Are you missing certain foods during quarantine? Has the pandemic changed the foods you have available to you? Are you missing fast-food options that, due to lockdown, have become significantly more difficult to acquire? Are you interested in recreating these foods with ingredients in your own home but worry that they won’t come close to the real version?
Don’t worry: if effort is put into the preparations, the results can be phenomenally close to the real version of your favorite fast-food meal. In my case, it was the delicious, flavorful, salty, crunchy, spicy, sweet, soft, and all-around legendary Popeyes spicy chicken sandwich.
A traditional Popeyes chicken sandwich is a truly incredible fast-food item. The warm brioche-style bun has a spread of spicy mayonnaise on the bottom half and four to five pickle slices on top of the mayo. Then, the crowning glory that makes this sandwich stand out above the rest: the piece of fried chicken. The breaded chicken breast has a well-seasoned, light, and crispy coating that is the signature element of the sandwich. The meat itself is perfectly moist and tender. This meal has become the epitome of fast-food cuisine and has even led to violence, including fights and stabbings among people waiting in line to acquire one of these delectable meals.
If it was easy to recreate this incredible delicacy, then everyone would be doing it, so DIY versions are certainly not the same as the true Popeyes sandwich; however, at-home versions can come close to the level of quality displayed in a real Popeyes meal.
During COVID-19, stay at home orders make obtaining all the necessary ingredients a daunting task. Several substitutions had to be made. Chicken thighs were substituted for the classic chicken breasts, and it was found that this didn’t take away from the quality whatsoever. The lightly toasted brioche bun provides an immediate subtle crunch followed by the soft, sweet bread and then, of course, the contents of the sandwich. The chicken thigh was breaded and fried perfectly. The meat was thoroughly cooked yet still maintained moisture and a soft texture. The exterior was a near-identical replica of that trademark Popeyes crunch as the Panko breadcrumbs were key in forming this beautiful texture. The pickles just below the chicken provided a sweet and sour bite as well as a softer crunch. Lastly, the spicy mayo made from paprika, garlic powder, mayonnaise, and tabasco was an excellent homemade version of the sauce used on Popeyes spicy sandwich. The variety of savory flavors exuding from the spicy mayonnaise spread is the perfect complement to the crunchy, crumbly textures of the fried chicken, cool tangy pickles and toasted bun.
There are some key techniques that are important in creating this sandwich at home. I found that the breading to the exterior of the piece of chicken was lacking flavor, so adding some salt and pepper (and potentially other seasonings) to the flour before coating the chicken would certainly improve this flaw and make it more like the original. Additionally, extra attention needs to be paid to the cooking of the chicken since the meat needs to be cooked thoroughly, yet the breading shouldn’t be burned. The chicken should be cooked thoroughly, and the exterior should be a perfect golden to dark brown.
An important thing to note when making this sandwich at home is that the overall cost of the meal will certainly be higher than picking up a sandwich or two from your local Popeyes. However, in these unusual circumstances, the time and treasure it takes to recreate a fast-food favorite that is otherwise unavailable are well worth the pleasure found in making and eating this fabled sandwich.
