Authentic Nashville Hot Chicken Recipe

If you love wings and love the heat, then these Nashville hot chicken wings are just what the doctor ordered. While buffalo wings are trendy to order at restaurants, we think that Nashville hot is even better. Nashville hot chicken came to be after a woman tried to teach her cheating partner a lesson. She made him really spicy chicken as a punishment, but it turned out to be really tasty. The rest is history and people serve Nashville hot chicken at restaurants around the globe. 

Recipe developer Ting Dalton from Cook Simply created this wonderful recipe that will unite spice lovers from all over. She shares that her favorite part of the recipe is the spice. "I'm a huge fan of fried chicken but this is another level," Dalton says. "Crispy, crispy skin and a real fiery kick." It sounds good just saying it, but eating it is a different, delicious story. 

Keep reading to find out how to make Nashville hot chicken.

It's time to gather all of the necessary items to throw together this fantastic dish. For starters, you will need chicken wings, which are the main ingredient. You can also make them boneless. "You can use chicken breast or thigh pieces and cut them into bite-sized pieces," Dalton shares. "This will give you goujons/nuggets." In addition, get eggs, milk, and a vinegar-based hot sauce like Tabasco. You will also need all-purpose flour, salt, and cayenne pepper. Add butter, brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and pepper to the list.

Since these wings are fried, you will also need vegetable oil. Last but not least, grab some white bread and pickles for serving. Now, you've got everything necessary to put together this unique and fiery dish.

To get the cooking party started, preheat the oil in a deep fryer. Make sure it gets to 360 F. If you don't have a deep fryer, feel free to use a Dutch oven. Simply put it on the stove and use a cooking thermometer to check the temperature. Once again, you want a reading of 360 F.

In the meantime, take out a mixing bowl and toss in the eggs, milk, and hot sauce. Mix everything well and then set it to the side because you'll need it again shortly.

Next, take out another bowl to put together your flour mixture. Put in the flour, 2 teaspoons of salt, and 1 teaspoon of pepper, and mix everything together. When you've finished the second mix, grab the chicken wings and pat them dry with paper towels. Cover each wing with the egg and milk mixture first, followed by the flour mixture. Repeat these steps and make sure to shake off the excess each time. "I think chicken wings work really well here, but you can use other cuts of chicken — including drumsticks and thighs," Dalton notes. 

By now, your oil should be good to go. Fry the wings until they're crispy and golden. Don't worry, it should only take about 10 minutes and is very simple. As you cook the chicken, make sure to move the pieces around, so they don't sit in one place.

Remember to cook the wings in batches, so they don't overlap. Once they're done, remove them from the oil and set them on a rack or baking tray. "Make sure to cook the chicken longer, or if you want to make sure the meat is thoroughly cooked, you could place these in the oven after frying for a further 10-15 minutes at 350F," Dalton says. 

Take out the melted butter and add the cayenne pepper, brown sugar, salt, paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder. Use a whisk to combine everything well. Once you finish mixing, take a brush and brush the spicy oil generously over the wings. This will give the wings that extra kick of heat that gives it the signature Nashville hot flavor. "This is a very spicy dish – the hot butter has a real kick to it, so this isn't for the faint-hearted," Dalton shares. "However, if you want to go easy on the cayenne pepper, just add less." 

Nashville hot chicken goes well with a lot, but Dalton recommends pickles and white bread. There are a few sides that make a great addition to this recipe as well. Dalton suggests "mashed potatoes, or a green salad," or "potato salad and coleslaw." We don't foresee you having any leftovers but if you do, don't sweat it ... they will stay good for a bit! "They'll taste good cold or heat up again in the oven for 10 minutes," Dalton shares. "They'll keep in the fridge for three days." 

Now, go ahead, grab a cool drink and dig in!