Popeye’s Fried Chicken is some of the most crispy, juicy fast-food chicken available. The batter is made with buttermilk and spices, giving it that savory peppery flavor we all love. And it’s deep-fried in peanut oil, which makes the batter crispy while maintaining the juiciness of the chicken. If you ever wanted to make your own crispy fried chicken, but the recipes are a bit complicated, we’ve helped simplify it in the recipe below.
There are two important things to note about Popeye’s Fried Chicken Recipe. The first is to use peanut oil; you can use another oil, but the peanut oil gives the chicken it’s smokey flavor and makes the batter extra crispy. The second is the marinating time. You should let the chicken pieces marinate at least 8 hours in the buttermilk mixture before frying them. If you don’t have buttermilk, we’ve included a tip below so that you can make your own with two simple ingredients.
You can eat the fried chicken as it is, or you can make it into a Popeye’s Fried Chicken Sandwich with a few extra ingredients. Besides the resting period, this is a quick way to prepare a delicious weekday meal for the whole family.
Popeye's Fried Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups whole buttermilk
- 3 tbsp hot sauce, divided
- 4 boneless, skinless breasts
- 3 large eggs
- 1/3 cup water
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp paprika
- 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- peanut oil for frying
Instructions
- First, stir together the buttermilk and 2 tablespoons of the hot sauce in a large bowl. Submerge the chicken into this buttermilk mixture, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
- The next day, or about 8 hours later, whisk together the eggs, water, and remaining 1 tablespoon of hot sauce in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, salt, cayenne pepper, black pepper, paprika, and garlic powder.
- Pour oil to a depth of 2 1/2 inches in a large Dutch oven or deep frying pan, and heat to medium-high. Remove the chicken from the buttermilk mixture, and discard the mixture. Dip each of the chicken pieces in the egg mixture, and then dredge it in the flour mixture. Repeat dipping the chicken into the egg mixture, and dredging in flour again.
- Carefully place 3 to 4 pieces of chicken into the hot peanut oil, and fry until they're golden brown and cooked through- about 8 to 10 minutes. Take them out and lay them on a plate lined with paper towels. Repeat with remaining chicken pieces. Serve hot and enjoy.
Notes
- If you don’t have buttermilk, just add a tablespoon of white vinegar to whole milk and allow it to sit for a few minutes. This will make a liquid similar to buttermilk.
If you’d like to prepare a tasty side dish with your Popeye’s chicken, try our Popeye’s Red Beans and Rice recipe.
