The Ultimate Guide to Making Nashville Hot Chicken

🔥Nashville hot chicken is a crispy and spicy dish that is a must-try for any fried chicken lover.

🍗The marinade for Nashville hot chicken includes buttermilk, hot sauce, and pickle brine, resulting in juicy and flavorful meat.

🌶️The signature spiciness in Nashville hot chicken comes from a cayenne-infused butter and lard mixture that is brushed onto the fried chicken.

💯Double dredging the chicken in seasoned flour gives it an extra crispy coating.

🍞Serve Nashville hot chicken on sliced white bread with butter pickles for the authentic experience.

How spicy is Nashville hot chicken?

—Nashville hot chicken can be quite spicy, but you can adjust the level of heat by using more or less cayenne in the sauce.

What can I serve with Nashville hot chicken?

—Nashville hot chicken is often served with traditional Southern sides like coleslaw, mac and cheese, or mashed potatoes.

Can I use boneless chicken for Nashville hot chicken?

—While bone-in chicken is traditional, you can also use boneless chicken pieces for Nashville hot chicken.

Can I make the chicken less spicy?

—If you prefer a milder version, you can reduce the amount of cayenne in the sauce or omit it altogether.

Can I bake the chicken instead of frying?

—While the authentic Nashville hot chicken is fried, you can try baking it in the oven for a healthier alternative.

00:00Introduction: Chef John introduces Nashville hot chicken and explains his initial skepticism about the dish.

02:00Marinade: Chef John prepares the marinade for the chicken, which includes buttermilk, hot sauce, and pickle brine.

04:00Seasoned Flour: Chef John shows how to make the seasoned flour for coating the chicken.

06:00Double Dredging: Chef John demonstrates the double dredging technique to achieve an extra crispy coating.

09:00Frying: Chef John fries the chicken until it reaches the desired level of crispiness and juiciness.

13:00Spicy Sauce: Chef John prepares the spicy sauce by melting butter and lard with cayenne, garlic powder, paprika, brown sugar, and salt.

16:00Assembly: Chef John assembles the Nashville hot chicken by brushing it with the spicy sauce and serving it on sliced white bread with butter pickles.