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–+ servings
three Popeyes fried chicken sandwiches in a tray facing up
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4.71 from 17 votes

Popeyes Chicken Sandwich Recipe

My copycat Popeyes fried chicken sandwich is so tasty and super easy to make at home with the best spicy mayo sauce.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Marinating Time1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time2 hours
Course: Dinner, lunch, Sandwiches
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 sandwiches
Calories: 1036kcal
Author: Becky Hardin

Equipment

  • Dutch Oven
  • Deep Fry Oil Thermometer

Ingredients

  • 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts *
  • 4 cups vegetable oil for frying

For the Marinade:

  • 1 cup buttermilk **
  • 2 tablespoons hot sauce
  • 1 teaspoon ground paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

For the Breading:

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup cornstarch ***
  • 1 tablespoon ground paprika
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

For the Spicy Mayo:

  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • 2 teaspoons hot sauce
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder

For the Sandwiches:

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter ¼ stick
  • 4 brioche buns
  • 16 dill pickle slices

Instructions

Marinate the Chicken:

  • Place the chicken breasts on a cutting board and cover with a piece of plastic wrap. Use a meat mallet or rolling pin to pound the chicken into an even thickness.
    2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
    chicken breast on a cutting board, wrapped in plastic wrap
  • Remove the wrap and cut each breast in half to fit the bun.
    chicken breast flattened and cut in half
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, hot sauce, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, and salt.
    1 cup buttermilk, 2 tablespoons hot sauce, 1 teaspoon ground paprika, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, 1 teaspoon kosher salt
    a glass bowl with a Popeyes chicken sandwich in it.
  • Add in the chicken and toss to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour, or up to overnight.
    chicken marinating in a mixing bowl

Batter the Chicken:

  • In a shallow bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper.
    1 cup all-purpose flour, ½ cup cornstarch, 1 tablespoon ground paprika, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
    chicken sandwich seasoning mix in a bowl
  • Add in ¼ cup of the buttermilk mixture from the chicken and use a fork to stir until small clumps form.
    seasoned flour
  • Bread the chicken in the flour mixture, pressing it into the chicken to create a thick crust.
    dredging chicken breast in seasoned flour
  • Refrigerate battered chicken pieces for 10 minutes.
    chicken breasts coated in flour on a cutting board

Fry the Chicken:

  • While the chicken chills, heat the oil in a Dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed pot until it reaches 350°F.
    4 cups vegetable oil
    Oil in a pot.
  • Fry the chicken, in batches if needed, until crisp and golden on both sides and the chicken is cooked through, about 3-5 minutes.
    tongs grabbing fried chicken out of a pot of oil
  • Set on a paper towel lined plate to drain.
    Breaded and fried piece of chicken draining on paper towels.

Make the Sauce:

  • While the chicken cooks, stir together the mayonnaise, hot sauce, honey, and garlic powder to make the spicy mayo.
    ½ cup mayonnaise, 2 teaspoons hot sauce, 1 teaspoon honey, ½ teaspoon garlic powder
    A bowl of orange sauce, inspired by the famous Popeyes chicken sandwich, on a chic gray background.

Assemble the Sandwiches:

  • Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Toast the buns until golden.
    2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 4 brioche buns
    Toasting buns in a skillet.
  • To assemble, spread spicy mayo on the bottom bun, top with 4 dill pickle slices, fried chicken, and another drizzle of spicy mayo.
    16 dill pickle slices
    Assembling a chicken sandwich.
  • Add the top bun and enjoy!
    Homemade Popeyes fried chicken sandwich with spicy sauce.

Video

Notes

*While I like to use chicken breasts, you can also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs.
**To make your own buttermilk, measure 1 cup of milk, remove 1 tablespoon of it, and mix in 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar. Let this mixture sit for 5 minutes before using in the recipe.
***If you don’t have cornstarch at home, replace it with more flour and add 1 tablespoon of baking powder.
Tips:
  • I like to marinate the chicken overnight in the refrigerator in preparation for frying, but 1 hour is enough.
  • Once breaded, let the chicken chill for at least 10 minutes. This helps the batter adhere to the chicken, so it stays put while frying.
  • Allowing frying oil to come back to temp. between batches ensures every pieces cooks fully and evenly. If the oil is too cool, you'll end up with soggy breading.
  • Properly cooked chicken should be 165°F internally when checked with an instant-read thermometer.
  • To keep the already cooked chicken warm while frying the rest, lay the pieces on a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet in a 200°F oven. This will help keep the chicken crisp.
Storage: Store Popeyes chicken sandwiches in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze for 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1sandwich | Calories: 1036kcal | Carbohydrates: 88g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 64g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 21g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 213mg | Sodium: 2312mg | Potassium: 510mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 2416IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 167mg | Iron: 4mg