Applebee’s Bourbon Street Chicken and Shrimp Copycat Recipe
This copycat Applebee’s Bourbon Street Chicken and Shrimp recipe brings the restaurant’s smoky, slightly spicy skillet dinner straight to your weeknight table. It’s the kind of meal that looks like you put in a lot of effort but actually comes together in about 30 minutes.
The Cajun-seasoned chicken and shrimp sit in a buttery, garlicky pan sauce that gets a little kick from cayenne and a touch of sweetness from the bourbon glaze. Once you’ve made it once, you’ll have it in regular rotation.
Why I Love This Recipe
The combination of chicken thighs and shrimp means you get two different textures in one pan. The thighs stay juicy even with high heat, and the shrimp pick up the char from the cast iron in about 2 minutes.
The sauce is what makes this worth repeating. It’s salty and buttery with a low burn from the cayenne, and it clings to everything without being heavy.
It’s also genuinely flexible. Swap the protein, dial the heat up or down, and the core recipe still works.
Recipe Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs – Thighs stay juicier than breasts at high heat; cut each one in half so they cook evenly
- 12 oz large shrimp, peeled and deveined – 21/25 count works well; pat them dry so they sear instead of steam
- 2 tbsp Cajun seasoning – Store-bought is fine; check the salt level before adding extra
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter – Divided; forms the base of the pan sauce
- 4 cloves garlic, minced – Fresh, not jarred, for the best flavor here
- 3 tbsp bourbon – Use a mid-range bourbon you’d actually drink; cheap bourbon turns bitter in a sauce
- 2 tbsp soy sauce – Adds depth and salt to the glaze
- 1 tbsp brown sugar – Balances the heat and helps the glaze stick
- 1 tsp smoked paprika – Gives the sauce a subtle smokiness
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper – Start here and add more at the end if you want more heat
- 1 tbsp olive oil – For searing the chicken
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped – For garnish; brightens the finished plate visually
- Lemon wedges, for serving – A squeeze at the table cuts through the richness
Variations / Substitutions
- Chicken breasts instead of thighs – They work fine; just pound them to an even thickness and pull them at 165°F (74°C) internal temp or they’ll dry out.
- Scallops instead of shrimp – Pat them completely dry and sear 2 minutes per side; the Cajun glaze coats them beautifully.
- Apple juice instead of bourbon – The sauce loses its depth but stays sweet and tangy; a good option if you’re cooking for kids.
- Smoked sausage as a third protein – Slice it into coins and brown them in the pan first; it’s a nod to the Applebee’s mixed skillet version.
- Coconut aminos instead of soy sauce – Works well for a gluten-free version and adds a very slight sweetness.
- Extra cayenne or hot sauce – Add up to 1 tsp cayenne total or a few dashes of hot sauce at the end if you want real heat.
If you liked this skillet, the Applebee’s Honey Pepper Chicken and Shrimp Copycat Recipe follows a very similar process and is worth trying next.
How To Make Bourbon Street Chicken and Shrimp
Step 1: Season the Chicken and Shrimp
Put your chicken thigh pieces and the 12 oz shrimp into separate bowls. Sprinkle 1 tbsp of the Cajun seasoning over the chicken and the remaining 1 tbsp over the shrimp, tossing each one to coat. Let them sit at room temperature for 10 minutes while you get the rest of your ingredients together.
This short rest isn’t fussy kitchen behavior. It lets the seasoning start to penetrate and takes the chill off the chicken, which means better contact with the hot pan and a proper sear instead of a steam.
Step 2: Sear the Chicken
Heat a large cast iron skillet or heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Add the 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp of the butter and let it get shimmery and hot, about 1 minute. Lay the chicken pieces in a single layer and cook for 5 to 6 minutes per side, until they reach an internal temp of 165°F (74°C) and the outside has a deep brown crust.
Don’t move them around. Resist it. A good sear only happens when the meat sits still long enough to release on its own. If it sticks, it’s not ready to flip yet.
Transfer the chicken to a plate and tent it loosely with foil. You’re going to add it back in a later step, so don’t rinse the pan. Those browned bits on the bottom are flavor.
Step 3: Cook the Shrimp
With the pan still over medium-high heat, add another 1 tbsp of butter. Once it foams, add the seasoned shrimp in a single layer. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes per side, just until they turn pink and curl into a loose C shape. If they curl tight into an O, they’ve gone a little too far.
