The chicken sandwich and spicy chicken sandwich have become big business for fast food and fast casual dining these days, and everybody seems to be adding one to the menu. I happen to be a lover of a good spicy chik sammy (going back long before it became the latest trend) and will be making my rounds to decide which of these is the best. Starting off, I gobbled down the much-touted Popeyes spicy chicken to let you know if it is living up to the hype.
I’ve spun through the drive-thru a couple of times now for this sandwich, and it is definitely worth a trip to your local Popeyes. (Fun fact: the fast food chain is named after Popeye Doyle from The French Connection, not the spinach-chomping cartoon character.) First off, this is a big, thick filet of chicken breast. Sometimes that can be a bad thing because breast meat can get dry and tasteless if not cooked right. But the meat has the right amount of batter and breading (with a touch of flakiness) and it is fried perfectly throughout so that every bite delivers moist goodness. You don’t encounter too much breading or a dry spot throughout the sandwich. But word of warning to those who eat while driving: this sizeable sandwich can be messy. You will probably need to do a full cleaning of your seat and the surroundings once you reach your destination!
Most important to those of us craving a kick from our food, Popeyes spicy version of the sandwich packs some heat. Not that it is going to send you running for a fire extinguisher to put out the blaze in your mouth, but for a fast food sandwich, this one amps up the heat a few notches. Popeyes marinates its chicken in spices and I assume hot sauce, and that flavor definitely comes through in every bite. The batter is seasoned as well, and the spicy mayo adds some creaminess and an extra kick. All of that comes together to deliver some heat that lingers, and the pickles give just the right tang to top it off (I usually don’t like pickles on my sammy, but they definitely work on a spicy chicken sandwich). And while the bun is not particularly remarkable, it does not detract from the overall experience either.
All in all, this is a very filling sandwich that will not leave you hungry and that will satisfy those looking for some heat. It packs 700 calories, so if you are watching your weight . . . what are you doing eating fried chicken at Popeyes? Okay, even when trying to trim the waistline we all want to splurge now and again, so maybe pass on the fries and get a diet soda or unsweet iced tea (or just water). You could also cut some calories by telling them to hold the spicy mayo . . . but . . . don’t. I’m not one who particularly likes mayonnaise on a sandwich (and it has NO BUSINESS on a burger), but in this case it really helps seal the deal. (Side note: The regular chicken sandwich comes in at 699 calories. Where exactly does the one extra calorie come from on the spicy version?)
The sandwich sells for around four to five dollars and you can make it a combo for another buck or two. If you are craving a chicken sandwich and you want some heat, this one definitely fits the bill. Whether it is worth all the hype (or waiting thirty minutes to an hour in the drive thru as some people have been doing), I’m not quite certain. But I can definitely see myself returning to Popeyes when I need a spicy chicken sandwich fix.
Tale of the Tape:
Serving Size: 1 Sandwich
Calories: 700
Fat: 42g (14g Sat/1.5g Trans)
Protein: 26g
Carbs: 50g
Sodium: 1443mg