Nashville Hot Chicken
Crispy fried chicken coated in a fiery cayenne paste, served on buttered toast with pickles. A Southern classic with serious heat and serious flavor.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Servings
- 2
- Calories
- 718
- Protein
- 38g
Ingredients
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 4 pieces bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (thighs and drumsticks)
- 2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 3 tablespoons lard or vegetable shortening
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 slices white bread slices
- 4 ounces dill pickle slices
Instructions
- 1
Stir together the buttermilk and 1 tablespoon salt in a large bowl until the salt dissolves, about 10 seconds.
- 2
Place the 4 chicken pieces into the buttermilk brine, turning each piece to coat all sides completely.
- 3
Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours so the chicken stays tender and absorbs the salt flavor.
- 4
Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and let it sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before frying so it cooks evenly inside and out.
- 5
Stir the 2 tablespoons cayenne, 1 tablespoon paprika, and 0.5 teaspoon garlic powder together in a small bowl until the colors are even.
- 6
Add 3 tablespoons melted lard or shortening to the spice mixture and stir constantly with a small spoon until the paste is smooth and thick, like wet sand, about 30 seconds.
- 7
Mix the 1 cup flour and 0.5 teaspoon black pepper together in a shallow bowl, stirring with a fork to combine evenly.
- 8
Pour 2 cups vegetable oil into a 12-inch cast iron skillet and set the heat to medium-high.
- 9
Heat the oil until a wooden spoon handle dipped into it produces steady, vigorous bubbles within 2 seconds, about 5–7 minutes; this means the oil is around 325°F and ready for frying.
- 10
Lift each chicken piece from the buttermilk using tongs, letting excess liquid drip back into the bowl for 3 seconds.
- 11
Place each buttermilk-coated piece directly into the flour mixture and rotate it with your hands until every surface—skin, edges, and crevices—is covered with flour.
- 12
Carefully lay the floured chicken pieces into the hot oil one at a time, skin-side down, spacing them so they don't touch each other in the skillet.
- 13
Fry for 12–15 minutes without moving or flipping the chicken; you should hear a steady, loud sizzle the entire time, and the skin should turn golden brown underneath.
- 14
Flip each piece using tongs and fry for another 8–10 minutes until the second side is golden brown and the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165°F on a meat thermometer.
- 15
Using tongs, lift the chicken from the oil and hold each piece over the skillet for 5 seconds to let excess oil drip away before setting it on a wire rack.
- 16
While the chicken is still hot, use a butter knife to spread the hot cayenne paste thickly and evenly over the entire skin of each piece.
- 17
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a small skillet over medium heat until it foams and smells nutty, about 1 minute.
- 18
Toast the 2 bread slices in the melted butter, turning once, until both sides are golden brown and crisp, about 3 minutes total.
- 19
Place one buttered toast slice on each of two plates.
- 20
Lean two pieces of hot chicken against each toast slice, leaning them at an angle so they stand up slightly.
- 21
Arrange half of the dill pickle slices (about 2 ounces) on each plate next to the chicken, allowing diners to eat pickles between bites to cool the heat.
Tools you’ll need
- large mixing bowl
- plastic wrap
- small bowl
- fork
- shallow bowl
- 12-inch cast iron skillet
- wooden spoon
- tongs
- meat thermometer
- wire rack
- butter knife
- small skillet
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