Popeyes' new Voodoo Tenders, introduced in late October 2019, may have been originally intended as a kind of Halloween-themed limited-time offering, but they may also have been designed to tide customers over until the highly-anticipated return of the chain's super-popular chicken sandwich. The sandwich returned on November 3rd, but the voodoo tenders remain on the menu as of the making of this video. Popeyes may well be thinking, "Why not run them by the biggest crowds we've seen since last August when the sandwich was first launched?" Since, hey, after standing in line for a few hours to get that sure-better-be-as-amazing-as-it's-cracked-up-to-be sandwich, hordes of hungry customers might just decide to check out what else is new at Popeyes.
So what's up with these mysterious new tenders? What does "voodoo" taste like, and does it pale in comparison to Popeyes' much-hyped chicken sandwich?
Well, a Voodoo Tender is a regular Popeye's chicken tender dressed up with scallions, garlic, and ghost peppers. It is also drizzled with a brand-new Popeyes condiment called Voodoo Sauce. The sauce is spicy-sweet, and resembles a Thai sweet chili sauce with a flavor that GrubGrade's reviewer found to be more Asian than Cajun, which is no surprise as the third ingredient after water and sugar is pineapple puree. So for those keeping score at home, pineapple on pizza is considered heresy …
... but pineapple sauce on fried chicken? Popeyes is clearly banking on it becoming a fast food fad.
If you're looking for something with some real kick, the Voodoo Tenders may disappoint, since the ghost peppers listed as an ingredient appear to be MIA, taste-wise. Ghost peppers are known for their intense heat, so it's unclear why Popeyes would even bother using them on this dish if they were just going to dial down the flavor like this.
GrubGrade calls the tenders themselves plain and flavorless, and says the Voodoo Sauce does less than satisfactory work when it comes to spicing things up. The sauce is also described as odd-tasting, with the scallions adding only a little visual interest while doing nothing for the overall taste. Their verdict: Popeyes Voodoo Tenders are pretty far from memorable, with an overall grade of 4.75 out of 10.
But that's just one opinion, man: YouTuber "RodrickEats" called the Voodoo Tenders "delicious" and folks on the Discuss Cooking forum gave them a big thumbs up overall, adding that the sauce had only a little bit of heat. Redditors commenting on the Voodoo Tenders had a harsher verdict to deliver, with several complaints regarding the overall quality and portion size of Popeyes tenders in general. Several commenters described the tenders they received when they ordered this dish using words such as "thin and dry" and "measly." The Voodoo Sauce, however, really drew some ire for its lack of spiciness and excessive sweetness — probably from all that darn pineapple.
So that's the skinny on the tenders themselves — what's up with the "voodoo"-evoking name? Well, if you avoid all-things-occult — like pop star Katy Perry's mom, who famously refuses to eat deviled eggs — it may reassure you to learn that voodoo is not at all Satanic. It's actually a blend of West African polytheism and Catholicism. In Popeyes' native New Orleans, voodoo is also a major tourist draw, as numerous visitors flock to the Historic Voodoo Museum and the tomb of 19th-century Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau.
Finally, if you still want to get some Popeyes fall flavor, but you don't manage to snag an order of these Voodoo Tenders before they slither back into the swamp, never fear, Popeyes is big on Thanksgiving, too. There are a few menu items on the way that just might make you forget all about this voodoo brouhaha.
This year, Delish dishes that they're bringing back an old favorite to their dessert menu, the Pumpkin Cream Cheese Pie, and of course they'll be offering their perennially popular Cajun-style turkey which — heads up, busy cooks — is precooked, so it won't require nearly as much prepping and cooking time as a DIY turkey.
Watch the video to see what you need to know before eating Popeyes' Voodoo Tenders!
#Popeyes #VoodooTenders
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