Copycat Popeye's Chicken Strips

These copycat Popeye's Chicken Strips feature tender chicken marinated in buttermilk, double-dredged in seasoned flour, and fried to golden perfection

Total time for the recipe to be finished.Total Time 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

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First published October 4, 2014. Last updated April 29, 2025 for editorial improvements.

There are two types of people in this world: those who politely eat their Popeye's chicken strips with a fork and those who go full gremlin, dunking and devouring like nobody’s watching. I respect both, but let’s be real—these crispy, spicy chicken tenders are best enjoyed with zero shame and extra napkins.

🎥 Watch and cook: step-by-step video tutorial

🔪 How to make copycat Popeye's chicken tenders

The secret to the flavor here is smoked paprika. I am relatively sure that Popeye's uses regular paprika but if they try it my way once they won't go back to their way. I promise you that.

There are a couple of ways to make these:

• In a deep fryer
• In a cast iron skillet

To me the very best flavor is when they're done in a deep fryer but I think it's good to have options, right?

No matter which way you make these chicken strips you'll start the same. Always marinate for 30 minutes in the buttermilk mixture but not more than an hour.

📖 Recipe

Copycat Popeye’s Chicken Tenders

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These copycat Popeye's Chicken Strips feature tender chicken marinated in buttermilk, double-dredged in seasoned flour, and fried to golden perfection

Course Main Dish - Chicken

Cuisine American - Southern

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

Marinate: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

Servings:6 servings

Calories:335

Author:Marye Audet-White

Ingredients

• ▢ 2 pounds boneless chicken breasts, cut into strips
• ▢ ⅓ cup Louisiana style hot sauce
• ▢ ½ cup buttermilk
• ▢ Peanut oil to fill a deep fryer
• ▢ ⅔ cup all purpose flour
• ▢ 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• ▢ 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• ▢ 1 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
• ▢ 3 eggs

Instructions

• Cut each chicken breast into four or five strips.
• Combine the hot sauce and buttermilk in a small bowl.
• Put half of this mixture in with the chicken, reserving the other half.
• Marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes but not more than an hour or two.
• Combine the flour, chipotle, smoked paprika, and salt.
• Beat the eggs with the other half of the buttermilk mixture.
• Drain the chicken.
• Dip it in the flour mixture.
• Dip it into the egg mixture.
• Dip back into the flour mixture.
• Repeat with all of the chicken.

Deep Fryer

• Heat the deep fryer to 360F
• Fry in the deep hot oil until the outside is golden and an instant read thermometer registers 165F when poked in the center of the chicken strip.
• Don't overcrowd the fryer.
• Drain and keep warm until serving.

Skillet

• Add about 2 ½ inches of oil to a heavy skillet.
• Heat on medium heat but watch it while you are preparing the chicken - if it starts to smoke turn it down or remove it from the heat.
• Check the oil and make sure it's at 360F.
• Fry in the hot oil until the outside is golden and an instant read thermometer registers 165F when poked in the center of the chicken strip. Don't overcrowd the fryer.
• Drain and keep warm until serving.

Notes

• The trick is to marinate the chicken strips in seasoned buttermilk for 30 minutes or so before frying them. This allows the buttermilk to tenderize the meat at the same time the seasonings are absorbed. The chicken comes out juicy and tender with lots of flavor.
• The secret to the flavor here is smoked paprika. I am relatively sure that Popeye's uses regular paprika but if they try it my way once they won't go back to their way. I promise you that.
• I fry everything in peanut oil. I like it, it fries hot, and it's my preference. If you have allergies to consider then fry in whatever deep frying oil you prefer. If you don't have allergies use the peanut oil.
• Keep them hot in a warm oven until it's all done. Serve with fries and coleslaw.

You'll find more helpful tips and variations in the body of the post.

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 335kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 99mg | Sodium: 1275mg | Potassium: 440mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 607IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.

🥫 Leftover love: how to store and reheat

If, by some miracle, you don’t inhale every last crispy bite, here’s how to keep those Copycat Popeye’s Chicken Strips from going sad and soggy:

• Fridge: Pop them in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days—but let’s be honest, they won’t last that long.
• Freezer: Freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 3 months (future-you will be so grateful).
• Reheating: Skip the microwave unless you enjoy disappointment. Instead, reheat in the oven (375°F for 10-15 minutes) or air fryer (400°F for 5-7 minutes) to bring back that crispy, crunchy glory.

📖 Make it your own: yummy variations

1. You can use boneless chicken thighs - more flavor AND more budget friendly.
2. After frying, brush your chicken strips with a spicy, buttery cayenne glaze (melted butter + cayenne + honey + a splash of pickle juice). It’s fiery, messy, and completely addictive—just have some napkins (or a fire extinguisher) handy.
3. Toss the freshly fried strips in a mix of melted butter, minced garlic, and a heavy sprinkle of grated Parmesan. It’s like garlic bread and fried chicken had a delicious, crunchy baby.
4. Take your tenders up a notch by drizzling them with hot honey (or just mix honey with a dash of cayenne). The sweet-heat combo is absolute perfection—like if Popeye’s and a Southern grandma decided to team up.

What to do with frying oil

Here's the thing. I fry everything in peanut oil. I like it, it fries hot, and it's my preference. If you have allergies to consider then fry in whatever deep frying oil you prefer. If you don't have allergies use the peanut oil.

Once you're done, let the oil cool down completely and then pour it into a container. You can reuse it once or twice if it's still clear - otherwise put it into a container and throw it out.

Some cities recycle cooking oil so you may want to check into that if you fry a lot.

📚 More Southern comfort: related recipes you'll love

• Homemade Tater Tots are crispy on the outside, light and delicate on the inside. Add bacon, cheese, onion, chives, or jalapenos for variety.
• These copycat Popeye's Chicken Tenders are PERFECT in my copycat Whataburger Honey Butter Chicken Biscuits!!

What’s new? Check out my Restless Chipotle & Co. Store on Amazon where you'll find all kinds of nostalgic goodness!  Thanks so much for being a part of Restless Chipotle!

✍🏻 A note from Marye...

I have a child, who shall remained unnamed here, who does not appreciate having a food writer mom. If this child had its way I would work in a fast food restaurant and bring home Popeye's chicken strips every night.

Do you know how depressing it is to place a complex dish with a French name in front of someone only to have them ask to be taken to the local fast food place?

I am devastated.

And by devastated I mean determined to change the child's preferences...

Anyway,  I have decided to fight fire with fire so to speak and make copycats of those foods. It took me a few times to get chicken strips I was pleased with but these fit the Happy Meal box nicely.

In fact, the child who shall not be named said, Thanks for dinner mom! It was reallly good!

I thought I heard Twilight Zone music and I was tempted to check the back yard for pods.