Nashville Hot Chicken Meatball Sliders Recipes

NASHVILLE HOT CHICKEN

Steps:

• For the chicken: Pour enough buttermilk over the chicken pieces to cover them and place in refrigerator at least 24 hours.
• Preheat a Dutch oven filled three-quarters of the way with peanut oil to 275 degrees F.
• Drain chicken in a colander, then coat chicken in enough seasoned flour to coat.
• Gently drop chicken into oil and cook until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F, roughly 18 minutes. Set aside.
• For the sauce: Meanwhile, combine the canola oil, bacon fat, cayenne powders, sugar, pickle juice, paprika, garlic powder and chili powder together in a bowl and whisk until smooth. Gently pour 1 cup of the mixture over fried chicken and toss in a bowl, making sure to completely coat chicken (watch your eyes, this stuff is no joke!). (Save remaining sauce for another use.)
• Remove from bowl and enjoy!

CHICKEN-PARMESAN MEATBALL SLIDERS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. Line 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with foil. Spray with cooking spray.
• In large bowl, mix Meatball ingredients until well combined. Divide mixture into 12 (2-inch) meatballs (about 3 tablespoons each); place in dish. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until no longer pink in center (at least 165°F).
• Transfer meatballs to plate; discard foil. Slice sheet of dinner rolls in half horizontally; place bottom half in glass baking dish. Place meatball on each roll bottom. Spoon pasta sauce over meatballs; top with sliced mozzarella cheese. Place top half of rolls over cheese.
• In small bowl, mix Topping ingredients. Brush mixture over tops of rolls. Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until rolls are golden brown and cheese is melted. Let stand 5 minutes; cut into individual sliders, and serve.

NASHVILLE HOT CHICKEN

Steps:

• For the chicken: Pour the buttermilk and hot sauce over the chicken in a shallow dish. Let sit for 15 minutes.
• Preheat a deep-fryer or a large Dutch oven filled with 3 inches oil to 325 degrees F. Line a sheet tray with a wire rack.
• For the chile oil: Add the oil, chiles, chili powder, smoked paprika, cayenne and crushed red pepper to a medium saucepan and place over medium heat. Allow the oil to come to a simmer, then turn off the heat and let the chiles steep in the oil for 5 minutes. Strain and let cool.
• For the shake: Add the brown sugar, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, chili powder, smoked paprika, white pepper and salt to a bowl. Stir to combine and set aside until later.
• For the dredge: Add the flour, pepper, smoked paprika, celery salt, kosher salt, garlic powder, onion powder and thyme to a very large bowl or shallow dish. Add the marinated chicken pieces, one by one, and pat the dredge onto the chicken, creating little crackles in the chicken piece.
• Shake off any excess dredge and add the chicken to the fryer. Fry in batches, turning occasionally, until just slightly golden and it has an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the oil and let rest on the wire rack until just cool to touch. Add back to the fryer and double-fry until super golden brown, about 3 minutes. Drain again on the wire rack.
• Dip the fried chicken in the chile oil and add to a shallow dish. Dust each piece with the shake thoroughly until no oil is apparent on both sides.
• To serve: Split the Hawaiian rolls in half. Put a tender between each roll, then top with the sliced onion and a pickle chip or two.

MINI MEATBALL SLIDERS FOR A PARTY

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Place the beef and pork in a mixing bowl. Add the egg, breadcrumbs, pesto, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper and half the Parmesan. Gently mix together to incorporate. Scoop out 24 heaping tablespoons meatball mix (each just shy of 1 1/2 tablespoons). Roll the mounds into round meatballs between your palms.
• Place a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Pour in the olive oil and heat until shimmering. Carefully add the meatballs to the skillet and fry until crispy and brown, 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Remove the meatballs from the skillet and discard any remaining oil.
• Halve the potato buns horizontally without separating the buns from each other. Put the bottom buns on the prepared baking sheet and spread 1/2 cup marinara sauce on top. Line up the meatballs on top of the sauce, so that each bun will have its own meatball. Pour the remaining marinara sauce over the meatballs. Sprinkle with the basil. Lay the sliced provolone evenly over the meatballs. Place the top buns over the cheese.
• Mix the melted butter and the garlic salt together. Generously brush over the top buns. Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan evenly over the butter mixture.
• Bake until the provolone melts and the topping turns golden brown, about 15 minutes. Slice into individual sliders and serve immediately.

