If you’re overwhelmed by the glut of fried chicken sandwiches on fast-food menus these days, there’s really just one brand to blame: Popeyes. The fast-growing chicken chain wasn’t the first to put a juicy, crispy fillet on a bun, but when it finally did in 2019, the item became a staggering sensation. The entire supply at over 2,000 restaurants coast to coast sold out in just two weeks. The frenzy even inspired a parody sketch on TV’s “Saturday Night Live.”
Its massive success set off a veritable arms race in the industry—commonly called the “chicken sandwich wars”—with fast-food giants including Burger King, McDonald’s, and KFC all launching new or improved chicken sandwiches in an attempt to level up to the new standard bearer. The competition has hardly cooled off since, with new chicken sandwiches popping up at fast-food and dine-in chains all the time.
Popeyes itself keeps coming out with different riffs on its iconic sandwich. It’s a delicate balancing act, tweaking the formula just enough to seem novel without substantially altering the elements that made it a great sandwich in the first place. Recent spin-offs have added on various sauces like ranch or barbecue and toppings like bacon and cheese.
The latest twist is Popeyes’ Ghost Pepper Chicken Sandwich, which debuted on Oct. 7. The new limited-time offering takes Popeyes signature sandwich and slathers on a spicy sauce infused with one of the world’s hottest chilis. It’s a timely spin, capitalizing on the infamous pepper’s spooky name right around Halloween, as well as the dining public’s current obsession with spicy fast-food items in general.
Having previously tried Popeyes’ Ghost Pepper Wings, I was curious to find out if the new sandwich would deliver the same spicy wallop, and if so, whether that effect would either complement or outright ruin what is otherwise a truly delicious sandwich.
So, I rolled on down to my local Popeyes to see for myself. Here’s what I found.
The Taste Test
Nutrition: (Per Order)
Calories: 632
Fat: 35 g (Saturated Fat: 12 g, Trans Fat: 2 g)
Sodium: 1,990 mg
Carbs: 50 g (Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 7 g)
Protein: 29 g
Popeyes promotes its new Ghost Pepper Chicken Sandwich as “indulgent” and “flavorful,” adding that it “gives just the right kick to make your taste buds tingle without overwhelming the senses”—a fairly toned-down description when you consider the bhüt jolokia, aka “ghost pepper,” was once considered the hottest pepper in the world. The sandwich features Popeyes’ signature buttermilk-battered chicken breast topped with an all-new ghost pepper sauce and barrel-cured pickles on a toasted brioche bun. I grabbed one for $5.49, along with a lemonade to help quell whatever true level of spice was coming my way.
The look: Unassuming. On first glance, the sandwich seemed virtually indistinguishable from Popeyes original chicken sandwich. Same copper-colored, craggy-looking breaded chicken fillet. Same buttery bun. Same pair of porraceous pickle slices. But, once I lifted that doughy top bun, I got a peek at the special ingredient: a creamy orangish dressing, somewhat resembling a common Sriracha mayo, which was spread lightly along the top and bottom of the fillet.
The taste: Pungent but not punishing. Before biting in, I swiped a dab of the spicy sauce with my finger to sample the stuff on its own. The flavor was tangy but fleeting. Within seconds, its taste was completely replaced with a prickling sensation that quickly spread across my entire palate. That tingling was unrelenting, even as I started chewing on the rest of the sandwich. I could still taste the savory, seasoned chicken, but those flavors seemed muted, as my tongue took on a distinct numbness.
The overall effect was palpable but not unpleasant. I didn’t experience the harsh burning that often comes from a stiff dose of spicy pepper and often sends the consumer scrambling for the nearest milk jug. In that way, the sandwich struck a nice balance between its savory and spicy components. Yet, at the same time, these two qualities felt separate from each other: one a flavor, the other a feeling. They didn’t co-mingle as much as co-exist—not the most harmonious pairing, in other words.
I finished the whole sandwich feeling satiated if not entirely satisfied. Maybe that’s just the numbing effect from the peppers, extending from my lips to my emotions, but I just don’t think the ghost pepper sauce complements the fried chicken in the same way that a sweet, smoky barbecue or tangy mayo would.
As a novelty, the Ghost Pepper Chicken Sandwich is worth a try, especially if you’re a fan of spicy (but not too spicy) heat, but it will never match the unmitigated deliciousness of Popeyes original chicken sandwich.
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