Nashville Hot Chicken

Name: Nashville Hot Chicken
Prep time: 275 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 300 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Sandwich
Ingredients: 4 bone-in chicken thighs or 4 boneless thighs; 2 cups buttermilk; 2 tbsp hot sauce; 1 tbsp kosher salt, divided; 2 cups all-purpose flour; 1 tsp black pepper; 1 tsp paprika; 1/2 tsp garlic powder; Neutral oil, for frying; For hot paste: 1/2 cup hot frying oil, 2-4 tbsp cayenne, 1 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp kosher salt; 8 slices plain white bread; Dill pickle chips; Buttermilk ranch, optional, on the side

Buttermilk-brined thigh, cayenne-lacquered, on white bread with pickles.

Prep: 275 min
Cook: 25 min
Total: 300 min
Yield: 4 servings
Difficulty: hard

Times include any resting, chilling, or marinating Scale the servings below Cooked in the test kitchen

Method

01
Marinate chicken in buttermilk, hot sauce, and half the salt for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.
02
Mix flour, remaining salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic powder. Dredge chicken firmly, dip briefly back into buttermilk, and dredge again for a craggy crust.
03
Fry at 325-340°F (165-170°C), turning as needed, until deeply crisp and the thickest part reaches 165°F (74°C): about 12 to 15 minutes for bone-in thighs or 7 to 9 minutes for boneless thighs.
04
Whisk the hot-paste ingredients with 1/2 cup hot frying oil. Brush or spoon generously over the freshly fried chicken.
05
Serve over white bread with dill pickles. Offer ranch on the side rather than dressing the chicken.
06
Tip: Adjust cayenne carefully; authentic Nashville hot chicken can be extremely spicy.