The chicken itself is generally juicy enough, but they forgot the seasoning. While they were golden with fake butter on the outside, they were doughy on the inside. The WVSR suggests they jazz up the appearance a bit more to make the bowl more appealing to the public, which wouldn't be a bad idea. It has also been shown to disrupt the endocrine system of animals, resulting in developmental effects and changes in thyroid activity. You'll never feel like you're getting short-changed when it comes to the meat. When it comes to fashionable fast food options, boring burgers and fries are out, while chicken sandwiches, chicken wings, and other yummy chicken dishes are in. Take KFC's popcorn nuggets, for instance. There are approximately 3,984 KFC restaurants in the United States, according to Leads Deposit, while there are only 2,755 Popeyes restaurants in the United States (via Scrape Hero). Sure, you can get standards like coleslaw, curly fries, or mashed potatoes, but they also sell unique options like blistered shishito peppers, charred corn, and sweet potato frie. I've been somewhat of a mild fan of KFC since I was a child. KFC's famous mashed potatoes and gravy was the obviouschoice for the side. The first step to a good roux is letting the butter brown a little bit. Popeyes does offer delivery through their app or website, making it convenient for everyone to get their hands on that spicy chicken sandwich. To date, Bonchon has over 300 locations and they are gaining quite a following of fans around the globe and rightfully so. But, one of the secrets chefs learn in culinary school is to let it bubble and turn a light tan color. Like Champs, KKC is often found in convenience stores and gas stations. They are made with a mixture of potatoes, milk, butter, cream of celery soup, and spices. The only sides I cared about at KFC were the mashed potatoes and brown gravy. An Eater review describes them as having a rubbery texture. That said, if you love spicy fried chicken, Popeyes is your place. Drain the potatoes and garlic. However, Popeyes also has nuggets and some seafood options like a cajun flounder sandwich and popcorn shrimp meal that Church's doesn't offer. People are serious about their drumsticks and nuggets, so please, do tell: which chain is your king on your list? There's also three different chicken sandwiches, nuggets, biscuits, mac and cheese, coleslaw and corn. KFC's mac and cheese is thinner and more saucy, like the childhood stovetop favorite, while Popeyes was clearly going for a more solid, baked style of mac and cheese. The information shown is Edamams estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. Then, reduce the heat to low to keep the gravy warm as we make our mashed potatoes. After all, instant potato flakes are an odd ingredient to keep stocked up in the pantry. Calling KFC's mashed potatoes with gravy a meal would be pretty accurate, considering an individual side portion packs in an alarming 530 milligrams of sodium. And if the cooks get happy with the salt shaker (like it appeared they did the day we visited), you may be getting even more sodium than listed in the nutritional stats. Popeyes Vs. Church's Chicken: Which Is Better? - Mashed.com After making the test batch, we completely understand why KFC doesn't take the time to boil and mash real potatoes, so we didn't feel the need to do so, either. In fact, PDQ stands for People Dedicated to Quality, though their service is also Pretty Darn Quick. In the end, you want to get the Read more on mashed.com Comfort Food Potatoes Food & Dining Vegetables Biscuits More stories from Comfort Food The Idahoan brand we picked up uses 100 percent Idaho potatoes, and they really do taste just like mashed potatoes made from scratch. You could also swap-in a similar amount of beef or chicken broth, but we find the cubes or base have more flavor than store-bought broth. It contains breaded and fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and sweet corn. If you're traveling internationally, KFC is in more than 145 countries, with varying menus. The Real Reason You Should Never Order KFC's Mashed Potatoes. With a crunchy outside and juicy inside, you can sit down to a bucket of Chickenjoy and not stop until you're ready to explode. But if you're someone who opts for no bones, you're in good hands at both places. The flounder is served on a brioche bun with pickles and tartar sauce and the shrimp option is a quarter pound of battered popcorn shrimp. If you had access to the internet, it was hard to miss the ruckus the Popeyes spicy chicken sandwich caused in early 2019. If it has, don't worry; upon stirring, it will incorporate into the rest of the gravy without any problems. It was more food than we could eat for $10, and we left pretty happy. Increase the heat to