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 just some 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 just some of its best qualities, together with the tons 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 methods of make the very best copycat Popeyes hen sandwich at residence.

What’s the Popeyes hen sandwich constructed from?

The Popeyes hen sandwich appears elementary—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. Likelihood is you may assume any hamburger roll will do, however there’s a decidedly appropriate varied correct proper right here. I’ll go into that on the tip, and put collectively it precisely.

The web will smother you with the necessary factor recipe for flavoring the marinade, or the “appropriate” mixture of spices and scorching sauce, however I actually ponder these elements play a minimal place in contrast with the necessary treatment of the hen and the bun. Observe these steps and it is best to 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 objects of hen. When you go away the breast whole it may take eternally to cook dinner dinner dinner by the use of whenever 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, take notice? 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 the use of a “buttermilk system.” Whereas I’ve little question there’s one issue up with its “system” I exploit a 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 additional, I don’t assume it factors what scorching sauce you make the most of. 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 extraordinarily juicy hen breast. All it’s best to do is try it as shortly as and as well as 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 best if they will get 12 to 24. Make certain that they’re submerged, or simply attempt to flip them midway by the use of.

Credit score rating score: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann

3. Attaining the becoming breading

When 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 fairly a number of 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 the use of and as well as you get cutlets with irregular clusters and crags of breading associated. These fry up into extra crunchy ridges and ripples.

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

Everytime you’re able 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, however it’s advisable to make use of 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 only some spoonfuls of the buttermilk marinade on to the dredge. Merely the liquid, not the hen nonetheless. Pinch the liquid into the combination till you might want fairly a number of flakes and chunks all by way of. (You can do this approach with fully completely 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 just some 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 wished 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 may occasionally 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 rather a lot 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 aspect. 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 fully completely different oil draining offers, and let it cool on a totally fully completely 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 remaining factor it’s best to do is precisely cope along with your bun. Constructive, there are the pickles and the mayo, however this is the ingredient that really sells a copycat Popeyes hen sandwich. Seize two brioche hamburger buns. Euroclassic makes an incredible one which occurs to be the becoming 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 means 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 additional butter over the tops. As shortly as a result of the cut-sides have some coloration, 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 important.) Smear a spoonful of mayonnaise onto each cut back sides of a buttered, toasted brioche bun. For those who occur to need it to be additional like Popeyes spicy hen sandwich, then merely combine a teaspoon (or additional, for a superb bigger 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 frivolously, however totally, masks any remnant oil flavors with luscious salted butter.

Moreover some nice advantages of not consuming a present sandwich—steamed, wilted, and chilly—making your non-public Popeyes fried hen sandwich may be going at all times going to be elevated. Perhaps even elevated than consuming it all through the retailer. It’s as trendy as doable, you’ve sourced your non-public substances, and as well as you get to personalize it in methods the quick meals chain definitely not will. For instance, 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 Major 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 objects, about 4 ounces every. Pour the marinade substances correct proper right into a container. Submerge the hen objects into the marinade. Cowl the container and put it all through the fridge for on the very least 4 hours and as rather a lot as 24 hours.

2. In an infinite 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. Throughout the meantime, warmth an inch of impartial oil in a heavy pot or skillet. Goal for 350°F to 360°F. Fry the breaded hen all through the oil for about 3 minutes per aspect. The hen must 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 means 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 coloration, take it out. Add additional butter and salt for the next bun.

6. Assemble the sandwich by smearing mayo onto each side of the brioche bun. Place just a little 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.