Popeyes Turkey is a 10- to 14-pound turkey that can be heated and served right away. It has been marinated in the chain’s unique blend of Louisiana spices, slow-roasted, and then flash-fried before being served.
Popeyes Cajun-Style Turkey
Popeyes is almost associated with fried chicken in the traditional sense. Chicken nuggets, the classic chicken sandwich, and the trademark chicken meal are just a few of the many options available, all of which should be complemented by plenty of buttered biscuits.
However, one thing is sure: When you hear Popeyes, you don’t automatically conjure up images of turkey or Thanksgiving. Until now, that is.
Cajun-Style Turkey will be available once again at the fast-food chain’s locations. This pre-cooked frozen turkey is brought back by Popeyes every year to make Thanksgiving even more straightforward for you if you aren’t a massive fan of the chain.
Everything has already been completed. Onions and garlic are sautéed in Creole butter before the skin is spiced up with paprika and red pepper. All you have to do is thaw it out of the freezer and reheat it.
For those who don’t want to deal with the side dishes, you may always order mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, or biscuits to round out your dinner.
| Name | Popeyes Turkey |
|---|---|
| Price | Because many restaurants are franchisees, prices fluctuate from one location to the next. The average price of a Thanksgiving turkey last year was $39.99. “Zesty Louisiana-style flavours” have been injected into Popeyes’ pre-cooked turkey, according to the company. Before reheating the turkeys, they must be thawed out from the freezer. |
| How to Order | Starting on October 18, the turkeys will be offered at participating US stores. You may pre-order by phone or in person at your local Popeyes. Pre-cooked turkeys are sent frozen, so allow extra time for them to defrost before using. |
| How to Cook | Using a roasting pan, place a turkey on a rack. Then pour the bird’s cooking fluids into the pan. When the internal temperature of the chest flesh reaches 140 degrees Fahrenheit using a meat thermometer, remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for about 2 to 2.5 hours on the bottom rack (not touching the bone). |
| Thaw | Thaw in the refrigerator for 48 to 72 hours or 10 to 12 hours in a bowl of ice water (changing water hourly). “DO NOT defrost at room temperature,” Popeyes advises. |
Are Popeyes Turkey Good?
You may know that Popeyes is most renowned for their fried chicken, but they also have a great frozen turkey option for those of us who don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen on Thanksgiving Day.
To put it another way, when you buy this smoky bird, almost all of the work has already been done for you. Before being marinated in Creole butter, the exterior of the turkey was coated with a spice rub of paprika, red pepper, garlic, and onion. When it’s time for a meal, all you have to do is thaw the chicken and then cook it back up when the time comes.
And you can bet your bottom dollar that the turkey from Popeyes will be just as tasty. "I’m not even going to attempt to restrain you. In 2020, a Twitter user said, “This Popeyes turkey was great.” “I can’t believe the popeyes turkey is so excellent,” remarked another hesitant customer.
Aside from the fact that it’s almost hassle-free, buying a Popeyes turkey this year might be very useful.
In August, it was expected that fresh turkeys under 16 pounds (the most popular option for many Thanksgiving dinners) would be in low supply, and poultry producers even acknowledged that this would be the case.
However, if you get your bird from Popeyes, you won’t have to worry about having a holiday feast without a turkey.
Plus, what else? In addition to the spicy turkey slices, Popeyes offers a variety of side dishes. Mashed potatoes, mac & cheese, and biscuits are just a few of the delectable options available for your Thanksgiving Day meal.
Summary:
When the turkey is done cooking, there will be plenty of time for you to work on other aspects of your Thanksgiving feast, including appetizers, soups, and pies. Popeyes wants to make sure you have a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family and friends. McDonald’s announced that their iconic Cajun-Style Turkey would be returning to its menu just in time for Thanksgiving.
Popeyes Turkey Price
While supplies last, you may place an order over the phone or in-person and set a pick-up time at a participating Popeyes location (I recommend calling ahead to check if possible). In some instances, they may be picked up right away. Prices range from $39.99 to $54.99, depending on where you live.
It is necessary to reheat (and probably defrost first) the frozen/semi-frozen Cajun Style Turkey before serving (instructions to do so are included).
The Cajun Style Turkey returns to Popeyes ahead of Thanksgiving in 2021 and maybe pre-ordered at participating stores around the country.
Popeyes Turkey Size
Popeyes is giving its customers a cause to grin again after a statewide chicken sandwich outage. Cajun-Style Turkey from the fast-food fried chicken company is now available for pre-order for the upcoming holiday season.
There’s nothing to be concerned about for nonprofessional cooks. This year’s Thanksgiving feast won’t take long to prepare. Make the side dishes, and you’re done (many of which are best made from a can anyway).
When fully cooked, Popeyes’ Cajun-Style Turkey weighs between 13 and 16 pounds. There is a starting price of $39.99, which varies by area. For crispy skin, the bird is slow-cooked and flash-fried before it is served to the client. Before serving, you’ll need to defrost and reheat the food, which is all pre-cooked.
Even though we haven’t tried this product ourselves, The Takeout tried it out in 2017. According to reviewers, the bird was described as “ugly as ■■■■: a grey, sodden, flaccid mass with zero sharpness to the skin, like a filthy deflated basketball,” according to reviewers.
Then, they also remarked that the turkey was excellent after it had been cooked. It went above and beyond my expectations. The skin had a zing and spice, “with a vinegary citrus flavour and persistent burn,” while the chest flesh was succulent.
How to Cook Popeyes Turkey?
Reduce the oven temperature to 300°F and the goal temperature to 135°F-140°F instead of roasting the whole chicken to 150°F at 350°F.
For the best results, I’d cook the foil-wrapped turkey for an additional hour and a half at 300°F, until it reached an internal temperature of 135°F, then remove the foil and finish cooking it under the broiler to get the skin crispy.