medium-high and stir frequently until the mixture is the desired consistency, about 5 minutes. Just like Popeyes' 3-piece chicken meal, KFC's is definitely on the unhealthy side. Original or extra crispy? However, they've been around since 1974 when they opened their first restaurant in Taiwan. Instead, go for their Kickin' Chicken on Texas Toast. You won't find fried chicken at El Pollo Loco, but instead citrus-marinated, fire-grilled, super-yummy chicken. It should be obvious who the winner is More posts you may like KFC tries to pass its seasoned potato wedges off as french fries, but we don't think that counts. However, instead of getting two legs and a thigh like at Popeyes, we got two thighs and a leg, which gave us slightly more meat. For more great stories, head to INSIDER's homepage. Season the gravy with black pepper and keep it warm over low heat while you make the mashed potatoes. Stay up to date with what you want to know. The sheer variety of tenders, as well as how delicious they are, put KFC in the top spot for the tenders category. According to KFC's ingredients list, their mashed potatoes contain an array of additives such as maltodextrine, mono- and diglycerides, sodium bisulphite, and BHT. The crispness, the seasoning everything is just perfect. KFC takes the Chicken Nuggets round, fair and square. In a medium saucepan, bring the milk and water to a boil. You might expect most of that sodium to come from the gravy but it's actually the potatoes that are the culprit. When asked for the best way to reheat a KFC biscuit, one Redditor replied, "Throw away the KFC biscuit, drive to Popeyes and order biscuits. Chicken, 2 Large Mashed Potatoes, Large Gravy, Large Coleslaw & 4 Biscuits. A KFC fry cook in Canada took to Reddit with similar details except, in his version, the bits from the fryer were strained first, then stirred into water along with a packet of "gravy powder." Redditors, too, have found KFC's chicken to be in deep decline over the past few years. There are plenty of similarities across the two fried chicken fast food chains, but also just enough exciting differences that set them apart, making for an interesting head to head battle. Whip the potatoes until they're light and fluffy, adding additional milk or water to adjust the consistency to your liking. Americans have an ever-growing and insatiable love affair with chicken. We decided on spicy chicken since it's a Popeyes specialty and mashed potatoes with Cajun gravy so we could compare it to KFC's mashed potatoes. The average person may not be able to recognize the distinct difference in fast food chicken from one franchise to the next. I am of the opinion that KFC offers better chicken than Popeye's. I stopped by this specific KFC location the other day, and the . Overworking the potatoes turns them gummy and starchy, but under-mashing them creates unseasoned lumps. For consistency's sake, we ordered the smallest option at every restaurant (called "small," "individual," or "regular") and tried the potatoes and gravy separately and together to grade both parts. Of course, many surmise that Lee's Famous Recipe is the famous recipe the 11 herbs and spices one. Anyone saying popeyes tastes better than kfc does not have taste buds whatsoever. Copycat KFC Mashed Potatoes And Gravy Recipe So why use beef bouillon, too? Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons of butter over medium-high and cook it until it starts to bubble and turn a light tan color. Even the Sprite was good. At Zaxby's, if you're in the mood for a sandwich, stay away from their Chicken Fingers Sandwich. Add prepared potatoes, garlic and salt. Here are some of Popeyes most popular menu items, but if you want to see the whole kit and caboodle, take a look at the full menu of prices. As a carrier of Pepsi products, the closest choice to the Sprite we ordered at Popeyes was Sierra Mist. If you want to give it a try to see if it makes a difference, you'll have to make a batch of KFC fried chicken first. We weren't even finished paying yet before it was waiting for us. I compared and ranked fries from Five Guys, Burger King, McDonald's, Wendy's, Shake Shack, Popeyes, KFC, and Checkers. Chick-Fil-A almost feels out of place lined up next to KFC and Popeyes, but technically, what they offer us Monday through Saturday (insert eye roll) is indeed a form of fried chicken. To make them taste exactly like KFC's mashed potatoes, add some freshly ground black pepper to dish before serving. A fried chicken dinner is a hard hitter when it comes to calories, fat, cholesterol, carbs, and sodium. If you actually care about what your chicken tastes like, you'd go an extra couple miles and spend a little bit more money to find an alternative worth eating. Now that KFC has reported they're serving sides by the