Popeye Buttermilk Chicken Sandwich Copycat Recipe

Do you like popeye chicken? We're bringing you a copycat Popeye Chicken sandwich that is tender, crunchy of golden deliciousness with spicy mayo. It's easy to make and taste better fresh from your kitchen. Now you can whip up your version at home sans the long lines.

In my book, there is nothing like coming home to my kitchen and making my very own crispy chicken sandwich the way I like. The problem is, I love the chicken sandwich from Popeyes. So, I've tried several attempts to re-create this recipe and I finally got it.

Jump to:

• Watch the video
• What's the secret?
• What's on Popeye chicken sandwich?
• Bun Substitute
• Buttermilk Brine Marinade
• Prep the Chicken
• Prep the Breading
• Heating the Oil
• Why cook at a lower temperature?
• Dredge the chicken breasts
• Frying the chicken
• Prepare the bun
• Build the sandwich
• Get the ingredients
• Other chicken recipes:
• Full Recipe

It's too bad that Popeyes doesn't serve chicken sandwiches in some of their locations and when we find one, the lines are so long. I believe it may be due to quarantine that people are lining up their cars through the drive-thru.

One day, as I did my groceries, I decided to get a chicken sandwich from the food service station. Being so used to Popeyes chicken sandwich, my expectations went too high.

I wasn't able to finish my sandwich. I knew I had to do something about it. So, I went back into the grocery store and grabbed the ingredients for this recipe. I even went to the deli and got the closest type of bread that Popeyes uses for their chicken sandwich, the Brioche.

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Watch the video

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This copycat recipe is the closest you will get to the famous Popeyes chicken. And since you made it fresh from your kitchen, it's surprisingly much better.

Creating this recipe requires a lot of trial and error. I went through all of that already so you won't have to. By the time you finish making this sandwich, you will only get super tasty, tender, and juicy chicken. Plus, that light crunchy, golden coating.

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What's the secret?

The secret to this popular sandwich is the brine marinade made of buttermilk, MSG, and salt. Brining the chicken using this mixture creates an explosion of flavor all over and a tender, moist chicken. But in case you don't want to use MSG, you can try the substitute seasonings (mentioned in the recipe card).

Read on to learn more tips.

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What's on Popeye chicken sandwich?

1 Buttermilk

Buttermilk is known for its slight acidity, which is the absolute key to make the chicken tender. It won't make the meat tough and chewy when cooked unlike other acids; it also keeps the chicken moist.

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2 MSG

There is much controversy about adding MSG in some dishes. Monosodium glutamate has a salty flavor, so it was mistaken by most as an unhealthy ingredient. The ingredient is a combination of sodium and a substance found naturally in mushrooms and Parmesan cheese. MSG in moderate amounts is regarded as a basic additive in dishes.

Popeyes uses MSG in their chicken marinade because it provides the umami flavor. It is an essential ingredient for this clone recipe.

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3 Baking powder

This ingredient adds that light and crispy characteristic to the breading because it forms bubbles in the flour. So, the texture gets crunchy instead of crusty and dense when you fry the chicken.  Self-rising flour works perfectly on this recipe because it already has just the right amount of salt and baking powder added.

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4 Self-rising flour

Based on several attempts, I learned that self-rising flour has the right balance of salt and baking powder.

Also, try to avoid using low-protein self-rising flour. One example is White Lily, which is great for biscuits. This flour has low gluten content which makes the chicken meat not sticking well when coating the breading.

Gold Medal self-rising flour is ideal for this recipe.

Self-rising flour is not available? You can easily whip up your own by following this recipe using 3 ingredients.

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Whisk the ingredients well making sure the salt and baking powder are both uniformly distributed within the flour.

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5 Hot sauce

If you love spicy foods, you can add Popeyes hot sauce or what they called, spicy mayonnaise into your sandwich as well.

Popeyes hot sauce:

The option of spicy or classic mayonnaise is available to you when you order a Popeyes chicken sandwich. I always order the sandwich with the spicy mayo. It's good news that you can make their spicy mayonnaise right in your kitchen.

It's a simple copycat recipe of a whipped mayonnaise mixed with the spices that go into Popeyes spicy chicken. I just added a dash of paprika plus other staple spices and a bit more hot sauce to my spicy mayo.

Here's the copycat recipe for the popeyes hot sauce below.

Spicy mayo recipe:

• Mix ½ cup of mayonnaise with 1 teaspoon hot sauce of your choice (adjust the amount according to your preference), 1 teaspoon paprika or taco seasoning, and ½ teaspoon garlic powder. Whisk to combine well.

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6 The right buns

When making your copycat Popeyes chicken sandwich, you can't use just any basic bun.

Fast-food burgers always use sesame seed buns. These buns won't work for your copycat Popeyes chicken sandwich. The distinctive buttery and soft bun make Popeyes chicken sandwich intensely enjoyable.

Brioche is the only type of bun you should use because it's made with butter and eggs. The additional eggs and butter enrich the brioche dough, giving it a buttery taste, similar to that of cake.

