Nashville Style Hot Fried Chicken Recipes

NASHVILLE-STYLE HOT FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Prepare the brine: In a large bowl, whisk salt and spices in 2 cups boiling water until salt dissolves. Whisk in 6 cups ice water. The brine should be cold; if not, chill until it is. Add chicken pieces to the cold brine and chill for at least 12 and up to 24 hours.
• In a bowl, combine the ingredients for the very hot spice mixture. In another bowl, prepare the dredge: combine the flour, granulated garlic and onion, salt and pepper.
• Remove chicken pieces from brine, pat dry with paper towels and season with a light dusting of hot spice mixture. Dust pieces with dredge mixture. Reserve both the remaining hot spice mixture and the dredge. Let chicken rest in fridge, uncovered, for at least an hour for the coating to adhere.
• Pour 2 inches of oil into a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot with a cover. Heat oil to 325 degrees on a deep-fat thermometer. In a shallow bowl, whisk together eggs and 2 cups ice water to make egg wash. Dip chicken in egg wash, then coat with more dredge. Shake pieces lightly so any excess dredge falls off.
• Carefully place chicken in hot oil, about 3 to 4 pieces per batch. Cover pot with lid and let fry for 5 to 6 minutes, until golden brown on one side. Remove lid and flip pieces. Fry another 5 to 6 minutes, uncovered. Using tongs, transfer cooked chicken to a wire rack set over a baking sheet to catch the oil drips. Dust with very hot spice as it comes out of the fryer.

NASHVILLE HOT FRIED CHICKEN SANDWICH

Steps:

• For the chicken brine: Dissolve the salt in the water and pour over the chicken thighs in an airtight container or large zip top bag and refrigerate for 4 to 12 hours.
• For the Nashville hot sauce: Start to heat the oil in a small saucepot over medium-high heat until nice and hot, but not smoking. Pour into a heatproof container and stir in the cayenne, brown sugar, chili powder, garlic powder and paprika.
• Heat a medium saucepot half full of oil or an electric deep-fryer to 325 degrees F.
• Meanwhile, remove the chicken from the brine. Pat dry and sprinkle with the granulated garlic, salt and black pepper on both sides. Then dredge the chicken through the flour evenly, one piece at a time. After all the chicken is dredged, check the temperature of oil and let the chicken rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Assuming the oil is ready, flour the chicken a second time, shake off any excess and fry until the internal temperature is 165 degrees F, 8 to 9 minutes. Remove the chicken to a wire rack and brush generously with Nashville hot sauce.
• Build sandwiches starting with mayonnaise on each side of the bun, then lettuce, if desired, the spicy chicken, pickles, jalapenos and the top bun.

THREE PIECE NASHVILLE HOT FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• For the Nashville hot sauce: Combine chicken stock, brown sugar, cayenne, Carolina reaper powder, if using, chili powder, paprika, salt, Scotch bonnets, anchos, guajillos and scorpion chiles, if using, in a saucepan. Boil and reduce by half, then let cool. Puree in blender, then add mustard and combine. Slowly add melted fat.
• For the brine: Mix 1 gallon water with 1 cup salt in a large container. Submerge the chicken pieces in the brine and let sit overnight, refrigerated.
• Drain the chicken and cover in buttermilk, then let sit overnight.
• For the fried chicken: Combine the flour, masa, cornstarch, celery salt, coriander, seafood seasoning, salt and pepper in a big bowl. Toss in chicken parts and coat well, then let rest, refrigerated, for 30 minutes.
• Bring oil to 300 degrees F in a deep-fryer.
• Fry chicken in batches until it reaches internal temperture of 160 degrees F, about 20 minutes. Toss in bowl with Nashville Hot Sauce.
• For the biscuits: Meanwhile, grate butter with a cheese grater, then freeze again.
• Mix together flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, baking soda and shortening in a bowl, then freeze, 3 hours.
• Mix frozen butter, dry mixture and buttermilk together in a large bowl until dough comes together, then lay out on a floured surface and roll out to about 2 inches thick. Fold into thirds, then repeat the rolling and folding 3 more times. Cut into 20 biscuits and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze for 3 hours or up to overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Take biscuits out of freezer and sprinkle with salt. Bake for about 15 minutes.

NASHVILLE HOT CHICKEN

Steps:

• Let oil cool: When all the chicken is finished, let the oil cool down for 5 to 10 minutes. You will need some of it to make the spicy paste.

HATTIE B'S HOT CHICKEN

Steps:

• Dry-brine the chicken: In a bowl, toss the chicken pieces with 1 tablespoon kosher salt and 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper; cover and refrigerate overnight or up to 24 hours.
• Make the dip and dredge: In a bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs and hot sauce. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and 2 teaspoons sea salt.
• Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture, then dip in the milk mixture, then in the flour mixture again, shaking off the excess after each step.
• Heat the vegetable oil in a deep-fryer to 325 degrees F. Set a wire rack on top of a rimmed baking sheet and set aside. Working in batches, lower the chicken into the fryer and fry until crisp, 15 to 17 minutes for breast quarters and 18 to 20 minutes for leg quarters. Remove the chicken and let it drain on the rack.
• Make the spicy coating: Carefully ladle the lard or frying oil into a medium heatproof bowl and whisk in the cayenne pepper, brown sugar, 3/4 teaspoon sea salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, the paprika and garlic powder. Baste the spice mixture over the hot fried chicken and serve immediately; garnish with pickles.

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.

CHEF JOHN'S NASHVILLE HOT CHICKEN

Steps:

• Toss chicken pieces with 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Transfer chicken to a bowl; cover and refrigerate overnight.
• Whisk buttermilk, pickle brine, hot sauce, and egg together in a mixing bowl. Pour marinade over chicken and stir to ensure each piece is thoroughly coated. Cover and let chicken marinate in refrigerator 2 to 4 hours.
• Mix flour and salt together in a shallow flat dish. Remove chicken from marinade and blot with paper towels. Reserve marinade. Toss chicken in flour until thoroughly coated. Return chicken to marinade, coating all sides; remove chicken from marinade allowing excess to drip back into the bowl. Coat the chicken once again in flour mixture. Place on a rack. Repeat with all chicken pieces. Allow to sit out about 15 minutes to allow coating to dry out a bit.
• Place butter and lard in a large pot. Add cayenne pepper, brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, kosher salt, and black pepper. Place over medium-high heat. Cook and stir until fats melt. Remove from heat; keep sauce warm.
• Fill cast iron skillet about 1/3 of the way with vegetable oil. Heat oil to 350 degrees F over medium-high heat. Carefully place chicken into hot oil, skin side down. Maintain an oil temperature of 325 degrees F, adjusting heat as need. Fry until instant read thermometer reads 160 degrees F, 8 to 10 minutes per side.
• Transfer chicken to a rack to drain. Brush with the sauce on both sides.

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.