Nashville Hot Chicken

Name: Nashville Hot Chicken
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Southern American
Ingredients: 2 lbs chicken breasts (boneless, skinless), pounded to even thickness; 1 cup buttermilk; 1 cup all-purpose flour; 4 tbsp paprika; 2 tbsp cayenne pepper; 2 tsp chili powder; 1 tsp garlic powder; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/4 tsp black pepper; 4 cups vegetable oil (for frying); 4 tbsp butter, melted; 4 tbsp hot sauce; 8 slices white bread or biscuits, toasted and buttered; 1/2 cup dill pickle slices

Crispy fried chicken breasts coated in a fiery spiced paste and served on buttered toast. Bold, spicy, and trending.

45 minMediumServes 4520 cal/serving

Southern AmericanLunchStovetopStandard

Ingredients

2 lbs chicken breasts (boneless, skinless), pounded to even thickness
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 tbsp paprika
2 tbsp cayenne pepper
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
4 cups vegetable oil (for frying)
4 tbsp butter, melted
4 tbsp hot sauce
8 slices white bread or biscuits, toasted and buttered
1/2 cup dill pickle slices

Instructions

1

Place 2 lbs pounded to even thickness chicken breasts (boneless, skinless) in a bowl and pour 1 cup buttermilk over them. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
2

Mix 1 cup all-purpose flour, 4 tbsp paprika, 2 tbsp cayenne pepper, 2 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp black pepper in a shallow dish.
3

Heat 4 cups vegetable oil (for frying) to 350°F in a deep pot or Dutch oven.
4

Remove chicken from buttermilk, allowing excess to drip off.
5

Coat chicken in flour mixture and carefully place in hot oil.
6

Fry for 12-15 minutes, turning halfway through, until internal temperature reaches 165°F.
7

While chicken cooks, mix 4 tbsp melted butter and 4 tbsp hot sauce in a small bowl.
8

Once cooked, brush the hot chicken generously with the butter and hot sauce mixture.
9

Serve on toasted, buttered 8 slices toasted and buttered white bread or biscuits topped with 1/2 cup dill pickle slices.

Questions

Can I make Nashville Hot Chicken dairy-free?

Yes. The dairy in this entry is 1 cup buttermilk, 4 tbsp butter, melted. Swap the buttermilk for plant milk soured with a teaspoon of vinegar per cup; the butter for olive oil where it melts, or a plant-based block butter where it is creamed. The richness shifts slightly, but the method does not change.

Can I make Nashville Hot Chicken gluten-free?

Yes. The gluten in this entry is 1 cup all-purpose flour, 8 slices white bread or biscuits, toasted and buttered. Swap the flour for a 1-to-1 gluten-free baking blend (where it only thickens a sauce, half as much cornstarch also works); the bread or crumbs for a gluten-free loaf or gluten-free panko. Everything else proceeds as written.

How long does Nashville Hot Chicken keep?

Refrigerate leftovers within two hours and eat them within three days. Reheat uncovered in a 400 F oven (or an air fryer) for a few minutes to bring the crust back; the microwave softens it.

Can I halve or double Nashville Hot Chicken?

Yes. As written it serves 4. Every ingredient in this entry carries precomputed half and double quantities, and the app's batch dial rewrites them inside each step. When doubling on the stovetop, use your widest pan or work in two batches so the food sears instead of steaming.

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