Nashville hot fried chicken is the hottest trend in fried chicken and is so easy to make.
I love spicy food so the first time I heard about Nashville hot fried chicken it seemed perfect. Fried chicken + spicy? Does it get any better?
Well…maybe with a drink.
Fried chicken seems to be the new taco, every restaurant in Toronto has it. Unfortunately not many people do it very well.
Spicy Fried Chicken
So when TABASCO® approached me to create a recipe using TABASCO® I knew exactly what I wanted. Most people use the hot sauce as just a topping but it’s great as an ingredient in a recipe.
Hot chicken takes chicken up a notch by slathering it in a hot sauce and placing it on white bread with dill pickles.
Although it was once pan fried in cast iron skillets, it’s most often deep fried now so that restaurants can keep up with local demand.
Hot fried chicken is serious business in Nashville Tennessee. It’s so entrenched there is a full cookbook: Hot Chicken Cookbook: The Fiery History & Red-Hot Recipes of Nashville’s Beloved Bird.
Prince’s Hot Chicken is generally accepted at the first joint to sell Nashville hot fried chicken in the mid-1930.
It took decades to catch on outside Tennessee.
With the new appreciation obsession for barbecue, even KFC has started to pilot their own hot fried chicken in select markets.
Like every good thing in the south, you know something is good when people line up down the street long before a shop opens.
This happened when I visited Killen’s Barbecue outside Houston – lines don’t lie.
The Legend of Nashville Hot Chicken
A scandalous but colourful history, locals say hot chicken was born out of infidelity.
Although it was the Great Depression Nashvillian Thornton Prince III still liked to go out and enjoy himself in the evenings.
One night he stayed out a bit too late so his girlfriend sabotaged his Sunday fried chicken breakfast with hot sauce. But it backfired as Thornton loved it and he opened the BBQ Chicken Shack café with his brothers.
It is now the home of Prince’s Hot Chicken.
Prince’s isn’t the only joint in Tennessee that has made its name for spicy poultry.
Every barbecue chicken shop in town has hot chicken on the menu.
Everyone has an opinion of who has the best. The key though is how it’s served, you must have good white bread and dill pickles as a topping.
Most notably Hattie B’s is a newer popular shop in Nashville. It offers more menu options including chicken with waffles on Sundays.
It also also openly shares the hot fried chicken recipe. But there are so many recipes for it that there’s an annual contest in Nashville.
Hot Chicken Recipe Tips
The original recipe uses a secret blend of herbs and spices.
However, TABASCO® replicates many of these flavours so well that adapted versions of the recipe often call for TABASCO®.
It’s also a southern ingredient as it’s made on Avery Island in Louisiana and a perfect flavour for Nashville hot fried chicken.
The key to great spicy chicken is the marinade, which is why I’ve incorporated TABASCO® twice.
First I use TABASCO® Green Sauce in the marinade and then the original TABASCO® Sauce to coat the chicken.
I decided to create a traditional hot fried chicken recipe.
However TABASCO® has so many different types of hot sauce like Sweet and Spicy, Habanero and Garlic Pepper Sauce that this recipe is easily adaptable.
Nashville Hot Fried Chicken Recipe
This recipe would also work on boneless chicken. You could also make a Nashville Hot Chicken sandwich.
The technique is also used for Nashville hot fish and while catfish is often used any firm fleshed fish would do.
Nashville Hot Fried Chicken
Spicy fried chicken is the hottest trend in fried chicken and is so easy to make.
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken cut into quarters
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon TABASCO® Green Sauce
- 1 tablespoon Kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon Brown sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- .5 teaspoon Black pepper
- 2 tablespoons TABASCO® Sauce
- 2 tablespoons Brown sugar
- .25 cup unsalted butter melted
Instructions
- In a large bowl whisk together egg, buttermilk, TABASCO® Green Sauce, salt and brown sugar. Add chicken parts and marinate in fridge for at least 24 hours.
- Combine dredge ingredients (flour, paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, kosher salt, black pepper) in a shallow dish.
