Not for the faint of palate, Nashville-style hot chicken packs a deliciously spicy punch. You can use a Dutch oven or large cast iron pan to fry this treat over your grill, with the help of vegetable oil and a deep-fry thermometer. The result is crispy-crunchy chicken, which we then baste in a very spicy sauce. Just make sure to have plenty of white bread or rolls and pickles for serving!
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PREP TIME3 min - 8 min
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COOK TIME16 min
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TOTAL TIME24 min
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SERVES4
Ingredients
- 4 chicken breasts, halved
- ½ tbsp. black pepper
- 3 tbsp. salt
- 1 egg
- 1 cup buttermilk
- ¼ cup pickle brine
- 1 tbsp. vinegar-based hot sauce
- 2 cups flour
- 3 tbsp. cayenne pepper
- 1 tbsp. brown sugar
- ½ tsp. chili powder
- ½ tsp. garlic powder
- ½ tsp. paprika
- White bread or rolls
- Pickle chips
- Vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- Dry brine the chicken by sprinkling with about 1 ½ tbsp. salt and ½ tbsp. pepper, both sides, then chill in the refrigerator for 3 hours to overnight.
- In one bowl, whisk together eggs, buttermilk, pickle brine and hot sauce. In another bowl, whisk together flour and the remaining salt.
- Place cooking oil in a Dutch oven or large cast iron frying pan, so it’s about 1 inch deep. Heat to 325 degrees over one burner of your grill. Hint: keep one burner off, so you can move the pan off the direct heat if it needs to cool to maintain 325-degree temperature.
- While oil is heating, bread your chicken by dipping in flour mixture, then egg mixture, then flour mixture again until well-coated.
- Fry the chicken in batches, about 7-8 minutes per side or until golden-brown, with the lid of your grill closed. Use a meat thermometer to ensure each piece is safely cooked to 160 degrees internally (for white meat.) Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
- In a bowl, whisk together cayenne, brown sugar, chili powder, garlic powder and paprika. Once combined, whisk in about ½ cup vegetable oil. Brush chicken on both sides with the spicy mixture.
- Serve with pickles and white bread or rolls, plus coleslaw if desired.