Copycat Popeye's Fried Chicken Recipe (2024)

Complete with an original delta sauce recipe, this Popeye's chicken recipe couldn't get any better.

By: AllFreeCopycatRecipes.com Test Kitchen

20 Comments

Copycat Popeyes Fried Chicken Recipe

By: AllFreeCopycatRecipes.com Test Kitchen

Nothing beats some goodold-fashioned Southern cooking, and you are bound to get the whole family on board with this copycat recipe for Popeye's Extra-Crispy Spicy Fried Chicken with Delta Sauce. The Popeye's Delta sauce is slightly spicy and completely divine, especially when paired with a crispy, fried chicken recipe. When the family is looking for aquick and delicious chicken recipe, nothing tops a copycat recipe of Popeye's chicken! It's so much more than fast food.

There is no reason to head out forfried chickenwhen you can make this amazing fried chicken at home! You'll love this copycat Popeye's chicken recipe. The Delta sauce is creamy andspicy, while the chicken is crispy, flavorful, and not too hot. This is a classic Southern dish that everyone will enjoy.

Whether you're cooking for yourself, for guests, or for a summer potluck, you'll be the star of the event. When you're bringing chicken this good, it's hard not to be.

Serves6

Ingredients

For the Chicken:
1 (3-pound chicken
1 quart buttermilk
4 cups flour
3 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons fresh ground pepper
2 teaspoons paprika
3 eggs
1 cup water
1 cup hot pepper sauce
3 cups peanut oil
salt and fresh ground pepper
For the Delta Sauce:
1 cup mayonnaise
1 clove garlic, minced very fine
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup vegetable oil
1 cup chili sauce
1 cup ketchup
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon Worchestershire
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
hot pepper sauce to taste

Instructions

Place the chicken pieces into a very large bowl and add buttermilk to completely cover. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Make the Delta sauce while chicken marinates. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and stir to combine well. Chill 1 hour or more; it will hold up to 1 week.
Combine flour, cayenne, and all purpose flours and paprika in a large zip-top bag and shake to mix. This will give you that deliciously spicy marinade, just like they have at Popeye's.
Combine eggs, water, and hot sauce in a large bowl.
Remove chicken from the buttermilk and arrange on a cooling rack set into a rimmed baking sheet so that excess buttermilk drips off.
In a large skillet that is at least 3 inches deep, place the oil and heat over medium high until it reaches 350 degrees F. Use a thermometer to check the temperature.
While oil is heating, drop chicken a few pieces at a time into the zip top bag with the dry ingredients and shake to coat, then dip them into the egg mixture and finally back into the dry ingredients again. Shake off excess flour and set on the cooling rack to drip.
When oil is at 350 degrees F, use tongs to lower a few pieces at a time into the hot oil -- do not crowd the pan. Cook for about 15 minutes, turning once and keeping an eye on the oil temperature, adjusting the heat to be sure the oil remains at 350 degrees F.
When chicken pieces are done, remove from the oil with tongs and set on another cooling rack/baking sheet so that air circulates around them. Place into a 300 degree oven while you repeat the procedure until all the chicken is cooked.
Serve right away or at room temperature with the Delta Sauce for dipping.

Notes

If the oil gets too hot and the chicken browns too much before it is totally cooked, simply put it into the oven on the cooling rack/baking pan as directed above, but raise the oven temperature to 350 and let cook a few more minutes.

Check out the reader favorite recipe that inspired this Test Kitchen creation:

Homemade Popeye's Fried Chicken

The Best Oils for Deep Frying

This fried chicken recipe uses peanut oil while deep frying the chicken. While peanut oil is the most popular oil to use while deep frying, several other types of cooking oil work for deep frying, as well. If you have a peanut allergy or are not big on peanut oil, consider deep frying with soybean, safflower, or sunflower oil instead.

Want to learn more about cooking oils? Check out:

The Best Oils for Cooking: Essential Cooking Oil Guide.

Up next:

Potluck Recipes That WillSave Your Life This Summer
Which restaurant does fried chicken the best? Or do you think you have the best recipe? Let us know below!

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palladini971

Mar 15, 2018

Sound delicious, yes indeed it does. I used to love leaving my home here in Ontario Canada and heading down to the southern States to deliver a load when I was a High Mile Truck Driver

queenofdymens 3477 654

Aug 03, 2016

where is the add buttON?

