Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen brought back its Blackened Chicken Sandwich option for good this week.
Available from June 6, the Cajun-spiced chicken breast option is the first permanent addition to Popeyes’ chicken sandwich lineup.
Now immensely popular among customers and food critics alike, the chain’s chicken sandwich launched in 2019 as Popeyes’ first sandwich offering since the Chicken Po’Boy was discontinued in 2003.
The Classic Chicken Sandwich is a battered and breaded fried chicken breast fillet on a brioche bun. While the standard sandwich is accompanied by two slices of pickle and mayonnaise, customers can opt for cheese and bacon as well for an additional fee.
There is also a spicy option, with both chicken sandwiches tipping the scales at 700 calories, or 1,240 calories with a side of fries.
As Popeyes’ president Sami Siddiqui explained in a statement, the new Blackened Chicken Sandwich is “a lighter option that is perfect for everyday [sic],” according to CNBC.
Indeed, the Blackened Chicken Sandwich is a healthier alternative since it is not breaded. This means it contains 550 calories or 1,090 calories with a side of fries. It is marinated in Cajun seasoning, but a spicy option is available for those who want to turn up the heat.
Having already appeared as a limited-time menu option in May 2021 and November 2022, the Blackened Chicken Sandwich amassed a following on social media before its permanent launch.
Some customers have even tried to replicate the flavorful sandwich themselves.
@beatrizcookinnvibez @popeyes Blackened Chicken Sandwich. All flavor. No breading. #ad
By adding to its popular chicken sandwich lineup, Popeyes might lure customers in at a time when budget-conscious Americans are opting to cook at home.
As The Dallas Express has previously covered, many Americans are feeling financially stressed in response to soaring interest rates, ongoing inflation, increasing layoffs, and economic instability and have adjusted their spending habits.
Popeyes has seen lackluster growth so far this year, reporting a rise of 3.4% in same-store sales in the U.S. for Q1.
Last month Josh Kobza, CEO of Popeyes’ parent company Restaurant Brands International, told investors that the company was launching a strategic plan for the fried chicken chain called Easy to Love, according to Eat This, Not That!
Alongside new additions to Popeyes’ menu, the Easy to Love plan includes streamlining processes in its kitchens to make them easier to run and eliminate mistakes while employees complete customer orders as well as opening new locations and upgrading old ones.