What is your favourite copycat recipe

K

KristinCB

Sweet Shoppe Designer
Do you have recipes you use at home that are inspired by restaurants/store brands? (or just a favourite recipe)

We have no restaurants where I live really so we don't often eat out but there are a couple recipes I like using at home


PF Changs Lettuce Wraps:
https://damndelicious.net/2014/05/30/pf-changs-chicken-lettuce-wraps/

(everything i've made on her site is good - highly recommend)

I also recently started making these as a way to save because they are my go to snack but getting expensive up here.

Made Good Banana Bites.

I wouldn't say this is exact but i've been modifying it and adjusting each time I make them. I don't use as much cacao powder, it's too much I thnk

https://daniellebinns.com/2016/10/made-good-granola-minis-recipe/

If anyone has a tried and true recipe for chipotle's cilantro rice please share! A chipotle opened up 3 hours from here in Canada and I was looking forward to trying it when we go to the city but the reviews are HORRENDOUS and it doesn't sound as if i'll be stepping foot in there at all (they aren't very clean from the sounds of it)

And because why not if you share a recipe I'll pick a random winner for $10 to my store between now and tomorrow at 11:59pm EST

CONGRATS: to romajo

but please feel free to keep sharing!!
 
Wow! Someone's going to win a great prize from you! :wub: I'm looking forward to the responses/recipes that come along. :) Closet copycat thing I can think of (right now) that I do is the KFC bowl: mashed potatoes, corn, chicken nuggets (or some sort of chicken), cheese and gravy.
 
Kristin, you have powdered greens for those banana bites? I've never heard of that. lol
 
For the chipotle rice

I just cook my long grain rice in the instant pot. 3 minutes, 2 cups of rice to 2 1/2 cups of water. Rinse rice well before cooking.

Then once done I squeeze the juice of one lime and add a big handful of chopped cilantro.

Pretty darn close.
 
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So fun! One thing that we did as a family during covid times that has stuck is find our favorite things at restaurants to copy at home.

I actually have a slightly different recipe for the PF Changs copycat lettuce wraps- I make it at least once a month & they are SO good!
https://ohsweetbasil.com/asian-lettuce-wraps-by-jennifer/#recipe

Both of these are family favorite too!-
Disneyland Churros & Corn dogs!
https://picky-palate.com/churros-recipe-from-disney-parks-churro-bites/
https://picky-palate.com/disneyland-corn-dog-recipe/
 
My fav copycat recipe is for Cafe Rio's shredded chicken. I had this on a trip to Utah. It was so, so good I went there for lunch every single day of my trip. It's easy and so delish on top of a salad or in a wrap or just out of the crockpot.

https://todayscreativelife.com/cafe-rio-recipe/
Copy-Cat-Cafe-Rio-Chicken-Recipe.jpg


I need to check out those PF Chang's lettuce wraps!
 
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My favorite copycat recipe is for the corn chowder from Storytellers at DCA. I don't have a link, but here's the recipe. SO yummy!

Storytellers Cafe Corn Chowder Soup
Storyteller’s Cafe – Disney’s Grand Californian Hotel and Spa
Ingredients
4 ears fresh corn, unshucked
4 slices bacon, divided
1 tablespoon diced onion
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1 Yukon Gold potato, peeled and diced
4 cups chicken stock
6 tablespoons butter
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup pulled chicken meat
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Hot sauce, to taste
2 teaspoons chopped cilantro, for garnish
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. To roast the corn, put whole ears in their husks into preheated oven for 25 minutes. Cool briefly, then peel back the husks and cut kernels off the cobs. Set aside.
3. Dice 2 slices of bacon; saute. Drain all but 1 tablespoon of the fat and add onion and garlic to the pan and saute until transparent but not brown. Add the roasted corn, potato, and chicken stock. Bring to a simmer.
4. Meanwhile, melt butter over medium heat in a separate saute pan. Add flour, mixing with a wire whisk until smooth. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring until mixture begins to loosen slightly. Let cool.
5. Add the cooled butter/flour mixture to the simmering broth, mixing with a whisk. Stir often to keep from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Simmer 30 to 40 minutes.
6. Add the cream and pulled chicken meat and simmer for another 10 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, cook the remaining bacon until crisp. Drain and chop bacon into small pieces; set aside.
8. Add salt, pepper, and hot sauce to taste. Ladle into bowls and top with garnish of bacon and cilantro.
Serves 4 to 6.
 
I see someone already shared a Cafe Rio recipe. I can't get Cafe Rio or Costa Vida out here in Ohio and I miss it so much. It's going to be the first place I go when I return to Utah this summer.

Their sweet pork is my favorite on their menu. If you don't like it super sweet you can cut out a bit of the brown sugar. This will go so well with the cilantro rice once you find the recipe! :)

https://www.favfamilyrecipes.com/cafe-rio-sweet-pork/
 
I am just hungry reading this thread, and it's not even 10am on a Monday morning yet :p
 
I love chik-fil-a's frosted lemonade. This is a pretty close copy! CFA has a berry version right now. I'm going to try making this with cherry ice cream and see how close that comes out.

4 cups vanilla ice cream
12 ounces frozen lemonade concentrate
1 teaspoon lemon zest
Blend until smooth! Makes 4 cups.
 
I just clicked the link for the PFChang Lettuce Wraps. These look so good! Thanks for sharing
 
When we were on vacation on Crete (21 years ago) we ate at 1 restaurant almost every night. One of the side dishes was the most delicious garlicy mashed potatoes.
I just looked for a recipe (I have never tried to make it) for Skordalia as it is called and came across this one. I might try to make it myself one day...
 
Thanks for sharing recipes everyone!! The random winner is romajo - I'll PM you with your coupon soon!
 
I'm a coffee fiend, so my absolute favorite, favorite copycat is this starbucks mocha sauce copycat...

https://lifestyleofafoodie.com/starbucks-mocha-sauce/

All of the premade ones are not right, too sweet, not the same flavor profile... this recipe is pretty spot on for that starbucks flavor at home. Haven't been to starbucks once since getting my espresso machine and finding this recipe. It's easy and awesome!
 
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