The richness and texture make it tasty but not sweet. That's why it is a great partner for savory fried chicken. The crunchy pickles, the soft brioche, and the crispy chicken combine in contrast, but their contradictions are addictive. Check how to make the best burger Brioche bun here.

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Bun Substitute

You can use Hawaiian buns if you can't get your hands on brioche buns. These are sweeter than brioche, but they provide that perfect contrast of sweetness against the salty chicken.

Just remember when you use a regular burger bun or a potato bun, the sandwich won't taste like the authentic Popeyes.

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Buttermilk Brine Marinade

One of the secrets to Popeyes chicken sandwich is the brine marinade. Doing this extra step injects a huge amount of flavor and juiciness of this iconic chicken sandwich. You want your sandwich to taste like the original recipe, right?

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What does a buttermilk brine do?

I am so grateful for having discovered buttermilk because it's the classic trick that promises juicy, tender fried chicken.

• Because it's slightly acidic, buttermilk works the same way as lemon juice or the vinegar you'll find in typical marinades.
• These acids denature and unravel the protein network which results in a tender, juicy delicious chicken in every bite.
• Buttermilk is also the basic ingredient in Southern taste fried chicken recipes. Its tangy flavor blends well with a myriad of spices.
• One more thing, since buttermilk adheres to the chicken really well, it gives the breading to have more sticking power. Hence, resulting in the crust developing all those small crinkles that make it extra crispy.

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I love how super easy it is to make buttermilk at home. If you don't want to do that, you can just buy some powdered buttermilk. Take note that powdered buttermilk can only last for a year after you open the pack.

Below is the recipe for homemade buttermilk.

Here's how to do it:

• Step 1: Pour 1 cup of milk into a bowl (whole milk is best).
• Step 2: Add 1 tablespoon (or two) of lemon juice or vinegar into the bowl.
• Step 3: Stir to combine. Let it sit for 15 minutes at room temperature until the milk starts to curdle and becomes acidic.
• Step 4: Use in place of buttermilk in the recipe as it calls for.

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Prep the Chicken

• The first thing to do is to get the perfect size chicken fillet by pounding them down to ½ inch thickness. Trim the chicken breasts before putting them into the brine marinade.
• While trimming, cut off the thin tail part of the chicken breast to make it fit on the bun.
• If you just cook the breast (without pounding and trimming), you will create a tall sandwich, which will be more challenging to eat.
• Then, you can drop the chicken breasts in the buttermilk brine mixture and cover it with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for about four hours (overnight is recommended for the best flavor). This will allow the buttermilk to tenderize the meat.

How long to marinate the chicken in buttermilk?

Marinate for at least 4 hours, but based on my experience, marinating the chicken for 24 hours or overnight yields the best result.

My advice is not to shorten the marinating time, promise you won't regret it.

Of course, you need to add some seasonings (all listed in the recipe card) to the marinade brine.

How to marinate the chicken in buttermilk

• Pound chicken breasts in between two pieces of plastic wrap. Cut each chicken breast in half crosswise to make 2 small pieces of chicken about the same size as the bun
• In a separate container, pour the buttermilk and add the seasonings (listed on the recipe card). Stir to combine.
• Drop the chicken in the mixture and gently move to get coated thoroughly.
• Cover with a cling wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.

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Prep the Breading

If you're as busy as I am, you can multi-task. Make your breading while your chicken is brining.

The flour mix is simple to make. Just get a large bowl and combine self-rising flour with the staple seasonings like ground black pepper, white pepper, garlic & onion powder, paprika, and cayenne pepper.

Add these two secret ingredients.

1. MSG (monosodium glutamate) is the first secret ingredient. Whenever one mentions MSG, the word usually raises eyebrows. It has always been a controversial ingredient that is naturally-occurring glutamate present in certain foods such as mushrooms, aged cheese, or tomatoes. MSG gives your chicken a savory umami flavor. Your copycat Popeyes sandwich will never taste authentic without umami.
2. Baking powder is the second secret ingredient. Some people usually add cornstarch to their dry mix. Note that cornstarch makes the crust overly crispy. It is not the right kind of crispy for a Popeyes sandwich. However, if you're using self-rising flour, just skip this ingredient because the flour itself contains salt and leavening (baking powder).

Remember that Popeyes fried chicken is airy and tender so adding baking powder to the breading is one of the key secrets because it produces tiny air bubbles once it hits the hot oil. That's why the crust becomes light and crispy not heavy.

Alternative: If you're not a fan of adding MSG into your brine, you can skip and substitute it with the pantry staple seasonings (check notes below). Just add 1 teaspoon EACH: (garlic powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, white pepper, onion powder, salt) to the flour mix or to your brine.

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Heating the Oil

Heat the oil first before you start breading your chicken breasts. It will take about 10 to 12 minutes to preheat the oil. Heating time depends on whether you're using a wok or a Dutch oven if you're using an electric tabletop fryer or a stovetop.

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What oil to use for deep frying?

In this recipe, I used canola oil because of its neutral flavor, considering we already infused enough flavors. Besides, the smoke point puts it on the higher end of the spectrum (400°F).

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Why cook at a lower temperature?

