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Dixie paper plates of Nashville hot chicken with mac and cheese and disposable wood forks.
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5 from 2 votes

Nashville Hot Chicken

Prep Time25 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Brine Time6 hours
Servings: 10
Calories: 646kcal
Author: Teri & Jenny

Ingredients

brine

  • 4 cups water
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ¼ cup kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons black peppercorns
  • 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
  • 1 bunch fresh sage

chicken

  • 2 whole fryer chickens, cut into pieces
  • 3 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking soda
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  • 2 cups buttermilk
  • oil for frying

hot chicken sauce

  • 5 tablespoons cayenne pepper can go as high as 7 and as low as 4
  • 3 tablespoons smoked paprika
  • 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 stick (½ cup) melted butter or fryer oil

Instructions

  • For brine: Pour water, sugar and salt into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Once the sugar and salt dissolve, remove from heat and stir in the peppercorns, coriander seeds and sage. Place chicken in a large container. Add 3 cups ice to the hot brine and once the temperature comes down, pour over the chicken. Cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours and up to 24 hours.
  • Remove chicken pieces from the brine and pat dry.
  • For chicken: In a shallow baking dish combine flour, baking soda, garlic powder, and salt and whisk together. Pour buttermilk into another shallow baking dish.
  • Dredge each piece of chicken into the flour mixture, shaking off any excess.
  • Next, dip each piece into the buttermilk followed by the flour mixture for a second coating. Place each dredged piece onto a parchment lined baking sheet.
  • Pour 3 inches fryer oil into a large cast iron skillet and preheat to 350˚F.
  • Once the oil is hot, place a few pieces of chicken into the oil, with about 1 inch of room between, making sure not to overcrowd the pan.
  • Fry each piece of chicken for about 10 to 12 minutes on each side or until golden brown and the chicken has an internal temp of 160˚F.
  • Remove chicken from the oil and transfer to a baking sheet lined with a cooling rack. Repeat until all of the chicken has been fried.
  • For sauce: Combine all ingredients together and whisk together until a thick and even paste forms.
  • Brush a thin coating of the paste onto each piece of fried chicken. Serve.

Notes

  • *Makes 2 whole chickens

Nutrition

Calories: 646kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 35g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 144mg | Sodium: 3754mg | Potassium: 526mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 2649IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 108mg | Iron: 4mg