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Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 3.9 from 8 reviews
  • Author: Lora
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes plus 4-24 hours for dry brining
  • Cook Time: 15-20 minutes frying plus 5 minutes for sauce and assembly
  • Total Time: 1 hour (including brining time counted as inactive time)
  • Yield: 4 servings
  • Category: Sandwich
  • Method: Frying
  • Cuisine: Southern American

Description

This Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich recipe features crispy, juicy fried chicken breasts with a spicy and flavorful cayenne-honey sauce. Marinated with a dry brine for extra tenderness, coated in a seasoned flour and cornstarch breading, and fried to golden perfection, the chicken is served on toasted buns with mayonnaise, pickles, and optional tangy coleslaw for a perfect balance of heat and crunch.

Ingredients

Chicken and Brine

  • Four 8-12 ounce chicken breasts
  • 1 ½ tablespoons coarse salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Breading

  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ cups cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons baking powder
  • 1 tablespoon paprika
  • 4 teaspoons coarse salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 5 large eggs
  • ½ cup buttermilk
  • Coarse salt and ground pepper to taste

Frying

  • Oil for frying (enough to fill a 4-5 quart pot halfway)

Nashville Hot Sauce

  • ¾ cup remaining frying oil
  • 3 tablespoons cayenne pepper (adjust up to 6 tablespoons for more heat)
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons onion powder
  • 2 teaspoons coarse salt

Sandwich Assembly

  • 4 toasted hamburger buns
  • Mayonnaise to taste (optional)
  • Sliced bread and butter pickles (optional)
  • ½ batch coleslaw recipe (optional)

Instructions

  1. Dry Brine the Chicken: Spread the chicken breasts evenly in a 13x9 inch casserole dish. Season all sides uniformly with 1 ½ tablespoons coarse salt and 1 teaspoon ground black pepper. Cover the dish and refrigerate for 4 to 24 hours to tenderize and enhance flavor.
  2. Prepare the Breading: In a shallow wide bowl or cake tin, whisk together 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 ½ cups cornstarch, 2 tablespoons baking powder, 1 tablespoon paprika, 4 teaspoons coarse salt, and ½ teaspoon ground black pepper. Set aside. In a separate similar bowl, whisk together 5 large eggs, ½ cup buttermilk, and salt and pepper to taste until well combined.
  3. Heat the Frying Oil: Pour enough oil into a 4- or 5-quart pot to fill halfway. Heat the oil over medium-low heat until it reaches 350°F (177°C). Maintain this temperature throughout frying; when the cold chicken is added, the temperature will drop to about 325°F (163°C), ideal for thorough cooking.
  4. Bread the Chicken: Remove chicken from the fridge. One breast at a time, dip into the seasoned flour mixture, pressing firmly to coat all sides. Shake off excess, then dip into the egg wash to coat completely, allowing excess to drip off. Return the chicken to flour mixture and press firmly again to fully coat. Place the breaded chicken on a rack over a sheet tray and let rest up to 15 minutes. Repeat for all pieces.
  5. Fry the Chicken: Carefully place 2 to 3 pieces of chicken into the hot oil at a time. Fry for 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown and cooked through (internal temp ~165°F/74°C). Use a rack over a sheet tray to drain excess oil. Keep cooked chicken warm by placing it on a middle oven rack at 200 to 225°F (93 to 107°C) while frying remaining batches. The chicken will finish cooking gently while resting.
  6. Make the Nashville Hot Sauce: While chicken fries, combine ¾ cup of the frying oil with 3 tablespoons cayenne pepper, 3 tablespoons honey, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, 2 teaspoons onion powder, and 2 teaspoons coarse salt in a small saucepan. Cook over low to medium heat, stirring occasionally, until all ingredients are melted and blended together.
  7. Apply the Hot Sauce: Once all chicken pieces are fried, brush or spoon the hot cayenne sauce generously onto both sides of each piece to coat thoroughly.
  8. Assemble the Sandwiches: Spread mayonnaise on the bottom halves of the toasted buns if desired. Place a sauced chicken breast on each bun, then top with optional coleslaw and slices of bread and butter pickles. Cover with the toasted top buns and serve immediately.

Notes

  • Dry brining the chicken overnight will produce juicier and more flavorful meat.
  • Adjust cayenne quantity in the hot sauce according to your heat preference.
  • The double breading (flour then egg, then flour) ensures a crispy, crunchy crust.
  • Maintaining oil temperature between 325°F and 350°F is key to perfectly cooked chicken without greasiness.
  • Keeping the cooked chicken warm in a low oven helps retain crispiness and finishes cooking gently.
  • Coleslaw and pickles add coolness and tang, balancing the spicy chicken.

Find it online: https://meallora.com/nashville-hot-chicken-sandwich-recipe/