Bone-In Chicken

What is it?

Built around bone-in pieces of chicken, these orders are marinated for at least 12 hours in a Louisiana-style seasoning blend, then hand-battered and pressure-fried. The coating comes out irregular and craggy, with thin, crisp edges and thicker patches that stay crunchy. Mild and spicy versions are both common, and the spicy batter adds cayenne heat. Pieces are usually sold individually, in two-piece through family-size combos, or by the bucket. Breast, thigh, leg, and wing each bring a different balance of meat, skin, and breading. Compared with other items in Popeyes’ lineup, this is the core fried chicken format that the rest of the menu grew around.