But unlike Champs, KKC is scrumptious. The Real Reason You Should Never Order KFC's Mashed Potatoes. 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. 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." They at least have a starting point that they may be able to tweak over time. KFC's famous mashed potatoes and gravy was the obviouschoice for the side. To get to the bottom of which is best, we tried mashed potato sides from six fast-food chains. $10 gets you enough food for leftovers or to share in both restaurants. Sandwich Only: $3.29. KFC has restaurants around the world and has been in the chicken business for over seven decades, making it a clear option. Overworking the potatoes turns them gummy and starchy, but under-mashing them creates unseasoned lumps. In this case, the better combo is available at Popeyes. Fried potatoes with salt and ketchup makes for a tasty snack any day. A self-described former KFC employee offers a description of KFC's gravy preparation on Quora, adding that the memories are nightmare-inducing. The main event at both KFC and Popeyes is, of course, the fried chicken. All Rights Reserved. Culver's isn't known for its potatoes. The information shown is Edamams estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. But it was absolutely one of the best chicken sandwiches ever made. If you're cozying up to a bucket of KFC chicken, there's a good chance you have a side of mashed potatoes at the ready, too. The locals know. Popeyes' nuggets, on the other hand, are a little disappointing. But then when you take a giant bite, your mouth quickly fills with disappointment. It deserved every ounce of praise it got. And when they're juicy and tender, they make an even better snack. I think Checkers' potatoes had the best flavor, texture, and shelf life. And, honestly, the Half N' Half is your best bet because they are both so good. 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. We're not talking about fresh potatoes out of the ground. Simmer the mixture until it's nice and thick, about five minutes. From the outside, these tenders look like they'd be good, but the coating is not as crunchy as it should be, and the meat itself is far too dry. On the bone or in a bun? The gravy recipe does contain both pork and chicken, meaning it is not a vegetarian option. Chicken, 2 Large Mashed Potatoes, Large Gravy, Large Coleslaw & 4 Biscuits. Only the true connoisseurs can distinguish KFCs homestyle recipe from Popeyes. While both options are rich, at least the Popeyes options offer non-chicken lovers a slight departure from Popeyes' main menu. In total, we spent $9.88. Another Redditor claims the gravy is just a packet of seasonings and powder, mixed into water no fryer drippings required. The Idahoan brand we picked up uses 100 percent Idaho potatoes, and they really do taste just like mashed potatoes made from scratch. This is a much misunderstood and underrated component of fast food fried chicken, but would be sorely missed if it disappeared from menus tomorrow. It contains 1290 calories, 68.8 grams of fat, 170 milligrams of cholesterol, 3475 milligrams of sodium, 157 milligrams of carbs, and 70 grams of sugar. How does the fried chicken compare? You can be assured that your shoes will never stick to the floor in this restaurant's bathroom. Each restaurant we tried was ranked in Restaurant Business's top-100 chain restaurants of 2017. As at Popeyes, the only other menu item we could afford with our $10 was an extra biscuit for $1.19. The first step to a good roux is letting the butter brown a little bit. While Popeyes does consistently delivery stronger flavors, if you prefer the simpler flavors of KFC, there isn't too much difference in price. The gravy helped thin them out a bit, but didn't smell like traditional gravy. KFC, Popeye's or Church's chicken are all in the same strip - Reddit KFC VS POPEYES Which One Better?!? MUKBANG - YouTube So, for $0.10 less than at Popeyes ($9.78), we could get mainly the same items but slightly more meat. Overall, two restaurants are similarly priced and you can expect the same value from both, so we're calling this one a tie. KFC's cost $1.99 for a 4-ounce thigh and Popeyes' 4-ounce thigh costs $1.49. The tenders have been so popular, that even McDonald's is getting in on the spicy chicken craze, according to The Street. KFC does sides right. When you have the three-piece chicken meal with mashed potatoes and Sprite at Popeyes, you can expect to consume 1390 calories, 69 grams of fat, 135 milligrams of cholesterol, 3455 milligrams of sodium, 146 grams of carbs, and 77 grams of sugar. There are a lot of theories that KFC uses the drippings at the bottom of the pressure fryer to add flavor to their gravy. They are made with a mixture of potatoes, milk, butter, cream of celery soup, and spices. In a medium saucepan, bring the milk and water to a boil. Lee's is definitely in the KFC range of flavors. KFC, on the other hand, has the fried chicken, Beyond chicken, tenders (regular and spicy), pot pie, and the Famous Bowl. With only a $0.10 difference in price between the two, you want to eat where the food tastes better. But we had high hopes for the macaroni and cheese offerings at KFC and Popeyes, and both leave the consumer longing for a lot more. It's what most fried chicken is striving to be. Pasta has the same carb content as a serving of cheese, but it is nearly as fat as cheese. Simply because there are not enough of these restaurants in America. Speaking from a fried chicken connoisseur point of view, neither KFC nor Popeyes were pinnacles of fried chicken wonder. Plus, they couldn't be easier to make; just heat up some water or milk, stir in the flakes, and top it off with butter. KFC Nutrition Facts: What to Order & Avoid - Verywell Fit Martha Sorren They were only $0.07 more than the most inexpensive potatoes, ringing in at $2.09 for an "individual" portion. 