Applebee's has eight salads, from a $4.99 House Side Salad at 160 calories to the $15.49 Quesadilla Chicken Salad at 1,400. The one to know about is the Oriental Chicken Salad: 1,560 calories with crispy chicken, 900 grilled. Same salad, 660 calories apart. The highest-protein salad is the Grilled Chicken Caesar, with 57g.
Applebee's Salad Prices and Calories
| Salad | Price | Calories | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| House Side Salad | $4.99 | 160 | With fat free Italian; the only vegan item in our data |
| Grilled Oriental Chicken Salad | $14.99 | 900 | 660 calories lighter than crispy |
| Strawberry Balsamic Chicken Salad | $14.49 | 900 | Grilled chicken, strawberries, almonds |
| California Grilled Chicken Salad | $14.99 | 920 | On the 2 for $25 |
| Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad | $13.49 | 950 | 57g protein; contains fish |
| Crispy Chicken Tender Salad | $14.49 | 1,220 | Breaded tenders |
| Quesadilla Chicken Salad | $15.49 | 1,400 | Served with quesadilla wedges |
| Oriental Chicken Salad (crispy) | $14.99 | 1,560 | 45g sugar; contains tree nuts |
Prices are reference figures, and franchisees set their own.
Salads Aren't the Light Option at Applebee's
Saying "I'll just get a salad" tells you almost nothing here. The crispy Oriental Chicken Salad, at 1,560 calories, is heavier than every steak on the menu and four of the six burgers. It has 105g of fat and 45g of sugar, 11g more sugar than the Brownie Bite dessert.
Then order it grilled. The Grilled Oriental Chicken Salad is 900 calories, costs the same $14.99, and keeps the greens, the noodles and the almonds. That single word, grilled instead of crispy, is the biggest calorie cut you can make on one dish anywhere on the menu.
The other light salads cluster at 900 to 950 calories: Strawberry Balsamic, California Grilled and the Grilled Chicken Caesar. Pick on taste. If you want the most protein, the Caesar has 57g.
Every Applebee's Salad
Oriental Chicken Salad
Applebee's signature salad, which plenty of people call a Chinese or Asian chicken salad. Crispy chicken over greens and cabbage with crunchy noodles and almonds in Oriental vinaigrette. The cabbage is why it survives the dressing: it stays crunchy after lettuce would go limp.
- Crispy: $14.99 · 1,560 calories · 40g protein · 45g sugar · 1,650mg sodium · contains wheat, soy and tree nuts
The almonds are mixed through, so with a nut allergy, skip this salad instead of asking for it without nuts.
Grilled Oriental Chicken Salad
The same salad with grilled chicken. It's its own menu item, not a special request, and at 900 calories it's the order to make if you like the Oriental but not the numbers.
- $14.99 · 900 calories
Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad
Romaine, Caesar dressing, grilled chicken, croutons and Parmesan. The highest-protein salad at 57g, and the cheapest entrée salad at $13.49. The catch most people miss: it flags fish, from the Caesar dressing. That also means it isn't vegetarian without the chicken.
- $13.49 · 950 calories · 57g protein · 2,200mg sodium · contains milk, eggs, wheat and fish
California Grilled Chicken Salad
Grilled chicken with avocado cucumber salsa, tomatoes, bacon and Parmesan. It was added to the 2 for $25 in 2026 and it's the lightest entrée on that deal.
- $14.99 · 920 calories
Strawberry Balsamic Chicken Salad
Greens with grilled chicken, strawberries, tomatoes, red onion and almonds, finished with balsamic. Tied with the Grilled Oriental as the lightest entrée salad.
- $14.49 · 900 calories
Crispy Chicken Tender Salad
Mixed greens with crispy chicken tenders, cheese and tomatoes. It's a simpler build than the Oriental, with no noodles or almonds.
- $14.49 · 1,220 calories
Quesadilla Chicken Salad
A Tex-Mex salad with crispy chicken, corn, black beans, pico de gallo, tortilla strips and Mexi-ranch, served with warm cheese quesadilla wedges. It's the most expensive salad and the second heaviest.
- $15.49 · 1,400 calories
House Side Salad
Mixed greens with cucumber and tomato. With fat free Italian dressing it's 160 calories, 610mg of sodium and the only item in our data tagged vegan. As a starter, it's 700 to 1,000 calories lighter than a fried appetizer.
- $4.99 · 160 calories · 6g protein
Salads on the 2 for $25
Three connections, and the third is the useful one.
The Oriental Chicken Salad and the California Grilled Chicken Salad are both entrée choices on the 2 for $25. And you can swap the shared appetizer for two side salads at the same price. When both entrées already clear 1,000 calories, trading a fried starter for two House Side Salads changes the meal more than anything else you can do. See the 2 for $25.
How to Cut the Calories in an Applebee's Salad
- Grilled instead of crispy. 660 calories off the Oriental Chicken Salad. Nothing else comes close.
- Dressing on the side. You'll use less than the kitchen pours.
- Skip the crunchy toppings. Noodles, croutons and tortilla strips add up.
- A House Side Salad instead of an appetizer. 160 calories against 590 to 2,200.
Taking the cheese off barely moves the number. It changes the taste more than the calories.
Allergens
The Grilled Chicken Caesar contains fish, milk, eggs and wheat. The crispy Oriental Chicken Salad contains tree nuts, wheat and soy. The House Side Salad with fat free Italian carries none of the major allergens we track. We don't have allergen data for the other five salads, so ask the kitchen. The allergen menu has everything we track.
Salads To Go
Get the dressing on the side, every time. A dressed salad wilts in the bag, and croutons and noodles go soggy on the drive. Grilled chicken travels better than crispy, which steams in the box. More on Carside To Go.
Frequently Asked Questions
What salads does Applebee's have?
Eight: the Oriental Chicken Salad (crispy or grilled), Grilled Chicken Caesar, California Grilled Chicken Salad, Strawberry Balsamic Chicken Salad, Crispy Chicken Tender Salad, Quesadilla Chicken Salad and the House Side Salad.
How many calories are in the Applebee's Oriental Chicken Salad?
1,560 with crispy chicken and 900 with grilled chicken. The crispy version also has 45g of sugar and 105g of fat.
Is the Applebee's Oriental Chicken Salad healthy?
The crispy version isn't: it's heavier than every steak on the menu. The grilled version, at 900 calories for the same price, is a reasonable order.
Which Applebee's salad has the most protein?
The Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad at 57g for 950 calories.
What's the lowest calorie salad at Applebee's?
The House Side Salad with fat free Italian at 160 calories. The lightest entrée salads are the Grilled Oriental and Strawberry Balsamic, both 900.
Does the Applebee's Caesar salad contain fish?
Yes. It flags fish from the dressing, so it isn't vegetarian even without chicken.
How much are salads at Applebee's?
$4.99 for a House Side Salad and $13.49 to $15.49 for entrée salads.
Can I get salads on the Applebee's 2 for $25?
Yes. The Oriental Chicken Salad and California Grilled Chicken Salad are entrée choices, and two side salads can replace the appetizer.
Add Protein or Build a Lighter Plate
To add or swap a protein, see chicken and steaks and ribs. For bowls with a similar calorie count, see Irresist-A-Bowls. To build a light plate from parts, see sides.