Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwiches Recipe
These Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwiches feature crispy, spicy fried chicken coated in a flavorful cayenne pepper-based hot oil sauce, served on toasted burger buns with creamy mayonnaise, crunchy coleslaw, and tangy pickles. This recipe delivers the perfect balance of heat, crunch, and creamy textures for a classic Southern-inspired meal.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 sandwiches 1x
- Category: Sandwich
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Southern American
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Breading
- 2 medium chicken breasts
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cornstarch (or more flour)
- 1 teaspoon cayenne powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- ½ cup frying oil (or melted butter)
Nashville Hot Sauce
- ½ cup hot frying oil (reserved from frying chicken)
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cayenne powder
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Sandwich Assembly
- 4 burger buns (buttered and toasted)
- coleslaw (to taste)
- mayonnaise (about 4 tablespoons)
- pickles (to taste)
Instructions
- Prep the Chicken: Slice the chicken breasts horizontally into 4 thin cutlets. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Whisk together buttermilk and hot sauce in a shallow bowl. In another bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, cayenne powder, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.
- Bread the Chicken: Dredge each chicken cutlet in the flour mixture, shaking off excess. Dip into the buttermilk mixture, then dredge again in the flour mixture, pressing firmly to coat both sides. Shake off excess flour to leave small crumbs that will create extra crunch when fried.
- Fry the Chicken: Heat about 2 inches of frying oil in a heavy-duty pan to 350ºF (175ºC). Fry chicken cutlets for about 3 minutes per side, or until the exterior is deep golden brown and crunchy and the internal temperature reaches 165ºF (74ºC). Remove chicken to a cooling rack to drain excess oil.
- Make the Nashville Hot Sauce: Carefully take ½ cup of the hot frying oil and transfer it to a small bowl. Add brown sugar, cayenne powder, chili powder, smoked paprika, and garlic powder. Whisk together until well combined. If the oil tastes burnt, replace some or all of it with melted butter or a mixture of butter and oil. Immediately baste the hot chicken with this spicy oil mixture to evenly coat.
- Assemble the Sandwiches: Spread about 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise on the bottom half of each toasted burger bun. Place a piece of the hot chicken on top, then add a generous scoop of coleslaw and several pickles. Cover with the top bun and serve warm.
Notes
- For extra crispiness, do not overcrowd the frying pan; fry in batches if necessary.
- You can adjust the cayenne and hot sauce quantities to control the heat level.
- If preferred, use melted butter instead of frying oil for a richer flavor in the hot sauce.
- Allow chicken to rest briefly after frying to retain juiciness and ensure even coating with the hot sauce.
- Store leftovers separately to keep the breading crunchy; reheat chicken in an oven or air fryer.
Keywords: Nashville hot chicken, fried chicken sandwich, spicy chicken sandwich, Southern fried chicken, hot chicken sauce
