Easy Nashville Style Hot Chicken Recipes

Steps:

• For the chicken: Pour enough buttermilk over the chicken pieces to cover them and place in refrigerator at least 24 hours.
• Preheat a Dutch oven filled three-quarters of the way with peanut oil to 275 degrees F.
• Drain chicken in a colander, then coat chicken in enough seasoned flour to coat.
• Gently drop chicken into oil and cook until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F, roughly 18 minutes. Set aside.
• For the sauce: Meanwhile, combine the canola oil, bacon fat, cayenne powders, sugar, pickle juice, paprika, garlic powder and chili powder together in a bowl and whisk until smooth. Gently pour 1 cup of the mixture over fried chicken and toss in a bowl, making sure to completely coat chicken (watch your eyes, this stuff is no joke!). (Save remaining sauce for another use.)
• Remove from bowl and enjoy!

Steps:

• Toss chicken pieces with 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Transfer chicken to a bowl; cover and refrigerate overnight.
• Whisk buttermilk, pickle brine, hot sauce, and egg together in a mixing bowl. Pour marinade over chicken and stir to ensure each piece is thoroughly coated. Cover and let chicken marinate in refrigerator 2 to 4 hours.
• Mix flour and salt together in a shallow flat dish. Remove chicken from marinade and blot with paper towels. Reserve marinade. Toss chicken in flour until thoroughly coated. Return chicken to marinade, coating all sides; remove chicken from marinade allowing excess to drip back into the bowl. Coat the chicken once again in flour mixture. Place on a rack. Repeat with all chicken pieces. Allow to sit out about 15 minutes to allow coating to dry out a bit.
• Place butter and lard in a large pot. Add cayenne pepper, brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, kosher salt, and black pepper. Place over medium-high heat. Cook and stir until fats melt. Remove from heat; keep sauce warm.
• Fill cast iron skillet about 1/3 of the way with vegetable oil. Heat oil to 350 degrees F over medium-high heat. Carefully place chicken into hot oil, skin side down. Maintain an oil temperature of 325 degrees F, adjusting heat as need. Fry until instant read thermometer reads 160 degrees F, 8 to 10 minutes per side.
• Transfer chicken to a rack to drain. Brush with the sauce on both sides.

Steps:

• For the house hot sauce: Put the water, vinegar, dried chiles, cayenne pepper, garlic and crushed red pepper in a large pot over high heat and bring to a simmer. Simmer until the chiles are re-hydrated and the garlic is slightly soft, about 30 minutes. Puree in a blender until smooth. Strain through a sieve and a let cool. Yield: 8 cups.
• For the mild lard: Render the lard in a large pot over low heat until liquid.
• Mix the cayenne pepper, salt, black pepper and garlic powder in a large bowl.
• Slowly whisk the brown sugar into the lard until smooth. Make sure to not let the temperature exceed 135 degrees F or the sugar will burn. Once the sugar is incorporated slowly whisk in the dry ingredients.
• For the chicken brine: Combine the milk, buttermilk and house hot sauce in a large bowl and whisk together. Add the chicken, slightly covering it. Refrigerate 4 to 6 hours.
• For the chicken dredge: Heat a deep fryer to 325 degrees F (or a large pot with oil). Combine the flour, kosher salt, onion powder, dried thyme, garlic powder, black pepper, seasoned salt, cayenne pepper and paprika together in a large bowl until completely incorporated. Coat your brined chicken in the dredge mix and fry, in batches, until the internal temperature reaches 125 degrees F. Generously brush your fried chicken with the mild lard to coat. Serve.

Steps:

• Mix water, 1/4 cup salt, 1/4 cup sugar, and hot sauce together in a large bowl until sugar and salt are dissolved into the brine. Place chicken pieces in the brine and refrigerate, 30 minutes to 1 hour. Pour brine from the bowl.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place a baking rack onto a baking sheet and coat rack with cooking spray.
• Combine flour, 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, and black pepper in a shallow bowl until coating is well mixed. Press chicken pieces into the coating until both sides are evenly coated; place on the prepared rack.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Spray each chicken piece with cooking spray; flip and spray the other side. Continue baking until chicken is no longer pink in the center, about 10 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).
• Heat oil in a small pan over medium heat until shimmering. Mix 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder together in a bowl; add to oil and cook for 30 seconds. Brush oil mixture onto cooked chicken, adding more layers for extra heat.