Remove the shrimp to the same plate as the chicken. This goes fast, so stay close.
Step 4: Build the Bourbon Glaze
Turn the heat down to medium. Add the remaining 1 tbsp butter to the pan and let it melt into the drippings. Add the 4 cloves minced garlic and stir for about 30 seconds until it smells fragrant and turns just barely golden. Pour in the 3 tbsp bourbon carefully as it may sputter, then add the 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tsp smoked paprika, and 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper.
Stir everything together and let the sauce bubble and reduce for 2 to 3 minutes over medium heat, until it thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon. You want it glossy and sticky, not watery.
Step 5: Glaze and Plate the Proteins
Add the chicken back into the pan first, turning each piece to coat it in the glaze. Then nestle the shrimp in around the chicken. Let everything warm through together for 1 to 2 minutes over medium-low heat, just enough to bring it all up to temperature without overcooking the shrimp.
Slide the chicken and shrimp onto a warm serving plate or serve straight from the skillet. Scatter the 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley over the top and set a few lemon wedges alongside. The glaze will be shiny and dark against the orange-tinted shrimp and golden chicken.
Recipe Tips
- Dry your shrimp thoroughly. Any moisture on the surface will steam them instead of searing them, and you’ll lose the caramelized edge that makes this dish.
- Check your Cajun seasoning for salt content before you start. Some brands are heavily salted. If yours is, cut the soy sauce to 1 tbsp and taste the glaze before adding more.
- Don’t skip deglazing the pan for the sauce. Those browned bits stuck to the bottom after searing dissolve into the bourbon and give the glaze its depth.
- Rest the chicken under foil while you cook the shrimp. It stays warm and finishes any residual cooking, so it’s juicy when it goes back in the pan.
Cook times by protein thickness:
| Protein | Thickness / Size | Cook Time Per Side |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken thigh pieces | 3/4 to 1 inch | 5 to 6 min |
| Large shrimp (21/25) | Standard | 1 to 2 min |
| Scallops (if subbing) | 3/4 inch | 2 min |
How To Store
- Refrigerate – Store the chicken, shrimp, and any extra sauce together in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Keep the lemon wedges and fresh parsley separate.
- Reheating – Warm in a skillet over medium-low heat for 3 to 4 minutes, adding a splash of water or chicken broth to loosen the glaze. The microwave works in a pinch but tends to overcook the shrimp.
What To Serve With Bourbon Street Chicken and Shrimp
Steamed white rice or dirty rice is the most natural base here because the sticky glaze soaks into the grains and nothing goes to waste. Roasted or sautéed green beans work well as a side since their slight bitterness cuts through the richness of the butter sauce. Cornbread alongside this also makes sense: the sweetness in the bread echoes the brown sugar in the glaze without competing with it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this recipe without alcohol?
Yes. Replace the 3 tbsp bourbon with 2 tbsp apple juice plus 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce. You lose some complexity but the glaze still reduces and sticks.
Can I use frozen shrimp?
Frozen shrimp is fine as long as you thaw them fully and pat them completely dry before seasoning. Any residual water will prevent them from searing properly.
Can I double this recipe for a crowd?
Yes, but cook the proteins in batches rather than crowding the pan. Overcrowding drops the pan temperature and you’ll end up steaming instead of searing.
How spicy is this compared to the restaurant version?
At 1/2 tsp cayenne it’s a mild to medium heat, roughly in line with the Applebee’s version. Add up to 1 tsp total if you want it noticeably spicy.
—
Ingredients
Method
- Toss the chicken thigh pieces with 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning and the shrimp with the remaining 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning in separate bowls. Rest at room temperature for 10 minutes.
- Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the 1 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter. Sear the chicken 5 to 6 minutes per side until it reaches 165°F (74°C) with a deep brown crust. Transfer to a plate and tent with foil.
- Add 1 tbsp butter to the same pan. Cook the shrimp 1 to 2 minutes per side over medium-high heat until pink and curled into a C shape. Remove to the plate with the chicken.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 tbsp butter and cook the 4 cloves minced garlic for 30 seconds. Pour in the 3 tbsp bourbon, then add the 2 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tsp smoked paprika, and 1/2 tsp cayenne. Simmer 2 to 3 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
- Return the chicken to the pan, turning each piece in the glaze. Add the shrimp back in and warm everything over medium-low heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a serving plate or serve from the skillet, scatter over the 2 tbsp parsley, and add lemon wedges alongside.