- Dip each piece of marinated chicken in dredge to coast evenly. Shake a bit to remove excess dredge. Toss chicken with the sauce and serve immediate on white bread topped with a slice of dill pickle.
- Fry in small batches until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 160F. Remove from oil and place on paper towel or cooling rack to absorb excess oil.
- In a small mixing bowl combine melted butter, brown sugar and TABASCO® sauce.
- Toss chicken with the sauce and serve immediate on white bread topped with a slice of dill pickle.
Notes
You will need 2 litres of fresh canola oil or fry the chicken. Or you can go really old school and use lard.
Recommended Products
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1 Amount Per Serving: Calories: 327Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 83mgSodium: 1393mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 1gSugar: 6gProtein: 24gNutritional information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although BaconisMagic.ca attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
We do a dish we call “Blackout chicken” which is chicken marinated in tabasco, then coated in panko and pan fried.
I serve it with a drizzle of honey (which I do with most good fried chicken).
Fried chicken is a childhood favourite and I’ve never had a lot of success with it at home. It sounds like I”ll be trying your hot chicken at home very soon!
Agreed, but I also love a lot of horseradish.
I took one look at this chicken and started drooling. I don’t see a trip to Nashville in my near future so guess I’ll pin this recipe for later!
Now if I could only get over my frying fears….
I buy Tabasco in the 1 gallon foodservice size! I also grow hot peppers and make a fermented house hot sauce, too, but there are a few dishes where only Tabasco will do:
1. Cornmeal mush with cheese for breakfast is a family tradition here. We use heritage corn meal and our own raw milk cheeses, and each bowl gets a smiley face composed of droplets of Tabasco.
2. During tomato season, we make bloody Marys with whichever tomato cultivar is at peak in the garden, fresh herbs, and of course, Tabasco.
3. Any sort of bechemel sauce: cheese, wild mushroom, shallot, etc. All get tweaked with Tabasco.
Favorite Tabasco recipe? That would have to be Tabasco burgers!
Tabasco is a must in Caesars or Bloody Mary’s for me!! We also always have a bottle of the green Tabasco to put on eggs, potatoes, etc!! This hot fried chicken looks epic!!!
I like Tabasco in my caesar drink.
Great- now I’m hungry!
Tabasco hamburgers
I love using it in Chili recipes!
EGGS, chili, spaghetti, bloody marys….the list goes on
YUM! My favorite recipe to use TABASCO sauce in is CHILI! 🙂 Shhh it is my secret ingredient!
Thanks!
Happy New year!
Email–> [email protected]
My favourite drink recipe is Ceasar’s. I love to add Tabasco to my omlets, onion, green pepper, ham, plus eggs, topped with a few drops of Tabasco for spice
your tabasco sauce is the secret ingredient i add to my turkey chili that everyone loves thanks for the great products!
i want Dave to make us fried chicken (hot or otherwise!) next time we’re in Toronto! It is almost impossible to find really good friend chicken in Vancouver and this made me drool, for real. I’m so hungry now!
I love adding Tabasco to our chili recipe. Cooking it on a slow cooker makes the flavour even more intense.
2 ozs vodka, 5 ozs clamoto juice, t healthy splash(4-5 shakes) tobasco sauce, celery stick iv a tall slim glass Happy New Year all myear around!
Classic Canadian Caesar! Or adding tobacco to homemade pho.
My husband loves Bloody Marys with a wack of Tabasco Sauce. Wakes you up in the dark winter.
I mostly use Tabasco Sauce in chili and in omelets, and in anything that needs a pick-me-up.
Hot wings!!
I use Tobaasco sauce in my Red Hot Chili Con Carne!
eggs steak, bloody Marys anything is better with Tabasco
I love spicy food what a great post and blog!
Macaroni a la McIlhenny. (Tabasco Twistaroni). My original and personal fave. Macaroni and shredded cheddar cheese with an egg, bacon bits, and a liberal dose of Tabasco original baked in a casserole with a panko crumbs crust. Classic comfort food with a bit of a bite. Ya gotta love it!
