Popeyes Turkeys Are Back for a Very Cajun Thanksgiving

Popeyes just brought back its super popular Cajun whole turkeys for the 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. 

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.  

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.”

In years past, you had to score a turkey from a local Popeyes location in kind of a chaotic process. But for the third year in a row, you can order your Popeyes Thanksgiving turkey online and either have it shipped or pick it up. Just go to the Popeyes turkey website, choose whether you want it delivered or for pick-up, and place your order.

Popeyes fully cooked turkeys cost $99 each plus tax. 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.

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.)

Your Popeyes Thanksgiving turkey 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. 

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!).

You may even want to pick up some side dishes from Popeyes to complete the meal.