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. The crispy chicken is dipped in homemade honey butter and served on a toasted brioche bun with crunchy pickle slices. Short for "butylated hydroxytoluene," BHT is on the Environmental Working Group's "dirty dozen" list of food additives to be aware of, despite their approval by the FDA. Founded in Lafayette, Louisiana, this chain has over 2,000 locations around the country. In fact, it might be blasphemous to say, but it may actually be better. They are crunchy and the perfect size to pop in your mouth. There are no meat products in the potatoes alone. Bonchon wings are great, but the champion chicken wing chain is undoubtedly Wingstop. The sandwich was nearly impossible to get, selling out everywhere. All prices provided on this website are averaged and should only be used as estimates. (Yes, Popeyes makes the best fried chicken sandwich, but that's . KFC takes the Chicken Nuggets round, fair and square. We wanted to like Bojangles' Famous Chicken 'n Biscuits just because of its catchy name. You use your hands, you expect to get a little messy, but when it's good fried chicken, nothing else matters. KFC - 37 Photos & 34 Reviews - 2801 N Broadway, Los Angeles - Yelp And while 50 cents may not seem like a big deal, Sharon Epperson from CNBC explains why it is. In the past, we've found Popeyes' oil to taste odd. Things took a deadly turn when a man was stabbed to death after allegedly cutting in line at a Maryland Popeyes. We decided we'd embark on a journey of discovery to both KFC and Popeyes to determine which one you should go to with your $10. Whether you prefer bone-in or boneless, Wingstop's wings are always plump, fresh, and juicy. You'll want to whisk the entire time to prevent any dry clumps from forming, and to keep the flour from accidentally burning to the bottom of the pan. 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. It just doesn't work. The buttermilk biscuits were the star. KFC also has a quick pick up option or a delivery option on their website, so you can swing by on your way after work and grab some grub for your family. They say that while BHT is not listed as a carcinogen, it has been known to cause cancer in animals. Access your favorite topics in a personalized feed while you're on the go. If you stirred while you added, there shouldn't be any lumps in the gravy. Every single time, you will get chicken that is head-scratchingly delicious, perfectly cooked and covered in a mouth-watering batter. And it's also a great palate cleanser before moving onto other sides! And without further ado, we present to you the latest on fast food chicken prices, because thats what we do around here. So, next time you are in a gas station or convenience store, make sure to look around to see if they have a KKC counter. While they have a lot to offer on their menu, including Zalads, Zappetizers, and Sides (why not Zides? While they didn't have spicy chicken available, they did have extra crispy chicken. Add the bouillon-infused water to the pan, whisking constantly to prevent any clumps from forming. The Popeyes and KFC we visited are only about a third of a mile from each other, so their prices are extremely competitive. At KFC, a 3-piece meal with 1 side, 1 biscuit and 1 drink is $8.99, while the same meal at Popeyes is $9.89. Bojangles offers a variety of other things on their menu, including sandwiches, bowls, salads, and their iconic biscuits. Mashed potatoes and gravy are delicious as a side dish, but these mashed potatoes are so tasty on their own, you could eat them as the main meal. I have mac and cheese, chicken tender strips, onion rings & mashed potatoes!FREE GIVEAWAY for. Drain, leave in colander to steam dry for 3 minutes. The chicken is fried perfection, the bun is buttery good, and the pickle is the ideal complement to the simplicity of it all. Not if you're relying on Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) and Popeyes, which were respectively America's second and third favorite fried chicken fast food restaurants in 2019, according to QSR. Popeyes does, however, serve their mashed potatoes with gravy. The basis of all good gravy is roux: a mixture of flour and fat (in this case, butter). mashed.com - Amy Bell 1h When you have a craving for fried chicken but only want to spend $10, it can be a challenge to decide where to go. Luckily, we don't have that problem here. According to Vice, part of the Popeyes magic lies in its seasonings, as well as their deep fryers. The chicken pieces were on the small side compared to KFC, but they were still in the ordinary range as far as bone-in chicken goes. If you haven't had Church's biscuits, you have been deprived. Fill a large pot 1/2 to 3/4 full of water. Chick-fil-A's nuggets are also a tasty fast food delicacy, especially when dipped into their magically sweet Polynesian sauce. 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. These booming franchises have competed against each other for years, fighting tooth and nail to remain the provider of the worlds favorite fast food chicken. We thought it was a good opportunity to recreate the KFC Famous Bowl by adding some shredded cheddar cheese, sweet corn kernels, and crispy chicken nuggets. There's just no getting around it. We spent a total of $9.78, which was a mere $0.10 less than what we spent at Popeyes. 12 Pieces of Extra Crispy Tenders with 2 Large Mashed Potatoes, Large Gravy, Large Coleslaw & 4 Biscuits. Bojangles' chicken on the bone is beyond greasy. 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. 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. Check out the end of this article for ingredient quantities and the full step-by-step instructions. 