This Copycat Popeyes Chicken Sandwich is crispy, juicy, and easy to make at home. Buttermilk-marinated chicken is dredged in a flavorful flour mixture and fried until golden brown. Serve on a buttery brioche bun with mayonnaise and pickles for the perfect sandwich!
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❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
- Our DIY copycat Popeyes chicken sandwich is quick and easy to make at home.
- The chicken is crispy, juicy, and full of flavor.
- Also, our Popeyes chicken is a fraction of the price of the restaurant version.
Ingredients
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- boneless skinless chicken breasts
- buttermilk
- homemade Cajun seasoning store-bought can be used or seasoned salt
- cracked black pepper
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- white granulated sugar
- all-purpose flour
- corn starch
- vegetable oil enough for frying
- brioche buns
- mayonnaise, optional topping
- pickles, optional topping
Equipment
- Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls
- Measuring Spoons and Cups
- Whisk
- Cast Iron Skillet
- Instant Read Thermometer
Instructions
This is an overview of the recipe. The full instructions are below in the recipe card.
- Pound chicken breasts lightly and trim any fat off them, if needed.
- In a small bowl, make a seasoning mix and combine Cajun seasoning, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and sugar. Set aside.
- Whisk 1 Tablespoon of the prepared seasoning mix into the buttermilk.
- Pour the buttermilk mixture over the chicken. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator. Let the chicken marinade for at least one hour up to overnight.
- When you are ready to fry the chicken, whisk together the remaining seasoning mix with the flour and cornstarch. Place 3-4 Tablespoons of the buttermilk marinade and stir it into the flour mix. You'll want to make chunky pieces of flour to give the chicken some good crispy bits.
- Dredge the chicken in the flour mix, dip back into the buttermilk, and dredge in the flour a second time. Press any of the chunky flour pieces into the chicken.
- In a large heavy pot or deep frying pan, add 4 cups of oil or enough to cover the chicken ¾ of the way. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until a little flour dropped in the pan sizzles immediately.
- Add 2 pieces of chicken to the hot oil and fry for 5-6 minutes, flip and repeat with the other side.
- Once cooked through, remove the cooked chicken to a cooling rack and repeat with frying process with the remaining chicken.
- To assemble the sandwich, spread mayonnaise on the brioche buns, add the chicken breasts, top with pickles, and top bun.
14. You can put them right on the brioche buns and serve.
15. You can take it a step further and butter the buns and toast them in a pan.
16. If you like spread the buns with mayo and add some thick pickle slices.
17. Enjoy the chicken sandwiches!
Storage
You can store any leftovers in a covered airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. I do not recommend freezing this sandwich as it will make the chicken soggy once thawed.
Reheating: If you want to reheat these sandwiches, I recommend doing so in a 350°F/ C° oven for about 10 minutes or until heated through. You can also reheat it in the microwave.
Expert Tips
Expert Tip: Thicker breasts might need more time and thinner might need less time. Use an instant-read meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of the chicken is at 165°F/74°C.
This sandwich is everything you crave in a Popeyes sandwich, but it's much easier and affordable to make at home.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Popeyes Sandwich is made with breast fillets.
You can use plain milk, but the flavor and texture will be different.
To fry chicken, use your favorite oil such as vegetable, canola, or peanut oil are all great options.
The key is to not overcrowd the pan and to let the chicken cook until it's golden brown and crispy on both sides.
Variations
- Serve the chicken on a salad: This would be a great option if you are looking to lighten up the meal.
- If you would like a spicy chicken sandwich, add some more spice. Add some cayenne pepper to the flour mixture or even just sprinkle it on top of the sandwich.
- You could experiment with different sauces: I think this chicken would be great with honey mustard, spicy mayonnaise, BBQ sauce, or even just plain old ketchup.
Serving Suggestions
Similar recipes
- Copycat Chick-fil-a Chicken Sandwich
- Chick-Fil A Nuggets
- Crockpot Buffalo Chicken Cheesesteak Sandwich
- Instant Pot French Dip Sandwiches
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Eileen xo
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.
If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
Popeyes Copycat Chicken Sandwich
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases
Equipment Needed:
Ingredients
Seasoning Mix
- 1 Tablespoon homemade Cajun seasoning or store-bought seasoned salt
- 2 teaspoons cracked black pepper
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
Marinating the chicken
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Frying the chicken
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 4 cups vegetable oil enough for frying
- 4 brioche buns
- mayonnaise optional topping
- pickles optional topping
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Instructions
How to make the Seasoning Mix
- Make the seasoning mix; in a small mixing bowl, mix 1 Tablespoon homemade Cajun seasoning2 teaspoons cracked black pepper, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 2 teaspoons onion powder, and 2 teaspoons granulated sugar. Set aside.
Marinating the chicken
- Whisk 1 Tablespoon of the prepared seasoning mix into 1 cup buttermilk. (The remaining seasoning will go in the flour mixture for frying the chicken)
- Pour the buttermilk mixture over 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts . Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator. Marinate the chicken for at least one hour up to overnight. Do not discard the marinade.
How to fry the chicken
- To fry the chicken, in a medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk the remaining seasoning mix with 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour and ½ cup cornstarch. Stir 3-4 Tablespoons of the buttermilk marinade into the flour mix. see Note 2
- Dredge the chicken in the flour mix and dip back into the buttermilk and dredge in the flour a second time. Press any of the chunky flour pieces into the chicken.
- In a large heavy pot or deep frying pan add 4 cups vegetable oil or enough to cover the chicken ¾ of the way. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until a little flour dropped in the pan sizzles immediately.
- Add 2 pieces of chicken to the hot oil and fry 5-6 minutes, flip and repeat with the other side.
- Once cooked through, Remove the cooked chicken to a cooling rack and repeat with frying process with the remaining chicken.
- To assemble the sandwich, spread mayonnaise on the 4 brioche buns , add the chicken breasts, top with pickles, and the top bun.
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