I Swear by This Copycat Popeyes Hen Sandwich Recipe

I think about myself a fried hen sandwich aficionado, bordering on sommelier. Having eaten fairly a number of crispy cutlets I can inform you that the Popeyes hen sandwich ranks up there with quite a lot of of the very best. That talked about, getting one among them delivered to your door is a guess. The humidity which is able to assemble all through the bag actually destroys quite a lot of of its best qualities, together with the quite so much prized crunchy crust. It’s a hazard that you simply simply merely merely shouldn’t take. I give it some thought my good accountability and honor to current you with the secrets and techniques and strategies and strategies of make the best copycat Popeyes hen sandwich at residence.

What’s the Popeyes hen sandwich constituted of?

The Popeyes hen sandwich appears primary—on paper. It’s a breaded and fried hen breast tucked inside a fragile bun with mayonnaise (or spicy mayo) and some sliced pickles. Nevertheless, the greatness is achieved with two principal particulars. The hen, clearly. It must be totally juicy inside (achieved merely with a buttermilk marinade) with a rugged panorama of crunchy batter encasing it. Lots a lot much less apparent is the significance of the bun. You possibly can assume any hamburger roll will do, nonetheless there’s a decidedly appropriate numerous correct proper right here. I’ll go into that on the tip, and put collectively it appropriately.

The web will smother you with the vital factor recipe for flavoring the marinade, or the “appropriate” mixture of spices and scorching sauce, nonetheless I actually keep in mind these elements play a minimal place in contrast with the vital treatment of the hen and the bun. Observe these steps and you will have a Popeyes hen sandwich that Popeye may probably be jealous of. Away we go.

Learn to make Popeyes hen sandwich

1. Begin with the hen breast

Place an entire, uncooked hen breast, about an eight-ounce piece, on a chopping board and butterfly it with a pointy knife to make two thinner devices of hen. Whilst you go away the breast entire it’d take eternally to cook dinner dinner dinner by means of if you fry it, seemingly over-browning on the ground—and, take my phrase for it, an entire fried hen breast is surprisingly merely an excessive amount of for a appropriately balanced fried hen sandwich. Notion me, I’m a FCS sommelier, keep in mind? Subsequent, we’re on to the marinade.

2. Popeyes hen makes use of buttermilk (in some performance)

Popeyes suspiciously describes that its hen goes by means of a “buttermilk system.” Whereas I’ve little question there’s one issue up with its “system” I exploit an easy buttermilk marinade. I do know together with anybody, if a recipe will get too refined or makes use of significantly inaccessible substances then I’m not doing it.

Pour a number of cup of retailer purchased buttermilk correct proper right into a deep container. Stir in some salt and scorching sauce. As quickly as further, I don’t assume it factors what scorching sauce you utilize. What factors is that you simply simply merely need it. Buttermilk is the clutch ingredient correct proper right here. The lactic acid tenderizes the proteins and ends in a really juicy hen breast. All you could do is strive it as shortly as and likewise you’ll mannequin the excellence. Take your butterflied hen breasts and tuck them into the buttermilk. Pop the lined container into the fridge for on the very least 4 hours, nonetheless it’s greatest if they might get 12 to 24. Make sure that they’re submerged, or simply try to flip them midway by means of.

Credit score rating score: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann

3. Attaining the suitable breading

Whilst you’re questioning how the crust of a Popeyes hen sandwich will get so crispy, it’s attributable to how clumped up the flour dredge will get after numerous cuts of marinated hen have dunked in it. The drips of loosened liquid combine with the flour and type small clumps and flakes. These bits then cling to the next hen that passes by means of and likewise you get cutlets with irregular clusters and crags of breading linked. These fry up into further crunchy ridges and ripples.

There’s a simple option to duplicate this at residence.

Everytime you’re ready to fry, make the flour dredge. I add principally flour, after which enhance the starch content material materials supplies with a pair tablespoons of potato starch, nonetheless it is important use cornstarch when you like. Add salt and spices like cayenne, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder. You may uncover savory spices that you simply simply equivalent to, or use my recipe beneath.

Take the buttermilk hen container out of the fridge and add just a few spoonfuls of the buttermilk marinade on to the dredge. Merely the liquid, not the hen nonetheless. Pinch the liquid into the combination till you may want fairly a number of flakes and chunks all by. (You can try this method with completely totally different copycat recipes, or with my scorching hen slider recipe too.)

Credit score rating score: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann

Take out a hen breast from the container, shake off quite a lot of of the liquid and put it all through the flour combination. Scoop the dry combine up and over the hen and press down for good contact. Flip the hen as wanted to coat any moist spots. You need fairly a number of clumps caught to the hen. Change the coated hen onto a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Repeat with the choice hen breast. Let the breaded hen sit on the rack for on the very least 10 minutes. This will give the flour an opportunity to hydrate and set on the meat.