My favourite recipe is hot wings with Tabasco and butter sauce.
spicy tacos with tabasco sauce
Homemade Buffalo Chicken (eg. Wings, Fingers and Chicken Breast) using Tabasco and Butter. the spicier the better 🙂
I love Tabasco in my caesars, omelets, soups, & stews and especially with chicken.
Tabasco on eggs in a wrap – yum!
I love to put Tobasco Sauce in a lot of dishes especially my Chili…it flavours so divinely…hey Chili is a ranch hand dish but why not have it divine !!
my fave is Hawaiian Beeef, equal parts ground beef, pineapple tidbits and lidney beans with just enough tomato soup mix to moisten, then stir in a little mustard powder ant tabasco of coure, heat slowyt togethrer to meld the flavors.
My favorite recipe to use Tabasco Sauce is chili. My Mother puts it in her chocolate cake when she bakes one and it takes amazing.
We like to put a little splash in the gravy – it really adds a nice bite!
My favorite recipe to use Tabasco Sauce is chili. Always is a big hit!!
My favorite is cesar and we wanted them Christmas eve but I was out of tabasco once again. Everyone uses it but never say when they use the last. I think This new one I should hide it on them.
hi…we love tabasco in home made peanut butter cookies….people realy like them ..
Grilled Pork Chop T-Bones with Maple Chipotle Glaze. yummmy
My husband uses Tabasco in his caesars, and I also use it when I make him hot wings 🙂 Thanks for the chance.
love putting tabasco sauce on my mashed potatoes
Chili is my favorite Tabasco recipe
I actually use Tabasco sauce in my Caesar Salad 😉
I luv to put fine, quality & splendid tabasco sauce into tuna melt.
When we were kids I used this in everything. Macaroni, dipping grilled cheese, tacos, scrambled eggs, burgers, chili, pretty much anything that needed a bit of kick. I still keep a big bottle in the pantry for Caesars and mixing with shrimp sauce etc.
I use it in my Cajun meatballs
I love tabasco in chilie.
Tabasco is my secret and one of my favourite ingredients in many dishes – spaghetti sauce, curry, steak marinade, drinks, breakfast eggs etc!
My recipe for great burgers. Groudbeef( lean) 1 egg, some cracker crumbs, a few shots of Tabasco, a few shots of Worcestershire Sauce, Onion(optional) diced small, garlic salt(optional). make in to pattys..cook on BBQ. You might Freeze outside but the burgers are worth it 🙂
Tabasco in chili recipes.
My favorite recipe to use Tabasco Sauce is Tabasco hamburgers
TWITTER @demon1102
I put Tabasco on mac ‘n cheese!
I always make spicy chilli con carne and have to spice it up with tobasco.
We use Tabasco on our homemade Mexican panuchos! Delicious!
Tabasco in Sparerib sauce is great
I\am in the military and Tabasco makes any ration pack edible. When you gou on mission always pack a bottle
A few drops in a grilled cheese sandwich
my favorite is adding Tabasco sauce in our chili!
My favourite recipe and most requested drink Caesar Cocktail
1 1/2 oz vodka
fill with clamato juice
3 dashes Tabasco® sauce
3 dashes Worcestershire sauce
Line the rim of a glass with salt and pepper. Over ice, add vodka, fill with clamato juice, then add the remaining ingredients. Garnish with a celery stick. Add more tabasco sauce if desired.
A good shake in my homemade lentil soup is a must!
I use tabasco on my eggs!
When making an omelette I add Tabasco to give it that extra kick
My husband loves Tabasco in his eggs and I always add it to my chili!
Besos Sarah
Journeys of The Zoo
Nothing like a sack of fresh caught oysters from the dock, your favorite shucking knife and a bottle of TABASCO® original or my favorite flavour, smoky Chipolte to drizzle all over!!!
I like Tabasco in my caesar drink and with hamburgers!
I use it on almost everything. But my favorite is in my caesars.
We do a tabasco bbq sauce..and put extra in our caesars!
