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Insanely spicy Nashville Hot Chicken on a white platter and garnished with chopped parsley
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Nashville Hot Chicken

Juicy, crunchy, crazy delicious fried chicken brushed with a spicy cayenne-based sauce for a superduper flavor explosion! If you love spicy food, you've got to try this recipe.
Course Main, Party food
Cuisine Southern
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Marinating Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 50 minutes
Servings 10
Calories 467kcal
Author Imma

Ingredients

  • 1 whole chicken, cut into 10 pieces
  • teaspoon (7.5g) salt
  • 3-4 cloves garlic, crushed
  • 1 tablespoon (19g) hot sauce
  • 2-3 teaspoons (8-12g) Creole seasoning

Chicken Coating

  • 4 cups (980g) buttermilk
  • 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup (128g) cornstarch
  • 2 cup (100g) Panko bread crumbs
  • 2 teaspoons (8g) baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon (5g) salt
  • 1 tablespoon (7g) paprika
  • 2 tablespoons (20g) garlic powder
  • 2 tablespoon (14g) onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon (2g) cayenne pepper
  • 1- 1½ tablespoon (3-4.5g) dried herbs (thyme, oregano, parsley)
  • 1 teaspoon (2g) white pepper
  • Oil for frying

Nashville Hot Sauce

  • 1 tablespoon (7g) cayenne pepper
  • 2 tablespoon (25g) brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon (7g) paprika
  • 1 tablespoon (8g) chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon (5g) salt
  • 1 ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 tablespoon (38g) hot sauce
  • ¼ cup (57g) unsalted butter
  • ¼ cup (63ml) vegetable oil

Instructions

  • Place chicken in a large bowl or ziplock bag. Then, season it with salt, followed by crushed garlic, hot sauce, and Creole seasoning.
  • Next, pour the buttermilk on the seasoned chicken, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight.
  • In a large bowl, whisk the flour, cornstarch, bread crumbs, baking powder, salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, herbs, and white pepper.
  • Remove all the marinated chicken from the buttermilk. Then, dredge the pieces in the flour mixture, shaking off excess flour. You can use a ziplock bag for this process, too.
  • Let the chicken rest for 10-15 minutes while heating the oil. That will help the coating stay on better.

Frying the Chicken

  • Heat oil over medium-high heat in a deep fryer or cast iron skillet to 375℉ (190℃). Remember that the temperature will drop when you add the chicken.
  • Use tongs to carefully and slowly place the chicken in the hot oil, working in batches to avoid overcrowding the skillet.
  • Fry the chicken until golden brown, turning every 10-15 minutes, depending on the size of the pieces. You will know when the chicken is done when it is no longer pink inside and its juices run clear. You can do a test by piercing the chicken with a fork.
  • Drain the chicken on paper towels and then transfer them on a wire rack.
  • Repeat with remaining chicken pieces; let it cool for at least 10 minutes.

Baking Method

  • Let the chicken rest in a single layer on a baking sheet pan for 10-15 minutes to help the coating stay on. Then place the baking pan in a 375℉ (190℃) oven and bake for 45-50 minutes or until the meat is no longer pink and its juices run clear. You can do a test by piercing the chicken with a fork.

Nashville Hot Sauce

  • To make the sauce, whisk the cayenne pepper, brown sugar, paprika, chili powder, salt, and hot sauce in a small bowl. Then, add the melted butter and oil and carefully mix until fully combined.
  • Finally, brush the top of the fried chicken with the desired amount of spicy hot sauce. Garnish with pickles and serve.

Notes

  • Substitute a cup of buttermilk with 1 cup of regular milk + 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon. Let it stand for 5-10 minutes until the milk curdles. Then, pour it into the seasoned chicken meat.
  • Brush the chicken with hot sauce depending on your spiciness tolerance, or leave it out.
  • Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on the products used.

Nutrition

Serving: 1piece | Calories: 467kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 1296mg | Potassium: 530mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 1715IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 215mg | Iron: 4mg