Nashville Hot Chicken

Renae Wilson
Renae Wilson
Originally from South Carolina with family roots in East Texas, Renae has been based in Brooklyn for 13 years. A U.S. Navy vet, Renae used her Montgomery GI Bill to fund her culinary & pastry education at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York. Graduating in 2015, she has since worked as a private chef, freelanced in test kitchens developing in recipes, testing cookbooks for prominent authors, and catering. More recently, she made her debut in the pop-up world serving Southern comfort food under the name “Dear Henry”. A color and glitter enthusiast, her hobbies include budget traveling the world so that she can eat more, dancing, crocheting, engaging in various tomfoolery, baking, and frying the hell out of some chicken cutlets.
published Jun 24, 2022
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Nashville Hot Chicken Recipe

This Nashville-style hot chicken recipe starts with a dill pickle and hot pepper brine.

Serves8

Prep45 minutes

Cook30 minutes

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Credit: Kristina Vanni

About four years ago, I traveled with my best friend to Nashville for the first time. Aside from hearing some great live music, we made sure to eat our faces off. Tons of biscuits, various “no frills” meat and threes (a Southern tradition where you choose one meat and three sides), and, of course, a hot chicken tour. We made our way through the city tasting every spicy bite of chicken we could get our hands on and left no chicken wing unturned. Cut to four years later when I caught myself in my kitchen craving a bite of hot, crunchy, and spicy fried chicken and decided to make some for myself. 

Part of what makes Nashville-style hot chicken so unique (and why I absolutely love it) is that it’s often brined in pickle juice. This infuses the chicken with a special kind of salty umami that makes it extra moist. Plus, the dill and garlic add an herbaceous pop that really brightens up the flavor. I took the opportunity to add hot peppers to my brine because it brings a different kind of vinegary spice to the chicken. I also added an extra bit of crunch by using half flour and half panko for the dredge. It’s not traditional in the least, but it’s how I (and, I think, you) will like it.  

Credit: Kristina Vanni

How to Make Nashville Hot Chicken Ahead of Time

To make a large batch of Nashville hot chicken ahead of time, freeze the uncooked, battered cutlets. Thaw them overnight in the fridge then let them come to room temperature before cooking.

I like to use the hot fried chicken to build a sandwich with mayo and pickles or to use as a protein for cobb salad. A homemade buttermilk and blue cheese dressing (preferably with some dill!) complements, not overpowers, the spice and helps to cool your mouth.

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Nashville Hot Chicken Recipe

This Nashville-style hot chicken recipe starts with a dill pickle and hot pepper brine.

Prep time 45 minutes

Cook time 30 minutes

Serves 8

Nutritional Info

Ingredients

For the brine and chicken:

  • 1/2 cup

    warm water

  • 1 teaspoon

    kosher salt

  • 1 teaspoon

    packed light or dark brown sugar

  • 1/4 cup

    dill pickle chips (about 12)

  • 1/4 cup

    jarred hot peppers

  • 1 cup

    jarred dill pickle brine

  • 1/2 cup

    jarred hot pepper brine

  • 4

    boneless, skinless chicken breasts (2 1/2 to 3 pounds total)

For the hot chile oil spice mix:

  • 3 to 7 teaspoons

    cayenne pepper, depending on your spice level preference

  • 2 teaspoons

    red pepper flakes

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons

    smoked paprika

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons

    freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 teaspoon

    garlic powder or garlic granules

  • 1 teaspoon

    kosher salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon

    onion powder

  • 1/2 teaspoon

    packed light or dark brown sugar

For frying and serving:

  • 1 cup

    all-purpose flour

  • 1 cup

    panko breadcrumbs

  • 1 cup

    buttermilk

  • 1

    large egg

  • 1/4 cup

    hot sauce, such as Texas Pete

  • 1/2 teaspoon

    kosher salt

  • 1/4 cup

    cornstarch

  • 4 cups

    peanut or vegetable oil, for deep frying

  • Serving options: white sandwich bread and dill pickle chips

Instructions

Brine the chicken:

  1. Place 1/2 cup warm water, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon packed brown sugar in a large bowl and whisk until the salt and salt are dissolved. Coarsely chop 1/4 cup dill pickle chips and 1/4 cup hot peppers and add to the bowl. Add 1 cup jarred dill pickle brine and 1/2 cup jarred hot pepper brine, and stir to combine.

  2. Cut 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts in half horizontally (also known as butterflying). Add the chicken to the bowl if you want to marinate in the bowl, then cover. Alternatively, transfer the contents of the bowl to a large ziptop bag and add the chicken to the bag. Seal the bag and massage the chicken to evenly coat in the marinade. Refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours.

Make the hot chili oil spice mix:

  1. Place 3 to 7 teaspoons cayenne pepper, 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes, 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika, 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper, 1 teaspoon garlic powder or garlic granules, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, and 1/2 teaspoon packed brown sugar in a medium heatproof container or bowl and whisk to combine.

Make the hot chicken:

  1. Place 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 cup panko breadcrumbs, and 2 1/4 teaspoons of the hot chili spice mix in a medium bowl or shallow dish and whisk to combine. Place 1 cup buttermilk, 1 large egg, 1/4 cup hot sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt in a second bowl or shallow dish and whisk to combine. Have a baking sheet ready.

  2. Remove the chicken from the brine and rinse under cold running water. Pat dry with paper towels and place in a large bowl. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup cornstarch and toss until the chicken is well coated. Dredge the chicken one piece at a time: Shake off the excess cornstarch, then dredge in the buttermilk mixture until coated. Dredge in the flour mixture, pressing the flour against the chicken to adhere. Place on the baking sheet. Let the chicken rest for 30 minutes.

  3. About 10 minutes before the chicken is ready, heat 4 cups peanut or vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven until 370ºF. Fit a second baking sheet with a wire rack.

  4. Fry the chicken 2 to 3 pieces at a time: Add to the hot oil and fry until cooked through and golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to the wire rack.

  5. Immediately after the chicken is fried, carefully ladle about 1 cup of the hot oil into the remaining hot chili spice mix. Be careful, as the oil will bubble up. Once the oil stops bubbling, brush or spoon the chili oil and spices all over both sides of the fried chicken. Serve the chicken on white sandwich bread topped with dill pickle chips if desired.

Recipe Notes

Make ahead: The uncooked, breaded chicken can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Let the chicken come to room temperature before frying.

Storage: Refrigerate the fried chicken in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in a 350℉ oven wrapped in aluminum foil until warmed through, 15 to 20 minutes.

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Chicken
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southern
Main Dish