I don't eat at chain restaurants, at least not if I can avoid it, but here's the thing. If you take their basic formulas, and make them with fresh, quality ingredients rather than making them a central kitchen to be reheated, you often get a really great recipe, and with a little care, you'll get something far better and probably far healthier than the original.
Here are 22 recipes to prove the point.
Wendy’s-Style Fine-Texture Chili
The key to this chili is the fine texture. You want to cook that ground beef down to dry and crumbly. Don't be afraid to add extra spice to cheapen.
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Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and brown the beef in two batches until it reaches 160°F.
- Drain excess fat, return all the beef to the pot and mash it into very small even crumbles with a potato masher.
- Add the onion and bell pepper and cook for 6 minutes until soft, then stir in the garlic for 30 seconds.
- Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, broth, chili powder, cumin, salt and black pepper and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Cook uncovered over low heat for 60 minutes, stirring and breaking up any larger beef pieces.
- Add the kidney and pinto beans and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes until the broth coats the spoon.
Panera-Style Broccoli Cheddar Soup
No bread bowl, no problem. A basic broccoli and cheddar soup is great on its own, and even better with some toasted country bread.
Ingredients
Method
- Melt the butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat and cook the onion and carrot for 6 minutes until soft.
- Sprinkle in the flour and stir for 2 minutes until the paste smells lightly nutty.
- Whisk in the broth gradually, then add the milk and simmer for 8 minutes until lightly thickened.
- Add the broccoli, salt, black pepper and nutmeg and cook for 10 to 12 minutes until the florets are tender but still green.
- Remove the pot from direct heat and add the cheddar a handful at a time, stirring until smooth.
- Return to low heat only if needed and warm to 165°F without boiling.
Panera-Style Creamy Tomato Soup
Creamy tomato soup should taste like a cream soup with tomato rather than a marinara with cream dumped in. You want a texture that's smooth, not rustic, and that's where the immersion blender comes in.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven and cook the onion and carrot over medium heat for 8 minutes until very soft.
- Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, broth, sugar, salt, baking soda and black pepper and simmer for 25 minutes.
- Blend the soup until completely smooth using an immersion blender.
- Stir in the cream and warm over low heat for 5 minutes without boiling.
- Check that the soup reaches 165°F and adjust the thickness with up to 1/2 cup additional broth.
Panera-Style Chicken Wild Rice Soup
Soup is a great way to use leftover chicken; just shred and go. This soup uses a roux base and wild rice, but feel free to substitute any whole grain you'd like.
Ingredients
Method
- Combine the wild-rice blend with 3 cups broth and simmer covered for 35 to 40 minutes until tender.
- Melt the butter in a Dutch oven and cook the onion, celery and carrot for 7 minutes until softened.
- Stir in the flour for 2 minutes, then whisk in the remaining broth and milk.
- Add the salt, thyme and black pepper and simmer for 8 minutes until lightly thickened.
- Fold in the cooked rice and chicken and simmer gently for 8 to 10 minutes.
- Heat the chicken to 165°F and thin with additional broth if the rice absorbs too much liquid.
Olive Garden-Style Zuppa Toscana
Zuppa toscana is all about contrast: sausage, greens, and creamy broth. Don't be shy with the browning of the sausage; you want to maximize the meaty flavor.
Ingredients
Method
- Brown the sausage in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat for 7 to 8 minutes until deeply colored and 160°F.
- Transfer the sausage to a plate, add the olive oil and cook the onion for 6 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and crushed red pepper for 30 seconds, then add the broth and potatoes.
- Simmer for 15 to 18 minutes until the potato slices bend and break easily.
- Return the sausage, add the kale and simmer for 5 minutes until the greens soften.
- Stir in the cream, salt and black pepper and warm to 165°F without a hard boil.
Olive Garden-Style Pasta e Fagioli
It's the "pasta fazool" Dean Martin was singing about. If you're anticipating leftovers, it's probably best to cook the pasta separately to prevent it from falling apart in the broth overnight.
Ingredients
Method
- Brown the ground beef in a Dutch oven until it reaches 160°F, then drain excess fat.
- Add the olive oil, onion, carrots and celery and cook for 7 minutes until softened.
- Stir in the garlic and oregano for 30 seconds.
- Add the tomatoes, broth, salt and black pepper and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Add both beans and the ditalini and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes until the pasta is tender.
- Rest for 5 minutes and thin with up to 1 cup hot broth if the pasta tightens the soup.
Olive Garden-Style Chicken Gnocchi Soup
Gnocchi work in a soup almost as well as they work with a little pesto. Keep the roux fairly light — the gnocchi thicken as they cook in the soup.
Ingredients
Method
- Season the chicken with half the salt and black pepper and sear it in half the olive oil for 5 to 6 minutes per side until 165°F.
- Rest and dice the chicken while the soup base cooks.
- Add the remaining oil, onion and carrot to the pot and cook for 6 minutes, then stir in the garlic and flour for 1 minute.
- Whisk in the broth and milk and simmer for 8 minutes until lightly thickened.