Love putting tobasco on my chicken wings
I love Tabasco sauce on eggs, macaroni & cheese and I also started putting some on popcorn! The mix of salty & spicy is delicious!
I love to adding tabasco to my chilli recipe.
I love Caesars and one of the main ingredients is Tabasco! Love it!
In eggs, in soup, in chilli. A little dash will do.
I use my Tabasco in Tequila Chilli Grilled Shrimp! Just the right amount of spice to make the shrimp pop and disappear!
Tobasco sauce is a must in my Caesars , and of course my Caesar salad dressing !
We use Tabasco in our chicken wing recipe mixed with creamy galic dressing.
I like mine in my eggs.
Tabasco has to be the only hot sauce for Caesars!
My favourite use for Tabasco is in my Caesar cocktail. I add dill pickle juice and together it makes for the best flavour.
We all love spicy foods! We add Tabasco to many dish, one of our favourite would be our Mexican rice dish,
I use the chipotle tabasco as a major ingredient in my omelettes. It gives it great flavor and a touch of heat.
Does a Caesar count? Because that is my favourite recipe to use Tabasco in! 😉
Normally I’d have Tabasco in my Caesars and on my wings but seeing that Nashville Hot Fried Chicken recipe I may just have a new favourite!
I make one of those premixed rices, cheddar and broccolli and then i add tobasco as it’s cooking. Gives it a nicer color and tangier taste!
Mild salsa is less expensive than hot salsa, so I just buy mild salsa and heat it up to taste with tabasco sauce.
We like Tabasco because its has the perfect taste of Hot & spicy!!
Tabasco sauce in my brother Max’s barbecued spare ribs recipe:
This recipe serves two.
The main ingredient
3 pounds pork side ribs (not back ribs)
Sauce
* 1 cup Heinz ketchup
* ½ cup water
* 2 garlic cloves crushed (don’t use garlic salt or garlic powder)
* 1 medium onion, chopped
* ¼ cup Soya sauce
* ½ cup maple syrup (in a pinch, liquid honey)
* 2 dashes Tabasco
* Several large splashes of Worcestershire sauce
* Salt, pepper & paprika
Put it all together
* Combine sauce ingredients in a suitable pot. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 30 minutes with the lid on but slightly askew to let steam escape. Stir often. Beware of caramelizing.
* Boil the ribs in water in a large pot for 35 minutes. Add a tablespoon of white vinegar.
* Place the boiled ribs on a medium-hot barbecue with the grill about 3” above the coal/flames
* Baste with the sauce, turning often.
* Cook 6 to 10 minutes.
* Cut into single ribs.
* Serve with lemon quarters.
You won’t need side dishes, but if you must, sweet coleslaw, beans and/or Spanish rice with a dash or two of Tabasco are fine.
I love that you shared a recipe! I know what I’m making next 🙂
Among the many things (everything) I use tobasco for….I use Tobaasco sauce for my hot wings.
My families fav. hot sauce is Tabasco.
Our fav. recipe is putting Tabasco
on scrambled eggs made with chopped,
onion and green peppers. Yummy.
Would love to snag this HOT SAUCE
i dont cook but my sister sure does. she is always comeing up with new to me dishes,
My absolute favorite tasting recipe to put Tobasco in is CAESARS!!! I also use Sriracha Vodka and add pickle juice to them. I make the best Caesars around! Or so I’m told 😉
Probably my favourite recipe is just putting Tabasco on everything.
My favorite recipe would be Spinach and Artichoke dip. Tabasco sauce adds just the right kick to make it nice and spicy!
Tabasco chips, and popcorn!!
Also tabasco cookies
I love Tabasco,sauce in my fried rice
I like to make a Christmas morning casserole with hot sauce in the egg mixture, and served with Tabasco hot sauce after baking (cheese, bread, and back bacon included).
If you have a cold coming on: use 1 oz of Canadian Club whiskey (or any whiskey), 1/2 cup hot water, 4-5 dashes of Tabasco, a dollop of butter, a tablespoon of honey and lemon juice to taste. Stir it all together and sip it up. You will clear your head and sleep well!
