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Nashville Hot Chicken Recipe

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★★★★★

4.5 from 140 reviews

Nashville Hot Chicken is a classic Southern fried chicken dish known for its crispy coating and fiery, flavorful spicy sauce. This recipe features marinated boneless chicken breasts and thighs, fried to golden perfection and coated with a rich, cayenne-spiced butter sauce that delivers an irresistible heat and deep smoky flavor. Perfect served over bread with pickles and a creamy dipping sauce.

Ingredients

Scale

Marinade

  • 2 cups buttermilk
  • ½ cup pickle brine (from a jar of pickles)
  • ¼ cup hot sauce

Chicken

  • 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

Flour Coating

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons ground paprika
  • 1½ tablespoons seasoned salt (such as Lawry’s)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

Frying Oil

  • 2 quarts canola oil (for frying)

Hot Sauce for Brushing

  • ½ cup reserved frying oil (from frying the chicken)
  • ½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
  • 2 tablespoons ground cayenne pepper
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder

Instructions

  1. Whisk marinade: In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, pickle brine, and hot sauce until thoroughly combined to create a tangy and spicy marinade.
  2. Marinate chicken: Add the boneless, skinless chicken breasts and thighs to the marinade, ensuring they are fully submerged. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 8 hours to tenderize and infuse flavor.
  3. Prepare flour coating: In a shallow dish, combine the all-purpose flour, ground paprika, seasoned salt, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and black pepper. Mix well to distribute the seasonings evenly.
  4. Dredge chicken: Remove each chicken piece from the marinade and dredge thoroughly in the flour mixture, pressing firmly to ensure a complete and even coating for a crispy crust.
  5. Heat frying oil: Pour canola oil into a large pot to a depth of 3 to 4 inches and heat it to 350°F (175°C), maintaining a consistent temperature for even frying.
  6. Fry chicken: Carefully place 2 to 3 pieces of coated chicken into the hot oil at a time. Fry for 8 to 10 minutes until the coating is golden brown and the chicken is cooked through, reaching an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
  7. Drain fried chicken: Use a slotted spoon to transfer the fried chicken to a plate or sheet pan lined with paper towels to remove excess oil.
  8. Reserve frying oil: After all chicken is fried, carefully reserve ½ cup of the hot frying oil to use in the spicy sauce.
  9. Make spicy sauce: In a bowl, whisk together the reserved frying oil, melted unsalted butter, cayenne pepper, brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and chili powder until smooth and well combined.
  10. Brush sauce on chicken: Generously brush the prepared spicy sauce over the fried chicken pieces to coat them with bold heat and flavor.
  11. Serve: Plate the Nashville Hot Chicken over slices of white bread and serve with your favorite dipping sauce such as chipotle ranch and pickles for an authentic experience. Enjoy the fiery, crispy delight!

Notes

  • Marinating chicken overnight will deepen flavor and increase juiciness.
  • Adjust cayenne pepper quantity in the sauce to control spice level.
  • Use a candy or deep-fry thermometer to maintain proper oil temperature for optimal frying.
  • Serve immediately to enjoy the best crispiness; leftovers can be reheated in the oven for a few minutes.
  • Canola oil is recommended for frying due to its high smoke point and neutral flavor.

Keywords: Nashville Hot Chicken, spicy fried chicken, Southern fried chicken, hot chicken recipe, crispy chicken, buttermilk fried chicken

Find it online: https://dinewithdylan.com/nashville-hot-chicken-recipe/