NASHVILLE HOT CHICKEN SANDWICH RECIPE
This Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich takes fried chicken to the next level — crispy, juicy, and fiery enough to wake up your taste buds.
Servings 4 sandwiches
Calories 760kcal
Ingredients
- 4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs
- 3 tablespoon Kosher Salt
- 2 Eggs
- 2 cups Buttermilk
- 4 tablespoon Hot Sauce
- 2 tablespoon Pickle Juice
- 2 Cups Flour
- 1 tablespoon Ground Black Pepper
- 2.5 Quarts Frying Oil. Lard or Canola
- 6 tablespoon Cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoon Onion Powder
- 2 tablespoon Smoked Paprika
- 2 tablespoon Garlic Powder
- 1 teaspoon MSG optional
- 3 tablespoon Brown Sugar
- 2 tablespoon Crushed Dried Thai Chilis optional
- 4 Buns
- 3 tablespoon mayo
- 12 Pickle Slices
- 1 cup Slaw (optional)
Instructions
- Dry Brine the Chicken:Sprinkle kosher salt evenly over the chicken thighs. Place them on a wire rack and refrigerate uncovered overnight to draw out moisture and deepen flavor.
- Make the Marinade:In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk, hot sauce, and pickle juice. Submerge the chicken thighs completely, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- Prepare the Dredge:Mix flour, salt, and cracked black pepper in a large bowl. Add a few tablespoons of the marinade to form small clumps in the flour—these will fry up into crunchy bits.
- Dredge the Chicken:Remove chicken from the marinade and let excess drip off. Coat each thigh in the flour mixture, pressing firmly to ensure full coverage. No bare spots.
- Fry the Chicken:Heat oil or lard to 325°F in a large Dutch oven. Fry the chicken in small batches for 15–18 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165°F. When thighs float to the surface, begin checking for doneness. Let rest on a wire rack.
- Make the Spicy Oil:In a heatproof bowl, combine cayenne pepper, onion powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, MSG (if using), brown sugar, and crushed Thai chilies. Carefully pour 1½ cups of HOT frying oil over the spices. The oil must be hot to bloom the spices and create that signature flavor. Whisk until smooth and deep red.Caution: Pepper fumes can cause irritation. Work in a well-ventilated area.
- Coat the Chicken:Dunk each fried piece in the spicy oil until fully coated. Place on a wire rack to rest for 1–2 minutes to set the coating.
- Assemble the Sandwich:Toast brioche buns until golden. Spread mayo on the bottom bun, add one piece of hot chicken, top with pickles, and a spoonful of slaw if desired. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
Tips and Tricks
- Rest fried chicken on a wire rack, not paper towels, to keep it crispy.
- The oil must be HOT when mixed with spices or the crust will go soft.
- For leftovers, store uncoated chicken separately and reheat at 400°F for 8–10 minutes. Reheat the spicy oil, then brush or dunk just before serving.
- Be careful with ghost pepper or extra-hot blends—fumes can sting your eyes and throat fast.
- Overcrowding the fryer lowers oil temp and ruins the crust.
- Guessing at oil temperature—use a thermometer and hold steady at 325°F.
- Mixing spice oil with lukewarm oil prevents proper flavor bloom.
- Building sandwiches too soon soaks the buns. Let chicken rest before stacking.
- Forgetting to wash your hands after handling hot oil and pepper mix—ouch.