A couple weeks ago, I finally got the chance to try the elusive Popeyes Chicken Sandwich. This sandwich first came out in late summer 2019 and for the first few months it was often sold out only a few hours or even minutes into opening of the store as so many people wanted to try it. As a result, the sandwich instantly became a hit and an internet sensation. Although I am a bit late to the trend, I wanted to share my thoughts with you about this sandwich and how I think it compares with other chicken sandwiches I have had in the past.
My Experience:
The last time I went to Popeyes before this past visit was roughly 5 years ago and I vividly remember that I did not like the fried chicken very much at all and vowed to never go back. But, that was before the time of the chicken sandwich and I decided that since this new chicken sandwich from Popeyes had been receiving so many positive reviews that I would have to put aside my past grievances to try it.
When we first arrived at the Popeyes location, it was around 11:00 am and we were afraid that they had already sold out of the sandwich. But, even with this fear in mind, I still decided to walk in (with my mask on of course) and proceeded to wait in line until finally it was my turn. When I arrived at the cashier, I asked if they still had chicken sandwiches available and they said YES! I was ecstatic! I immediately ordered one spicy chicken sandwich combo and one regular chicken sandwich combo. The sandwich is sold in 2 different ways: as just a sandwich for $3.99 or as a combo with fries and a drink for $8.49. For a good sandwich, I think the price point is pretty fair and reasonable. Anyways, after I ordered and attempted to hide my happiness (it was pretty easy underneath my mask) I waited about 5 minutes until my order number was called and I finally had my hands on the item that some have called the best chicken sandwich on the market.
The Taste Test:
After picking up my order, I rushed outside of the restaurant and immediately sat down to dig into my sandwich while it was still hot. Before digging in, I opened the bag containing the sandwich and noticed that the bun looked super nice and soft. I believe that the key to a good sandwich is definitely the bread or bun that it is on so my first impressions of the bun of the Popeyes Spicy Chicken Sandwich made me think that it was legit. After looking at the bun, I pulled the sandwich completely out of the bag and felt that the bun actually felt soft and had a nice toast on the inside half of it. I also noticed that the fried chicken was hanging out of the bun a bit but that it looked super crunchy and that there were also many pickles spilling out the side of the bun. Finally, I noticed that the bottom bun had a nice amount of spicy mayo but not too much where it was going to overpower the dish. After doing the visual inspection of the sandwich, I decided that it was time to take my first bite.
After my first bite of the Popeyes Spicy Chicken Sandwich, I realized that I had made a good choice in forgiving my past grievances with Popeyes; the sandwich was insanely delicious. The bun was soft but nice and crispy on the inside, the chicken was super crispy and crunched in my mouth (even more so then I would have thought), the spicy mayo added a nice flavor and spice but did not overpower the dish and the pickles were the perfect complement to the heat. Overall, I was super impressed and actually blown away by this sandwich. I knew from the reviews that it was receiving that the Popeyes Chicken Sandwich must be good but I did not realize that it would be this good. The sandwich had just the right amount of everything and I actually would not add or subtract anything from it, except maybe add a few more pickles. Even though this sandwich was from a fast food place and not extremely expensive, the taste made me think that it could definitely be served in a real restaurant and for a bit of a higher price point.
My Favorite Part Of The Sandwich:
The best part of this sandwich for me was by far the chicken, and I am glad it was as it is called the Popeyes Chicken Sandwich. The chicken is supposedly marinated in a blend of Louisiana style seasonings and then hand battered and breaded in a buttermilk coating. I could definitely taste most of the spices in the chicken and am sure that that helped to make the chicken as good as it was. But, the highlight of the chicken for me was how crispy it was. Labeled as the Popeyes Crispy Chicken Sandwich, it definitely lives up to this name. When I first ordered this sandwich, I expected the chicken to be crispy but also a bit floppy. But, after hearing and tasting the chicken crunch in my mouth, I realized that it was actually super crispy and flavorful which helped to make it the star of the dish.
How The Popeyes Spicy Chicken Sandwich Compares To Other Fast Food Chicken Sandwiches:
Chick-fil-A Spicy Chicken Sandwich:
I have not had the Chick-fil-A Spicy Chicken Sandwich for a while but from what I can remember from it, the bun was good but not as nice as the one from the Popeyes Chicken Sandwich. The chicken itself in the Chick-fil-A Spicy Chicken Sandwich is also not as crispy as the chicken in the Popeyes sandwich is and does not have as much flavor. Finally, I prefer the spice level in the Popeyes Spicy Chicken Sandwich as the Chick-fil-A Spicy Chicken Sandwich has a bit too much spice for me that causes it to overpower the dish and the pickles do not do as much to help cure that spice. Overall, both sandwiches are super good but the Popeyes Spicy Chicken Sandwich is just on another level in terms of crunch and flavor.
Shake Shack Chick’N Shack:
After trying the Popeyes Chicken Sandwich, I felt intrigued to try other sandwiches and the shake Shack Chicken Sandwich was one of the first one that I actually tried post Popeyes. When I first received the sandwich, I noticed that it had a big piece of what looked like really crispy chicken as well as a few pickles, a bunch of spread, some shredded lettuce on the bottom and a nice soft bun. After trying my first bite of the sandwich, I realized that it was a pretty amazing sandwich. The chicken was super crispy and crunchy and the bun added a nice flavor and softness to hold it all together. I do not think that the sandwich needed the lettuce and I wish there were more pickles as they tasted really good. Also, there was a bit too much of the sauce or mayo on the bottom so it kind of overpowered the dish. But, overall, the chicken and the bun in this sandwich impressed me and tasted super fresh and flavorful. I personally would eat the Popeyes Chicken Sandwich over the Shake Shack one because of the amount of pickles as well as flavor of the sauce but both are super good and have really crispy chicken which is great.
My Final Thoughts:
Overall, I was super impressed with the Popeyes Spicy Chicken Sandwich as well as how well it held up against other fast food chicken sandwiches. Before eating this chicken sandwich, I was a bit skeptical of Popeyes and even wary to eat there. But now, I can safely say that the Popeyes Chicken Sandwich was one of the better chicken sandwiches I have had in a while. At its price point, you would expect it to be a cheap and not very good sandwich but in fact exactly the opposite is true. The chicken in the sandwich is super flavorful and crunchy and the pickles as well as the bun help make it a perfect sandwich. I highly recommend that you try the chicken sandwich from Popeyes sometime soon as it is one of the best chicken sandwiches I have had in my life. Thanks for reading this blog post and I hope a trip to Popeyes to try the chicken sandwich is in your future.
Walker's World 