Popeyes Is Quietly Testing an All-New Version of Its Chicken Sandwich

Popeyes seems to be partaking in the fast food equivalent to dyeing your hair during quarantine. The Louisiana-style chicken chain is quietly testing out an all-new version of its wildly popular chicken sandwich, adjusting the recipe that won over chicken sandwich eaters everywhere with bold and markedly different toppings. 

As first reported by Chew Boom, the company was spotted offering a sweet and smoky twist on the sandwich dubbed the "BBQ Bacon Cheddar Chicken Sandwich" at locations in the Denver, Colorado area. The new sandwich comes with the addition of cheddar cheese, bacon, and BBQ sauce -- along with the thick-cut pickles, fried white meat chicken filet, and buttered brioche bun of the original. A location was seen offering it for $5.49, or about $1.50 more than the OG, per the report.

A representatives for Popeyes declined to comment on the sandwich's test run in Denver, but didn't not say we should expect some more news soon. I was told they'd "keep me in the loop." 

Popeyes doesn't take its research lightly. The Louisiana kitchen started testing its competition-shattering fried chicken sandwich in 2016, in an effort to "appeal to everyone," according to an earlier interview Popeyes' VP of Culinary Innovation Amy Alarcon. Now, the company appears to be testing the innovative waters again at select locations in the Denver area for the first time since the May release of its Buffalo Ranch Tenders. 

We're left to assume that Popeyes, after careful research, determined that The People want the sandwich. KFC's Crispy Colonel Sandwich, which fell at No. 5 in our fried chicken sandwich ranking, has a BBQ version of the sandwich that I personally prefer over the original. But you're reading an article by the girl who puts BBQ sauce on ham and cheese sandwiches. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Sign up here for our daily Thrillist email and subscribe here for our YouTube channel to get your fix of the best in food/drink/fun.