Craving your favorite TGI Fridays dishes? Discover easy copycat recipes you can make at home, from loaded potato skins and savory sandwiches to comforting soups and indulgent desserts. These restaurant-inspired favorites bring the classic TGI Fridays flavors straight to your kitchen with simple ingredients and approachable cooking techniques.

Loaded Potato Skins

Who doesn’t love a nice plate of potato skins with cheddar and bacon? These are guaranteed to put a smile on your face.

Serves 4 | Prep. time 8–10 minutes | Cooking time 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 large potatoes, baked
• ¼ cup canola oil
• 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ⅛ teaspoon pepper
• 1 ½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
• 6 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 3 green onions, sliced

Ranch Sour Cream

• ½ cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon Ranch dressing

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C).
2. Halve the potatoes and use a spoon to scoop out the flesh, leaving about a ¼-inch in the skin. (Save the potato for another use.)
3. In a small bowl, mix the oil, Parmesan, salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Brush the skins (inside and out) with the mixture.
4. Bake until they are golden and crispy, about 8 minutes.
5. Remove them from the oven and add the cheese. Return them to the oven until the cheese melts, another 2 minutes or so.
6. Mix the sour cream and the ranch dressing. Place in a serving bowl.
7. Serve with crumbled bacon, green onion, and a dollop of ranch sour cream.

 

 

White Cheddar Broccoli Soup

With this flavorful and satisfying soup, you get nutrition and comfort food all in one bowl.

Serves 6 | Prep. time 10 minutes | Cooking time 30 minutes

Ingredients

• ¼ cup butter
• ¼ cup minced onion
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• 4 cups broccoli florets, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup half and half
• 2 cups grated white cheddar cheese, plus more for garnish

Directions

1. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter.
2. Add the onion and salt and cook, stirring, until softened. Whisk in the flour and cook 1 minute.
3. Gradually add the chicken broth, whisking until smooth.
4. Add the water, broccoli, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook until the broccoli is just soft.
5. Reduce the heat to low.
6. Add the half and half and the grated cheddar, and stir until melted.
7. Serve hot with a little more grated cheese.

 

 

Lemon Chicken Scallopini

In the restaurant, this is served in a cast-iron skillet with the cheese melted under the pepper and onion medley. If you don’t have four cast iron skillets, you can heat the cheese and peppers in a skillet and transfer the mixture to plates.

Serves 8 | Prep. time 15 minutes | Cooking time 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 ½ pounds chicken breasts
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• 2 lemons (halved)
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 4 artichokes, diced
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced
• 20 ounces angel hair pasta, cooked just al dente
• 8 tablespoons fried pancetta
• 4 tablespoons fried capers
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Lemon Sauce

• 1 quart Chablis
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 3 teaspoons butter
• 4 cups heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon thyme
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper

Directions

1. Prepare the lemon sauce. In a medium pot, simmer the Chablis until it is reduced to 2 cups.
2. Add the lemon juice, zest, and butter, and stir in the cream and spices. Leave the pot on low.
3. Pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness.
4. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and cook the chicken breasts on both sides, until golden.
5. In the final few minutes, add the mushrooms and cook everything together.
6. Squeeze the lemon juice over the chicken and mushrooms and mix in the cream, artichokes, and parsley.
7. To serve, plate the pasta and top with chicken, mushrooms, and lemon sauce. Sprinkle with pancetta and capers, and serve.

 

 

Fried Shrimp

Serves 4 | Prep. time 15 minutes | Cooking time 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 48 medium-large sized shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails on, about 1 ¼ pounds
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 2 cups panko breadcrumbs, more if needed
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• Pinch cayenne pepper or to taste
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon white pepper
• Oil for deep frying
• Cocktail sauce for serving
• Seasoned fries for serving*

Directions

1. In a large pot, preheat the frying oil to 350°F (177°C) or use a deep fryer.
2. Beat together the egg and buttermilk in a shallow dish.
3. Add the breadcrumbs, garlic, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish and stir to combine.
4. Dip the shrimp into the buttermilk mixture one by one, then carefully dip into the breadcrumbs. Set on a plate.
5. Working in batches, not to overload the pot, fry the breaded shrimp for 30–60 seconds or until they turn a nice golden brown. Using a slotted spoon, remove the shrimp from the oil and place on a plate lined with paper towels to drain the excess oil.
6. Serve with cocktail sauce and seasoned fries.

* To make the seasoning for seasoned fries at home, mix together 2 teaspoons garlic salt, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon onion powder, and 1 teaspoon white sugar. Store in an airtight container and use as needed.

 

 

Beef French Dip

With a crusty bun, seasoned shaved beef, served with salty au jus, this sandwich is everything you ever wanted! Except vegetables!

Serves 8–10 | Prep. time 30 minutes | Cooking time 4–6 hours

Ingredients

• 1 beef rump roast or bottom round roast (3 to 4 pounds)
• Salt and pepper
• ¼ cup butter, cubed
• 2 large onions, sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 5 cups water
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 1 envelope onion soup mix
• ½ cup red wine
• 12 sandwich rolls
• 3 tablespoons butter, room temperature
• 2 cups shredded Swiss cheese

Directions

1. Slice the roast and season it with salt and pepper.
2. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Brown the roast on all sides and transfer it to a slow cooker.
3. In the same pan, sauté the onions until they are golden. Add the garlic and cook 1–2 more minutes.
4. Add the onion and garlic to the slow cooker.
5. In a mixing bowl, combine the water, soy sauce, onion soup mix, and red wine. Add the mixture to the slow cooker.
6. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 hours, or HIGH for 4 hours.
7. Remove the roast to a cutting board and cover it with foil. Let it rest for 15 minutes, and then slice it thinly. Leave the liquid in the slow cooker, covered.
8. Heat the broiler to low.
9. Split the rolls and butter the cut surfaces.
10. Arrange the meat on the bottom half of the rolls and add some cheese. Broil until the cheese is melted, and then add the tops of the rolls.
11. Strain the juices and serve for dipping.

 

 

Chocolate Whiskey Cake

The whiskey in this recipe deepens the flavor of the chocolate for a moist and decadent dessert. Don’t skip the caramel sauce – it’s easier to make than you might expect.

Serves 12 | Prep. time 8–10 minutes | Cooking time 40–50 minutes

Ingredients

• 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup boiling water
• 2 cups white sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 3 eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 tablespoons Irish whiskey
• 1 ¼ cups flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• 1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda

For the caramel

• 1 cup white sugar
• ½ cup heavy cream (at room temperature)
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup toffee bits or chopped nuts

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and spray a Bundt pan with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, combine the bittersweet chocolate and cocoa powder.
3. Pour in the boiling water and stir to combine.
4. Add the sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, yolks, vanilla, and whiskey. Mix well.
5. In a separate bowl, sift the flour, salt, and baking soda.
6. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and mix just to combine.
7. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 40 minutes, or until a long cake tester comes out clean.
8. When the cake is cool, turn it out onto a cooling rack.
9. Make the caramel. In a high-sided saucepan, heat the sugar.
10. When it is melted and golden, slowly add the cream. Take care; the mixture will bubble up. Keep mixing until it settles down and thickens. Stir in the salt.
11. Slowly spoon the caramel over the cake, allowing it to drizzle down the sides. Top with toffee bits or nuts.
12. Let it sit for an hour before serving.

 

 

***These recipes and more are found in Lina Chang’s Copycat Recipes: Making T.G.I. Friday’s Most Popular Dishes at Home. To get your own copy, click on the cover below or click here.

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