When Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen launched its fried chicken sandwich in the summer of 2019 it became an overnight sensation. In the age of Instagram, the meal’s snapshot appeal and sub-$4 price-tag formed the perfect recipe for social media superstardom. By late August, many of the chain’s 3000 US locations simply ran out of them. They came back prepared in Q4, and the new staple drove sales growth by 34% throughout the duration of the year.
If you’re looking to re-create the phenomenon at home, here’s a high-minded variation that will satisfy your cravings. But no matter how you want your chicken—whether its roasted, fried, or grilled—precise prep work can make the difference between ‘meh’ and magnificent. Just ask Amy Alarcon. As the head of culinary innovation for Popeyes, she is one of the world’s preeminent experts on poultry. And she’s willing to share some secrets to help you out during the coronavirus lockdown.
“One of the hallmarks of Popeyes chicken is the amount of flavor we get from marination, whether it’s a sandwich fillet, a piece of fried chicken, or a tender,” she confesses. “It’s all been seasoned and allowed to sit for at least 12 hours to add maximum flavor. I find myself doing this at home all the time too and chicken is the perfect canvas.”
So while fixing a chicken dinner might seem like a spur of the moment endeavor, the best examples come together as far as a full day in advance. And now that you know the significance of marinating, it’s time to take a look at what you’ll actually use to do the soaking.
“As far as ingredients go, I almost always keep buttermilk in the fridge,” adds Alarcon. “I have an assortment of different hot sauces to choose from and keep a well-stocked spice cabinet. The particular blend I use here is one of my favorites! While it may seem like using hot sauce would make this particular dish spicy, I use Crystal hot sauce because it’s on the lower end of the spectrum in heat but high in flavor and acidity. The end result is a juicy interior and a well-seasoned, crispy exterior. Definitely not a tongue scorcher, just full of flavor through and through!”
Below is her recipe for a perfectly roasted chicken. It doesn’t require any complex ingredients. It’s all about leveraging the impact of marination to accentuate flavor and texture. Once you’ve got that down you can find success in any form. Fry it in (very hot) oil with a high smoke point—like vegetable shortening, or peanut oil. And, yes, even put it in between bread if that’s what makes your mouth most happy. Just remember: how you start is every bit as impactful as how you finish.
INGREDIENTS
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk
- 3 tbs Crystal Hot Sauce
- 1 tbs Tony Chachere’s Creole Spice, plus extra for sprinkling on top
- 8 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs
- Olive oil pan spray
DIRECTIONS
Marination Technique:
- In a small bowl, combine the buttermilk, hot sauce, and 1 tbs of the seasoning. Place inside a gallon size Ziploc bag and then add in the 8 chicken thighs. Carefully squeeze out the excess air and seal tightly. Massage the bag for a minute to make sure the marination gets thoroughly coated and mixed around the chicken. Place in the refrigerator and allow to marinate for a minimum of 12 hours, preferably overnight.
To Cook:
- 1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
- 2. Take a sheet pan or baking sheet and place a wire rack on top. Spray with cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- 3. Carefully drain the chicken thighs in a colander and shake to remove excess buttermilk hot sauce marinade. Place on wire rack skin side up and allow to sit for about 15 minutes to help the skin dry out a bit. Lightly sprinkle more of the Creole seasoning on the skin just to add a little more flavor and color. Using a good quality olive oil spray, lightly coat the surface of the chicken skin, this will aid in crisping.
- 4. Cook for 40 minutes. Some ovens are temperamental, so always use a thermometer to make sure you cook poultry to a minimum of 165 degrees, for bone-in chicken 170 degrees is the perfect target. The skin should be medium brown and crispy at this point too.
