Chain launching new chicken sandwich Aug. 12

Soon you’ll be able to get Popeyes’ New Orleans-style fried chicken on a bun.

The fast food chain is adding a new chicken sandwich to its menu that will be available nationwide at more than 3,000 restaurants starting Aug. 12.

For $3.99, fried chicken fans can get a buttermilk-battered and hand-breaded white meat chicken fillet topped with pickles and spicy Cajun spread, served on a toasted brioche bun, Popeyes said in a statement. For those that prefer less spice, the Cajun spread can be swapped out for classic mayo.

“For a while, we’ve heard from our guests that they wanted to see a chicken sandwich at Popeyes,” Felipe Athayde, Popeyes president for the Americas, said in a statement to USA TODAY. “We are always evolving our menu to accommodate guests’ tastes.”

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Popeyes has offered chicken sandwiches at select locations in the past, but this is its first nationwide chicken sandwich, which will be a permanent offering, the company said.

“Customers in our test markets loved the product, and we knew it was time to bring it to Popeyes fans across the nation,” Athayde said.

Popeyes also has served Po’boy sandwiches, but the fried shrimp sandwiches are no longer on the menu. The chicken chain serves signature fried chicken, chicken tenders, popcorn shrimp and seven different sides.

Before launching nationwide, the new sandwich will be available Thursday and Friday at Sweet Dixie Kitchen, a Long Beach, California restaurant. In 2017, the restaurant made headlines when guests discovered it was serving Popeyes chicken.

“To be honest, I thought they were calling to sue me,” said Kim Sánchez, owner of Sweet Dixie Kitchen, in a statement. “We have a long history with Popeyes, but we’ve always said Popeyes chicken is the best fried chicken we ever had. So, we are thrilled to collaborate with them to launch and serve their delicious Popeyes Chicken Sandwich.”

Contributing: Kelly Tyko

Follow USA Today reporter Rebekah Tuchscherer on Twitter @r2sure