Nashville Hot Chicken
Fried chicken slathered in a fiery cayenne-lard paste, served on white bread with pickle slices.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 55 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Hard
- Calories
- 720 kcal
Equipment
- •Deep fryer or heavy pot
- •Meat thermometer
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 720 kcal
- fat
- 48
- carbs
- 30
- protein
- 42
- calories
- 720
Instructions
- 1
Soak chicken pieces in buttermilk. Keep in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.
- 2
Mix flour and paprika together in a shallow dish.
- 3
Take chicken from the buttermilk. Coat it completely in the seasoned flour.
- 4
Heat oil in a deep pot to 325°F.
- 5
Fry chicken for about 12-15 minutes, turning occasionally. Cook until golden and the inside hits 165°F.
- 6
Place the chicken on a wire rack to drain excess oil.
- 7
Whisk hot lard with cayenne pepper and brown sugar until a paste forms.
- 8
Brush the hot cayenne paste generously over the fried chicken while it is still hot.
- 9
Place chicken on top of white bread slices and top with pickle chips.
Chef's tips
Brush the paste on right after frying so the hot chicken absorbs the spice. Adjust the cayenne pepper to control your heat level.
Storage
Best eaten fresh; leftovers keep refrigerated up to 2 days.
Reheating
Reheat in a 375°F oven until crisp again, about 10 minutes.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Letting the frying oil get too cool, which makes the chicken greasy
- •Skipping the soak time, which leaves the chicken under-seasoned
Serving suggestions
Cooked Nashville Hot Chicken?
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