The Definitive Best Side For Your Popeyes Order

Popeyes is far more than its chicken. Sure, the popular fast food chain has made a name for itself through a variety of Southern, Louisiana-style fried chicken dishes. These chicken items come in the form of classic chicken sandwiches, hot wings, chicken tenders, and limited specialties like the Ghost pepper chicken sandwich. However, Popeyes knows a thing or two about side dishes, with comfort food options that range from mashed potatoes to biscuits. Among the absolute best of the restaurant's sides? Cajun-flavored french fries, which Tasting Table ranked as the number one Popeyes side dish.

The reason this french fry variation tastes so great is because of its balance of flavors and crispy texture. French fries are a tried-and-true fast food classic, but Popeyes' Cajun fries stand out from the vast, saturated field of fries; not only are they thin, warm, and crispy, but they're also well-seasoned. In fact, they're perfectly balanced with Cajun spice without being too overpowering to enjoy in full. According to Tasting Table's ranking, they're actually so flavorful that they don't even need ketchup or barbecue sauce for dipping. How's that for the perfect side dish?

Luckily, you can replicate this side dish at home. While Popeyes' exact recipe is secret, Cajun spices are fairly straightforward — and among the easiest, most delicious of ways to spruce up any french fry side. 

There's little information online about what, exactly, goes into Popeyes' delicious Cajun french fries. However, it's safe to assume the fries use some combination of Cajun spices that bear responsibility for all that added, delicious flavor. In general, Cajun seasoning consists of a combination of white, black, and cayenne pepper, as well as onion powder, paprika, and garlic powder. That spice blend tends to serve as the baseline and can be dressed up with additional flavorings.

Given the success of Popeyes' combination of fries and Cajun seasoning, it's easy to draw inspiration from the chain and use a combination of spices to dress up your next batch of french fries. You can order ready-made Cajun spice blends on Amazon, and experiment until you find one that tastes just like Popeyes.

Or, you can head directly to the fast food joint, where, if you really want to embrace Cajun spice, you can try a side of Cajun rice. The rice maintains that same balance of seasoning and tastes great alongside your favorite Popeyes' chicken main dishes.