Every Entrée at Applebee’s—Ranked!
It’s time to leave those days of panic ordering in the past. See, while Applebee’s calls itself your friendly neighborhood bar and grill, some menu items are far from friendly for your waistline. So the next time your Applebee’s server asks what you want, or you’re facing the full menu of options when you’re placing a takeout order, we’re here to help you decide exactly what to get—and what not to. That’s right, no more asking for a salad because you just assume it’s probably a healthy choice or choosing a dish that ends up being highly caloric and not even what you exactly were craving just because can’t decide.
Here is every Applebee’s entrée, ranked from the worst to the best option. And while you’re making healthier eating habits, be sure your kitchen is stocked with The 7 Healthiest Foods to Eat Right Now!
Quesadilla Burger
Part burger, part quesadilla, this creation piles high two slices of Pepper Jack cheese, Mexi-ranch sauce, crispy Applewood-smoked bacon, house-made pico de gallo, and shredded lettuce in a cheddar quesadilla. It’s no wonder it’s so high in calories, sodium, and fat. In fact, according to a study in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, even one high-fat meal can harm your liver because of its high saturated fat content.
The Prime Rib Dipper
Thinly sliced prime rib is topped with grilled onions and melted American cheese served on a toasted cheddar roll with a house-made herb mayo and French onion Au jus for dipping is what you’re getting here. Yes, sounds delicious, but the amount of sodium? Downright scary! The American Heart Association recommends most adults consume no more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium a day, so it’s easy to see why more than 4,000 milligrams is one sitting is a no-go.
Whisky Bacon Burger
Now, this is yet another huge burger. An all-beef patty is topped with two slices of Pepper Jack cheese, crispy onions, two strips of Applewood-smoked bacon, and a Fireball Whisky-infused steak sauce. It’s not only high in fat, but also is serving up two grams of heart-harming trans fat.
How so you may ask?
Well, trans fats raise your LDL, or “bad” cholesterol, and lowers HDL, or “good” cholesterol, and this can be trouble for your heart. Frequent trans fat consumption can trigger heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and other chronic conditions, according to Harvard Health.
Oriental Chicken Salad Wrap
The Oriental Chicken Salad is a fan favorite at Applebee’s, and the wrap version is just as tasty. But this entrée is coming in at nearly 1,900 calories, when most people eat 2,000 in one entire day. To help you best stay on course, be sure to only eat half at a time if you’re really in the mood and box the other half up.
Chicken Fajita Rollup
Oh, another wrap. While the Chicken Fajita Rollup has fewer calories than the Oriental Chicken Salad Wrap, it’s higher in fat and sodium.
Homestyle Chicken Bowl
Applebee’s addition of the Irresist-a-Bowls on menus at first glance seems like a healthy move. Upon closer examination, that isn’t necessarily the case, as seen with the Homestyle Chicken Bowl. This dish is made up of breaded pieces boneless chicken breast that are served over garlic mashed potatoes, garlicky green beans, Applewood-smoked bacon, and a blend of Cheddar cheeses, all smothered in gravy and topped with crispy onions. Talk about overload!
Oriental Chicken Salad
What could be wrong with a chicken salad? Apparently, a lot when it comes to the Applebee’s menu. We don’t know what’s bothering us the most about this meal—the quadruple-digit calories, the sodium, the fact that it’s packing more sugar than four Original Glazed Krispy Kreme donuts, and the 74 grams of fat.
Chicken Tenders Platter
We’re noticing a trend here. While we’re grilled chicken’s number one fan, we don’t feel the same way about the breaded variety. And it’s not hard to see why with a look at the 1,430 calories in this single chicken tenders entrée. If you’re really in the mood for some tenders and fries, be sure to order the plate size and not the platter, and remember to share!
Three-Cheese Chicken Penne
Three-cheese is a menu word you’re going to want to avoid when you can. Here, asiago, Parmesan, and white cheddar are mixed with penne in a rich Parmesan cream sauce, and topped with grilled chicken breast and bruschetta tomatoes. Oh, and it’s served with a breadstick.
Hand-Battered Fish & Chips
This dish comes so close to hitting 1,500 calories and is packing nearly a day and half’s worth of your recommended daily sodium. Hand-battered is just another food for fried, and there are much healthier ways to eat fish. A study in Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases found that those who consumed fried foods four times a week had an increased obesity risk. With the nutrition label on these fried fish, that doesn’t surprise us. If you’re smart, you’ll swim away!
Double Crunch Shrimp
While shrimp is typically a solid entrée choice, the double-crunch here is the reason this dish is so high in sodium. Remember, if you want to indulge, try to not eat this entire meal at one time.
