Description
A homemade copycat of the famous Popeye’s chicken sandwich featuring ultra-crispy fried chicken, soft brioche buns, creamy mayonnaise, and crunchy pickles for a juicy, flavorful bite.
Ingredients
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup buttermilk
1 tbsp Cajun seasoning or seasoned salt
2 tbsp black pepper
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp granulated sugar
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
Vegetable oil, for frying
4 brioche buns, toasted
Mayonnaise, optional
Pickles, optional
Instructions
- Lightly pound the chicken breasts to an even thickness and trim any excess fat.
- In a small bowl, mix the Cajun seasoning, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and sugar.
- Add 1 tablespoon of the seasoning mix to the buttermilk, stir well, and pour over the chicken. Marinate for at least 1 hour or preferably overnight.
- Combine the remaining seasoning mix with the flour in a bowl. Add 3–4 tablespoons of the buttermilk marinade to the flour and stir gently to form small clumps.
- Dredge each piece of chicken in the flour mixture, dip back into the buttermilk, then dredge again, pressing the flour firmly onto the chicken.
- Heat vegetable oil in a deep pan until hot. Fry the chicken in batches for 5–6 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through.
- Transfer the fried chicken to a cooling rack to drain excess oil.
- Assemble the sandwiches by placing the chicken on toasted brioche buns and topping with mayonnaise and pickles if desired.
Notes
Marinating overnight gives the juiciest and most flavorful chicken.
Use a thermometer to ensure chicken reaches 165°F (74°C).
Reheat leftovers in an oven or air fryer to keep them crispy.
Add cayenne pepper for extra heat if desired.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 sandwich
- Calories: 650
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 980 mg
- Fat: 38 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 25 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 46 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 32 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg
