
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 cup parsley
• 1 lemon, zested
• pasta water as needed

Instructions

1. Cook spaghetti; reserve 1 cup pasta water.
2. Melt butter; sauté garlic 1 minute.
3. Add pasta, Parmesan, and pepper.
4. Toss with pasta water until glossy.
5. Top with parsley and lemon zest.

13. Chicken Parmesan

Crispy, cheesy, saucy — the Italian-American icon.

Ingredients

• 4 chicken breasts
• 1 cup flour
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 1/2 cups panko
• 1/2 cup Parmesan
• 1 cup marinara
• 1 cup mozzarella
• 2 tbsp basil

Instructions

1. Dredge chicken in flour, egg, panko mixed with Parmesan.
2. Fry 4 minutes per side until golden.
3. Top with marinara and mozzarella.
4. Bake at 425°F for 10 minutes.
5. Garnish with basil; serve over pasta.

14. Teriyaki Turkey Rice Bowls

Sweet-savory teriyaki bowls with juicy pineapple.

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
• 1 cup pineapple chunks
• 2 cups cooked rice
• 1/4 cup green onions
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp ginger
• sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Brown turkey in sesame oil with ginger.
2. Add teriyaki sauce and pineapple; simmer 5 minutes.
3. Serve over rice.
4. Top with green onions.
5. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.