From DN Recipes by David Nagy · Food & Beverage

Popeye's Chicken Sandwich

Published

Popeye's Chicken Sandwich

Ingredients
For the Chicken:
2 chicken boneless, skinless breasts
1 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons hot sauce
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt

For the Breading:
1 cup flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 tablespoons sweet paprika
1 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
Optional: 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
4 cups canola oil (for frying)

For the Spicy Mayo:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder

For the assembly:
2 tablespoons butter
4 brioche buns
1/2 cup dill pickles (sliced)

Steps to Make It
  1. Gather the ingredients for the chicken marinade.
  2. Pound the chicken breasts with a mallet between two pieces of parchment paper until they are just under 1 inch in thickness.
  3. Cut the chicken breasts in half to fit the size of the bun. Poke the chicken breasts with the sharp end a knife and make 4 to 5 punctures per side.
  4. Add the buttermilk, hot sauce, and spices to a large bowl and whisk until completely combined.
  5. Add the chicken and cover with plastic wrap, place it in the fridge for at least one hour or up to overnight.
  6. Gather the breading ingredients.
  7. Whisk together the breading ingredients in a shallow baking dish. Add a 1/4 cup of the marinade to the flour and whisk to combine.
  8. Remove a piece of chicken from the marinade and dip into the flour mixture. Dredge both sides to coat completely. Then dip back into the buttermilk mixture and then back into the flour mixture, pressing the flour to help it coat the chicken.
  9. Place the chicken on a wire rack over a baking sheet and refrigerate for 10 minutes. This helps the batter stick to the chicken, but if you don't have time, you can fry right away.
  10. While it is refrigerating, add the oil to a cast-iron skillet or other heavy bottomed pan. Heat the oil to 350 F.
  11. Add the chicken to the pan and fry 3 to 5 minutes per side. The outside should be crispy and golden brown and the internal temperature should be 165F. Remove from the oil and allow to drain on a cooling rack over a baking sheet or on a paper-towel lined plate.
  12. While the chicken is cooking, gather the spicy mayo ingredients.
  13. Whisk together the ingredients for the mayo in a small bowl. Set aside.
  14. Gather the rest of the sandwich components.
  15. Add butter to a large skillet and heat on medium high heat Add the buns to the buttered pan and toast cut-side down until golden brown.
  16. Spread a tablespoon of the mayo onto both sides of the buns. Add 3 or so pickles to the bottom of the bun, top with the chicken and then top bun and enjoy immediately!