When a restaurant literally has the word “steakhouse” in its name, you can pretty much bet on steak being the main attraction. This includes at Outback Steakhouse, one of the most famous chain restaurants across the U.S. and internationally. A whole lot of steak offerings can be found on the menu, from filet mignon and ribeye to New York strip and prime rib, while seafood also has a solid presence through salmon, shrimp, lobster, and more. But what if you’re not too thrilled about any of those options? No worries, since chefs rustle up plenty more Aussie-themed platters with no steak or seafood in sight.
Though Outback built its brand around sizzling steaks and the well-loved Bloomin’ Onion, its menu also features a surprising number of entrées with their own unique characters and ingredients, including pork dishes, pastas, and lots of chicken (chook in Aussie slang.) Some offer the smoky, savory flavors expected at a traditional steakhouse, while others put a creative “down under” spin on cozy comfort foods. With the usual variety of Outback’s side dishes, you won’t go hungry without steaks or seafood gracing your table.
When planning a visit to Outback on your own terms, the following three entrées are worth considering. All appear in the menu’s “Down Under Favorites” category, and none landed on our Tasting Table list of 10 dishes to avoid ordering at Outback Steakhouse.
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Alice Springs Chicken
For those who lean toward chicken on a menu, but want something more than an ordinary grilled breast, there’s Outback’s Alice Springs Chicken. The fan-fave menu item tosses together a combination of familiar ingredients but with contrasting textures and flavors. This down-under creation starts with a grilled chicken breast, but then ramps things up with a sautéed mushroom topping, crispy bacon, and melted Monterey Jack and cheddar cheeses. A honey mustard sauce brings it all together with a sweet-yet-tangy balance.
The Alice Springs Chicken also comes with two freshly made sides, so you can lighten things up or dig deeper on the flavor wheel. Homestyle mashed or baked potatoes are natural tone-downs for the chicken’s cheesy topping, while Parmesan creamed corn and macaroni-and-cheese double down with the dairy. Steamed veggies or a house salad bring your plate back into neutral territory.
With many devotees of this chicken entrée, it’s bound to foster copycat recipes for at-home cooks, and those definitely exist. But if you want to experience the real thing at the steakhouse first, here’s a look at four ordering tips for the best Outback Steakhouse Alice Springs Chicken. They include things like swapping out the mushrooms, trying a different dressing, or ramping up two of the ingredients — it’s not hard to imagine which ones. You can also order it in an entirely new incarnation, such as an Alice Springs Chicken Quesadilla, served on the lunch menu.
Drover’s Ribs and Chicken Platter
For a meal that honors the hearty, barbecue-inspired experience of a steakhouse without ordering beef, Outback delivers with a duo dinner called the Drover’s Ribs and Chicken Platter. There’s no need for choosing between pork and poultry, since this menu item brings both in a single entrée. It includes a half rack of baby back ribs nestled beside a grilled chicken breast, with the chain’s signature barbecue sauce bridging the divide.
This one is a shoe-in for sharing, especially for folks who love trying different textures and flavors of grilled meats. Baby back ribs bring the richness of pork, while chicken breast lightens the profile. All the while, that barbecue glaze introduces sweet, tangy, and savory flavors to both. There’s no need to commit to a single main, and Outback’s included side-dish offerings remain the same regardless of which meal you order. You can also get the baby back ribs as an entrée on its own, in either the half-rack or full-rack portion.
If you’re curious about the name of this dish, it nods to the traditional occupation of a drover, a person who drives or moves herds of livestock over long distances. By adapting the name, Outback Steakhouse conjures imagery of rugged stockmen herding animals across the wild and wooly Australian Outback.
Bloomin’ Fried Chicken
Outback Steakhouse is renowned for its Bloomin’ Onion, but you don’t have to order that signature appetizer to get the “Bloomin” experience. The seasoning translates superbly into the chain’s Bloomin’ Fried Chicken, bringing the familiar flavor to a sassy chicken entrée. It’s an especially good choice for anyone who loves crispy fried chicken, though it’s a bit more adventurous than traditional versions.
The dish evolves from a boneless chicken breast that gets hand-coated in batter seasoned with Outback’s original Bloomin’ Onion spice blend. It’s then fried until golden brown and finished with a drizzle of the chain’s signature spicy bloom sauce. The chicken meal veers considerably from the restaurant’s Alice Springs Chicken, which lets cheese, bacon, and mushrooms build the flavor; this one instead relies on the seasoned, crunchy exterior and a zippy, saucy finale. There’s no need for different sauces on this one, though you might want to order an extra round of the Bloomin’ sauce for good measure.
Regardless of what you prefer eating at Outback Steakhouse, you’ll often find specials such as everyday value meals, take-home deals, limited-time three-course specials, and lunch items if you’re planning to eat early. Many offerings feature chicken rather than steaks or seafood. Availability and specific items do vary by location, so it’s always best to check before heading over (or down under, at least by association).
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Read the original article on Tasting Table.
Dining and Cooking