Nashville Hot Chicken Recipe
Our Nashville fried chicken is crispy fried chicken with a spicy kick, served on bread with pickles. Heat up your taste buds in the most delicious way!
Crispy, fiery, and irresistible, this Nashville hot chicken brings its signature cayenne kick with a touch of sweetness and plenty of crunch. A buttermilk bath spiked with hot sauce and pickle juice keeps the meat juicy and flavorful, while the double-dip flour coating fries up delightfully crisp—perfect for stacking on soft white bread with cool dill pickles.
Once the chicken is golden, it’s brushed with warm chili oil so the heat clings to every craggy edge without softening the crust. Dial the spice up or down to taste, and serve it family-style or as over-the-top sandwiches for game day, weekend gatherings, or whenever you’re in the mood for a spicy Southern treat.
Why You’ll Love It
Big, bold flavor. The hot chili oil delivers smoky, spicy heat that makes each bite unforgettable.
Incredibly crispy. Double-dipping the chicken in flour before frying ensures a super crunchy crust.
Versatile serving options. Serve it on white bread, slider buns, waffles, or even in tacos or salads.
Ingredient Notes
- Bone-in chicken: Use thighs, drumsticks, or leg quarters with skin for the juiciest, most flavorful results.
- Buttermilk: Tenderizes the chicken and helps the coating stick.
- Pickle juice & hot sauce: Adds tangy heat to the brine.
- Flour: Divided into two bowls for a double dredge that creates extra crunch.
- Cayenne pepper: The star of the Nashville hot oil—adjust to taste for more or less heat.
- Brown sugar: Adds balance and a subtle sweetness to offset the spice.
- Vegetable oil: Used for both frying and mixing the spicy oil. You can reuse a bit of the frying oil for authentic flavor.
Steps to Make Nashville Hot Chicken
- Season the chicken. Pat the chicken dry and season it with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
- Set up the coating. Whisk together buttermilk, hot sauce, eggs, and pickle juice. Prepare two bowls of flour for dredging.
- Dredge the chicken. Dip each piece into flour, then into the buttermilk mixture, then back into the second bowl of flour.
- Fry the chicken. Heat oil in a large pot or fryer and cook the chicken in batches until golden and crisp.
- Make the spicy oil. Stir cayenne, brown sugar, and seasonings into hot oil to create the signature Nashville sauce.
- Brush and serve. Brush the fried chicken with the spicy oil and serve on white bread with dill pickles.
Tips for Frying & Serving
- Fry in batches to avoid crowding the pan and dropping the oil temperature.
- Use a thermometer to monitor oil temperature and doneness—it’s key for safety and crispness.
- Stir the hot oil mixture frequently to keep the spices from settling at the bottom.
- Adjust spice level by reducing or increasing cayenne and hot sauce to your preference.
Recipe Variations
- Use boneless chicken. Try boneless thighs or breasts for a faster-cooking, sandwich-ready option.
- Brioche sandwiches. Serve boneless pieces on brioche buns with pickles and slaw.
- Buttery hot oil. Swap the vegetable oil in the chili oil with melted butter for a richer finish.
- Sweet heat. Add honey or maple syrup instead of brown sugar for a different flavor profile.
- Extra spicy. Increase cayenne or add ghost pepper or habanero hot sauce.
- Mild version. Reduce cayenne and hot sauce amounts for a gentler heat.
Serving
- Instead of the traditional white bread, try serving the chicken on slider buns or slice the chicken and fill tortillas.
- Add sliced boneless Nashville hot chicken to a salad.
- Serve the chicken on waffles with a drizzle of maple syrup or honey.
- Serve with freshly baked cornbread or Southern biscuits.
- Pair the hot chicken with a side of macaroni and cheese.
- Make snack-sized chicken and waffle appetizers with the hot fried chicken.
- Replace the shrimp in this recipe for spicy fettuccine Alfredo with slices of hot fried chicken.
How to Store and Reheat
Refrigerate: Store leftover chicken in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 to 4 days.
Freeze: Not recommended, as the coating may lose its crispness and become soggy when thawed.
To Reheat: Warm in a 350°F oven on a wire rack over a baking sheet for 10–15 minutes, or until heated through and crisp.
Nashville Hot Chicken
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 3 pounds chicken, thighs, drumsticks, leg quarters, with skin
- 3 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
For the Coating
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup dill pickle juice
- 1/4 cup hot sauce, I use Texas Pete’s
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, divided
- Vegetable oil, for deep frying
For the Nashville Hot Sauce
- 3 tablespoons cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar, packed
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil, can use some of the oil used for cooking the chicken
For Serving
- White bread, for serving
- Dill pickle slices, for serving
Instructions
- Prep the Oven and Pan: Heat the oven to 200 F and place a cooling rack in a large sheet pan.
- Prep the Chicken and Start the Oil: Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels, then rub them with 1 tablespoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and 1 teaspoon garlic powder. Heat 2 inches of vegetable oil to 350°F in a large, heavy saucepan or deep fryer.
- Make The Coating: Combine the buttermilk, pickle juice, eggs, and hot sauce in a bowl and whisk until smooth. Put half of the flour in one wide bowl or plate and the other half in another wide bowl or plate. Dip each chicken piece into one of the bowls of flour, then into the egg-and-buttermilk mixture, then into the other bowl of flour. Place them on a sheet of wax paper or on a baking sheet.
- Fry: When the oil has reached 350°F, fry the chicken in batches for about 12 to 17 minutes, or until the pieces are golden brown and cooked throughout. Turn them occasionally for even browning. While chicken breasts are done when they reach 165°F, dark meat is best cooked to 170°F-200°F. To check the temperature, lift a piece out of the oil and insert an instant-read thermometer into a meaty part. Place the cooked chicken on the rack on the baking sheet. Place the baking sheet in the 200°F oven to keep warm while you fry the remaining pieces.
- Finish the Dish: Combine the cayenne pepper, brown sugar, paprika, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, and 1/2 cup of vegetable oil. Remove the chicken pieces from the oven and brush them with the hot sauce. Stir the sauce frequently as you brush to keep it well blended.
- Serve: Place the chicken pieces on sliced white bread and top with dill pickle slices. Enjoy!
Nutrition
Disclaimer:
Our nutritional information is based on a third-party application that analyzes the ingredients list to determine the values. The information is meant to be helpful, but should be considered an estimate. Values may differ depending on measurements, brands, serving variations, and database availability.
