Best Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich Recipes

NASHVILLE-STYLE HOT CHICKEN SANDWICH

Steps:

• In a large heat-resistant bowl, whisk together the cayenne, brown sugar, chile powder, granulated garlic, paprika, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Sprinkle the spice mixture on all sides of the chicken. Transfer the chicken to a container and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours. Leave the remaining spice mixture in the bowl.
• In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil until a deep-fry thermometer inserted in the oil registers 350 degrees F. Position a wire rack on a baking sheet.
• Whisk together the buttermilk, hot sauce and eggs in a shallow bowl. Put the flour in a second bowl and season with salt and pepper. Dunk the chicken first in the buttermilk mixture, then dredge in the seasoned flour and coat thoroughly. Gently drop the chicken into the oil, in batches if necessary, and fry until golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer the cooked chicken to the wire rack.
• Carefully add about 1 large ladleful (6 to 8 ounces) of the frying oil to the reserved spice mixture to let it bloom. Be careful, as it will bubble aggressively. Whisk until smooth. Brush the fried chicken with the bloomed spiced oil as desired.
• For the sandwich build: Meanwhile, halve the Hawaiian rolls, spread with butter and toast on a griddle. Put the hot chicken on the griddled buns, top with pickles, lettuce and a schmear of mayo.

NASHVILLE HOT CHICKEN AND WAFFLE SANDWICH

Steps:

• Begin preparing chicken: place chicken thighs in a medium bowl. Add buttermilk and hot sauce and stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
• Prepare waffles: combine waffle mix, water, egg, and oil in a medium bowl; whisk until well combined.
• Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). Preheat a mini waffle maker according to manufacturer's instructions.
• Spray waffle maker with cooking spray. Cook waffles one at a time until golden brown. Place cooked waffles on a baking sheet and place in the oven to keep warm.
• Finish preparing chicken: heat 3 inches of oil to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) in a deep cast iron skillet or Dutch oven.
• While oil heats, combine flour, 2 teaspoons paprika, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a shallow dish.
• Remove chicken thighs from the buttermilk mixture one at a time and allow excess to drip off. Coat chicken lightly in flour mixture and shake off any excess. Repeat the process once more, dipping chicken back in the buttermilk mixture and flour mixture, and shaking off any excess. Place chicken on a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet. Repeat to coat remaining chicken.
• Fry 2 chicken thighs at a time in the hot oil until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center reads 170 degrees F (77 degrees F), turning 2 to 3 times, about 8 minutes per batch. Drain chicken on a clean wire rack set inside a paper towel-lined baking sheet.
• Combine remaining paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper with cayenne pepper and brown sugar in a medium bowl. Carefully whisk in 1 cup of the hot frying oil. Brush each fried chicken thigh with the spicy oil mixture.
• Stir maple syrup into the remaining spice mixture.
• Place 1 piece of chicken on a waffle and top with 1/4 cup coleslaw. Drizzle with 2 teaspoons of the spicy maple mixture and place a second waffle on top. Repeat with remaining ingredients and serve immediately.

NASHVILLE-STYLE HOT CHICKEN SANDWICH

Steps:

• Coleslaw: Whisk together mayonnaise, Dijon, and vinegar. Pour over cabbage and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Coleslaw will keep in the refrigerator, covered, up to 3 days.
• Hot Chicken Sauce: Stir together Frank's RedHot sauce, melted unsalted butter, hot paprika, and brown sugar.
• Sandwich: Remove oyster from chicken thigh and set aside. Working one at a time, pound each thigh between two pieces of plastic to an even 1/8-inch thickness. Let sit, covered with plastic, at room temperature while preparing remaining ingredients, at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Fill a medium heavy pot, preferably cast-iron, about halfway with oil. Heat oil over medium-high to 375 degrees. Meanwhile, whisk together buttermilk and Old Bay or hot sauce in a medium bowl; season with salt and pepper. In a shallow dish, season 1 cup flour with salt and pepper; whisk to combine. In a separate shallow dish, season remaining 1 1/2 cups flour with baking soda, salt, and pepper and whisk to combine. Add 1/3 cup buttermilk mixture and stir together to create ragged clumps. Working with two pieces at a time, dredge chicken in plain flour mixture, then buttermilk mixture. Let excess drip off, then dip in clumpy flour mixture, pressing firmly to adhere and making sure chicken is completely coated. If wet spots are visible, press in more coating.
• Fry until golden brown and cooked through, adjusting heat as needed to keep oil between 360 and 380 degrees, about 3 minutes. Drain on a rimmed baking sheet fitted with a wire rack. Repeat with remaining chicken. To serve, lightly butter both sides of roll and place in the oven to lightly toast. Brush chicken with hot chicken sauce, then place on white or Texas toast with pickles and coleslaw.

NASHVILLE HOT CHICKEN SANDWICH

Steps:

• For the slaw: In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, vinegar and sugar. Season with salt and pepper. Add the cabbage, carrots and shallot. Stir until evenly coated. Set aside while you prepare the chicken. The longer the slaw sits, the better it gets.
• For the hot chicken: Heat 4 inches of vegetable oil to 365 degrees F in a Dutch oven. Prepare 2 sheet trays with wire racks. Generously sprinkle both sides of the chicken breasts with Miss Brown's House Seasoning.
• Create a dredging station by putting the flour in a medium bowl. Next, whisk together the buttermilk and hot sauce in a second medium bowl. Working with one piece at a time, dredge the seasoned chicken in the flour to coat, then dip in the buttermilk mixture and back into the flour. Place onto one of the prepared sheet trays (keep the other tray clean). Continue until all the chicken is coated.
• Carefully add the chicken, skin-side down, to the oil and cook, turning once, until it is golden brown on the outside with an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove to the clean prepared sheet tray when ready.
• While the chicken is frying, make the hot butter sauce: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the hot sauce, brown sugar, cayenne and Miss Brown's seasoning. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. When ready to serve, dip each piece of fried chicken in the hot butter sauce. Place each piece of chicken on the bottom of a potato roll and top with slaw and pickles. Drizzle extra sauce on top. Close each sandwich with a top bun.
• Whisk together the onion powder, paprika, garlic powder, salt and black pepper in a medium bowl. Store any extra seasoning mix in an airtight container. Makes 5 teaspoons.

NASHVILLE HOT FRIED CHICKEN SANDWICH

Steps:

• For the chicken brine: Dissolve the salt in the water and pour over the chicken thighs in an airtight container or large zip top bag and refrigerate for 4 to 12 hours.
• For the Nashville hot sauce: Start to heat the oil in a small saucepot over medium-high heat until nice and hot, but not smoking. Pour into a heatproof container and stir in the cayenne, brown sugar, chili powder, garlic powder and paprika.
• Heat a medium saucepot half full of oil or an electric deep-fryer to 325 degrees F.
• Meanwhile, remove the chicken from the brine. Pat dry and sprinkle with the granulated garlic, salt and black pepper on both sides. Then dredge the chicken through the flour evenly, one piece at a time. After all the chicken is dredged, check the temperature of oil and let the chicken rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Assuming the oil is ready, flour the chicken a second time, shake off any excess and fry until the internal temperature is 165 degrees F, 8 to 9 minutes. Remove the chicken to a wire rack and brush generously with Nashville hot sauce.
• Build sandwiches starting with mayonnaise on each side of the bun, then lettuce, if desired, the spicy chicken, pickles, jalapenos and the top bun.