Nashville-Style Hot Chicken Sandwich Recipe
This Nashville-Style Hot Chicken Sandwich recipe features crispy fried chicken cutlets with a spicy, tangy coating of authentic Nashville hot sauce. Brined and double-dredged for ultimate crunch, the chicken is fried to perfection and assembled on toasted buns with creamy mayonnaise, tangy coleslaw, and classic bread and butter pickle chips. Perfect for lovers of bold, fiery Southern flavors and satisfying sandwiches.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4 servings
- Category: Sandwich
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Southern American
Ingredients
Chicken and Coating
- 2 medium chicken breasts (sliced into 4 cutlets)
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon vinegar-based hot sauce
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- oil (for frying, like vegetable oil, peanut, or canola oil)
- ½ cup frying oil (from above)
Hot Sauce
- 2 teaspoons light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons cayenne powder
- ¼ teaspoon chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Sandwich Assembly
- 4 burger buns (buttered and toasted)
- bread and butter pickle chips
- coleslaw
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
Instructions
- Brine the Chicken: Slice the chicken breasts into cutlets. Lightly season with salt and pepper, place in a glass bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour to improve moisture and flavor.
- Prepare Breading Stations: In one shallow bowl, mix the all-purpose flour with salt and black pepper. In a second bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and vinegar-based hot sauce.
- Create Flour Crumbles: Take about a tablespoon of the buttermilk mixture and mix it into the flour using your hands to form small crumbles, which helps with the breading texture.
- Bread the Chicken: Dredge each chicken cutlet first in the flour mixture, shaking off excess, then dip it into the buttermilk mixture, and finally dredge it again in flour. Shake off any excess flour to ensure a crispy coating.
- Fry the Chicken: Heat 1-2 inches of oil in a dutch oven to 350˚F (160°C). Fry 2 pieces of chicken at a time for 3-4 minutes on one side, then flip and fry for an additional 3 minutes. Check the internal temperature; it should reach 160°F (74°C) to ensure doneness. Remove the chicken and keep warm on a cooling rack in the oven while frying the remaining pieces.
- Make Nashville Hot Sauce: Combine light brown sugar, cayenne powder, chili powder, paprika, and garlic powder in a small bowl. While the chicken is frying, pour about half a cup of the hot frying oil over the spice mixture and stir quickly to create the signature Nashville hot sauce.
- Baste the Chicken: While the fried chicken is still hot, baste it generously with the prepared hot sauce to ensure deep flavor without greasiness.
- Assemble the Sandwich: Spread mayonnaise on the toasted and buttered burger buns. Layer with the spicy fried chicken, coleslaw, and bread and butter pickle chips. Serve immediately and enjoy the perfect balance of heat and crunch.
Notes
- Brining the chicken is optional but recommended for juiciness and flavor.
- Use a thermometer to maintain oil temperature and ensure chicken is cooked through.
- Adjust cayenne powder amount in the sauce for desired spice level.
- Keep the fried chicken warm on a rack rather than paper towels to maintain crispiness.
- The sandwich is best served fresh to enjoy the crispy texture.
