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Nashville Hot Chicken Recipe

American · Main course · 50 min total

Crispy, spicy fried chicken coated in a fiery cayenne pepper paste, served with pickles and white bread to balance the heat.

Ingredients

• 4 chicken leg quarters (or 8 pieces of bone-in, skin-on chicken)
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons hot sauce (such as Tabasco)
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• Vegetable oil, for frying
• 1/4 cup cayenne pepper (for the paste)
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 cup frying oil (reserved from frying)
• White bread and pickles, for serving

Instructions

1. Mix buttermilk and hot sauce in a bowl. Add chicken pieces, cover, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
2. In a shallow dish, whisk together flour, salt, black pepper, 1 teaspoon cayenne, garlic powder, and paprika.
3. Remove chicken from buttermilk, letting excess drip off. Dredge each piece in flour mixture, pressing firmly to adhere. Place on a wire rack.
4. Heat 2 inches of oil in a deep skillet or Dutch oven to 350°F (175°C). Fry chicken in batches, turning occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through (165°F internal), about 12-15 minutes. Drain on a wire rack.
5. While chicken is hot, prepare the spicy paste: In a bowl, combine 1/4 cup cayenne, brown sugar, chili powder, and 1/2 cup of the hot frying oil (carefully ladle from the skillet). Whisk until smooth.
6. Brush the spicy paste generously over each piece of fried chicken.
7. Serve immediately on white bread with pickles.

Tips

• For less heat, reduce cayenne in the paste to 2 tablespoons.
• Reserve the frying oil after cooking to make the paste; it adds flavor.
• Leftover chicken can be reheated in a 350°F oven for 10 minutes.

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