The breast fillets don't need a high cooking temperature because they don't have bones. Cooking them at a higher temperature (like 350°F or 375°F) will easily brown the breading while the inside is overcooked.

So, fry the chicken at 325°F. From my experience, this temperature is enough to start the browning process while keeping the crust from cooking too quickly or from getting soggy.

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Dredge the chicken breasts

How to coat chicken in flour (step by step guide)

• Get a bowl and combine 1 cup of buttermilk and egg. Mix and set aside.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and the breading ingredients like baking powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, white pepper, black pepper, onion powder, MSG, and salt.
• Drizzle 2-3 tablespoon of buttermilk brine into the flour mixture and mix it through with a fork.
• Take the chicken breasts from the brine once and let the excess drip into the brine bowl.
• Place the brined breasts into the breading mix and make sure each piece is coated thoroughly. Tap off the excess.
• Dip the chicken pieces, one at a time, into the egg/buttermilk mix. Place it back into the breading mix. This can be a messy process, so have paper towels handy.
• The second time you dredge in seasoned flour, press the breast firmly to build a craggy texture on the chicken. The breading will expands once it hits the hot oil and forms a bumpy texture.
• Set the chicken on a plate or sheet pan to rest for 5 minutes, then fry the chicken for 6 to 8 minutes or until golden brown and 325° F. Drain the chicken on a cooling rack or on a plate lined with a paper towel.

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Frying the chicken

Now you have come to the easy part.

• Heat the oil at 325°F (we're using lower temperature instead).
• Pick up each piece of chicken with a pair of tongs or your hand and drop it gently into the hot oil.

A quick tip: Be extra careful to avoid splashing that boiling oil onto your hands. If the oil is hot enough, the chicken should bubble up and float near the surface of the oil.

• Remember not to overcrowd the pan, or you won't get crispy chicken, I normally cook them one piece at a time.
• Fry the chicken for at least 4-5 minutes or until golden. Then popped the chicken into the preheated toaster oven (at 350°F) for about 8-10 minutes so it could continue cooking without burning the outer coating! Tip: Loosely cover the top with aluminum foil.
• Once the chicken breasts are cooked, drain them on a paper towel or a cooling rack.

What is the safe internal temperature for chicken?
For the best result, insert a thermometer into the thickest section of the meat to see if the chicken reaches 165°F. This is the safe internal temperature of a chicken according to foodsafety.gov. Flip the chicken breast halfway through the cooking process to make sure it cooks evenly.

How do you tell if fried chicken is done without a thermometer?
You can check by poking the poultry to see the juices are red or clear. When chicken is cooked properly, the juices run clear, but when you cut into it and see a pinkish color, it indicates the chicken needs a bit more cooking time.

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Prepare the bun

You can go ahead and toast your brioche buns. The crunchy edges of the buns make Popeyes chicken sandwich more delicious. It's a great contrast to the tender chicken inside. Just toast them on a skillet because they probably won't fit in your toaster.

Use softened butter so you won't tear into the delicate crumb of your brioche buns before you toast them. In case you forgot to soften some butter, grate the cold butter on the buns and wait a while. This will soften the butter enough to spread around before you toast the buns.

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Build the sandwich

• Once the buns are toasted, spread the spicy mayo from top to bottom, layer some pickles, and top it with fried chicken.
• Place the top bun, mayo face down on the chicken. You can opt to cut the sandwich in half or just eat it as is. Just enjoy it!

I always surprise myself when I make this copycat Popeyes chicken sandwich. The breading was crispy and light. The chicken was tender and moist. The bun was buttery, and the spices played music in my mouth.

I added pickles to this copycat recipe, they sure made every bite more delicious. Because of this recipe, no one in my family misses Popeyes chicken sandwich anymore.

I don't think my friends miss the iconic sandwiches as well. Five pats on my back for this one! I hope you enjoy your Popeyes chicken sandwiches when you're done with this copycat recipe.

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Get the ingredients

for the brine:

• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon MSG (or use the substitute below)

Or:
You can skip the MSG and substitute it with the following: 1 teaspoon EACH paprika, garlic powder, black pepper, onion powder, and salt (omit the salt listed above if you prefer using these seasonings instead).

Chicken:

2 boneless chicken thigh fillets (3 ½ to 4 ounces, trimmed)

for the breading:

• 1.5 cups self-rising flour (Gold Medal)
• ¾ teaspoon MSG (optional)
• ½ teaspoon ground white pepper
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon paprika
• ⅛ teaspoon onion powder

If self-rising flour is not available, follow this recipe to create your own:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt

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for wet ingredients:

• 1 large egg
• 1 cup buttermilk

For frying:

• 3 cups neutral oil for frying (Canola or peanut oil

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to assemble:

• 4 brioche hamburger buns
• 2-3 tablespoon butter, softened
• 8 dill pickle slices
• 4 tablespoon spicy mayonnaise

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Other chicken recipes:

• Roscoe Southern Fried Chicken
• Baked Chicken Lollipop
• Taiwanese Chicken Popcorn
• Chicken Pot Pie

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Full Recipe