Nashville Hot Chicken Recipe
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Cook Time
30 mins
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Brine Time
4 hrs
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Servings
8
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Calories
756 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
American
Nashville Hot Chicken Recipe
Description
The process begins by brining the chicken in a flavorful mix of pickle juice, sliced pickles, pickled peppers, salt, sliced fresh hot peppers, and water for at least 4 hours or overnight for best flavor penetration. After patting dry and seasoning, the chicken is dredged in seasoned flour, dipped into a buttermilk, egg, and hot sauce mixture, then coated again in the seasoned flour. The chicken is fried in hot vegetable oil at approximately 350°F for 8 to 9 minutes until golden brown and an internal temperature of 165°F is reached.
The crispy fried chicken is then coated with a potent hot oil made from cayenne pepper, brown sugar, ghost pepper flakes (optional), smoked paprika, garlic powder, cumin, black pepper, and salt. This spicy mixture imparts the characteristic heat and flavor of Nashville Hot Chicken. The dish is traditionally served on white bread with pickles to balance the heat and provide texture contrasts.
The heat level can be adjusted by varying the amount of spicy peppers in the brine and the ghost pepper flakes in the hot oil. This recipe provides a medium to hot heat factor depending on these adjustments.
Ingredients
FOR THE BRINE
- 1 cup pickle juice or use the brine from pickled peppers, or both
- 1/2 cup pickle slices
- ½ cup pickled peppers
- ½ cup water enough to cover the chicken
- 3 tablespoons salt
- 2-3 pepper sliced (optional, for extra heat - I used a couple habanero peppers, fresh, spicy
FOR THE CHICKEN
- 4 pounds chicken use chicken breasts, wings, thighs, whatever combination you like, bone-in
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- 3 cups buttermilk
- 3 egg beaten, large
- 2 tablespoons hot sauce
- 2 cups flour all-purpose
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
- 4 cups vegetable oil or use peanut or canola, for frying
FOR THE HOT & SPICY OIL
- 4 tablespoons cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon ghost pepper flakes optional, for an extra hot and spicy version!, or powder
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- salt to taste
- black pepper to taste
- pickles white bread, for serving, sliced
Instructions
- Add the chicken to a large bowl and add the pickling juices, pickles and pickled peppers, salt and fresh spicy peppers. Add enough water to cover, about ½ cup. Cover and refrigerate to brine for at least 4 hours. Overnight is best for the most flavor penetration.
- When you’re ready to cook, remove the chicken and pat it dry. Season it with salt and pepper.
- In one large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, eggs and hot sauce.
- In another large bowl, stir together the flour, paprika and cayenne.
- Heat the oil in a large wide pot over medium-high heat to 350 degrees F. If you are unable to measure the temperature, add a droplet of batter to the oil. It is ready when the batter sizzles. Do NOT bring the oil to a boil.
- Dredge the chicken pieces in the seasoned flour, then into the buttermilk mixture, then into the flour one more time.
- Fry the chicken in the oil 8-9 minutes, or until they turn golden brown. An instant read thermometer inserted should measure 165 degrees F internally. Remove and drain on a paper towel lined plate, or on a wire rack.
FOR THE HOT & SPICY OIL
- Add the cayenne, brown sugar, ghost pepper flakes, paprika, garlic, cumin and salt and pepper to a heatproof bowl.
- Carefully scoop out ¾ cup of the hot frying oil. Whisk it into the seasonings until well combined.
- Brush the hot oil over the chicken and serve with pickle slices and white bread. And extra hot sauce!
Notes
- The heat level ranges from medium to hot depending on how much spice you add to the Nashville Hot Chicken oil.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 8Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 756 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 756kcal | 38% |
| Carbohydrates | 39g | 13% |
| Protein | 41g | 82% |
| Fat | 49g | 75% |
| Saturated Fat | 20g | 100% |
| Cholesterol | 260mg | 87% |
| Sodium | 3497mg | 146% |
| Potassium | 758mg | 16% |
| Fiber | 3g | 12% |
| Sugar | 9g | 18% |
| Vitamin A | 2708IU | 54% |
| Vitamin C | 28mg | 31% |
| Calcium | 152mg | 15% |
| Iron | 4mg | 22% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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