17 copycat recipes for the turkey-free nights of a busy holiday week

Between errands, school events, and holiday prep, dinner can get squeezed into the busiest nights of the week. These 17 copycat recipes cover familiar takeout meals, from noodle bowls and saucy chicken to burgers, tacos, pasta, and rice. Most recipe cards list 20 to 45 minutes, with a few longer projects and some components you can prepare ahead. The lineup offers turkey-free dinners to match different schedules and cravings.

The Details

Restaurant-style noodles bring

Chicken Chow Mein to the table in 30 minutes, with four servings in the recipe card. Chicken thighs, cabbage, carrots, red bell pepper, green onions, and chow mein noodles are coated in a sauce of oyster sauce, soy, sesame oil, broth, and brown sugar. It suits a busy night when takeout is tempting, and leftovers keep well in the refrigerator or freezer for another meal.

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• Chicken Chow Mein
• Crunchwrap Supreme
• Layered crunch makes

Crunchwrap Supreme a hands-on dinner, with four servings ready in 30 minutes. Seasoned ground beef, nacho cheese, sour cream, shredded lettuce, tomato, and Mexican blend cheese are folded into flour tortillas around crisp tostadas. Prepare the fillings ahead, then toast the wraps shortly before serving to preserve the crisp center. This copycat takes a familiar fast-food meal and turns it into a shareable dinner for a busy evening.

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• Crunchwrap Supreme
• Copycat Savvy Slider
• Double-stacked patties make

Copycat Savvy Slider feel like a full cheeseburger in a small bun, and the two-slider recipe takes about 30 minutes. Ground beef, American cheese, sliced pickles, lettuce, and Boom Boom Sauce build the layers. The patties cook quickly in one skillet, making this a handy choice for a quick dinner for two. Add fries on the side for a takeout-style meal without a drive-through stop.

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• Copycat Savvy Slider
• Bang Bang Shrimp
• Crispy shrimp with creamy chili sauce give

Bang Bang Shrimp its takeout-style bite, with four servings ready in 20 minutes. The sauce blends light mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, sweet chili sauce, and Sriracha, while lime-seasoned shrimp get a light cornstarch coating. Serve them with basmati rice, cucumber, green onions, and cilantro for a full dinner, or set out the shrimp as a starter when the evening calls for something smaller.

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• Bang Bang Shrimp
• Baked Feta Pasta

Silky tomato sauce forms around the block of cheese in Baked Feta Pasta, a four-serving dinner that takes 45 minutes. Cherry tomatoes, feta, garlic, olive oil, oregano, and red pepper flakes bake together, then short pasta and fresh basil finish the dish. It is an easy meatless option for one of the week’s turkey-free nights. Make extra to refrigerate or freeze, then reheat for another meal when holiday plans fill the schedule.

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• Baked Feta Pasta
• General Tso’s Chicken
• Crisp coating and garlicky ginger sauce define

General Tso’s Chicken, which serves six in about an hour. Chicken breast is marinated with soy sauce, garlic powder, and ground ginger, then coated with flour and cornstarch before frying. The sauce brings in soy, rice vinegar, hoisin, garlic, and a touch of spice. It is a weekend copycat project or a planned dinner when you can get the chicken ready ahead of time.

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• General Tso’s Chicken
• Street Steak Tacos
• Smoky steak and tangy toppings make

Street Steak Tacos a lively dinner, with six servings and 40 minutes listed on the recipe card. Flank, skirt, or sirloin steak is seasoned with garlic, lime, cumin, oregano, and paprika, then paired with red onion and queso fresco. The steak and toppings can be prepped ahead to shorten the last stretch before dinner. Serve the tacos with warm tortillas for a turkey-free meal that feels different from the holiday spread.

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• Street Steak Tacos
• Homemade KFC Zinger Burger
• Crunchy oven-baked chicken gives

Homemade KFC Zinger Burger its takeout-style character, with four servings ready in 35 minutes. Chicken fillets get a double coating of spiced flour and batter, then go into burger buns with cheddar, lettuce, tomato, and burger sauce. Baking keeps the preparation simpler than deep-frying, while the spice level can be adjusted. Serve it with fries or a side salad when everyone wants a familiar fast-food dinner at home.

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• Homemade KFC Zinger Burger
• Big Mac Crunchwrap
• Toasted tortillas wrap up burger-night layers in

Big Mac Crunchwrap, with four servings and 45 minutes total. Seasoned ground beef, cheddar, iceberg lettuce, pickles, onion, sesame seeds, and a tostada shell make each wrap crisp at the center. The beef and sauce can be prepared ahead, then the crunchwraps are toasted in a skillet when dinner is close. It is a hearty choice for a busy weeknight when a regular burger feels too predictable.

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• Big Mac Crunchwrap
• Teriyaki Chicken Stir Fry
• Glossy sauce and crisp vegetables give

Teriyaki Chicken Stir Fry a takeout feel, with four servings in 30 minutes. Chicken thighs cook with broccoli, red bell pepper, green beans, and onion, then get coated in teriyaki sauce with sesame oil. Green onions and sesame seeds finish the skillet, which can be served over rice. This quick dinner makes a useful option between richer holiday meals, and leftovers work for lunch the next day.

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• Teriyaki Chicken Stir Fry
• Plant-Based Copycat Impossible Burger
• Meatless, smoky patties give

Plant-Based Copycat Impossible Burger a hearty option, with 35 minutes on the recipe card. Portobello mushrooms, brown rice, tempeh, oats, and grated beet form the patties, seasoned with nutritional yeast, steak sauce, garlic, and onion powder. The mixture cooks into two burgers, served on buns with lettuce and your preferred toppings. Bring this copycat burger into the holiday week for a plant-based dinner change-up.

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• Plant-Based Copycat Impossible Burger
• Wingstop Louisiana Rub Wings
• Cajun-style spice coats

Wingstop Louisiana Rub Wings, with 16 wings ready in 25 minutes. The dry rub combines smoked paprika, oregano, cayenne, cumin, brown sugar, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper, then bakes onto the chicken instead of using a deep fryer. Serve the wings with a dipping sauce for a game-night dinner or snack. The pantry-spice blend is easy to mix before the wings go into the oven.

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• Wingstop Louisiana Rub Wings
• Cheddar Bay Sausage Balls
• Bite-sized and cheesy,

Cheddar Bay Sausage Balls make 30 pieces in 30 minutes. Pork sausage, Cheddar Bay biscuit mix, cheddar, cream cheese, and garlic powder bake into soft golden rounds, finished with a parsley-butter brush. They can be made ahead, frozen, and reheated, which helps when the holiday week is crowded. Set them out for a casual dinner or serve them as a filling snack between larger plans.

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• Cheddar Bay Sausage Balls
• Panda Express Beijing Beef

Sweet, tangy sauce wraps crisp strips of beef in Panda Express Beijing Beef, a four-serving copycat with a total time of 1 hour and 40 minutes. Flank steak is coated with egg white and cornstarch, then cooked with onion, red bell pepper, garlic, and a sauce of hoisin, soy, oyster sauce, ketchup, and sweet chili. The beef marinates for an hour, so plan and serve it over rice for a takeout-style evening at home.

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• Panda Express Beijing Beef
• Sweet Orange Chicken
• Sticky citrus glaze gives

Sweet Orange Chicken its familiar takeout appeal, with four servings ready in 40 minutes. Chicken breast pieces get a crisp double coating, then are tossed in a sauce made with fresh orange juice, zest, honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, and red pepper paste. Serve it over rice with green onions for a weeknight dinner that uses familiar ingredients. The sauce can be adjusted to keep the heat mild or add a little kick.