This copycat Popeyes shrimp po boy piles crispy, Cajun-seasoned popcorn shrimp onto a soft French baguette with shredded lettuce, dill pickle chips and creamy tartar sauce, the same build as the Popeyes Seafood Po’Boy. The shrimp cook in the air fryer in about 5 minutes, so you can have two loaded sandwiches on the table in 15. If you’d rather deep fry, that method is in the recipe card too.
I still remember the first time I ordered the shrimp po boy at Popeyes. That crunchy coating and juicy, flavorful shrimp had me hooked immediately. Recreating it at home took a few tweaks, but side by side, this copycat captures every bit of that iconic flavor with simple ingredients and none of the extra grease.
What Is the Popeyes Shrimp Po Boy?
On the menu, Popeyes calls it the Seafood Po’Boy. It’s popcorn shrimp or a whole-fillet white fish on a French baguette, topped with lettuce, pickles and tartar sauce. Most people order the shrimp version, which is why everyone just calls it the Popeyes shrimp po boy.
What makes it work is the contrast: small, crunchy, well-seasoned shrimp; cold, crisp lettuce; tangy pickles; and a creamy sauce soaking into soft bread.
What Is a Po Boy?
A po boy is New Orleans’ signature sandwich: fried seafood or roast beef stuffed into crusty-outside, soft-inside French bread. The name is most often traced to 1929, when brothers Bennie and Clovis Martin, former streetcar conductors who ran a sandwich shop, gave free sandwiches to striking streetcar workers. Those workers were the “poor boys.” Shrimp and oyster are the classic seafood versions, and shrimp is by far the most popular.
Why You’ll Love This Copycat
When I made this right next to a drive-thru Popeyes po boy, I couldn’t believe how close the crunch was. Mine had that same shatter-crisp coating and bold Cajun spice, and it came out piping hot from my own kitchen.
- It tastes like the drive-thru. Buttermilk, hot sauce and a cayenne-garlic flour dredge give you that Popeyes Cajun kick.
- It’s on the table in 15 minutes. Small shrimp cook fast, and there’s no oil to heat in the air fryer method.
- It’s lighter than the original. Air frying uses a spritz of cooking spray instead of a fryer full of oil.
- It’s built like the real thing. Baguette, lettuce, pickles and tartar sauce, not a generic shrimp sandwich.
Popeyes vs. Homemade
| Popeyes Shrimp Po’Boy | This Copycat | |
|---|---|---|
| Cooking method | Deep-fried | Air-fried (or deep-fried) |
| Calories | about 690 | [update after recalculating the card] |
| Bread | French baguette | French baguette |
| Sauce | Tartar sauce | Homemade Popeyes-style tartar sauce |
| Ready in | Drive-thru line | About 15 minutes |
Ingredients You’ll Need
The exact measurements are in the printable recipe card below.
- Shrimp: Small (60/80 count) raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails off. This size matches Popeyes’ popcorn shrimp. Thawed frozen shrimp works great.
- All-purpose flour: For the double dredge. A 1:1 gluten-free blend also works.
- Seasonings: Kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and cayenne.
- Egg and buttermilk: The wet dip that helps the coating grab on.
- Hot sauce: Louisiana-style hot sauce goes into the egg mixture for flavor, not just heat.
- French baguette: Soft inside with a thin crust. Hoagie rolls work in a pinch.
- Tartar sauce: Use my Copycat Popeyes Tartar Sauce. It takes about 5 minutes and is the closest match to what Popeyes uses.
- Toppings: Finely shredded iceberg lettuce and dill pickle chips.
How to Make a Popeyes Shrimp Po Boy in the Air Fryer
Step 1: Prep the shrimp. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Pat the shrimp very dry with paper towels. Dry shrimp means a crunchy coating instead of a gummy one.
Step 2: Make the dredge. In one bowl, whisk the flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and cayenne. In a second bowl, whisk the egg, buttermilk and hot sauce.
Step 3: Double-coat. Toss each shrimp in the flour, then the egg mixture, then the flour again. Press the coating on gently and set the shrimp on a plate.
Step 4: Air fry. Spray the basket, add the shrimp in a single layer without touching, and spray the tops generously. Any dry flour spots will stay white and powdery. Air fry 4 to 6 minutes, flipping and spraying again halfway, until golden and the shrimp are opaque. Work in batches if needed.
Step 5: Build the sandwich. Split the baguette lengthwise without cutting all the way through. Spread tartar sauce on both sides, then add lettuce, pickles and a big pile of hot shrimp. Serve right away while the shrimp are crunchy.
Tips for the Crispiest Shrimp
- Don’t skip the spray. It’s what turns the flour golden in the air fryer.
- Single layer only. Crowded shrimp steam instead of crisp.
- Toast the bread. Two minutes in the air fryer at 350°F gives the baguette a light crust like the restaurant’s.
- Want more crunch? Swap ¼ cup of the flour for fine cornmeal. That’s the trick behind my Popeyes Popcorn Shrimp.
