What To Do When You're Craving Popeyes Cajun Rice
In January 2021, Popeyes slimmed down its menu. According to Thrillist, the fried chicken purveyor removed two sides from its regular menu: green beans and cajun rice. A press release stated that the company made the move after careful consideration and customer feedback.
While few people were saddened by the missing green beans, many customers took to social media to mourn the loss of the famed cajun rice. Several former customers took to Popeyes' Twitter account to inform the fast food chain that dropping the cajun rice from its menu lost them a customer.
So what was so special about the cajun rice? Simply put, it was unique. The rice included creole seasoning, bell peppers, and onion, plus chicken and ground beef. No other fast food chain offered the same rice. Its disappearance disappointed many fans, despite Popeyes still offering rice and red beans as a side. So, what can you do if you're missing Popeyes' cajun rice? There are a few options.
You can fill the void created by Popeyes's decision to discontinue cajun rice
The loss of Popeyes' cajun rice is still being felt today. There was a brief moment of joy when the chicken chain brought the side back to celebrate its 50th anniversary. According to Restaurant Business, the cajun rice briefly returned in June 2022. It's since been removed, but there are still ways to experience this dish's flavor.
Popeyes' cajun rice might be gone from the menu, but you can recreate it at home. Several cajun rice copycat recipes exist. While each is a little different, almost every copycat recipe uses green peppers, green onion, garlic, and creole seasoning mixes to recreate the taste of this Popeyes side. Long-grain rice, cooked in water or beef broth, is also needed. In some cases, you don't even need to stand over a stove: there's an Instant Pot dirty rice recipe similar to Popeyes' now-defunct offering.
The Filipino fast food chain Jollibee might have a side close enough to cajun rice to serve as a replacement if you don't feel like cooking. According to ABS-CBN, Jollibee introduced the adobo rice side in 2019, and it's stayed on the menu ever since. Jollibee's adobo rice doesn't have the creole seasoning that made Popeyes' cajun rice special, but it is a fluffy, savory rice option with meat mixed into it. Popeyes cajun rice has onion and garlic, as does Jollibee's adobo rice. Soy sauce sets Jollibee's rice apart from Popeyes' cajun rice, but it's still a great option if you're looking for a cajun rice substitute but don't want to cook at home.