August 2019 was a historic month for fast food, as Popeyes launched its highly anticipated fried chicken sandwich. The menu item sparked fierce competition among chains large and small, with seemingly everyone launching their own version of the fried chicken sandwich, a phenomenon that continues to this day.
Popeyes now offers several different versions of this beloved item, including the classic, spicy, blackened, spicy blackened, bacon and cheese, and the all-new Golden BBQ. With the proliferation of options, I wondered which Popeyes chicken sandwich was truly the best. Can you really beat the unbeatable classic and spicy versions that made this sandwich famous?
I decided to taste test each of these options. I stopped by my local Popeyes, gathered all six chicken sandwiches, and tasted each one, paying close attention to flavor and texture. Here’s how the sandwiches ranked, in descending order from my least favorite to the absolute best Popeyes chicken sandwich.
Blackened Chicken Sandwich
Nutrition:(By sandwich):
Calories: 550
Fat: 29 g fat (saturated fat: 5 g)
Sodium: 1900 mg
Crabs: 41 g (Fiber: 2 g Sugar: 8 g)
Protein: 32 g
In May 2021, select Popeyes restaurants introduced the Blackened Chicken Sandwich for a limited time. This sandwich then returned to the menu for another limited time in November 2022 before becoming a permanent offering in May 2023. Available in classic and spicy varieties, this sandwich features a whole unbreaded chicken breast marinated for 12 hours, seasoned with Cajun spices, and served on a toasted brioche bun with classic or spicy mayonnaise and barrel-cured pickles. While this sandwich is not listed on the Popeyes app for me, I was able to get this menu item by ordering it in person. This sandwich cost me $4.99.
The look: Of all the chicken sandwiches, this one was the most mayonnaise-laden, with both the top and bottom of the bun generously coated in the creamy condiment. As someone who is not a huge To begin with, I didn’t find it particularly appetizing. Atop the thick layer of mayonnaise sat two poker-chip-sized pickles and the golden-brown, unbreaded, fried chicken fillet, which was speckled with black seasoning.
Taste: One word: salty. While the chicken itself was moist, the salt was the strongest flavor, which discouraged me from taking another bite. Additionally, I found the excessive amount of mayonnaise off-putting. The tangy pickles were the only saving grace of this sandwich.
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Spicy Blackened Chicken Sandwich
Nutritional information not available
The Blackened Spicy Chicken Sandwich differs from the classic version by featuring spicy mayonnaise instead of the standard condiment. Like the classic, this sandwich cost me $4.99.
The look: This spicy sandwich had dollops of pale yellow spicy mayonnaise on the bottom and top of the toasted brioche bun. However, this sandwich had much less of it than the regular blackened chicken sandwich. Next came the two pickles and the unbreaded browned chicken breast, which had a few crispy bits.
Taste: While this sandwich was still noticeably salty like the classic blackened chicken sandwich, the spicy mayo provided a little extra zing to slightly distract from the saltiness. Also, I will always opt for a spicy, flavored mayo over the plain variety. That being said, the spicy condiment wasn’t enough. While this sandwich is better, its higher ranking is mainly due to the more even distribution of ingredients.
Chicken, Bacon and Cheese Sandwich
Nutrition:(By sandwich):
Calories: 830
Fat: 53 g fat (saturated fat: 19 g, trans fat: 1.5 g)
Sodium: 1,875 mg
Crabs: 51 g (Fiber: 2 g Sugar: 8 g)
Protein: 36 g
When Popeyes permanently added its blackened chicken sandwich to the menu in 2023, it also announced that customers could customize any of the chain’s sandwiches by adding Applewood-smoked bacon and Havarti cheese. I ordered the classic sandwich, which included the chain’s famous fried chicken breast, mayonnaise, and pickles on a brioche bun. The sandwich cost me $7.49, which was three dollars more than the other five sandwiches I tried.
The look: This sandwich was well-filled, with a variety of textures, from crispy breaded chicken to creamy mayonnaise to crunchy pickles. There was also the pale, pitted Havarti cheese, slightly translucent, somewhat plasticky, and not very appetizing.
