Go Back
–+ servings
Creating this copycat recipe required a lot of trial and error. I went through all of that already, and now, you won’t have to.

Popeye Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sandwich (Copycat)

5 from 13 votes
Pin Recipe
Do you like popeye chicken? We’re bringing you a copycat Popeye Chicken sandwich that is tender, crunchy of golden deliciousness. Now you can whip up your version at home sans the long lines.
Servings: 4
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Marinating time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 50 minutes

Equipments:

  • Deep pot and tongs (for deep frying)
  • Mixing bowl and cling wrap (for dredging chicken)
  • Cooling rack & paper towel

Ingredients:

  • 2 fillets boneless chicken breast (trimmed to fit the bun)

For the Brine:

  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon MSG (see notes for substitutes)

MSG + Salt substitute seasonings for the brine:

  • 1 teaspoon EACH: (garlic powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, white pepper, onion powder & salt) (use these seasonings instead of MSG & salt)

For the Breading:

  • 1½ cup self-rising flour (or all-purpose flour - see notes**)
  • ¾ teaspoon MSG (*optional )
  • ½ teaspoon ground white pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ⅛ teaspoon onion powder

For wet ingredients:

  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup buttermilk

to Assemble:

  • 4 pcs Brioche buns (or Hawaiian buns)
  • 2 tablespoon butter (softened)
  • 8 slices Dill pickles
  • 4 tablespoon Spicy mayonnaise

For Frying:

  • 3 cups canola oil (for frying)

Watch the Video:

Instructions:

Prep the Chicken:

  • Trim the chicken breasts before putting in the brine marinade.
  • Pound chicken breasts in between two pieces of plastic wrap. Cut your poultry in half crosswise to make 2 small pieces of chicken about the same size as the bun.

Prep the Buttermilk Brine:

  • In a separate container, pour the buttermilk and add salt and MSG. Stir to combine.
  • Drop the chicken in the brine mixture and gently toss to get coated thoroughly.
  • Cover with a cling wrap and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or best overnight.

Dredge the Chicken:

  • 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 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 fillet, 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.
  • Let the chicken sit on a sheet pan to rest for 5 minutes before frying

Fry the Chicken:

  • 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. 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 (350°F) for about 8-10 minutes so it could continue cooking without burning the outer coating! Tip: Loosely cover the top of chicken with foil.
  • Once the chicken breasts are cooked, drain them on a paper towel or a cooling rack.

Assemble the Bun:

  • Before assembling the sandwich, melt 1 to 2 tablespoon butter in a large saucepan and toast buns face down until golden and crisp.
  • 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!

Notes:

1.) 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
2.) 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.
3.) Homemade buttermilk recipe:
  • 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.
4.) Alternative: if you’re not a fan of adding MSG into your brine, you can skip and substitute it with the pantry staple seasonings.
  • Just add 1 teaspoon each: (garlic powder, paprika, cayenne pepper, white pepper, onion powder, salt) to the flour mix or to your buttermilk brine.

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 504kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 71mg | Sodium: 4074mg | Potassium: 509mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 1125IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 281mg | Iron: 2mg

Please note that all nutrition information are just estimates. Values will vary among brands, so we encourage you to calculate these on your own for most accurate results.

Did you make this?I would love seeing what you've made! Tag me on Instagram @theforkbitedotcom or leave me a comment or rating below.
Course: lunch
Cuisine: American
Keywords: buttermilk fried chicken, popeye chicken recipe copycat, popeye chicken sandwich, popeyes hot sauce, what's on popeyes chicken sandwich