Chelsea Louise

Aug 04, 2016

Hello! If you wish to add a recipe to your Recipe Box, simply scroll to the top of the page. Underneath the date is a button that says "Save Recipe." Click that button and you're done! I hope this helps - Chelsea, Editor

Weberme

Jun 22, 2016

Do you have to let it sit in buttermilk for 2 hours or overnight? My son loves Popeyes Crispy fried chicken so I will have to try this recipe. I love fried chicken too but not real spicy. Never tried the delta sauce but I think that is what my other son likes. Is the sauce the same as Popeyes? So I will have to give both of them a try and see if they like it.

Keithana Bradleigh

Jul 23, 2015

The chicken was very juicy and overall tasted good. I did add some salt after tasting. Definitely not spicy. Think the title is a lil misleading. Did not use the sauce. Instead we have a family favorite addition recipe . . . BBQ Fried Chicken. After frying we pat dry and then throw the chicken pieces to a hot BBQ grill for a few moments. Crisps up and makes it good and crunchy. Then - about 2 minutes from taking off the grill we slather in BBQ sauce. (Our favorite is Pig Chaser Original) Now THAT's good chicken!

EmilyS

Jul 01, 2015

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Copycat Popeye's Fried Chicken Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is Popeyes chicken batter made of? ›

WET Batter - place 2 cups of all purpose flour, 1 cup of corn starch, 1/2 cup of mustard powder, 2 tbs of backing powder, 1 tbs of paprika, 1 tbs cayenne, 1 tbs onion powder, 1 tbs salt and 4 cups of chicken stock in a mixing bowl. Mix wet batter in a bowl with a hand mixer with whisk attachment.

Show Me More ›

Does Popeyes use a wet batter? ›

Popeyes Chicken Sandwich Ingredients:

This works as a super-fast meat tenderizer and makes the chicken juicy. Wet Batter- eggs and buttermilk with the addition of baking soda and turmeric (for color) help with the breading to stick to the chicken.

See Details ›

Does Popeyes use egg in their chicken batter? ›

It's a real reddish, orange color. It sticks to the chicken, you see it all through the chicken, and that's where the flavor is. And our chicken is dipped in an egg-and-flour batter before it's fried. That gives it a really crisp texture.

Keep Reading ›

What kind of oil does Popeyes use to fry their chicken? ›

Popeyes has become the first fast-food chain to source palm oil, both directly and for all branded food products.

Discover More Details ›

What makes Popeyes chicken so crispy? ›

Bachelder also specified that their "... chicken is dipped in an egg-and-flour batter before it's fried. That gives it a really crisp texture." Preach, Cheryl, because we are here for it.

Does Popeyes use milk in their breading? ›

Chicken & Seafood

All Popeye's breaded items, including their chicken, shrimp, and fish, contain milk. They have previously offered “Naked Tenders” without the breading on their Louisiana Leaux menu. Those were dairy free. Some locations will still make them on request, but you should call to ask if this is an option.

Get More Info ›

Does Popeyes batter have milk? ›

Their batter does contain dairy, but they have other dairy-free options ...

Explore More ›

Does Popeyes use MSG in their breading? ›

Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen says supply-chain problems are making it tough to rid its fried chicken of monosodium glutamate, commonly known as MSG. The chain is now planning to get rid of the flavor enhancer, which has garnered both fans and enemies, by the end of 2025.

What is the best oil to fry chicken in for taste? ›

Lard is a great choice for frying chicken because it gives your chicken an excellent flavor and unparalleled crispy crust.

Know More ›

Does Popeyes taste different in New Orleans? ›

A long-time New Orleans food writer, Lorin Gaudin, told Food & Wine not only does Popeye's taste best in New Orleans, it's a frequent topic of conversation and a staple of another NOLA tradition: Mardi Gras. "The smell of Popeye's on the cool, crisp air is...it's so Mardi Gras.

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What does Chick Fil A fry their chicken in? ›

Ever since our founder Truett Cathy created the Chick-fil-A^® Chicken Sandwich, we've been cooking our hand-breaded chicken exclusively in fully refined, heat-processed peanut oil.