4. Frying the hen

As you wait, warmth about an inch of impartial frying oil (like corn or vegetable oil) in a heavy pot or skillet. Use a thermometer to see when the hen reaches 350°F to 360°F. As shortly as a result of it comes as so much as temperature, gently decrease the hen into the oil. I fry them one after the opposite so the temperature doesn’t drop too low. Fry the hen for about three minutes per side. It should look appropriately and evenly browned. Use a meat thermometer to check the thickest a part of the hen for 165°F, as shortly as a result of it’s out of the oil. Dab the hen onto a paper towel, or any of those completely totally different oil draining gives, and let it cool on a totally completely totally different wire cooling rack (not the one which had uncooked hen on it).

Credit score rating score: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann

5. The significance of the buttered bun

The very very last item you could do is appropriately cope together with your bun. Constructive, there are the pickles and the mayo, nonetheless this is the ingredient that really sells a copycat Popeyes hen sandwich. Seize two brioche hamburger buns. Euroclassic makes an unbelievable one which occurs to be the suitable measurement, and I normally uncover them in six packs at my native Shoprite.

In a frying pan, add a slice of butter, a number of quarter of a tablespoon, and soften it over medium-low warmth. Sprinkle in a pinch of salt. Use a pastry brush to swipe the salty butter all by way of the pan. Break up the brioche bun and put the 2 sides cut-side down all through the frying pan. Toast the bottoms, and use the pastry brush to brush further butter over the tops. As shortly as a result of the cut-sides have some colour, take them out of the pan. Repeat with the choice bun.

6. Assemble your Popeyes hen sandwich

The second-most pleasurable half has arrived! (Consuming is main.) Smear a spoonful of mayonnaise onto each lower sides of a buttered, toasted brioche bun. Within the occasion you need it to be further like Popeyes spicy hen sandwich, then merely combine a teaspoon (or further, for a superb larger kick) of your favourite scorching sauce into two tablespoons of mayonnaise. Place a single gorgeously fried hen breast onto the underside bun and layer on slices of your favourite pickles. I’d stroll 500 miles for Grillo’s half sours, in order that’s what I used. Press the buttery extreme bun on extreme. Take a deep breath and dive in.

It’s a tower of fried hen perfection. The crunch. The juicy hen. The pan toasted bun that flippantly, nonetheless totally, masks any remnant oil flavors with luscious salted butter.

Moreover the advantages of not consuming a present sandwich—steamed, wilted, and chilly—making your non-public Popeyes fried hen sandwich could be going all the time going to be elevated. Possibly even elevated than consuming it all through the retailer. It’s as fashionable as doable, you’ve sourced your non-public substances, and likewise you get to personalize it in methods the quick meals chain not at all will. For example, I principally match my hen to pickle ratio, ounce-for-ounce. Have some pleasurable with it and add a slice of pepper jack cheese, a fried egg, or pickled jalapeños.

Popeyes Basic Hen Sandwich Copycat Recipe

Components:

• 8-ounce uncooked hen breast (makes two sandwiches)
• 2 brioche hamburger buns
• 1 tablespoon of butter (for toasting the buns)
• Pinch of salt
• 4 tablespoons mayonnaise
• Sliced pickles
• Ample impartial cooking oil for frying

For the marinade

• 1 cup of buttermilk
• 1-3 teaspoons scorching sauce
• ½ teaspoon salt

For the breading

1. Butterfly the hen breast to make two thinner devices, about 4 ounces every. Pour the marinade substances correct proper right into a container. Submerge the hen devices into the marinade. Cowl the container and put it all through the fridge for on the very least 4 hours and as so much as 24 hours.

2. In an enormous bowl, totally mix all the breading substances. Set a wire rack over a baking sheet shut by. Take the hen container out of the fridge. Scoop two or three spoonfuls of the buttermilk liquid into the flour combination. Use your fingers to pinch the liquid into the flour so that you simply simply make flakes of breading.

3. Take one piece of hen breast out of the marinade, shake off the surplus and drop it into the flour combination. Utterly coat the hen with the breading, urgent fairly a number of the flakes onto the hen. Change the breaded hen to the wire rack. Repeat with the choice hen breast. Let the breaded hen dry for 10 to fifteen minutes.

4. Inside the meantime, warmth an inch of impartial oil in a heavy pot or skillet. Function for 350°F to 360°F. Fry the breaded hen all through the oil for about 3 minutes per side. The hen needs to be appropriately browned. Use a meat thermometer to check the thickest half for 165°F. Repeat with remaining hen.

5. Soften a number of quarter to half a tablespoon of butter in a frying pan with a pinch of salt. Unfold the butter all by way of the pan. Open one burger bun and place the edges cut-side down all through the pan. Brush butter over the tops whereas the bottoms toast. When the underside has picked up some colour, take it out. Add further butter and salt for the next bun.

6. Assemble the sandwich by smearing mayo onto all sides of the brioche bun. Place somewhat little bit of buttermilk fried hen on the underside bun, extreme it with pickle slices, and press the very best bun on extreme. Your copycat Popeyes hen sandwich is full.