Popeyes understands fried chicken well — heck, even Anthony Bourdain was a massive fan. But with summer unofficially upon us, it seems like the chicken chain known for its crispy breading and flavorful seasonings is looking to make its offerings a little more portable.
Enter Popeyes’ new Chicken Wraps. From the company that introduced a chicken sandwich so popular that its locations struggled to keep up with demand back in 2019, a Megan Thee Stallion-endorsed spicy sauce (to accompany hot girl summer in 2022), and, most recently, a pickle-centric menu featuring a pickle-infused lemonade, comes a trio of new compact wraps: Classic, Spicy, and Honey Mustard. Popeyes also released a new lineup of drinks designed to pair with them — Blueberry Lemonade (frozen or chilled), Blueberry Cane Sweet Tea, and Blueberry Unsweet Tea.
According to a company press release, the Chicken Wraps are designed to evoke Popeyes signature flavors, including those from its beloved biscuits. That all sounds pretty good, but naturally, we had to find out for ourselves. We headed to our nearest Popeyes location just minutes after opening to munch and sip on the chain’s latest creations.
Price and availability
At $3.99 (though price varies depending on location), Popeyes’ Chicken Wraps cost quite a bit less than its Classic Chicken, Spicy Chicken, and Ghost Pepper Chicken sandwiches, which all run customers $7.49.
Only available at participating locations, according to Popeyes corporate, anyone hungry to test drive the wraps can head over to the chicken chain’s official website to verify if it currently slings the latest release. That stated, every Popeyes location we researched did in fact serve the new wrap menu, so if the urge hits while already in the car, chances are good that you’ll be able to take home a wrap or two from your nearest location. The same goes for the blueberry beverage options, which cost the same as other Popeyes specialty drinks ($3.49).
Tasting the new Chicken Wraps
My first impression after unrolling the Popeyes-branded wax paper was how petite each of the wraps were, especially compared to what I had envisioned after walking past a promotional billboard. Approximately the size of my palm, the wrap felt underweight, and a quick peek inside revealed a single chicken tender acting as the base.
Poking around a bit also showed how similar each of the three Chicken Wraps really were. All contained pickles, shredded lettuce, and a sprinkling of shredded cheese. The only identifiable differences seemed to be the sauces in each wrap. Classic comes with a plain mayonnaise, Honey Mustard a sweet and savory mustard kick, and Spicy is finished with a red ghost pepper hot sauce. Similarly, once undone, each of the identifying sauces were only slathered on the second half of the wraps, which led to an uneven dining experience.
The quality of Popeyes’ chicken tenders saved the wraps from near doom, but, especially in the Spicy variation, all of the wraps would benefit from an even distribution of sauce spread throughout the tortilla — or if the chicken were tossed in its accompanying sauce.
Furthermore, it would’ve helped each flavor was differentiated by more than just its dressing. Why can’t the cheeses also vary between sandwiches? In any case, the Classic wrap tasted mundane, the Spicy boasted a dry, effective heat, and the Honey Mustard shone as the valedictorian of the group due to the sauce’s contrast with the other ingredients.
Tasting Popeyes’ new blueberry beverages
Chicken is always the star at Popeyes, but the trio of beverages intended to accompany the new wraps appealed to me more than the headliners. In Blueberry Unsweet Tea, Blueberry Cane Sweet Tea, and Blueberry Lemonade (served either chilled or frozen), the summer-berry themed lineup should supply every sort of thirsty guest with a satisfying drink.
The only real dud of the bunch is the Blueberry Cane Sweet Tea, which smacks so intensely of artificial blueberries it resembled the flavor of Pop-Tarts. After sipping on the extremely saccharine drink, I dove into the unsweetened cup with more trepidation. Fortunately, Popeyes’ Blueberry Unsweet Tea carried only a whisper of blueberry tones and managed to restrain itself from the unpleasant intensity of its sugar-filled twin.
The Blueberry Lemonade (we opted for frozen) also delighted our tastebuds and acted as a bridge between the two polarizing teas. A treat not unlike a Slurpee or one of Sonic’s iconic Slushes, Popeyes’ Blueberry Lemonade proves itself as formidable competition in the field of frozen treats. The texture of ice pleasantly crunches between the teeth, and flows through its straw with enough velocity to make brain freeze a viable opponent. Tart and well-balanced, the blueberry flavoring here avoids tasting overly artificial, and as a whole, the lemonade both refreshed and reset my palate for bites of wrap.
Verdict
Overall, Popeyes’ latest releases run the gamut of enjoyment. The delight of its frozen Blueberry Lemonade manages to outshine the dullness of the Chicken Wraps. Though quick fixes could improve the wrap exponentially, as is, I’ll be skipping Popeyes’ newest items in favor of enjoying a carton of the chicken chain’s tenders, which stand out as the wrap’s greatest strength.
That said, with some restructuring perhaps a bit more put into the flavor variations, I’d happily return for a Honey Mustard Popeyes Chicken Wrap and would be curious to revisit the Spicy rendition as well if it could offer a more dynamic wave of heat. As for the Classic Wrap, the mayonnaise felt half-baked and needed another element to liven up its flavor. A ranch or Thousand Island dressing would be my choice to give the most basic wrap a glow up. But for now, we’ll stick to the drinks.
