Nashville hot chicken packs a fiery punch in both its breading and cayenne pepper-loaded sauce. A mixture of smoked paprika, hot sauce, and cayenne pepper come together to create a crispy, spicy hot chicken recipe that has dug its roots and planted itself into many people’s all-time favorite food list.
Why this recipe works
Nashville hot chicken begins with a good fried chicken base that’s breaded with flour, eggs, cream, hot sauce, black pepper, and garlic salt. Give your chicken a good dredge and transfer to a skillet with oil to bubble its way into crispy finger-licking fried chicken territory. Toss with a homemade cayenne pepper and paprika blasted sauce for the ultimate kick.
Nashville hot chicken was brought to fame in, you guessed it, Nashville Tennessee by Andre Prince Jeffries who is the owner of Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack. Since its claim to fame, it’s taken the entire country by storm with its literal mouth-watering taste. There are many different variations of this crazed hot chicken recipe out there, but its signature ingredient is cayenne pepper which packs in the heat.
Ingredients you will need
Get all measurements, ingredients, and instructions in the printable version at the end of this post.
Ingredient Info and Substitution Suggestions
HEAT – This recipe definitely has a good amount of kick, but depending on your heat tolerance you can adjust the amount of cayenne pepper to suit your taste. Adding another 1/2 – 1 tablespoon of cayenne will up the spice level even further. You can also add a bit more hot sauce to the mix for a spicier sauce, just don’t go overboard or your sauce will be too runny.
HOT SAUCE – We used Frank’s, but any vinegar-based hot sauce will work well. Texas Pete’s, Louisianna Brand Hot Sauce, and Tabasco are other great options.
CHICKEN – Chicken legs and chicken thighs work great, but if you’d like to give this recipe a go with chicken breasts, be our guest! Do note that the cook time will vary if you use a larger cut of chicken. Cook until the internal temperature reads 165F on an instant-read thermometer.
How to Make Nashville Hot Chicken
These step by step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this recipe. You can Jump to Recipe to get the printable version of this recipe, complete with measurements and instructions at the bottom.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, cream, hot sauce, black pepper, and garlic salt.
- Using two plates, place one cup of flour on each plate.
- For your coating station, you will need flour, egg mixture, and flour.
- Rinse and pat dry chicken pieces. Dredge chicken in flour, dip in egg mixture to coat, then dredge in flour again. Place on a wire rack. Repeat this process for all chicken pieces.
- Add enough oil to a large heavy bottomed skillet to come about 1-inch up the side of the pan. Heat over medium-high until shimmering.
- Add chicken pieces, without crowding, to the pan. Cook about 4-5 minutes per side. The coating will get golden brown. The internal temperature should be 165 F.
- Remove cooked chicken to the wire rack.
- To create the sauce, in a medium bowl combine, brown sugar, salt, garlic powder, cayenne, and paprika.
- Remove about 1/4 cup of the oil from the pan and whisk it into the sauce mixture.
- Brush sauce generously onto both sides of the cooked chicken pieces.
Frequently Asked Questions & Expert Tips
Store leftovers in an air-tight container kept in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. To reheat, remove the chicken from the refrigerator and allow it to sit at room temperature for around 30 minutes. Place the chicken on a baking sheet lined with a wire rack. Preheat oven to 400F and reheat for around 15 minutes or until warmed through. This should keep the chicken crisp and crunchy while allowing the air to circulate all around it. You can also reheat it in the air fryer.
Yes, you can use chicken breasts, just be sure to cook until the internal temperature reaches 165F on an instant read thermometer.
Serving Suggestions
Serve on white bread with a garnish of pickle chips for the full Nashville hot chicken experience, along with coleslaw, baked beans, macaroni and cheese, french fries, and blue cheese or ranch on the side.
More Related Recipes
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Nashville Hot Chicken
IMPORTANT – There are often Frequently Asked Questions within the blog post that you may find helpful. Simply scroll back up to read them!
Print It Rate ItIngredients
- 1 ½ pounds skin-on chicken legs
- 2 pounds skin-on bone-in chicken thighs
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 2 Tablespoons Frank's hot sauce
- 1 ½ teaspoons black pepper
- 1 Tablespoon garlic salt
- 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 ½ Tablespoons cayenne pepper
- ½ Tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 Tablespoon smoked paprika
- vegetable oil enough to come 1-inch up the side of your pan
Things You’ll Need
Before You Begin
- This recipe definitely has a good kick, but depending on your heat tolerance you can certainly adjust the amount of cayenne pepper to suit your taste. Adding another 1/2 – 1 tablespoon of cayenne will up the spice level even further. You can also add a bit more hot sauce to the mix for a spicier sauce, just don’t go overboard or your sauce will be too runny.
- We used Frank’s hot sauce, but any vinegar-based hot sauce will work well. Texas Pete’s, Louisianna Brand Hot Sauce, and Tabasco are other great options.
- Chicken legs and chicken thighs work great, but if you’d like to give this recipe a go with chicken breasts, be our guest! Do note that the cook time will vary if you use a larger cut of chicken. Cook until the internal temperature reads 165F on an instant-read thermometer.
- Store leftovers in an air-tight container kept in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. To reheat, remove the chicken from the refrigerator and allow it to sit at room temperature for around 30 minutes. Place the chicken on a baking sheet lined with a wire rack. Preheat oven to 400F and reheat for around 15 minutes or until warmed through. This should keep the chicken crisp and crunchy while allowing the air to circulate all around it. You can also reheat it in the air fryer.
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, cream, hot sauce, black pepper, and garlic salt.
- Using two plates, place one cup of flour on each plate.
- For your coating station, you will need flour, egg mixture, and flour.
- Rinse and pat dry chicken pieces. Dredge chicken in flour, dip in egg mixture to coat, then dredge in flour again. Place on a wire rack. Repeat this process for all chicken pieces.
- Add enough oil to a large heavy bottomed skillet to come about 1-inch up the side of the pan. Heat over medium-high until shimmering.
- Add chicken pieces, without crowding, to the pan. Cook about 4-5 minutes per side. The coating will get golden brown. The internal temperature should be 165 F.
- Remove cooked chicken to a wire rack.
- To create the sauce, in a medium bowl combine, brown sugar, salt, garlic powder, cayenne, and paprika.
- Remove about 1/4 cup of the oil from the pan and whisk it into the sauce mixture.
- Brush sauce generously onto both sides of the cooked chicken pieces.
Nutrition
Chef Antoine Davis
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