You can learn how to make Nashville Hot Chicken at home using a few simple ingredients. You can even add extra cayenne to it if you like it spicy. Then, all you have to do is cook the chicken until golden brown and serve it on a bun. Then, you can add the sauce on top of the fried chicken. The best way to enjoy Nashville Hot’s spicy flavor is to try it at home.
Nashville Hot Chicken
Deep-fried chicken coated with a spicy hot paste and served on white bread with pickles on top is known as Nashville Hot Chicken. The dish is commonly credited to Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack, a nearly 100-year-old restaurant in Nashville, Tennessee
According to legend, the restaurant’s namesake, Thorton Prince, spent too much time out partying, and his lover wasn’t pleased with his activities. So she coated his favorite food, fried chicken, with a scorching chili paste and added spices to teach him a lesson about those late nights!
Instead of crying out in agony, Prince was so taken with it that he requested for seconds, creating a distinctive Nashville dish. Hot chicken from Nashville is now widely available.
How To Make Nashville Hot Chicken At Home?
Whole chicken parts are marinated in buttermilk and hot sauce, then coated in flour, deep-fried, then smeared in a spicy red-hot paste. If you’re looking for a new deep fryer, here’s a list of the best deep fryers on the market right now. I used boneless chicken thighs and chicken breasts to make my hot chicken sandwich.
This makes it easier to eat as a sandwich and reduces cooking time. I strongly advise cutting chicken breasts into three pieces if you’re using them. Crosswise cut the chicken in half, then lengthwise cut the thicker top half of the chicken, separating the thickest area. This enables the chicken to cook more quickly and evenly.
For Extra Juicy, Crispy, Hot Chicken, Follow This Breading procedure:
- Whisk together the buttermilk, spicy sauce, eggs, and salt in a large shallow bowl.
- Combine the flour, paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper in a separate large shallow dish.
- Coat all sides of the chicken with the dry flour mixture.
- The chicken should then be dipped and flipped in the buttermilk mixture.
- To make a double coating, re-dip the chicken in the dry flour. When you brush the spicy sauce over it, it will fry up a little thicker and stay crisp.
- Place the chicken pieces on a large baking tray to cool while you finish the rest of the chicken.
Where Is Nashville Hot Chicken From?
The Nashville specialty is claimed to have started at Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack, which was made as a fiery-hot breakfast meal of revenge before quickly becoming a famous late-night music fan favorite. The hot chicken is traditionally served with white bread and pickles on the side.
Hundreds of eateries throughout the city, including Hattie B’s, have subsequently created their versions of hot chicken, with the heat level varying based on the diner’s daring. The local specialty is celebrated with an annual ‘Music City Hot Chicken Festival.’
Heat For Nashville Hot Chicken
The significant heat comes from the spicy paste you prepare with the cooking oil, although there is hot sauce in the buttermilk brine and a pinch of cayenne pepper in the flour combination. If you’re sensitive to heat, reduce the cayenne to 2 tablespoons for a little spicy but not mouth-burning heat.
If you like your spicy meal to burn hot, up the cayenne pepper to 4 to 6 tablespoons to get that “hurts so good” feeling! Keep in mind that this is HOT chicken from Nashville. Make our original Buttermilk Fried Chicken or our Sweet Tea Fried Chicken if you’re seeking a non-spicy fried chicken. Heat about 2 inches of oil in a big deep-sided skillet or Dutch oven.
I prefer cast iron because it maintains heat better, but any sizeable deep-sided skillet with a depth of at least 3 inches would suffice. Once the oil has reached 350°F, cook the chicken pieces in batches for 6 to 8 minutes, flipping once, until golden brown and the internal temperature hits 165°F for thighs and 160°F for breasts, ensuring sure not to overcrowd the pan.
Allow the oil to cool somewhat before measuring 1/2 cup and transferring it to a glass bowl once the chicken is done. Stir in 1/4 cup cold butter until it has melted into the oil. Heat the butter in the microwave or on the stove if it isn’t melting. Stir the spices into the fat until they form a paste. Place the chicken on the bottom bun, brush with the spice paste, then finish with pickles and the top bun.
Tips For cooking Nashville Hot Chicken
Here are some essential points that should be remembered while preparing Nashville hot chicken:
- The first step in making Nashville Hot Chicken is making the chicken. You must ensure that the chicken is delicious to hold up to the hot sauce.
- After the chicken is fried, the sauce is poured on top. The sauce contains several spices, including chili powder, paprika, and garlic. It has been served in local Black communities for over 70 years, but its production has grown in the past decade. Despite its popularity, the recipe has become a legend.
- Once you’ve made the sauce, you can fry the chicken. The oil should be 350 degrees, but don’t overheat or burn the chicken.
- You can also use a thermometer to keep track of the oil temperature. This way, you’ll know when the oil is at the right temperature and the chicken is ready. If you’re new to cooking, don’t forget to add some water and flour to the oil before frying the chicken.
- The chicken should be crisp outside and tender inside. The sauce should make your taste buds sing! The right spicy and savory is the perfect amount for this dish.
- The perfect Nashville Hot Chicken sandwich should have the flavors of the sauce without compromising the balance of other ingredients. To serve the chicken, you should serve it on a white bun and pickle chips, and it’s best to have a side of pickles to go along with it.
- When making Nashville Hot Chicken, you can adjust the heat level according to your preference. You can either leave the sauce off or add it if you want it to be mild.
- You can also add a little cayenne to the chicken and eat it immediately. Moreover, you can also serve it with a side of pickles and white bread. Whether you’re a fan of the Nashville Hot Chicken or not, it will surely make you famous.
Conclusion
To make Nashville hot chicken, heat the oil until it’s medium-high. You’ll need at least 350 degrees to get the desired crispy exterior. Once the oil is hot enough, you can place the chicken in batches and fry it until it’s crispy.
You can also fry the chicken in two or three batches. Ideally, you’ll use a skillet with a medium-high temperature and deep fat. Then, you can fry your chicken until it’s crispy. Then, add a bit of cayenne if you like a little spicy chicken.
If you’re looking for a milder version of Nashville hot, reduce the cayenne and add more butter. Alternatively, serve the chicken with pickles and white bread. Aside from the chicken, you can also serve the chicken with macaroni and cheese or Southern-style greens.