I love Tabasco in my soups , it is really good on fresh made Portuguese popsook ? their buns , with goat cheese and it splashed on it to give it a kick , of course since I love Vodka use it in there as well .
tabasco popcorn
I love Tobasco in my shrimp dip! Yum!
We use it for our honey garlic chicken wings, its a must have!
I love using Tobasco in breakfast burritos. I bought a bottle just for that purpose. Potato hashbrowns, eggs, bacon, and cheese in a wrap along with tobasco. MMMMM.
I use it on my scrambled eggs!
I will only use Tabasco hot sauce to make my Bloody Caesar.
Tabasco is by far the best; I use for everything, soups,drinks,steak.and eggs.
Ceaser drinks hands down favourite recipe
I add Tabasco to a lot of dishes, but my favourite is plain scrambled eggs (eggs, grated aged cheddar, tabasco). I also add ketchup and some sweet Thai chili sauce.
I love Tabasco on my home fries or in a buffalo chicken dip
Hard time deciding between Tabasco burgers. Or my Tabasco chilli
I like to add Tabasco Sauce into a fresh pot of Chili.
My favorite recipe using Tabasco is Grilled Chipotle Shrimp Lollipops.
I add tobasco to quite a few things.. chilli and gravy etc.. Love it in the chilli. Nashville Hot Fried Chicken Recipe looks amazing though!
We like to use Tabasco on our Oysters. Grilled in the shell with spinach, provolone cheese and a couple of drops of tabasco when they are ready to come off – heaven!!
My favourite use is in a Caesar but I do enjoy Tobasco on eggs.
I put sunflower seeds, parmesan cheese, basil leaves, lemon juice, and olive oil in my food processor, add a large dollop of tabasco and then mix it in with hot pasta for a delicious spicy pesto dish. So good.
I like Tabasco in my Bloody Ceasars
I like Tobasco on everything!
My house loves Tabasco and our recipes are simple…we put that on everything 🙂 Some of my favorites are when I eat chicken I mix Tabasco and vinegar and use it to dip and when I make scrambled eggs I put a few drops in and it gives a nice kick and a great way to start the day 🙂 Happy New Year!!
I use tabasco in a recipe I call hot and spicy chicken. Tabasco for the heat and I cook chicken with garlic, tomatoes and peppers. Served with my favorite pasta.
Just made chicken and waffles with Tabasco!
This looks so great, I’m going to have to try the recipe because we love spicy food and hot sauce in our house! I think I’ll add Nashville to my travel wish list too!
I love the Smokey Grilled Wings with Chipotle Honey Butter and Blue Cheese recipe on the Tabasco site ! It is so good !
Buffalo Chicken Wings!
I make an appetizer that is bacon wrapped water chestnuts marinated in brown sugar, soy sauce & a hint of Tabasco. Yum!
Ring a glass with celery salt and add three dashes of Tabasco and two dashes of Worstshire sauce. Fill with clamato! Yummy Casears!
Wait a second. JUST WAIT ONE SECOND HERE. You are part of the Loka team??? How did I miss this? Pete and I went to Loka when we were in Toronto in September! OH my goodness! Super excited by this! (We loved it!)
PS Nashville fried chicken looks fabulous!
I add some bite to my chili with tabasco.
Chicken with Tabasco Sauce…I love heat and I love chicken..win, win…
Tabasco in my Chili is a must!
Chicken wings with Tabasco Sauce
Our favorite Tabasco recipe is to use for Grilled Hot Wings. Fry naked wings, toss in Tabasco and Butter sauce, then grill to perfection.
I love putting Tabasco on my eggs. No real recipe,,just friend eggs,hashbrowns and toast!
I’m all about using some tabasco in any marinade for extra flavour, especially when i bbq. whether its hot wings or short ribs it goes great!
In my family the boys are addicted to tabasco so when on vacation (just now I have to make sure we stock up). This Nashville hot fried chicken sounds awesome & I can see myself cooking it up for them.