- Assemble at the last minute. Hot shrimp plus cold toppings is the whole point.
Sauce Options
Tartar sauce is the Popeyes default, but here are three other Popeyes-style sauces that are great on a shrimp po boy:
- Popeyes Blackened Ranch: smoky, creamy and a little spicy.
- Popeyes Delta Sauce: tangy and slightly sweet, close to a remoulade.
- Popeyes Mardi Gras Mustard: Creole mustard with a sweet-heat finish.
Variations
- Chicken po boy: Use thin-sliced chicken breast or tenders instead of shrimp, with the same buttermilk-and-flour coating as my Air Fryer Popeyes Chicken Sandwich, then build it like this po boy.
- Fish po boy: Popeyes also offers the Seafood Po’Boy with a fish fillet. Use the flaky fillet from my Popeyes Fish Sandwich copycat on a baguette.
- Dressed New Orleans style: Add sliced tomatoes, the way most po boy shops serve it.
- Spicier: Double the cayenne, or add a teaspoon of Creole seasoning to the flour.
- Shortcut: Use frozen breaded popcorn shrimp. Air fry at 400°F for 8 to 10 minutes, shaking halfway, then build the sandwich.
What to Serve With It
Make it a full Popeyes-style meal at home:
Storing and Reheating
- Shrimp: Refrigerate leftover shrimp in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Air fry at 375°F for 3 to 4 minutes until crisp again. Skip the microwave, which makes the coating soggy.
- Sandwich: Store the bread, toppings and sauce separately, and build fresh. An assembled po boy doesn’t keep.
FAQ
What comes on a Popeyes shrimp po boy?
Popcorn shrimp, shredded lettuce, pickles and tartar sauce on a French baguette.
Does Popeyes still sell the shrimp po boy?
It depends on location and season. Seafood items come and go on Popeyes menus, so check the app for your nearest store, or make this copycat any time.
What size shrimp should I use?
Small 60/80 count shrimp, peeled, deveined and tails off. They’re closest to Popeyes’ popcorn shrimp and cook in minutes.
Can I use frozen shrimp?
Yes. Thaw raw frozen shrimp completely and pat dry before breading. Frozen pre-breaded popcorn shrimp also works as a shortcut.
What is the sauce on a Popeyes po boy?
Tartar sauce. My copycat Popeyes tartar sauce is linked above.
Can I bake this instead of air frying?
Yes. Bake on a sprayed wire rack set on a sheet pan at 425°F for 8 to 10 minutes, flipping halfway.
Is a po boy the same as a hoagie?
No. A po boy uses New Orleans-style French bread, which has a thin crackly crust and a very light interior. A hoagie roll is denser and chewier.
Copycat Popeyes Shrimp Po Boy
Description
Ingredients
Popcorn Shrimp
- 12 ounces small raw shrimp, 60/80 count, peeled, deveined, tails removed, thawed if frozen
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons Louisiana-style hot sauce
- Cooking spray
Po Boy Assembly
- 1 French baguette, about 8 to 9 ounces, cut into 4 pieces
- ½ cup Copycat Popeyes Tartar Sauce
- 1½ cups finely shredded iceberg lettuce
- ½ cup dill pickle chips
Instructions
- Preheat and dry. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. Pat the shrimp completely dry with paper towels.
- Season the flour. In a shallow bowl, whisk the flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and cayenne.
- Mix the wet dip. In a second bowl, whisk the egg, buttermilk and hot sauce until smooth.
- Double-dredge the shrimp. Coat each shrimp in the seasoned flour, dip in the egg mixture and let the excess drip off, then coat in flour again. Set on a plate.
- Air fry. Spray the air fryer basket. Arrange the shrimp in a single layer, not touching, and spray the tops generously. Air fry for 4 to 6 minutes, flipping and spraying again halfway through, until golden brown and the shrimp are opaque. Cook in batches if needed.
- Toast the bread (optional). Split the baguette pieces lengthwise and air fry cut-side up at 350°F for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Build the po boys. Spread tartar sauce on both sides of each baguette piece. Layer with lettuce and pickles, then pile on the hot shrimp. Serve immediately.
Equipment
- 2 shallow mixing bowls
- Cooking Spray
- Paper towels
Notes
- Deep-fry method: Heat oil to 350°F. Fry the breaded shrimp in small batches for 2 to 3 minutes until golden, then drain on a wire rack.
- Extra crunch: Replace ¼ cup of the flour with fine cornmeal.
- Shortcut: Air fry frozen breaded popcorn shrimp at 400°F for 8 to 10 minutes, shaking halfway.
- Dressed: Add sliced tomatoes for a New Orleans-style dressed po boy.
- Bigger sandwiches: Cut the baguette into 2 pieces for 2 extra-large po boys.
- Storage: Refrigerate leftover shrimp separately for up to 3 days. Reheat in the air fryer at 375°F for 3 to 4 minutes.
Nutrition
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