The Popeyes Secret Menu Item That Gives Your Meal An Extra Pop Of Flavor

Popeyes was first called "Chicken on the Run," which is ironic considering that people often seem to run to the popular fast food chain to get some of their crispy fried chicken. Popeyes also advertises its various signature sauces that can provide some added flavor to your chicken meals, including BBQ sauce, ranch dressing, chili sauce, and tartar sauce. However, there's one secret menu item that Popeyes sprinkles on its chicken that gives their meat an even bigger burst of flavor — their Cajun Sparkle seasoning.

Popeyes debuted Cajun Sparkle seasoning in the Spring of 2019, and ever since then, customers could request the Cajun Sparkle seasoning packets at a Popeyes counter or drive-thru. Once you have the packets, pepper your Popeyes chicken order with it, and you'll be treated to Popeyes' popular chicken with a savory and spicy kick of flavor. Aside from Popeyes' signature chicken wings, breasts, legs, and thighs, there are other Popeyes meals you can give some extra Cajun Sparkle seasoning too as well.

Popeyes debuted their chicken nuggets in July, 2021, and thankfully, they're still on the menu. Whether you get the 8-piece or the 48-piece chicken nugget meal, sprinkle your Cajun Sparkle seasoning on all of the pieces. The same goes for Popeyes' boneless chicken tenders, which may surprise your taste buds with a Cajun Sparkle boost. Of course, you can't forget about Popeyes' TRUFF chicken sandwich. Before you bite into that sandwich, pull off the buns and season that chicken breast filet with Cajun Sparkle to add another layer of flayer to the truffle mayo.

Cajun seasoning works really well on seafood, so sprinkling the Cajun Sparkle spice on Popeyes' popcorn shrimp should give those bites a burst of flavor. You can experiment with the seasoning as well and try it on Popeyes' side orders, such as their biscuits or coleslaw. If you aren't fortunate enough to get a bunch of Cajun Sparkle packets to save for later, you can still make the seasoning yourself to use on a variety of homemade dishes.

To recreate Popeyes' Cajun Sparkle seasoning at home, simply mix 1 tablespoon of salt with ½ teaspoon each of ground black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and rubbed sage, plus ¼ teaspoon of paprika and monosodium glutamate, and ⅛ teaspoon of ground cayenne pepper. Once you have your homemade Cajun Sparkle ready, you've got a lot of options for using this spice mix. Season your next cajun grilled cheese sandwich with it, or sprinkle the spice on the shrimp in your cajun shrimp po' boy. You can also add your homemade Cajun Sparkle to the sausage gravy when making biscuits and gravy. 

Incorporate your homemade Cajun Sparkle into your cajun chicken and pasta recipe, pepper it on some spicy cajun wings, or season your cajun salmon burgers with it. Soups and stews are also great options, especially gumbo and jambalaya. Elevate your home-cooked seafood dishes that have shrimp or fish by sprinkling them with the spice blend. You can even dust the seasoning on homemade sweet potato fries and hash browns. Just be sure to season your food from high up for even flavor distribution.