- Add the gnocchi, chicken and remaining salt and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes until the dumplings float.
- Fold in the spinach for 2 minutes and serve when the soup returns to 165°F.
Chick-fil-A-Style Chicken Noodle Soup
I hated canned chicken noodle as a kid, but I've come to love the fresh version when I want something ultra-simple. This recipe uses egg noodles, but I think bowties fit better on a spoon. It's up to you, though.
Ingredients
Method
- Combine the chicken, broth, onion, 1 celery rib, 1 carrot, garlic, salt and black pepper and bring to a gentle simmer.
- Cook partially covered for 35 to 40 minutes until the chicken reaches 165°F and pulls easily from the bone.
- Remove the chicken, strain the broth and discard the spent vegetables.
- Dice the remaining celery and carrots and simmer them in the strained broth with thyme for 10 minutes.
- Shred the chicken, add it with the egg noodles and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes until tender.
- Return the soup to 165°F and adjust the broth with up to 1 cup hot water if needed.
Chili’s-Style Chicken Enchilada Soup
An enchilada verges on soup anyway, so it's natural that the same ingredients work great here. If you just need to use up some leftover chicken, jarred enchilada sauce is fine, but it's worth trying a DIY version; it takes all of 15 minutes to prepare.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the oil in a Dutch oven and cook the onion for 6 minutes until soft, then add the garlic for 30 seconds.
- Whisk 1 cup broth and the masa harina in a bowl until smooth.
- Add the remaining broth, enchilada sauce, cumin and salt to the pot and bring to a simmer.
- Whisk in the masa mixture and simmer for 10 minutes until thickened.
- Add the chicken and warm it to 165°F.
- Remove from direct heat and stir in both cheeses a handful at a time until smooth.
Chili’s-Style Loaded Baked Potato Soup
Think of this as a potato soup, plus the fixings. A mix of mashed and chunky potato gives this a nice balance of textures.
Ingredients
Method
- Bake the potatoes at 425°F for 50 to 60 minutes until tender, cool slightly and scoop out the flesh.
- Cook the bacon until crisp and at least 145°F, rest it for 3 minutes and crumble it.
- Melt the butter in a Dutch oven and cook the onion for 6 minutes, then stir in the flour for 2 minutes.
- Whisk in the broth and milk and simmer for 8 minutes.
- Mash half the potato flesh into the broth, fold in the remaining chunks, sour cream, salt and black pepper, and warm to 165°F.
- Serve with cheddar, bacon and scallions divided among the bowls.
Applebee’s-Style French Onion Soup
French onion might be my favorite soup, and if you really want that restaurant style, broiling the cheese topping is critical. If you don't have any dry sherry lying around, white wine works fine as well.
Ingredients
Method
- Melt the butter with olive oil in a Dutch oven and add the onions, salt and sugar.
- Cook over medium-low heat for 45 to 55 minutes, stirring often, until the onions are deep brown and jammy.
- Add the sherry and scrape the pot for 2 minutes until nearly dry.
- Add the broth, Worcestershire and thyme and simmer for 20 minutes, then heat to 165°F.
- Toast the baguette slices until dry and set one over each oven-safe bowl of soup.
- Top with provolone and broil for 2 to 3 minutes until browned and bubbling.
Applebee’s-Style Chicken Tortilla Soup
Tortilla soup might be my favorite way to use up leftover chicken. The slow transformation of the tortilla chips from crispy to mushy is impossibly satisfying.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven and cook the onion for 6 minutes, then stir in the garlic for 30 seconds.
- Add the tomatoes, broth, chili powder, cumin and salt and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Add the chicken, black beans and corn and cook for 8 minutes until the chicken reaches 165°F.
- Remove the pot from direct heat and stir in the cheddar until melted.
- Rest for 3 minutes and adjust the thickness with up to 1 cup broth.
- Divide among bowls and top each with crisp tortilla strips just before serving.
McAlister’s-Style Country Potato Soup
I can't say I've ever eaten at McAlister's, but this is a solid recipe for a simple potato soup. I'd use a light hand with the cheddar. You can always add more later.
Ingredients
Method
- Cook the bacon until crisp and at least 145°F, rest it for 3 minutes and crumble it.
- Melt the butter in a Dutch oven and cook the onion and celery for 7 minutes.
- Add the potatoes, broth, salt and black pepper and simmer for 18 to 20 minutes until tender.
- Blend about one third of the soup with an immersion blender, leaving many potato cubes intact.
- Stir in the milk and warm to 165°F without boiling.
- Serve with cheddar and crumbled bacon divided among the bowls.
Outback-Style Creamy Onion Soup
This isn't French onion, so think of it as a cheese soup that goes heavy on the onions. You want golden here, not fully caramelized, which would almost certainly be too rich.
Ingredients
Method
- Melt the butter in a Dutch oven over medium-low heat and add the onions and salt.
- Cook for 20 to 25 minutes until very soft and pale gold without deep browning.
