Wake up those taste buds with my Nashville Hot Chicken recipe. Crispy fried chicken is topped with a fiery sauce to create this southern classic.
Inspiration behind Nashville Hot Chicken
Hot chicken has been a classic in the South for many years. Originating in the city of Nashville, hot chicken has become a favorite cities all over the country. There are several restaurants the specializes in hot chicken, with Hattie B’s being my favorite, and the inspiration behind my homemade recipe.
How to prepare Nashville Hot Chicken?
Ingredients:
For the Marinade:
- 8 whole chicken pieces like legs, thighs, breast, wings
- buttermilk
- kosher sauce
- pickle juice
- hot sauce
- kosher salt
For the flour mixture:
- all-purpose flour
- corn starch
- sea salt
- seasoning salt or all-purpose seasoning
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- paprika
For the sauce:
- unsalted butter
- cayenne pepper
- paprika
- brown sugar
- garlic powder
- onion powder
- salt
- chili powder
You will also need vegetable or canola oil for frying
Simple steps:
- In a large bowl, add chicken pieces, buttermilk, pickle juice, hot sauce and salt. Use hand or spoon to mix together. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
- To prepare the flour mixture, in a shallow dish, thoroughly mix all-purpose flour, corn starch, sea salt, seasoning salt, garlic powder, onion powder and paprika. Remove a chicken piece from marinade and toss chicken in flour until thoroughly coated. Place on a rack. Repeat with all chicken pieces. Let coated chicken sit for 15-20 minutes before frying.
- Preheat oven to 225 degrees.
- Fill a large cast iron skillet a little over halfway with vegetable oil. Over medium-high, heat oil to 350 degrees. Carefully place chicken into hot oil, skin side down. Do not crowd pan. I typically do 3-4 pieces at a time. Fry for 8 minutes on each side, or until chicken has an internal temperature of 160 degrees. Place chicken on a clean wire rack and baking sheet. Repeat until all pieces are fried. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking oil. Place chicken in preheated oven to ensure chicken remains hot and crispy while you prepare the sauce.
- To make the sauce, in a medium saucepan, add butter and reserved cooking oil. Add cayenne pepper, paprika, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and chili powder. Heat over medium heat. Stir together until all of the oil is melted and everything is mixed. Turn off heat, but cover to keep sauce warm.
- Remove chicken from oven, and brush on both sides with the sauce. Serve hot.
Notes & Tips
- Ensure the heat on your oil does not drop below 325 degrees. This can be checked using an instant read thermometer.
- This recipe has a pretty high level of spice. If you are not fan of spicy, you can reduce the amount of cayenne pepper you use.
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Nashville Hot Chicken
Crispy fried chicken topped with a fiery hot sauce.
Ingredients
- Vegetable or canola oil for frying
Marinade
- 3 lbs. or 8 whole chicken pieces legs, thighs, breast, wings
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1 tbsp. kosher sauce
- 1/4 cup pickle juice
- 1/2 cup hot sauce
- 1 tbsp. kosher salt
Flour mixture
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp. corn starch
- 2 tsp. sea salt
- 1 tbsp. seasoning salt or all-purpose seasoning
- 2 tsp. garlic powder
- 2 tsp. onion powder
- 2 tsp. paprika
Sauce
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp. cayenne pepper
- 1 tbsp. paprika
- 2 tbsp. brown sugar
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp. onion powder
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. chili powder
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add chicken pieces, buttermilk, pickle juice, hot sauce and salt. Use hand or spoon to mix together. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
- To prepare the flour mixture, in a shallow dish, thoroughly mix all-purpose flour, corn starch, sea salt, seasoning salt, garlic powder, onion powder and paprika. Remove a chicken piece from marinade and toss chicken in flour until thoroughly coated. Place on a rack. Repeat with all chicken pieces. Let coated chicken sit for 15-20 minutes before frying.
- Preheat oven to 225 degrees.
- Fill a large cast iron skillet a little over halfway with vegetable oil. Over medium-high, heat oil to 350 degrees. Carefully place chicken into hot oil, skin side down. Do not crowd pan. I typically do 3-4 pieces at a time. Fry for 8 minutes on each side, or until chicken has an internal temperature of 160 degrees. Place chicken on a clean wire rack and baking sheet. Repeat until all pieces are fried. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking oil. Place chicken in preheated oven to ensure chicken remains hot and crispy while you prepare the sauce.
- To make the sauce, in a medium saucepan, add butter and reserved cooking oil. Add cayenne pepper, paprika, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and chili powder. Heat over medium heat. Stir together until all of the oil is melted and everything is mixed. Turn off heat, but cover to keep sauce warm.
- Remove chicken from oven, and brush on both sides with the sauce. Serve hot.
Notes
- Ensure the heat on your oil does not drop below 325 degrees. This can be checked using an instant read thermometer.
- This recipe has a pretty high level of spice. If you are not fan of spicy, you can reduce the amount of cayenne pepper you use.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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