Classic Broccoli Chicken Alfredo
The Classic Broccoli Chicken Alfredo is “a neighborhood favorite,” and it’s easy to see why. Grilled chicken is served warm on a bed of fettuccine pasta tossed with broccoli and rich Alfredo sauce topped with Parmesan cheese. Is your mouth watering yet? Well, it’s important to keep in mind Alfredo is one of the worst sauce options, as it’s often high in saturated fats, which have been linked to an increased risk of coronary heart disease, according to a 2017 study.
Four Cheese Mac & Cheese With Honey Pepper Chicken Tender
Mac and cheese is always a decadent choice, but hey, it is a beloved comfort food. The version you’re getting at Applebee’s though, is, well, rather excessive. Four-cheese penne mac and cheese is topped with Applewood-smoked bacon and crispy chicken tenders that are tossed in a honey pepper sauce. Yes, there is a whole lot going on. Besides packing as much sodium as you would get from 270 Lay’s potato chips, this dish also serves up as much sugar as you would get from 13 and a half Oreo Thins cookies.
Classic Blackened Shrimp Alfredo
The blackened shrimp version of the Alfredo pasta isn’t too much better than the chicken option…
Classic Bacon Cheeseburger
We know—bacon often makes everything better, and that includes burgers. Like all of the other burger options at Applebee’s, the Classic Bacon Cheeseburger is just large. If you can eat just half at a time, you’ll be much better off doing that! Seems to be a theme with the entrées, don’t you think?
Riblet Platter
The Riblets Platter is an Applebee’s original, featuring the chain’s famous slow-cooked riblets that are slathered in your choice of sauce. Anything that is described as a “platter” should be shared, as this is a far bigger portion than a person should be having in one sitting.
Classic Cheeseburger
A classic cheeseburger seems like a not-as-scary option compared to the other burgers offered up at Applebee’s. There is one that is better though…
Bacon Cheddar Grilled Chicken Sandwich
A grilled chicken sandwich is a step in the right direction! Here, the grilled chicken breast is topped with two strips of Applewood-smoked bacon, cheddar, a tangy house-made BBQ ranch sauce, lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickles. Perhaps you’re better off getting the sauce on the side and taking off some of the bacon to make this sandwich a bit healthier.
Classic Burger
Oh, the Classic Burger. When it comes to ordering at Applebee’s, you’re lucky to find something with less than a day’s worth of sodium, let alone a burger! So when you’re in the mood for one, stick to the classic option.
Fiesta Lime Chicken
The Fiesta Lime Chicken is said to be “a celebration of flavor,” as grilled chicken is glazed with a zesty lime sauce and drizzled with tangy Mexi-ranch and a blend of cheddar cheese. While there is far too much sodium here for our liking, if you share this entrée with someone, you can still enjoy it and not be as worrisome.
Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad
We’ve finally reached the entrées that are under 1,000 calories! Although seeing a salad pack this many calories is rather alarming. Keep in mind portion is key!
Blackened Shrimp Caesar Salad
If you’re in the mood for a Caesar salad, the blackened shrimp is a slightly better choice.
Bourbon Street Steak
This grilled 8 oz. Select top sirloin is jazzed up with Cajun spices and garlic butter, served with garlic mashed potatoes. It’s said to bring big flavor from New Orleans, and you don’t even have to travel anywhere.
Bourbon Street Chicken & Shrimp
Here, Cajun-seasoned chicken and blackened shrimp are served up in buttery garlic and parsley with sautéed mushrooms and onions.
Southwest Steak Bowl
The Southwest Steak Bowl is made up of chipotle lime sirloin steak, mixed greens, and cilantro rice that is topped with pico de gallo, black bean corn salsa, and guacamole. This is surely one hearty bowl!
Shrimp ‘n Parmesan Sirloin
A surf and turf fan? Here, a sirloin steak is topped with sautéed shrimp in a lemon butter Parmesan sauce, bringing together two classic proteins. While the 1.5 trans fat isn’t ideal, this is a lower calorie option on the menu, overall.
Southwest Chicken Bowl
An entrée option that features a bowl of mixed greens is a rarity at Applebee’s!
Tex-Mex Shrimp Bowl
And edging out the Southwest Chicken option is the Tex-Mex Shrimp Bowl.
6 Oz. Top Sirloin
If you’re in the mood for steak, go for the 6 oz top sirloin. While the sodium is a tad bit high, it’s under 1,000 milligrams, which is rare for Applebee’s!
Looking for more helpful tips? Your ultimate restaurant and supermarket survival guide is here!
Blackened Cajun Salmon
Want to try something besides steak or chicken? Allow the blackened salmon to be that happy medium. It’s a high-quality protein, serving up a solid source of omega-3 fatty acids.
Grilled Chicken Breast
When in doubt, there is nothing wrong with going for the grilled chicken. Low in fat and high in protein is always a solid combination! This nutrition breakdown is just for the meat, not including the two sides that come with the meal. But adding on the garlic mashed potatoes and steamed broccoli makes for a well-balanced, yet still hearty and filling option!