Taste: While the bacon and cheese are supposed to provide extra flavor, I found these additions unnecessary. The Havarti cheese was extremely mild in flavor, only adding a slightly gooey consistency to the sandwich. Meanwhile, the bacon just added an unwanted saltiness and wasn’t particularly crispy. (Although, that could also be because this sandwich sat out for a while.) Strip away the bacon and cheese, and you’ve got a sandwich that’s tasty enough on its own, thanks to the fried chicken, slightly sweet brioche bun, and pickles.
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Spicy Chicken Sandwich
Nutrition:(By sandwich):
Calories: 700
Fat: 42 g fat (saturated fat: 14 g, trans fat: 1.5 g)
Sodium: 1,635 mg
Crabs: 50 g (Fiber: 2 g Sugar: 8 g)
Protein: 28 g
Much like the Spicy Blackened Chicken Sandwich, this menu item features spicy mayo and Poeyes pickles on a brioche bun. I purchased one of these sandwiches for $4.99.
The look: Of the four sandwiches, this one contained a noticeably larger chicken fillet with several shades of brown that darkened as it crisped up. The buns held small dollops of spicy mayonnaise that resembled the pale yellow color of honey mustard. Despite its generously toasted appearance, the bread was a bit soggy.
Taste: While this sandwich was certainly spicy, it wasn’t overpowering. But that might have been because I was expecting it to be spicier. However, the heat lingered in my mouth for several minutes after I finished eating. The pickles helped temper the spiciness, though I wish there were just a few more. While I enjoyed this sandwich and didn’t have any major complaints, I would still choose a classic over this one.
Classic Chicken Sandwich
Nutrition:(By sandwich):
Calories: 700
Fat: 42 g fat (saturated fat: 14 g, trans fat: 1.5 g)
Sodium: 1,765 mg
Crabs: 50 g (Fiber: 2 g Sugar: 8 g)
Protein: 28 g
Enter: The Classic. This menu item has the same ingredients as the Spicy Sandwich, but swaps out the spicy mayo for the standard white condiment. I purchased this sandwich for $4.99.
The look: A little bland. This sandwich was the flattest of the bunch, with mayonnaise spilling over the sides of the bun. However, I was still drawn in by the gritty, crunchy texture of the chicken’s crispy breading.
Taste: This was the first Popeyes chicken sandwich I tried, and it did not disappoint. While the soft brioche bun was a bit greasy (which was the case with all of the sandwiches), the flavor made up for it, exhibiting the same subtle sweetness I’ve enjoyed with the other sandwich buns. And, as with the other options, the pickles provided a delicious burst of sour flavor that left me wanting more. The chicken was flavorful without being overly salty, and while I wish I had more, slightly Crispier, this Popeyes chicken sandwich was still a good option overall. However, there was one more sandwich I would choose before this one.
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Golden BBQ Chicken Sandwich
Nutrition:(By sandwich):
Calories: 620
Fat: 32 g fat (saturated fat: 12 g, trans fat: 2 g)
Sodium: 1,550 mg
Crabs: 54 g (Fiber: 2 g Sugar: 12 g)
Protein: 28 g
In May, Popeyes expanded its chicken sandwich lineup with its new Golden BBQ offering. This sandwich features the chain’s buttermilk-breaded chicken breast, sweet and tangy Golden BBQ sauce, and pickles on a toasted brioche bun. It’s basically the classic with honey mustard sauce instead of mayo. I picked up one of these sandwiches for $4.99.
The look: This one was very similar to the spicy fried chicken sandwich, as they both had pale yellow condiments that resembled honey mustard. In fact, I had a hard time telling the two sandwiches apart. Like the others, the bread had a slightly oily sheen, while the chicken fillet was thicker.
Taste: The golden barbecue sauce, also known as honey mustard, added delicious sweet and smoky notes, as well as a bit of spice. It complemented the flavorful fried chicken nicely, as did the tangy pickle slices, which added a bit of zing. While this sandwich wasn’t a major departure from the OG—a discovery highlighted in a previous post Eat this, not that! Taste Test: All the elements worked together to earn this menu item the top spot in my taste test.
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