The gravy prepared from the pan drippings will keep the beef warm, which is a recommendation I can’t stress enough. When it comes to the gravy, I’ll get to it shortly.
Compared to a traditional Thanksgiving turkey, the chest flesh from this bird will be moister and less tender than the buttermilk brined chest you made yourself or anything sous vided.
About Gravy
This pre-cooked and pre-packaged fowl comes with nearly four cups of Popeyes-flavored pan drippings, which create a fantastic gravy. However, just like with the directions on how to cook the turkey, a few changes need to be made to the gravy recipe.
When made according to the directions on the shrink-wrapped plastic, the gravy has a distinct flour taste. This is because the recipe instructs you to produce a “paste” with the drippings and flour but fails to direct you to boil the resulting roux first before adding the remaining liquid.
However, this may be readily remedied. Instead of using the drippings, I used butter to form the roux, which I then simmered for a few minutes to remove the raw flour taste. In addition, I reduced the water to half a cup and increased the drippings to 1 1/2 cups.
With these tweaks, the dish tasted even more delicious than before. To make this gravy again for Thanksgiving, I’ll keep the drippings from the turkey and use them.
Ingredients for a Better Popeyes Turkey Gravy:
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3 tbsp. of melted butter
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3 tbsp. wheat flour
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1/8 tsp. White pepper flakes.
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One-and-a-half cups of pan drippings
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A quarter cup of water
Stir in the flour and pepper and scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon or silicone spatula until a paste forms. A couple of minutes of cooking over medium-high heat should produce a roux that smells like cooked butter rather than raw flour.
Whisk in the liquid components one at a time, and keep going until the mixture reaches a rolling boil. For a thicker consistency, let the mixture simmer for an additional five minutes. Serve turkey and mashed potatoes right away.
Buying a pre-cooked turkey from Popeyes is a good idea?
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It all depends on what you’re looking for. Experienced turkey cooks who consistently produce moist, delicious turkeys may be able to omit this step.
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To put that into perspective, a heritage turkey costs around $50, and it takes about as long to heat up as it does to cook.
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Even so, you save a lot of time in the seasoning area by using this method.
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Even so, if you’re afraid about undercooking The Bird, don’t want to bother with dry or wet brining, or just like the flavour of Popeyes, you could do a lot worse.
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However, even with the modifications above to the directions, the chest flesh may be a little dry, but the leg meat will be above reproach, and the entire turkey—as a whole—is better than most of the turkey you had when you were younger.
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In addition, you may always add gravy to any dry areas. This gravy is out of this world.
Summary:
Using a roasting pan, place a turkey on a rack. Then pour the bird’s cooking fluids into the pan. When the internal temperature of the chest flesh reaches 140 degrees Fahrenheit using a meat thermometer, remove the chicken from the oven and let it rest for about 2 to 2.5 hours on the bottom rack (not touching the bone).
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some FAQs related to Popeyes Turkey:
1. Is the turkey at Popeyes good?
It came out very. Even though it wasn’t wet, the turkey was juicy-to-moist, and whatever seasoning they used penetrated the flesh. All in all, Popeyes’ Cajun Turkey was a delicious and flavorful meal.
2. How can I place an order for Popeyes Cajun Turkey?
Pre-orders may be placed over the phone or in-person at the restaurant of the customer’s choice. There is no need to defrost or prepare the turkeys when they arrive. The food must be thoroughly thawed before it can be heated again. Prices vary depending on where you live.
3. Is deep-fried turkey available at Popeyes?
One less thing to worry about if you’re planning a Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner this year: cajun turkeys from Popeyes. According to Brand Eating, each chicken weighs between 9 and 13 pounds and is seasoned with cajun spices before being roasted and deep-fried.
4. Is Popeyes a good option for a holiday turkey?
Popeyes also has a location. As a result, the Cajun-style entire turkeys offered by Popeyes will be available throughout the Christmas season. In addition to turkey, the $20 Holiday Feast bundle includes fried chicken, biscuits and mashed potatoes, as well as green beans.
5. Exactly how do you order a Popeye’s Thanksgiving turkey?
While supplies last, you may place an order over the phone or in-person and set a pick-up time at a participating Popeyes location (I recommend calling ahead to check if possible). In some instances, they may be picked up right away.
6. Are the turkeys at Popeyes prepared?
Because they are already prepared, you have to defrost them in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days before heating them in the oven.
7. How much does Popeyes’ Cajun turkey set you back?
The average price of a Thanksgiving turkey last year was $39.99. “Zesty Louisiana-style flavours” have been injected into Popeyes’ pre-cooked turkey, according to the company. Before reheating the turkeys, they must be thawed out from the freezer. Ahead of October 31 in 2021, Lowe’s will offer trick-or-treating events in all of its locations.
8. How much does Popeyes charge for a deep-fried turkey?
The lowest price is $39.99. Customers may order ahead of time via phone or in person. Popeyes says the Cajun Style Turkey arrives pre-cooked and is “hand-rubbed and imbued with spicy Louisiana-style spices.”
9. Does Popeyes Turkey still have any stock left?
If you’d want to get your hands on a Popeyes turkey, you’ll be able to pre-order them starting on October 18. Contact or visit your local Popeyes restaurant to place your Thanksgiving order on or after the specified deadline.
10. How large are the fried turkeys from Popeyes?
Hand-rubbed with spices and pre-cooked, the complete Cajun-style turkeys weigh 13-16 pounds on average. Thawing is required since they are sent frozen.
Conclusion
There will be a limited number of Popeyes turkeys available for pre-order at participating stores. When the turkey is done cooking, there will be plenty of time for you to work on other aspects of your Thanksgiving feast, including appetizers, soups, and pies.
