So, as you probably have figured out by now, we are obsessed with Nashville Hot Chicken around here.
This summer during our 3 trips to Nashville, I was determined to eat as much of it as possible and come home and subsequently be able to recreate it.
The concept of Nashville hot chicken is pretty simple. You take fried chicken and slather it in a cayenne based pepper paste. Top it with a pickle, add some white bread, and you’re done.
Over a couple of weekends, I experimented and modified a couple of recipes. Here is the recipe I landed on.
THE CHICKEN
The fried chicken is a very basic fried chicken. Keep the brine and dredging simple. I tried multiple dunking techniques, etc. but I found that a basic brine and dredge work best.
Brine your chicken at least 4 hours (or overnight) in buttermilk.
Dredge the chicken in a mix of 1 cup self rising flour to 2 tsp sea salt. Add more as needed.
Heat your oil (I use peanut) to 325 degrees. Once the oil is at temperature, place the chicken in and fry for about 18 mins (your target internal temp is 180 degrees).
Remove the chicken. Set on a rack to drain and cool. Move on to the paste.
THE PASTE
The paste:
6 tbsp cayenne (that’s right six)
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp of dried habanero (for hot, exclude for medium)
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
6 tbsp lard*
*Use fresh lard if at all possible (available at higher end grocery stores, farmers markets and hispanic grocery stores…look for manteca de puerco).
If you’re in a pinch, you can use the shelf stable lard that comes in the tubs. It won’t suffer too much in flavor, but it’s a lot more unhealthy.
If you don’t want to do that, you can use 5 tbsp of oil from the fryer. The flavor will sacrifice a bit (yes i tried this and yes it wasn’t as good).
If the lard is solidified, pop it in the microwave with the dry ingredients for a minute and mix. Otherwise, just mix the ingredients together.
ASSEMBLE
Place fried chicken on a piece of enriched white bread and apply paste.
Add pickle to top.
Not too bad right? It’s pretty crazy delicious too. If you use all the habanero, it’s a pretty intense spiciness… so skipping it the first time around might be the safest bet.
Try and experimenting with the paste adjusting the salt, sugar, etc. to your own preference. The heat level of this recipe with the habanero is about the level of Hattie B’s Damn Hot.
i just had breakfast but i could eat lunch right now, too. YUM.
Or make it for second breakfast on a biscuit!
That looks so, so good. I love that you are using quality lard. People don’t appreciate that anymore. I can’t wait to try this when I come visit you
I can’t wait to see your reaction! Warning after you eat hot chicken, regular fried chicken is ruined for you forever.
Yummmmmmmy!
Come over we will make it for you!
Soooo it was a mistake to read that when I was hungry. Now I’m starving…and drooling.
Haha sorry. Dinner tomorrow?
The Easy Nashville Hot Chicken with pickle garnish recipe and photos are delicious! The ingredient and process descriptions with selected progress shots are interesting. The “Easy” in the title graphic adds to the home-y comfort food vibe. With a balanced deference to cardiovascular disease management, here is a quick and easy not-so-hot version of chicken:
Boneless hormone-free chicken breasts. Skinned with all fat removed.
Boil in clear purified water.
Serve individually (or smaller portions) with a whole leaf of organic fresh dark green Kale garnish.
This “California Not-So-Hot Chicken” may or may not be recommended by some Cardiologists and Registered Dietitians as a Heathy Healthy food
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…Heart Healthy… Punch line fail here.
(Nick — You may consider this reply as optional to publish, if you wish.)
My husband will love me for making this. And I”m going to let him believe I just came up with it on my own. Because I’m awesome like that.
(Seriously though, this is right up his alley. Thanks for the recipe.)
You don’t have to credit us. He will never know the difference.
Yum! This seriously sounds so good!
It really is delicious Ashley! Ridiculously so!
Why does this look insanely delicious to me at 5:29am???
Because it’s delicious all day every day. Make it breakfast with a biscuit.
I been obsessed with this since I went to Nashville …
It pretty much ruins you for regular fried chicken forever! We had to find a way to replicate it because it’s so addicting.
I been working on it for over 2 months now I think I have created something close to Hattie b’s so simple it’s scary… I’ll post the exact details soon as I try a few adjustments to my recipe…