If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen!
If you can stand the heat, get your mitts on this chicken!
"Rev up those fryers, 'cause I am sure hungry for one— help! Help! My leg!"
When it comes to American comfort food, fried chicken ranks high up there as
one of the most beloved choices. In fact, according to a YouGov survey,
it's the sixth most popular American dish, just behind cheeseburgers and French fries.
In its finest form, fried chicken is crispy and crunchy on the outside and moist and juicy on
the inside. However, with so many restaurants offering takes on the iconic Southern dish,
it seems that everyone has an opinion about what makes the very best piece of meat.
There's Popeyes, which ignited a wildfire of
excitement across social media with its coveted fried chicken sandwich.
There's Bojangles, famous in the south for its fresh-never-frozen chicken served with biscuits.
And then, of course, there's the OG, KFC, championed by the legendary Colonel Sanders.
But of all the options, which fast-food joint has the best fried chicken? To find out the
place folks would flock to, Mashed polled 553 people across the country.
Of all the fast-food restaurants famous for their fried chicken,
Popeyes is considered the best, according to poll results.
"Popeye's famous fried chicken of course!"
In the survey, the Louisiana-born chain was the top pick, with 29.11%
of respondents deeming it their go-to.
As for what makes Popeyes chicken stand out in consumers' mouths,
it could be the fact that each piece marinates for 12 hours before going into the fryer. Or it
could be the blend of Cajun spices mixed into the batter, which gives it a bit of a kick.
So how did the other popular fried chicken joints compare to Popeyes? KFC was a very close second,
receiving 28.39% of the votes, while Raising Cane's came in third with 15.73%.
Bojangles and Church's Chicken both earned 8.5% of the votes, followed by Zaxby's with 8.14%.
Unfortunately for Filipino fried chicken chain Jollibee,
it took last place, with only 1.63% of poll respondents dubbing it their favorite.
Now if you think there's something a little different about the taste of Popeyes fried
chicken, you're right. The restaurant chain is famous for its Cajun seasoning,
which includes a secret blend of spices. As the brand explains on its website,
"Popeyes' culinary heritage is built upon the rich
Cajun and creole flavor profiles that are unmistakably Louisiana."
Reader's Digest adds that Popeyes didn't own its spice blend recipe
until the brand paid $43 million to purchase it from a private manufacturing company in 2014.
For a while, Popeyes was passing out packets of Cajun Sparkle Spice Blend,
which fans put on everything from fried chicken to French fries. The seasoning was made with salt,
onion powder, garlic powder, and red and black pepper. You can still find
copycat recipes online for Popeyes' Cajun seasoning.
As delicious as fried chicken is, it goes without saying that it isn't the most nutritious meal.
Popeyes is no different, serving up oversized portions of oil-coated
fried goodness. The chain's food may be tasty, but it's also pretty calorie-dense.
"Chicken Peter, you're just a little chicken. Cheep, cheep cheep cheep, cheeeeep."
Registered dietitian Jennifer McDaniel told Women's Health,
"The average meal has about 800 calories. [...] A single fried chicken breast exceeds
more than half the daily sodium allowance per day [...] at 1,230 milligrams."
And Healthline explains that fried chicken — or rather, all fried food in general — is
often loaded with trans fat, which can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease or diabetes.
So, what are the best options at Popeyes if you're looking for a
somewhat healthier alternative? According to Eat This, Not That! and Women's Health,
your best bet might be the blackened chicken tenders, which are made with
the fast-food chain's iconic Cajun seasoning but without the breading and saturated fat.
A three-piece order of blackened chicken tenders contains 26 grams of protein and 170 calories.
If you really want that breaded crunch though,
another slightly healthier choice at Popeyes is the Bonafide chicken leg, which has 9 grams of
fat and 160 calories per serving, according to Popeyes' official nutrition information.