Review: Ghost Pepper and Buffalo Butterfly Shrimp from Popeyes

Bottom Line: The Ghost Pepper and Buffalo Butterfly Shrimp from Popeyes are a little on the small side, but they are tasty and crunchy and bring some heat.

Lent season is upon us and a lot of people are looking for non-meat options on Fridays. That’s a good thing for seafood lovers, because many of the national chains start emphasizing ocean-based proteins this time of year, and several of them are spicing those up. Case in point, Popeyes has brought back its Cajun Flounder, which includes a spicy version, and they also have their Shrimp Tackle Box returning, which this year is offering some seasonings that bring the burn. I previously tried their spicy fish sandwich (you can read that review here), so this time around I sampled both the Ghost Pepper and Buffalo-seasoned butterfly shrimp.

The shrimp are on the small side, about one big bite or two small ones each, but it is a decent bite without too much breading taking over the flavor. The shrimp have good taste with none of that iodine flavor you sometimes get from these crustaceans, especially when they are on the cheap side. And they have a good crust that delivers some crunch.

The Ghost Pepper shrimp did not look like they were seasoned at all, and at first I thought they messed up my order. But one bite delivered a nice peppery kick that left some tingle in my mouth. They are not super-hot, getting close to Medium on my scale, but you definitely feel some spice, and this is some good heat for a fast food joint.

The Buffalo version does not have that tang you might expect from that seasoning, and it seems to have more of a Cajun taste. But there’s nothing wrong with that and it has a kick as well. I would put it only just a little below the heat level of the Ghost Pepper shrimp, as it does deliver some warmth, and both flavors make for a good fast food option.

You get eight shrimp in an order, and those total 370 calories which is not bad at all for a fast food joint. You can add on the Cajun fries (270 cals) or the red beans and rice (a favorite of mine and it is only 250 cals), and still not be doing too bad. But don’t forget about that biscuit which tacks on an additional 210 cals and gets things to the high side. If you want to keep the numbers down, you could consider the mashed potatoes and gravy (110 cals) or the coleslaw (140 cals).

The combo meal with eight shrimp, one side, a biscuit, and a drink is $7.99 in my area which is pretty good for a filling fast food meal these days. The shrimp will only be around for a short time though as Lent season wraps up in early April and these will swim back to Limited-Time-Only-Ville at that point. So if you want something spicy from the drive-thru which is not chicken, the shrimp and the fish at Popeyes are definitely good options.

Nutrition Info:

Serving Size: 8 Shrimp
Calories: 370
Fat: 21g (9g Sat/0 Trans)
Protein: 14g
Carbs: 32g
Sodium: 1600mg