Copycat Popeyes Blackened Chicken Sandwich Recipe

If nothing sounds better than a classic Popeyes blackened chicken sandwich, there's no need to wait in a long drive-thru line. With this easy recipe by Catherine Brookes, you can enjoy the bold, spicy flavors of this popular sandwich at home. There are just a handful of ingredients required, many of which you'll likely already have in the fridge or pantry, with everything coming together in under 30 minutes too.

The star of this copycat Popeyes recipe is the succulent, tender chicken breast. We combine the perfect blend of spices to create a smoky, slightly fiery coating for the chicken, that transforms this recipe into a flavor-packed main that tastes just like the original version. Then, the chicken is pan-fried until crisp and blackened on the outside, but still wonderfully juicy in the middle.

Stack the chicken up in some perfectly toasted brioche buns along with some tangy pickles and creamy mayo to balance the heat, and the sandwiches are ready to enjoy. If you're a Popeyes devotee, we highly recommend giving this one a try, and you'll soon discover how easy it is to recreate this classic sandwich staple in your own kitchen.

For this easy Popeyes copycat recipe, you'll first need two chicken breasts. For the blackened seasoning, there's smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, oregano, salt, black pepper, and sugar. Then, grab some olive oil to lightly pan-fry the chicken. As for building the sandwich, you'll need brioche buns, mayonnaise, and some sliced pickles.

Mix together the smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, oregano, salt, black pepper, and sugar in a bowl.

Wrap the chicken breasts in plastic wrap and pound them with a meat mallet or the end of a rolling pin to flatten them to about ½-inch thick.

Unwrap the chicken and coat boat sides in the spice mixture.

Heat the oil in a frying pan over medium heat.

Fry the chicken breasts until blackened and cooked through, about 5-6 minutes per side. Once fully cooked, the internal temperature of the chicken should be 165 F.

Place the chicken on paper towels to drain any excess oil.

Toast the brioche buns.

Place a layer of sliced pickles on the base of the buns.

Top with the chicken breasts.

Spread the mayo on top of the chicken and place the other bun halves on top to serve.

The great thing about creating a homemade version of this Popeyes favorite is having the freedom to customize it to your taste. The classic sandwich comes with pickles and mayo, which is of course a delicious option, but feel free to switch these out or add any extras as you please.

To bring some extra freshness and crunch to the sandwich, try topping the chicken with some sliced tomato and lettuce leaves. This really amps up the juiciness of the sandwich, combining perfectly with that succulent, spicy chicken. Adding a generous dollop of coleslaw is also another great way to do this.

If your sandwich simply doesn't feel complete without cheese, go ahead and add some slices of cheddar. You could even pop a slice or two on top of the chicken breasts when they're freshly cooked, so that the cheese becomes wonderfully melty.

In terms of sauces, there's huge room for experimentation here. You can keep things cool and creamy with a ranch dressing or aioli, turn up the heat with a spicy sriracha, or add a little smoky sweetness with some barbecue or honey mustard sauce.

If you love the sound of an extra hot chicken sandwich, there are a few different ways to can add another level of spice to this recipe. Firstly, you can simply up the quantity of cayenne pepper in the spice mixture, since this is the ingredient that brings the most heat to the chicken. Try increasing this to 1 whole teaspoon, which should certainly make things hotter. You could also switch out the smoked paprika for a hot paprika, or add in some red pepper flakes, which would both amp up the overall heat level of the spice mix even further.

Alternatively, you can add some spice to the sandwich when assembling everything. Try topping the buns with some sliced jalapeños or pickled jalapeños, which will give you a lovely crunch and spicy kick with every bite. Or, after stacking up the sandwiches, drizzle the fried chicken with a hot sauce of your choice, like a sriracha or tabasco.