Nashville Hot Chicken

Written by
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Diana Rattray
Updated 02/15/21
Nashville hot chicken with pickles, bread, and beer.

The Spruce / Diana Rattray
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 50 mins
Marinate Time: 4 hrs
Total: 5 hrs 10 mins
Servings: 6 servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
1034 Calories
67g Fat
38g Carbs
68g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 6
Amount per serving
Calories 1034
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 67g 86%
Saturated Fat 10g 52%
Cholesterol 331mg 110%
Sodium 1909mg 83%
Total Carbohydrate 38g 14%
Dietary Fiber 2g 7%
Total Sugars 4g
Protein 68g
Vitamin C 8mg 42%
Calcium 103mg 8%
Iron 5mg 27%
Potassium 757mg 16%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Nashville hot chicken is Southern fried chicken, but with a hot and spicy difference. The fried chicken is finished with a spicy sauce made with a generous amount of cayenne and black pepper. This version of hot chicken can be adjusted to suit your heat tolerance. For super spicy chicken, increase the amount of cayenne, or cut back on the cayenne for a milder coating.

Nashville hot chicken is traditionally served with sliced white bread and pickles. Add a side of macaroni and cheese, coleslaw, or Southern-style greens for a fantastic meal.

Ingredients

For the Chicken

  • 3 pounds bone-in skin-on chicken pieces

  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt

  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the Coating

  • 1 cup whole milk (or buttermilk)

  • 2 large eggs

  • 4 tablespoons hot sauce, such as Texas Pete's, Frank's, or Tabasco

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour

  • Vegetable oil, for deep-frying

For the Hot Sauce

  • 1/2 cup vegetable oil (reserved from the used cooking oil)

  • 2 tablespoons cayenne pepper, or more

  • 1 tablespoon light or dark brown sugar

  • 1 teaspoon paprika

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt

  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for Nashville hot chicken.
    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

  2. Dry the chicken pieces with a paper towel and arrange them in pan or baking dish. Rub the chicken with 1 tablespoon of kosher salt and 1 teaspoon of black pepper. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours or up to 24 hours.

    Chicken pieces with salt and pepper marinade.
    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

  3. In a deep, heavy skillet or saucepan, heat about 2 inches of oil to 325 F. Place a cooling rack in a rimmed baking pan. Preheat the oven to 200 F.

    Place a cooling rack in a pan.
    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

  4. In a bowl, combine the milk, eggs, and hot sauce.

    Combine the milk, eggs, and hot sauce.
    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

  5. Pour the milk and egg mixture into a wide, shallow bowl. Put the flour in a separate wide, shallow bowl.

    Dredging containers.
    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

  6. Dip a chicken piece in the flour and turn until it is thoroughly coated.

    Dredging the chicken legs.
    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

  7. Dip the flour-coated chicken in the milk and egg mixture and turn to coat.

    Dredging the chicken pieces.
    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

  8. Dip the chicken piece in the flour once again, turning to coat.

    Dredge the chicken.
    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

  9. Repeat with the remaining chicken pieces.

    Breaded chicken pieces.
    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

  10. Fry the chicken in small batches in the hot oil for 16 to 19 minutes, or until the pieces reach about 165 F at their centers on an instant-read thermometer. Chicken breast pieces will take 15 to 17 minutes. Remove the chicken pieces to the prepared pan with the cooling rack and place the pan in the oven. Repeat with the remaining chicken pieces. Set the cooking oil aside to cool slightly.

    Remove the chicken to a rack.
    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

  11. In a heatproof bowl, combine the cayenne pepper, brown sugar, paprika, 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper, and the garlic powder. Add about 1/2 cup of the hot cooking oil to the spices and stir to blend.

    Combine the spices with the hot oil.
    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

  12. Brush the hot oil over the chicken pieces. Stir the oil frequently as you brush.

    Brush the hot oil over the chicken pieces.
    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

  13. Serve with white bread and pickles. Enjoy.

    Nashville hot chicken with the fixins!
    The Spruce / Diana Rattray

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