Popeyes Crispy Chicken Sandwich

Published September 14, 2020

If you’re a subscriber of my weekly newsletter, then you’ve followed the Popeyes crispy chicken sandwich craze. It wasn’t until I finally bought my own crispy chicken sandwich, that I realized the big deal; this sandwich was amazing.

I’ve ordered the Popeyes chicken sandwich a few times since that first magical lunch. However, since the pandemic started, I haven’t been able to order a classic chicken sandwich (Uber Eats is not the same!).

I decided to do some research and found that plenty of bloggers have made their own versions of Popeyes chicken sandwiches.

For this week’s blog, I decided to cook Gimme Delicious Food’s Pinterest recipe and see if a homemade sandwich is as spectacular as one bought in-store.

Ingredients for the Popeyes Crispy Chicken Sandwich

If you cook frequently, your spice cabinet should have most of these ingredients already. I only purchased the buttermilk, brioche hamburger buns, and one pack of chicken breasts.

I highly recommend splurging for the brioche buns, and not regular hamburger buns. The brioche buns are buttery and delicious, and align with the classic chicken sandwich bun.

How to Make Your Own Popeyes Crispy Chicken Sandwich

Tools for this Dish

• A large bowl

  • Measuring cups/spoons (for the marinade)

• A cutting board, plastic wrap, and meat/poultry tenderizer

  • Sharp knife

• A small bowl for the mayo

• A large bowl for the breading

• Medium-sized skillet for frying

• A medium-sized skillet for crisping the rolls

• Tongs and a plate with paper towels (for after frying the chicken)

Cooking Notes

The Marinade

The original crispy chicken sandwich is juicy and tender. I figured the longer my chicken marinaded the better it would be. I started my marinade mid-morning and left the chicken in the marinade until dinnertime.

The original Delicious Food recipe says you can dip the chicken in the marinade and then go right to breading. If you don’t want to wait all day to have your homemade crispy chicken sandwich, you can do this and dip the chicken right before you start frying.

I wouldn’t let the chicken sit too long once you’ve breaded it or the coating will stick to the plate and pull off before you get a chance to fry it.

Frying the Chicken

I used my medium cast iron pan to fry each piece of chicken one at a time. I made sure the oil was piping hot before I laid the cutlet into the pan. Flip the cutlet after 5-minutes and no sooner. It will pull away easily from the pan without losing the golden breading.

Despite tenderizing the meat and thinning it into an even piece — I had one cutlet that was thicker on one side. If you have a thick cutlet, leave it for another minute or two on each side, to ensure that it’s cooked all the way through.

Portions and Serving

The breaded cutlets are huge. I made four sandwiches in total, enough for three adults (we split the last one).

With a side of French fries, cheesy broccoli rice, or chips, you’ll have more than enough for a satisfying meal.

The Final Product

This homemade Popeyes crispy chicken sandwich is as delicious as the one you buy in-store. The crunchy breading is what makes it special. I adore the brioche bun, as it adds richness with its buttery flavor.

If you want the spicy version of this sandwich, you can remove the pickles and add some hot sauce to the mayo. I excluded the hot sauce from my mayo, as I knew the flavor in the breading would be bold enough for me.

Recipe Score

I would give the homemade Popeyes crispy chicken sandwich a 10/10 for the following:

• Recipe Level

  • Easy: I almost tagged this recipe as intermediate, only for the fact that you have to juggle some tasks as you fry the chicken. If you’re not great a multi-tasking, see if you can grab a Sous-Chef to help.

• Ingredients

  • You can easily find the spices for this dish. I would not alter or substitute the ingredients for this recipe. For my taste, the seasoning for the breading and mayo is spot on. If you want a truly spicy mayo, add hot sauce based on your preferences.

• Prep

  • Your chicken should be fresh or fully defrosted before you start tenderizing and marinading it. If you also want to marinade your chicken for a few hours, you will have to prep your ingredients and leave enough time before you plan on frying.

• Flavor

  • 10/10: This homemade recipe is exactly like the crispy chicken sandwich you’ll buy in store! Flavorful mayo spread on the buttery brioche roll, crispy golden chicken, and sweet pickles makes for a flavorful homemade sandwich.

K. Martinelli Makes Popeyes Crispy Chicken Sandwiches

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