Steps:

• Prepare the brine: In a large bowl, whisk salt and spices in 2 cups boiling water until salt dissolves. Whisk in 6 cups ice water. The brine should be cold; if not, chill until it is. Add chicken pieces to the cold brine and chill for at least 12 and up to 24 hours.
• In a bowl, combine the ingredients for the very hot spice mixture. In another bowl, prepare the dredge: combine the flour, granulated garlic and onion, salt and pepper.
• Remove chicken pieces from brine, pat dry with paper towels and season with a light dusting of hot spice mixture. Dust pieces with dredge mixture. Reserve both the remaining hot spice mixture and the dredge. Let chicken rest in fridge, uncovered, for at least an hour for the coating to adhere.
• Pour 2 inches of oil into a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot with a cover. Heat oil to 325 degrees on a deep-fat thermometer. In a shallow bowl, whisk together eggs and 2 cups ice water to make egg wash. Dip chicken in egg wash, then coat with more dredge. Shake pieces lightly so any excess dredge falls off.
• Carefully place chicken in hot oil, about 3 to 4 pieces per batch. Cover pot with lid and let fry for 5 to 6 minutes, until golden brown on one side. Remove lid and flip pieces. Fry another 5 to 6 minutes, uncovered. Using tongs, transfer cooked chicken to a wire rack set over a baking sheet to catch the oil drips. Dust with very hot spice as it comes out of the fryer.

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, combine cayenne pepper, paprika, garlic powder, mustard powder, black pepper, and onion powder, and mix well.
• In a large bowl, place chicken and pat dry. Add 5 tablespoons of the spice mix and salt, and mix well, making sure all the chicken is fully coated. Cover with plastic wrap and rest in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, up to 24 hours.
• In a small saucepan, combine canola oil, 2 tablespoons of the spice mix, and brown sugar over medium heat and stir until the brown sugar dissolves, about 2-3 minutes. Set aside.
• In a medium-size bowl, add the buttermilk and hot sauce, and mix well.
• Dredge each piece of chicken into the flour, shaking off any excess. Dip them into the buttermilk mixture, then back into the flour.
• Heat oil to 325°F (170°C) in a deep pot.
• Fry 3-4 chicken pieces at a time, making sure to not overcrowd the pot, for 10-12 minutes, until golden brown and crispy.
• Transfer the fried chicken to a wire rack over a baking sheet and brush with the spicy oil Dust with the remaining spice mixture.
• Place on a slice of white bread and top with dill pickle.
• Enjoy!

Steps:

• In a bowl or shallow dish, combine 1 tablespoon pickle juice, 1 tablespoon hot sauce and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add chicken and turn to coat. Refrigerate, covered, at least 1 hour. Drain, discarding any marinade., Preheat air fryer to 375°. In a shallow bowl, mix flour, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and the pepper. In another shallow bowl, whisk egg, buttermilk, and the remaining 1 tablespoon pickle juice and 1 tablespoon hot sauce. Dip chicken in flour to coat both sides; shake off excess. Dip in egg mixture, then again in flour mixture., In batches, arrange chicken in a single layer on well-greased tray in air-fryer basket; spritz with cooking spray. Cook until golden brown, 5-6 minutes. Turn; spritz with cooking spray. Cook until golden brown, 5-6 minutes longer., Whisk together oil, cayenne pepper, brown sugar and seasonings; pour over hot chicken and toss to coat. Serve with pickles.

Steps:

• In a large heat-resistant bowl, whisk together the cayenne, brown sugar, chile powder, granulated garlic, paprika, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Sprinkle the spice mixture on all sides of the chicken. Transfer the chicken to a container and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours. Leave the remaining spice mixture in the bowl.
• In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil until a deep-fry thermometer inserted in the oil registers 350 degrees F. Position a wire rack on a baking sheet.
• Whisk together the buttermilk, hot sauce and eggs in a shallow bowl. Put the flour in a second bowl and season with salt and pepper. Dunk the chicken first in the buttermilk mixture, then dredge in the seasoned flour and coat thoroughly. Gently drop the chicken into the oil, in batches if necessary, and fry until golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer the cooked chicken to the wire rack.
• Carefully add about 1 large ladleful (6 to 8 ounces) of the frying oil to the reserved spice mixture to let it bloom. Be careful, as it will bubble aggressively. Whisk until smooth. Brush the fried chicken with the bloomed spiced oil as desired.
• For the sandwich build: Meanwhile, halve the Hawaiian rolls, spread with butter and toast on a griddle. Put the hot chicken on the griddled buns, top with pickles, lettuce and a schmear of mayo.

Steps:

• Toss chicken with black pepper and 2 tablespoon salt in a large bowl. Cover and chill at least 3 hours.
• Whisk eggs, buttermilk, and hot sauce in a large bowl. Whisk flour and remaining 4 teaspoons salt in another large bowl.
• Fit a Dutch oven with thermometer; pour in oil to measure 2". Heat over medium-high heat until thermometer registers 325°. Pat chicken dry. Working with 1 piece at a time, dredge in flour mixture, shaking off excess, then dip in buttermilk mixture, letting excess drip back into bowl. Dredge again in flour mixture and place on a baking sheet.
• Working in 4 batches and returning oil to 325° between batches, fry chicken, turning occasionally, until skin is deep golden brown and crisp and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of pieces registers 160° for white meat and 165° for dark, 15-18 minutes. Transfer to a clean wire rack set inside a baking sheet. Let oil cool slightly.
• Whisk cayenne, brown sugar, chili powder, garlic powder, and paprika in a medium bowl; carefully whisk in 1 cup frying oil. Brush fried chicken with spicy oil. Serve with bread and pickles.
• Do ahead: Chicken can be seasoned 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.