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. Which is Better, KFC Or Popeyes? - breakfasthours.org 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. We started with the gravy. If you're watching your fat and sodium, you may want to be mindful of eating this full meal. Limited Time. Despite featuring two thighs and a leg rather than two legs and a thigh, The KFC 3-piece meal has fewer calories and less fat than the Popeyes meal. Even KFC started in a gas station and there are other worthy chicken chains that operate out of gas stations and convenience stores. Where Church's redeems themselves is with their biscuits. That's a lot for something you're likely gobbling up in between bites of KFC's MSG-laden fried chicken. Both KFC and Popeyes have very good coleslaw offerings. Let's dive into the KFC side dishes and other options they have available. Combo (8 or 12 piece, Waffle Fries, and Drink). After it quickly sold out, the coveted sandwich didn't return until two months later and the frenzy continued with people across the country waiting in long lines. The results are interesting. The home of the best Cajun flavor youll find north of the Mississippi Popeyes takes the cake for its spicy rendition of fried chicken. Whereas KFC uses a straightforward, homestyle type of gravy,Popeyes relies on their Cajun roots and tops their mashed potatoes in a perfectly spiced gravy. While Popeyes has recently become famous for its chicken sandwich, the most iconic menu items for both restaurants are their bone-in fried chicken, biscuits, and sides. Popeyes' mashed potatoes are firmer and have a savory taste. It contains ingredients like black pepper, chicken extract, salt, flour, etc.". Offering drumsticks and thighs to fried chicken lovers all over the world, KFC is all about promotions and special meal deals, but their full-priced combos are also a great option for an affordable, filling, and beautifully greasy meal. The spice level was just right without being too fiery for those unaccustomed to spicy food. Almost, but not quite. Copyright 2023 Fast Food Menu Prices. Tenders often take a back seat to bone-in fried chicken at places like KFC and Popeyes. These biscuits are buttery and flaky, and glazed in sticky honey butter heaven. Though these combinations are simple, they are anything but basic. Copycat KFC Mashed Potatoes And Gravy Recipe You'll want to add the liquid slowly in the beginning, constantly whisking to incorporate the two products. We figured out how to make a copycat version of their mashed potatoes and gravy, and it's easier that you might think. Don't worry, Chick-fil-A fans, there's no need for angry letters. Mango Habanero is another spicy flavor that Wingstop has perfected. An Eater review describes them as having a rubbery texture. Likewise, the biscuits weren't good. To recreate the buttery, rich flavor of KFC potatoes, we used a combination of milk and water to make our mashed potatoes. Spicy or mild? If we're being honest, both KFC and Popeyes make great potatoes. The main differences seem to come from the calorie and fat content of the chicken and biscuits. Breading that falls off the chicken is an absolute fried chicken cardinal sin, so there should certainly be none of that. Anyone saying popeyes tastes better than kfc does not have taste buds whatsoever. So, eating the whole 3-piece meal in one sitting will max out your fat and sodium for the day and then some. These biscuits seem to divide crowds. The Real Reason You Should Never Order KFC's Mashed Potatoes The potatoes were seasoned liberally with pepper, but the gravy was a little milder perhaps to keep from overwhelming your palate. But, KFC's gravy, and the interesting way it may or may not be made, has received some attention over the years. Employee Video Shows How KFC Mashed Potatoes Are Really Made Mashed 1.26M subscribers Subscribe 8.7K 878K views 1 year ago #KFC #Food #MashedPotatoes Watch this video to see how KFC. Another thing that catapults Chick-fil-A to the top is their cleanliness and service. They don't seem to be well-seasoned as KFC's, and as The Takeout put it, they don't "change the game." Not counting the salt and pepper, that means you can make this dish with fewer than six ingredients, and you likely have most of them on hand at any given time. KFC's spicy chicken sandwich is a really close competitor. Even the Sprite was good. Instead of being able to spend $10 to feed two people, we were left with Popeyes' 3-Piece Chicken Combo. But if faced with the decision of which fast food fried chicken chain to choose, you really won't go wrong with either one. There are more than 16,000,000 vegetarians living in the United States, according to a 2018 Gallup poll. Popeyes does offer delivery through their app or website, making it convenient for everyone to get their hands on that spicy chicken sandwich. While the oil still had that specific Popeyes oil flavor, it seemed far fresher than usual. But if you want a little more spice in your life, why not opt for KFC's Nashville Hot Tenders instead? So, depending on your health-related dietary requirements, KFC's nutritional content may be the worse dietary choice of the two. If you like spicy, flavorful chicken, you'll love Krispy Krunchy Chicken (KKC). Champs Chicken exists because it's conveniently located and inexpensive. These fries need to hold up to the fried chicken so as not to be overpowered, and Popeyes' bring some much needed texture and crunch, making them the clear winner here. Since Popeyes offers Coke products, we got a Sprite. Things You Should Absolutely Never Order At KFC - Mashed.com In fact, back in 2016, it was the fastest, increasing sales by nearly 26 percent for the year.