My favourite is taking left over shredded pork or shredded chicken. I put the chicken or pork in a frying pan with a little bit of oil, 1/2 cup of maple syrup and about 10 shakes of tabasco. I cook the chicken or pork until the syrup/tabasco sauce reduces and candies the meat. Serve with rice. It’s the best.
My favorite recipe to use Tabasco sauce is stir-fry recipes.
Looks like an excellent recipe, some spice but not so much you don’t enjoy it
I love putting Tabasco on everything especially when making my pho noodles! Instead of thai chillis, I put a few drops of Tabasco sauce to kick it up a notch.
I use Tabasco quite often when I’m preparing meals; one of my favourite homemade recipes that I use it for is Chili.
i love this pasta dish that i make
it has bacon, onions, chicken, cream of mushroom soup and Tabasco
its so yummy!!
Hot Potato
Mini potatoes, scrubbed well, toss in mixing bowl with 2 tablespoons tabasco, freshly ground black pepper, salt, garlic powder. Then wrap each potato in one piece of bacon, wrapping well and using toothpick to keep in place. Place on backing sheet and bake for approx 1 hour at 325, broiling for last few minutes. 1/2 way through baking, pull out of oven, place a few tablespoons of hot water in mixing bowl with remnants of Tabasco, swirl around or use spoon to mix, drizzle this over potatoes and pop back in oven.
These are delicious! Enjoy!
I love making a
Spicy crab cheese dip in my slowcooker using Tabasco sauce
i aint a cook i just put it on popcorn
Ive never cooked with it…You learn something new everyday. I usually put the tabasco sauce on my food after cooking for the heat and spice. I also mix it with mayonnaise or ranch as a dipping sauce for Fries, fry chicken or pizza.
My favourite recipe with tabasco is my homemade chili.
I love to use Tabasco Chipotle with my home-smoked pulled pork!
I add hot sauce to eggs,tomatoe juice,chili.Goes really well in Cuban black bean soup!
My favourite recipe using Tabasco is our suicide wings, we love our wings hot
I like to add tabasco sauce to grilled cheese sandwiches 🙂
We put it in our chili recipe! It’s so good!
i love tabasco in any caesar i have!
I love it on baked chicken!
We’re not fancy…we love it on wings, mixed up with some butter!
our favorite recipe is chicken wings with Tabasco – a family favorite 🙂
I always use Tabasco in my guacamole. It gives just the perfect amount of heat and spice. Yummy!
A dash of Tabassco in my beef stew and dumplings makes it so yummy and unique …the family loves it.
I add it to my cheese/nacho dip for that necessary-or-else-its-not-worth-it kick. I dont really have set numbers for my dip, but it involves cream cheese, shredded cheddar, jalepenos, green onion, diced tomatos, and tabasco.
I love to make Ceasars, Tabasco is an obvious staple in my favourite drink.
We do a shrimp & sausage boil with potatoes & corn a couple times a month & it would suck without Tabasco!
I add Tobasco to my salad dressing before throwing it on my salad.
I enjoy having tobacco in ceasers, it is my favourite drink, and adding tobacco makes it much better.
My favourite recipe is tobacco on my eggs for a nice punch of taste.
Red Hot Chicken Wings are our favorite !!!
My favourite receipe using Tobasco is a bloody mary 😉
My favorite recipe with TABASCO sauce would be lentil soup!
We use Tabasco when we make chili to give that extra little ‘kick’!
We use it in Chili, tacos, Burritos and so many other things.
Very fantastic post. I love to eat spicy foods. This looks yum I have to try this at home. Nashville hot fried chicken sounds delicious. Thanks for this detailed post. Loved it:)
My favourite recipe is spicy shrimp with tabasco and ginger
good old Caesar’s!
I always use Tabasco in my home-made hamburgers!
What a great idea!
My husband likes to add Tabasco to soups and also to scrambled eggs!
My favourite recipe using Tabasco is Chili Con Carne.
I make homemade burgers with chopped onions, garlic and a few splashes of Tabasco sauce.
I make a great roasted vegetable soup, but it would not be complete without a dash of Tabasco