scoop instead of by the container, you can really hack the menu to make some creative dishes. Unless you live on the East Coast, in Michigan, or in Texas, you probably haven't heard of TKK Fried Chicken. They were flakey outside and soft inside. If you don't have bouillon cubes on hand, you can use something like Better Than Bouillon roasted beef or chicken base. What makes El Pollo Loco chicken special is it is extremely tender and juicy, but never too soft or slimy. We found nobody standing in line and nobody at the drive-through when we got to KFC during the noon rush hour, so we had no wait to make our order with the cashier. It was a close race, with Popeyes narrowly taking the lead by one. One of the best things about TKK is the sides. The Lee in Lee's Famous is one Lee Cummings. Our feelings about our KFC order weren't as nice as our feelings about our Popeyes order. KFC is better than Popeye's and Chick-fil-A : r/unpopularopinion - Reddit These biscuits are buttery and flaky, and glazed in sticky honey butter heaven. So whats a guy or gal to order when youre in the mood for a little Louisiana flare? Both KFC and Popeyes have very good coleslaw offerings. Chick-fil-A is clearly the winner for mastering its iconic chicken staple items. While sometimes you can luck out and get a fresh piece of chicken, most visits to Church's Chicken result in the feeling that this chicken meat sat a day or two too long in the freezer (or maybe under the heat lamp). The main event at both KFC and Popeyes is, of course, the fried chicken. We were able to make this dish with a stick of butter, flour, milk, salt, pepper, beef and chicken bouillon cubes, and a packet of instant mashed potato flakes. Sometimes, you'll hit the jackpot and the chicken will be perfect, but those times are few and far between these days, unfortunately. cup whole milk, plus additional milk as needed. To get to the bottom of which is best, we tried mashed potato sides from six fast-food chains. Their chicken is superbly crunchy on the outside and exquisitely juicy on the inside. It just doesn't work. That's it! Chicken Biscuit - A recent addition to the menu, Chick-Fil-A's breakfast Chicken Biscuit brings out the restaurant's southern roots and tastes pretty darn good, too. If any of this makes your tummy turn, skip KFC's mashed potatoes for good and just opt for the coleslaw. Fast Food Prices > Fast Food Chicken Prices from KFC, Popeyes, and Chick-fil-A. While Popeyes comes out on top, it's by the slimmest of margins. That said, you'll want to have a pitcher of beer (or water) next to you when devouring a platter of these wings, although somehow the heat doesn't overpower the flavor. And while the Original is juicy good, for a true treat you should really go for one of the crispy versions they offer the crunch you really crave in fried chicken. Don't Be Surprised By The Cost of Fast Food. Their mac and cheese is not flavorful and often a little runny, while their mashed potatoes and gravy don't mesh well with the citrus flavor of their chicken. Tenders Meal (12 Tenders, 2 Large Sides, 4 Biscuits, 6 sauces): Tenders and Popcorn Big Box Meal (3 Tenders, Popcorn, Individual Mashed Potatoes & Gravy, Cole Slaw, Biscuit, Medium Drink): Go Cup (2 Extra Crispy Tenders and Wedges): Extra Crispy Chicken The only complaint KFC ever received about the Original Recipe was that it wasnt crispy enough for some folks, thus the birth of the Extra Crispy option. But unlike Champs, KKC is scrumptious. But then when you take a giant bite, your mouth quickly fills with disappointment. They don't seem to be well-seasoned as KFC's, and as The Takeout put it, they don't "change the game." They do it a little differently than KFC and stay on brand with a cajun gravy. It's just that this particular side dish is just that good. Set aside. The main differences seem to come from the calorie and fat content of the chicken and biscuits. But how much are we talking for this highly-touted chicken? They said, "KFC chicken tenders are absolutely amazing. If we're being honest, both KFC and Popeyes make great potatoes. Then, venture out to one of the other restaurants further down on this list to get your chicken. Breading that falls off the chicken is an absolute fried chicken cardinal sin, so there should certainly be none of that. KFC describes their mashed potatoes as "hot, creamy, and covered with our signature gravy," and goes on to claim, "It's a side, but we won't fight you if you want to call it a meal." KFC mashed potatoes and gravy is so comforting, people add mashed potatoes to their chicken sandwiches and drizzle potato wedges with gravy to create poutine. The KFC Famous Bowl in a snack size has 270 calories, 13g fat, 3.5g saturated fat, 820 mg sodium, 27g carbohydrate, 1g sugar, and 11g protein. Combo (8 or 12 piece, Waffle Fries, and Drink). The fact that Champs Chicken may call a grungy gas station home doesn't automatically make it a restaurant to thumb your nose at. But if you want a little more spice in your life, why not opt for KFC's Nashville Hot Tenders instead? Saving just 50 cents a day over a year will allow you to obtain over 40 percent of an emergency fund. The recipe has changed several times over the years, so we tried out a few copycat recipes before settling on a final version. When it comes to washing it down, skip the sodas and order one of their available teas or even buy a beer at TKK. you've probably tried that famous recipe well, kinda. Fast-Food Mashed Potatoes Taste Test - Insider KFC barely has any seasoning compared to Popeye's, and it still tastes better. But does Raising Cane's serve the best chicken? Today choose joy and go get some.". Add the bouillon-infused water to the pan, whisking constantly to prevent any clumps from forming. Popeyes' nuggets, on the other hand, are a little disappointing. Check out the prices of these top sellers, or mosey on over to the full menu of prices. If you like spicy, flavorful chicken, you'll love Krispy Krunchy Chicken (KKC). What the heck is all of that? All that's left to do to make our gravy is to add the liquid to the hot roux. There was a clear winner, and the results surprised us. Then again, after you try Popeyes for the first time, you might actually disagree with that statement. If you've never dunked your chicken or biscuit through a bowl of mashed potatoes, you've never come close to heaven. He alleges that all the leftover bits of chicken (mostly bones and "residue) that collect at the bottom of the chicken fryer which contains a "black sludge" are transferred to a freezer to later be melted and served up as KFC's famous mashed potato-topping gravy. Bojangles' chicken on the bone is beyond greasy. That said, this ingredient not only gives the gravy a deep, rich flavor, but beef bouillon also performs another critical task: It provides the gravy with its signature color. How does the fried chicken compare? White or dark? When you have a craving for fried chicken but only want to spend $10, it can be a challenge to decide where to go. Popeyes wins. KFC may remind you more of the mashed potatoes you make for yourself at home. (As if the price would ever keep you away from your favorite piece of cripsy fried chicken.). Limited Time. If there were 11 herbs and spices mixed in with the salt, we couldn't detect them. Then, reduce the heat and add the flour little by little. At KFC, a 12-piece tenders meal, with 3 large sides, 6 sauces and 6 biscuits is $34.99, while the equivalent at Popeyes 12 tenders with 2 large sides and 6 biscuits will cost you $32.99. There are a lot of theories that KFC uses the drippings at the bottom of the pressure fryer to add flavor to their gravy. When visiting, your best bet is to keep things simple and load up on the chicken and biscuits, as none of the sides are a true standout. Chick-fil-A's nuggets are also a tasty fast food delicacy, especially when dipped into their magically sweet Polynesian sauce. It was so good, we're considering using this recipe to make mashed potatoes and gravy as a Thanksgiving side dish this year. It doesn't hurt that when you eat in-store they give you real bowls and silverware. NOW WATCH: Popeyes' famous chicken sandwich is now back 'for good' so we compared it to 5 other fast-food fried-chicken sandwiches. As a carrier of Pepsi products, the closest choice to the Sprite we ordered at Popeyes was Sierra Mist. The best fried chicken: Popeyes, Bojangles', KFC and more - The It's not that the flavor was bad; it was just unexpected. Lee's packs a bit more pepper than KFC, and the chicken is much more consistent than KFC. But when it comes to the chicken, there's no comparison. Nothing is quite as comforting as a cup of mashed potatoes and gravy, but some fast-food chains make it better than others. We started with the gravy. Each has fried chicken pieces, tenders, sandwiches, sides of mac & cheese, coleslaw, mashed potatoes, and french fries. We mean, have you ever gone to a Chick-fil-A when there wasnt a line of cars wrapped around the building? However, don't expect to find traditional wings when you peruse their menu. Don't worry, Chick-fil-A fans, there's no need for angry letters. Let's take a closer look at some of the key factors to help us decide. KFC Vs. Popeyes: Which Is Better? - Mashed.com Copycat KFC Mashed Potatoes And Gravy Recipe. However, it comes out higher in cholesterol, sodium, and carbs. KKC offers crispy bone-in chicken, juicy tenders, and delicious sandwiches, as well as an array of sides including fries, honey butter biscuits, jambalaya, mac and cheese, red beans and rice, and several