HOT CHICKEN

Steps:

• Season the chicken generously with salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet, cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to 1 day to infuse the flavor.
• Whisk the flour, baking powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper in a large bowl. Drizzle in 1/3 cup milk and whisk to form small shaggy clumps. Whisk the remaining 1/2 cup milk, the eggs and hot sauce in another large bowl. Coat each piece of chicken in the flour mixture, then dip in the egg mixture, letting the excess drip off. Return the chicken to the flour mixture and turn until well coated. Transfer to a rack set on a baking sheet and let sit, uncovered, to set the coating, 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, fill a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot with 2 to 3 inches of vegetable oil. Heat over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350 degrees F. Carefully add 4 to 5 pieces chicken to the hot oil. The oil temperature will drop; adjust the heat as needed to maintain a temperature between 300 degrees F and 325 degrees F. Fry the chicken until golden brown and a thermometer inserted into the breasts registers 160 degrees F and the thighs 170 degrees F, 10 to 14 minutes. Remove with tongs and transfer to a clean rack set on a baking sheet; sprinkle with salt. Let the oil temperature return to 350 degrees F before frying the remaining chicken.
• While the last batch of chicken fries, heat 1/2 cup vegetable oil, the butter, cayenne, brown sugar, remaining 2 teaspoons garlic powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the butter is melted, 2 to 3 minutes. Dip the fried chicken one piece at a time in the spicy butter, turning with tongs to coat completely; return to the rack. For spicier chicken, top with more of the spicy butter.

NASHVILLE-STYLE HOT CHICKEN SANDWICH

Steps:

• In a large heat-resistant bowl, whisk together the cayenne, brown sugar, chile powder, granulated garlic, paprika, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Sprinkle the spice mixture on all sides of the chicken. Transfer the chicken to a container and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours. Leave the remaining spice mixture in the bowl.
• In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil until a deep-fry thermometer inserted in the oil registers 350 degrees F. Position a wire rack on a baking sheet.
• Whisk together the buttermilk, hot sauce and eggs in a shallow bowl. Put the flour in a second bowl and season with salt and pepper. Dunk the chicken first in the buttermilk mixture, then dredge in the seasoned flour and coat thoroughly. Gently drop the chicken into the oil, in batches if necessary, and fry until golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer the cooked chicken to the wire rack.
• Carefully add about 1 large ladleful (6 to 8 ounces) of the frying oil to the reserved spice mixture to let it bloom. Be careful, as it will bubble aggressively. Whisk until smooth. Brush the fried chicken with the bloomed spiced oil as desired.
• For the sandwich build: Meanwhile, halve the Hawaiian rolls, spread with butter and toast on a griddle. Put the hot chicken on the griddled buns, top with pickles, lettuce and a schmear of mayo.

MINI HOT CHICKEN AND WAFFLE SLIDERS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.
• Place 20 chicken nuggets in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Reserve any remaining nuggets for another use.
• Bake nuggets in the preheated oven for 6 minutes. Flip and bake until crispy, 5 to 7 minutes more.
• Meanwhile, prepare sauce: Heat butter, maple syrup, canola oil, brown sugar, paprika, cayenne, kosher salt, garlic powder, and black pepper in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until smooth and well combined, 3 to 5 minutes. If sauce thickens too much, reduce heat to low and whisk in 1 to 2 tablespoons water. Keep warm.
• As the sauce is cooking, toast waffles, then separate each one into 4 mini waffles.
• Assemble sliders: Place a chicken nugget on top of a waffle and top with 1 heaping teaspoon slaw. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon sauce, top with a pickle slice, and place a second waffle on top. Secure slider with a toothpick or skewer, if desired. Repeat to make remaining sliders. Serve with extra sauce.

AIR-FRYER NASHVILLE HOT CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a bowl or shallow dish, combine 1 tablespoon pickle juice, 1 tablespoon hot sauce and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add chicken and turn to coat. Refrigerate, covered, at least 1 hour. Drain, discarding any marinade., Preheat air fryer to 375°. In a shallow bowl, mix flour, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and the pepper. In another shallow bowl, whisk egg, buttermilk, and the remaining 1 tablespoon pickle juice and 1 tablespoon hot sauce. Dip chicken in flour to coat both sides; shake off excess. Dip in egg mixture, then again in flour mixture., In batches, arrange chicken in a single layer on well-greased tray in air-fryer basket; spritz with cooking spray. Cook until golden brown, 5-6 minutes. Turn; spritz with cooking spray. Cook until golden brown, 5-6 minutes longer., Whisk together oil, cayenne pepper, brown sugar and seasonings; pour over hot chicken and toss to coat. Serve with pickles.