When I heard that someone was fatally stabbed after cutting in the “chicken sandwich line” at Popeyes, I thought to myself, “I have got to try this thing.” So I convinced late night snacking king Caleb Walter and Chick-Fil-A super fan Ismael Bartolome Julian to ride with me down to the Popeyes on Broad Street, hell-bent on getting my hands on one of these sandwiches. I wouldn’t say I’d kill to get one, but I was excited.
We parked in the busier-than-pre-chicken-sandwich-Popeyes parking lot at a little past six, and walked into the orange-tinted Louisiana Kitchen. On the way in, my appetite was whetted further by a large poster prominently featuring the sandwich of legend. “This is it,” I whispered to myself as I opened the door. “I’m finally here.”
Unsurprisingly, there was a bit of a line. But no problem—the Great Hall has been developing our patience for years. Standing with our backs to large glass jars of seemingly fresh ingredients, we squinted at the menu TVs. To Caleb and Ismael’s great distress, the images of the Chicken Sandwich (both Classic and Spicy) had “BE BACK SOON” slapped on them. What could this mean? Are they out already? Was the poster outside lying? Is everything a lie? What will I order if not a chicken sandwich? But while Caleb and Ismael were experiencing existential panic, I was quite calm. Though they are open on Sundays, I had faith in Popeyes. I knew they would not let me down.
When I finally found myself at the register, and after being told to wait one more second—again, no big deal—I confirmed the existence of the sandwich. Our local Popeyes offers two options: Classic and Spicy. I couldn’t decide which one to get, so, in order to maintain my journalistic integrity and ensure that Covenant students received the most comprehensive review of Popeyes’ creation, I decided to get one of each.
I began with the Classic because I wanted my first experience of the chicken sandwich to be untainted by the kicks and punches of the “spicy” mayo on the Spicy. The first thing I noticed when I unsheathed the Classic out of its opaque wrapping was its overall girth. Granted, I had received a larger chicken breast than Caleb or Ismael, but even theirs were large. What you have in the Classic is a well-breaded, and well-flavored, thick slab of fried chicken surrounded by a thin layer of classic mayo and two hearty pickle slices—all hugged by a golden brown brioche bun.
The overwhelming ingredient, for sure, is the chicken. It’s by far the biggest thing on the sandwich (it’s not called a pickle sandwich, after all), and its presence makes the sandwich feel less like a sandwich and more like a fried chicken breast supported by a bun, if you know what I mean. The other ingredients—mayo and pickles—play minor roles in the overall taste of the sandwich.
The Spicy, to be honest, is not much different than the Classic. You get all the same ingredients, including the same non-spicy chicken breast, but they lather on some spicy mayo instead of the classic mayo. For those who enjoy a zesty bite to their food, the Spicy is for you. It certainly doesn’t take anything away from the pure experience of the Classic, and it gives it a little variety in taste.
Overall, Popeyes offers in their chicken sandwich a pure and delicious fried chicken experience contained in a glutenous, portable shell. Your taste buds might not be surprised or particularly challenged by this sandwich, but you will feel warmed and right at home when you take your first bite.