Copycat Popeye's Chicken Sandwich
A crispy, spicy chicken sandwich copycat recreates a popular restaurant's signature offering without the wait.
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Instructions
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Pound chicken breasts to just under 1 inch thickness, cut them in half, and poke 4-5 punctures per side.
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In a large bowl, whisk buttermilk, hot sauce, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and salt; add chicken, cover, and refrigerate for at least one hour or up to overnight.
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In a shallow dish, whisk together flour, cornstarch, dry spices, cayenne (if using), and 1/4 cup of the chicken marinade.
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Dredge each marinated chicken piece in the flour mixture, then dip back into the buttermilk mixture, and finally return to the flour mixture, pressing to coat completely.
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Place the breaded chicken on a wire rack and refrigerate for 10 minutes; if time is short, proceed directly to frying.
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Heat oil in a cast-iron skillet or heavy-bottomed pan to 350 F. Fry chicken pieces for 3 to 5 minutes per side until crispy, golden, and 165 F internal temperature; remove and drain.
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In a small bowl, whisk together mayo with dry spices to make the spicy mayo.
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Heat a skillet with 1/4 tablespoon of butter on medium to high heat and toast bun halves cut-side down until golden, adding butter as needed for all halves.
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Spread a tablespoon of spicy mayo onto both bun sides, add 3-4 sliced pickles and a fried chicken piece to the bottom bun, then close with the top bun.