- Stir in the flour for 2 minutes, then whisk in the broth and milk.
- Add the black pepper and nutmeg and simmer for 10 minutes until lightly thickened.
- Blend one quarter of the soup to smooth the base while leaving onion strands visible.
- Remove from direct heat, stir in the cheddar and warm gently to 165°F.
Carrabba’s-Style Sausage Lentil Soup
This is a lentil soup with tomatoes added, not the other way around. Be sure to also add the sausage late to preserve the texture and flavor.
Ingredients
Method
- Brown the sausage in a Dutch oven for 7 minutes until 160°F, then transfer it to a plate and drain excess fat.
- Add the olive oil, onion, carrots and celery and cook for 7 minutes.
- Stir in the garlic and oregano for 30 seconds.
- Add the lentils, broth, salt and black pepper and simmer for 25 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes and sausage and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes until the lentils are tender.
- Heat to 165°F and thin with broth if the lentils absorb too much liquid.
Cheesecake Factory-Style Creamy Tortilla Soup
I can't say I see the point of adding cream to tortilla soup, but if you're so inclined, this is your recipe. You'll probably want to go heavier on the spices to balance out the cream.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven and cook the onion for 6 minutes, then add the garlic for 30 seconds.
- Add the crushed tomatoes, broth, chili powder, cumin and salt and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Blend the base until smooth with an immersion blender.
- Add the chicken, black beans and corn and simmer for 8 minutes until the chicken reaches 165°F.
- Stir in the cream and warm gently for 3 minutes without boiling.
- Serve with tortilla strips and diced avocado added to each bowl.
Cracker Barrel-Style Country Vegetable Soup
The point of a country vegetable soup is to keep it rustic. To that end, whatever vegetables you have fresh and in season are going to be the best choices, so go ahead and customize.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven and cook the onion, carrots and celery for 7 minutes.
- Add the cabbage and cook for 5 minutes until it begins to soften.
- Add the potatoes, tomatoes, broth, salt, black pepper and thyme and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Add the green beans and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add the corn and cook for 5 minutes until all vegetables are tender.
- Bring the soup to 165°F and rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Denny’s-Style Beef Barley Soup
With beef and barley soup, timing can be a little tricky, but about 40 minutes is typically the sweet spot. You want just the slightest bit of breakdown to thicken the soup a tad.
Ingredients
Method
- Season the beef with salt and black pepper and brown it in oil in two batches for 6 to 8 minutes.
- Add the onion, carrots and celery and cook for 7 minutes.
- Add the broth, tomatoes, Worcestershire and thyme and simmer covered for 45 minutes.
- Stir in the barley and simmer partially covered for 35 to 40 minutes.
- Cook until the beef is fork-tender near 195°F and the barley is soft but shaped.
- Rest for 10 minutes and thin with up to 1 cup broth before serving.
Ruby Tuesday-Style White Chicken Chili
A lot of white chicken chili is dependent on dairy, but that can get real heavy real fast. This recipe uses a bit of sour cream, but mostly relies on mashed cannellini beans for creaminess.
Ingredients
Method
- Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven and cook the onion for 6 minutes, then add the garlic for 30 seconds.
- Mash one can of beans with 1 cup broth until mostly smooth.
- Add the mashed beans, remaining broth, whole beans, green chiles, cumin, oregano and salt and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Add the chicken and corn and cook for 8 minutes until the chicken reaches 165°F.
- Remove from direct heat and stir in the sour cream until smooth.
- Add the lime juice and rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Jason’s Deli-Style Chicken Pot Pie Soup
A chicken pot pie is basically a soup in a pie crust, so this deconstructs the concept. While I normally hesitate to recommend any pre-made doughs, homemade puff pastry really isn't worth the Herculean effort.
Ingredients
Method
- Cut the puff pastry into eight squares, brush with beaten egg and bake at 400°F for 15 minutes until deeply puffed and 160°F inside.
- Melt the butter in a Dutch oven and cook the onion, carrots and celery for 7 minutes.
- Stir in the flour for 2 minutes, then whisk in the broth and milk.
- Add the salt and black pepper and simmer for 12 minutes until the broth coats a spoon.
- Add the chicken and peas and cook for 6 minutes until the chicken reaches 165°F.
- Divide the soup among bowls and set one pastry square on each just before serving.
Steak ‘n Shake-Style Chili Mac
This isn't really chili and mac and cheese combined, as the name might suggest. Think of it more as a Cincinnati-style chili, right down to the cinnamon and cocoa powder.
Ingredients
Method
- Brown the ground beef in a Dutch oven until 160°F, drain excess fat and mash it into fine crumbles.
- Add the onion and cook for 6 minutes, then stir in the garlic for 30 seconds.
- Add the tomato sauce, broth, chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, cocoa and salt and simmer for 45 minutes.
- Add the kidney beans and simmer for 15 minutes until thick but spoonable.
- Cook the spaghetti separately until tender and drain it well.
- Divide the spaghetti among bowls, spoon chili over it and top with cheddar.