others. Your best bet is to stick with their two-piece, three-piece, or five-piece meals with chicken and your choice of two sides. But, alas, it wasn't meant to be. If the gravy has sat for more than a few minutes, just give it a stir before serving it to make sure it hasn't formed a skin on top. In truth, they are both the reigning fast food chicken champions. Another Redditor chimed in that they asked their manager about adding chicken drippings to the gravy, only to learn that "they had to stop doing that because it wasn't cost-effective." However, Chick-Fil-A fans (AKA everyone who isnt a vegetarian) are passionateabout their nuggets and waffle fries. Yes, and we actually thought it was better than the original (more like the KFC of our childhood). The bowl consists of mashed potatoes topped with corn, crispy chicken bites, and cheese. In other words, they're a one-trick pony with a trick that isn't even that impressive. Place over medium high heat and bring to a boil. If you're a boneless chicken fan and order their Supremes instead, you'll be disappointed in a totally different way. Employee Video Shows How KFC Mashed Potatoes Are Really Made The real secret to KFC gravy is what comes in the powder packet. Popeyes Mashed Potatoes Recipe Remove the pan from the heat and add the potato flakes, whisking as you add. If you bow out of the Original Recipe and opt for Extra Crispy instead, it's almost always too crispy. Despite the high price, the flavor made this one of the better options on this list. Martha Sorren And with "meatless Mondays" gaining traction and vegetarianism continuing to be a talking point, fast food restaurants have realized they need vegetarian options. Unless Boston Market revamps their menu, upgrades their chicken quality, and launches an impossible-to-ignore advertising blitz, you'd have to imagine more and more locations will be shuttered in the months and years to come. The 3-Piece Chicken Combo was the KFC menu item most similar in price and content to the 3-piece combo from Popeyes. Bojangles offers a variety of other things on their menu, including sandwiches, bowls, salads, and their iconic biscuits. Bite after bite, location after location, the excellence is consistent. KFC, the granddaddy of fast food chicken, was born in 1930 in, of course, Kentucky. Like Popeyes, the $8.59 combo included three pieces of dark-meat fried chicken, one side, a biscuit, and a small soft drink. Fast Food Chicken Chains, Ranked Worst To Best, perfectly cooked bird at Costco for $4.99, many Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken locations, one of the best chicken sandwiches ever made. Sometimes it's so overcooked that the chicken meat inside has practically turned into dust. Throw Chick-fil-As nuggets into the mix, however, and its a whole different story. 12 Pieces of Extra Crispy Tenders with 2 Large Mashed Potatoes, Large Gravy, Large Coleslaw & 4 Biscuits. And if those were our only expectations. And from each chain, you can expect a good crunch, as well as juicy chicken. Popeyes, on the other hand, offers mashed potatoes that have no pork in them, which is a big plus for vegetarians. However, there were some significant differences. Does the bliss of these biscuits make up for their iffy chicken? If no one walks into the kitchen to see us pouring out the bag of instant potato flakes, we don't think anyone would even know about this little secret. Popeyes has plenty on its menu, offers nuggets, tender, fried chicken, fries, mashed potatoes, coleslaw, biscuits, red beans and rice and mac and cheese, along with three different types of desserts blackberry cheesecake fried pie, cinnamon apple pie and a chocolate chip cookie. Add the bouillon-infused water to the pan, whisking constantly to prevent any clumps from forming. KFC answered that call by releasing their Beyond Fried Chicken, made with Beyond Meat. If PDQ begins expanding across the country, they'll give the top chains a run for their money. One excellentKFC copycat recipe hails Idahoan brand mashed potatoes as a close approximation of the dried potato flakes KFC uses in their kitchen. We like to make a little indentation in the mashed potatoes with the back of a spoon to give the gravy a place to pool. While they didn't have spicy chicken available, they did have extra crispy chicken. What used to be a dependable spot to find juicy, tender chicken and other delicious offerings is now an inconsistent eatery where the chicken is often more rubbery than juicy, and the seasoning is more bland than ever. A word of warning: stick with beans and rice as your sides. If you like your potatoes on the creamy side, you can whisk in extra water or milk at the end. KFC Vs. Popeyes: How Far Will $10 Go? - Mashed KFC's spicy chicken sandwich is a really close competitor.
