Music City is know for TWO things… Country Music and Nashville Hot Chicken.
After making this recipe, you may forget all about Music Row, Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge and maybe even the Grand Ole’ Opry. There’s a good chance the city will now forever be known as the birthplace of Nashville Hot Chicken.
NASHVILLE HOT CHICKEN
INGREDIENTS (as shown in our exclusive video)
2 pounds of chicken tenders
1 tbsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp Himalayan Pink Sea Salt
4 large eggs
2 cups whole milk
2 tbsp Tabasco Sauce
4 cups all-purpose flour
6 cups of coconut oil or grapeseed oil for frying (avoid Olive Oil, it doesn’t do as well for deep frying)
6 tbsp cayenne pepper
2 tbsp dark brown sugar
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp paprika
White bread and sliced pickles (for serving)
METHOD
Toss chicken with black pepper 1 TBSP salt in a large bowl. Cover and chill at least 3 hours.
Whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, and hot sauce in a large bowl. Whisk flour and remaining 4 tsp salt in another large bowl.
Heat oil to 325°. Pat chicken dry. Working with 1 piece at a time, dredge in the flour mixture and be sure to shake off excess. Then dip chicken in buttermilk mixture and let the excess drip back into bowl. Dredge egg coated chicken once again in the flour mixture and place on a clean plate or baking sheet.
Working in batches, fry the chicken, turning occasionally, until skin is deep golden brown. Keep the FDA happy and using a meat thermometer, chicken to 160° for white meat (165° for dark). Cooking times may vary… be sure to use a meat thermometer. Transfer cooked chicken to a clean wire rack set sitting atop a baking sheet. Do NOT use a paper towel in some foolish attempt to soak up the oil… your efforts will be in vain! Remove cooking oil from heat, set aside and allow to cool slightly.
Whisk together all the spices… (cayenne, brown sugar, chili powder, garlic powder, and paprika) in a medium bowl. Then when oil has cooked sufficiently, whisk 1 cup frying oil into the spice mix. Use a pastry brush to brush the chicken pieces with the oil/spice mix. In Nashville where dietary considerations are rarely a concern, serve chicken pieces on top of thick slices of White Bread that have soaked up the oil/spice mixture with a couple of sliced pickles. For the rest of us who fear the wrath of our cardiologists, simply serve Hot Chicken as the main dish with fresh vegetables.
Word to the wise…. this chicken is HOT. Be sure to have lots of iced tea on hand to cool the fires of hell that will envelope your mouth!
Let’s Eat!
