Popeyes just brought back its super popular Cajun whole turkeys for the holiday season. They make for an easy, show-stopping Thanksgiving centerpiece, and you don’t even need to tell your guests that the juicy, flavorful bird is from a fast food chain. If you are confounded but also intrigued by this ultimate fast food holiday hack, here’s everything you need to know in order to get yours.
What Does a Popeyes Thanksgiving Turkey Taste Like?
Popeyes Thanksgiving turkeys are rubbed and infused with the chain’s Louisiana-style seasoning, so they’re probably a little more flavorful than your great Aunt Millie’s dry holiday bird. “Infused” usually means that the company injects the flavorful brine into the meat, flavoring it inside and out and helping it stay juicy. Yes, please!
People who’ve had it usually give great reviews. “We had one last year, and it was pretty amazing,” said u/kodaiko_650 on Reddit. “It’s well seasoned — not too salty or super spicy, just really tasty and very moist.” On the other hand, some people say it’s way too salty. If you’re sensitive to salt content, you might want to reconsider.
How Do You Get a Popeyes Thanksgiving Turkey?
In years past, you had to score a turkey from a local Popeyes location in kind of a chaotic process. But the chain has simplified things, allowing you to order your Thanksgiving turkey online and either have it shipped or pick it up. Just go to the Popeyes turkey website, choose whether you want to pick it up or have it shipped to your house, and place your order.
How Much Is the Popeyes Thanksgiving Turkey?
Popeyes fully cooked turkeys cost $99 each plus tax this year. That includes shipping the frozen bird, so there are no extra costs. Once it’s shipped, your turkey should take one to three business days to show up on your doorstep.
If you order it to pick up at a local Popeyes, the cost will depend on the location. The cheapest will be $54.99, according to the company, but it’s $64.99 in our area. No matter what, it’ll save you some money if you pick it up versus shipping.
How Many People Does a Popeyes Turkey Feed?
Popeyes turkeys range from 11 to 13 pounds each. You cannot request a certain weight, so it’s the luck of the draw whether you’ll get an 11-pounder, 13-pounder, or somewhere in between.
According to Butterball’s portion calculator, that should feed 11-13 people without leftovers or 7-8 people with leftovers. (Though if you’re big eaters and love tons of leftovers like we do, plan on it feeding more like 4-6 on the low end.) If you have 14 people over for Thanksgiving and the turkey they shipped was 11 pounds, you probably want to get a backup ham.
How Do You Cook a Popeyes Thanksgiving Turkey?
Popeyes Thanksgiving turkeys will arrive fully frozen. Keep it in the freezer until you’re ready to thaw it in the refrigerator for 72 hours or, faster, under cold, running water. Whatever you do, don’t thaw it at room temperature or you can make everyone very sick.
When you’re ready to cook it on the big day, cover it with aluminum foil and throw it in a 375-degree oven for an hour and a half. To crisp and brown the skin, remove the foil and continue cooking it until the internal temperature reaches at least 140 degrees F in the thickest part of the breast. Head to the Popeyes website for more detailed instructions (including how to make gravy with the drippings!).
Bonus: If you’re picking up your turkey at a Popeyes, you can pick up some side dishes to complete the meal.
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