Let’s take Popeyes Signature Sauce and Chicken Dippers for a dip

Sometimes I think I should turn Snackology into Chickenology. There’s absolutely enough fast-food chicken news to sustain that newsletter. (This would force me to establish Oreolgy — Oreo-ology? — to cover the newsletter’s other major topic, I guess.)

Popeyes wasn’t content with grabbing headlines for its trio of Chicken Wraps last month. The fast-food chain jumped back into the news this week with the announcement that it was rolling out Popeyes Signature Sauce — and was pairing it with Chicken Dippers.

“Popeyes is proudly dipping into the party with the launch of its official Signature Sauce, serving up a bold, soulful flavor that’s perfectly Popeyes across the US and Canada,” the chain announced this week. “The sauce, a permanent addition to the menu, pairs seamlessly with the NEW limited-time-only Chicken Dippers, made with thin strips of all-white breast meat and hand-battered in Popeyes signature Louisiana garlic and spice blend.”

Popeyes chicken nuggets have been a favorite of mine, consistently competing for my lunchtime attention with their iconic Classic Chicken Sandwich. Would these new Chicken Dippers live up to that standard? And is the chain’s Signature Sauce worthy of that title?

Where I found it

Chicken Dippers and Popeyes Signature Sauce are exclusive to Popeyes.

What I paid

The Chicken Dippers Combo that I got came with the chicken, sauce, cajun fries and a medium Coke Zero for $9.99.

My thoughts

The Popeyes Signature Sauce is a permanent addition to the chain’s menu, and to show it off, they’ve released Chicken Dippers for a limited time. I obviously chose a combo that would let me try both new items. (Could I buy just the cup of Signature Sauce? Would I eat it with a spoon for this review?)

The Chicken Dippers are advertised as “thin strips of all-white breast meat and hand-battered in Popeyes signature Louisiana garlic and spice blend,” and my batch of Chicken Dippers were thoroughly coated with that the Popeyes breading that we’ve all come to love on their Classic Chicken Sandwich.

I got a popcorn chicken vibe from these guys, with the sizing being all over the place. Some of them were tiny bits of chicken. Others were long, thin strips that was able to dip several times into Signature Sauce.

While the coating was perfect, the chicken inside of the Chicken Dippers was kind of dry. This isn’t a problem I’ve ever had with Popeyes’ sandwiches or nuggets, and I’m guessing that it’s the reality of using tinier and tinier pieces of chicken. There’s not much meat left to hold in moisture.

The real star of the show here, though, is the Popeyes Signature Sauce.

I guess I never really thought about Popeyes not having their own sauce. I usually get either their ranch, Buffalo sauce or honey mustard when I get nuggets. The Signature Sauce absolutely jumps to the front of the line now.

It’s peppery and has just the right amount of heat to balance out bites of Popeyes’ cajun fries. The chain writes that the new Signature Sauce “combines the bold flavors of the Louisiana ‘holy trinity’; bell pepper, celery, and onion, along with garlic and a dash of hot sauce for just the right amount of heat. The Signature Sauce comes in a newly designed round cup, allowing guests to easily dip in and savor Every. Last. Drop.”

My one complaint about Popeyes Signature Sauce: That cup. It’s not big enough. I found myself taking super conservative dunks when it came to my Chicken Dippers. I wanted more. More!

Final verdict: BUY the Signature Sauce, SKIP the Chicken Dippers

I’ll definitely get the Popeyes Signature Sauce again. (Maybe there’s a way to add it to the Classic Chicken Sandwich?) If you’re looking to give it a try, I’d recommend pairing the sauce with the chain’s nuggets or tenders.