Review: Popeyes - Wild Pepper Tenderloins

Popeyes' Wild Pepper Tenderloins feature strips of chicken tenderloin marinated in a blend of Szechuan, Aji Amarillo, and Habanero peppers and then battered and breaded before deep-frying.

A combo with four strips, a biscuit, and a side cost me $4.99. I also got the new Red Hot Honey sauce.

There was a really nice aroma wafting out from my take-out bag, like their regular fried chicken but with a light spiced note to it.

The breading was crispy and not too oily, while the chicken was juicy and very tender. In terms of flavor, there's a strong hit of salt upfront followed by a decent spicy heat and just a light tingling from the Szechuan peppercorns. Because of the relatively light seasoning beyond the salt, I preferred eating the Wild Pepper Tenderloins with the provided sauce.

The Hot Honey Sauce offered a thin, watery consistency. In taste, there was a honeyed sweetness and a sizable spicy kick. It's similar to a sweet chili sauce and goes nicely with the chicken.

Overall, Popeyes' Wild Pepper Tenderloins were pretty good and give a different, novel taste profile to the chain's chicken. Particularly, the Szechuan peppercorns make an interesting appearance.