Popeyes Opens New Offensive in Fast Food Chicken Wars With Latest Item

Popeyes changed the direction of the fast-food industry in 2019 with its original chicken [...]

By Daniel S. Levine

Popeyes changed the direction of the fast-food industry in 2019 with its original chicken sandwich, setting off a frenzy that continues to this day. Now Popeyes is hoping to be the leader in the next phase of the trend by introducing new chicken nuggets. Sure, almost every fast-food chain already offers chicken nuggets, but the Popeyes nuggets will feature the chain's famous, crunchy breading.

Popeyes announced the new product on July 13 and promised the nuggets will be available in Popeyes restaurants in the U.S., Puerto Rico, and Canada. The nuggets are made fresh at each restaurant every day, "seasoned to perfection," and hand-battered and breaded in buttermilk. The dippable chicken chunks are then fried up fresh to "deliver a classically flavorful crispy and juicy bite with every piece."

"Just like our game-changing Chicken Sandwich, our new Chicken Nuggets are unlike anything you may have experienced before. We aim to show the world once again the magic of Popeyes chicken with our new Nuggets," Popeyes Americas president Sami Siddiqui said in a statement. "We believe that these piece(s) of crunchy, juicy delicious chicken will have guests question how they ever enjoyed chicken nuggets before this."

The nuggets' breading will be made with the same recipe used for the popular chicken sandwiches, using white meat chicken breast. The signature Popeyes sauces - Bayou Buffalo, BoldBQ, Blackened Ranch, Buttermilk Ranch, Wild Honey Mustard, and Sweet Heat - will be available to add to orders. Customers can get four-piece to 36-piece orders. "We have invested the time to perfect a product that leverages our classic techniques and Louisiana flavors that will change how people think about and experience Chicken Nuggets. We think we did it again with Chicken Nuggets." Amy Alarcon, Vice President of Culinary Innovation at Popeyes, added. "Now we can offer this famous recipe in pieces with the launch of Popeyes Nuggets."

Considering how there was a shortage of chicken sandwiches at Popeyes after their 2019 launch, a Popeyes representative told TMZ they are doing what they can to make sure this is not repeated when the chicken nuggets become available. "Across the system, franchisees have worked to increase staffing to better meet the demand for Popeyes new Chicken Nuggets," the rep promised.

Executives have visited locations all over the country to "identify ways first-hand the brand can quickly meet the excitement and interest from our guests of our new product," the rep said. Amin Dhanani, President of Popeyes Operations for Dhanani Group, told TMZ the franchisee group is staffing up its 300 franchises and told employees to be ready for increased demand.

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