Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwiches Recipe
This Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich recipe features tender, juicy chicken breast cutlets marinated in a spicy buttermilk mixture, double-dredged in a crispy seasoned coating, and fried to golden perfection. The fried chicken is basted in a fiery, flavorful Nashville hot sauce and served on toasted burger buns with creamy mayonnaise, tangy coleslaw, and crunchy pickles, delivering a perfect balance of heat, texture, and Southern-inspired flavor.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 sandwiches 1x
- Category: Main
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Coating
- 2 medium chicken breasts
- ½ cup buttermilk
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Frying and Sauce
- ½ cup frying oil (vegetable or canola oil recommended)
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- Additional cayenne pepper and spices as desired for hot sauce
Sandwich Assembly
- 4 burger buns
- Mayonnaise
- Coleslaw
- Pickles
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken: Slice each chicken breast into four thin cutlets. Season both sides with salt and pepper evenly to enhance flavor.
- Mix wet and dry ingredients: In one bowl, whisk together buttermilk and 1 tablespoon hot sauce to create a spicy marinade. In another bowl, combine all-purpose flour, cornstarch, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to make the seasoned flour mixture.
- Dredge the chicken: Coat each chicken cutlet first in the seasoned flour mixture, then dip into the buttermilk and hot sauce mixture, and finally dredge once more in the flour mixture to ensure a thick, crispy crust.
- Heat the oil: Pour the frying oil into a frying pan and heat it over medium-high heat until it reaches 350ºF (175ºC), ideal for deep frying the chicken cutlets.
- Fry the chicken: Carefully place each dredged cutlet into the hot oil. Fry for approximately 3 minutes per side until the coating is golden brown and the chicken is cooked through.
- Prepare the Nashville hot sauce: While frying, mix some of the hot frying oil with brown sugar and additional cayenne pepper and spices to create a vibrant, spicy glaze. Once frying is complete, baste the fried chicken cutlets generously with this hot sauce for that signature Nashville heat.
- Assemble the sandwiches: Spread mayonnaise on the bottom halves of the burger buns. Place a basted fried chicken cutlet on each bun, then top with coleslaw and pickles. Cover with the top bun and serve immediately for best texture and flavor.
Notes
- Ensure the oil temperature stays consistent to avoid greasy or undercooked chicken.
- Adjust cayenne pepper in the sauce to your preferred spice level.
- For a healthier option, use air fryer instead of deep frying, though texture will differ.
- Buttermilk marinade helps tenderize the chicken and adds tangy flavor.
- Serve sandwiches immediately to retain crispiness of the fried chicken coating.
Keywords: Nashville hot chicken, spicy chicken sandwich, fried chicken, Southern recipe, American comfort food
