Mom's Best Recipes
Recipe

Comforting Nashville Hot Chicken

Crispy fried chicken with a spiced, aromatic hot oil that hits smoky, sweet, and cayenne-warm, plus a quick tangy pickle moment to keep every bite balanced.

Author By Matt Campbell
4.8
A real photograph of crispy Nashville hot chicken pieces on a white plate with pickle chips and sliced white bread, glistening with red spicy oil
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If you have ever wanted dinner to feel like a warm hug and a playful slap on the back at the same time, Nashville hot chicken is your move. It is crunchy, juicy, and unapologetically spicy, but it is also deeply comforting in that old-school fried chicken way. The trick is not just heat. It is fragrant heat, built from toasted spices bloomed in hot oil, then brushed over crackly chicken so every ridge and edge gets the good stuff.

This version keeps ingredients accessible and the steps clear. We are going to brine in buttermilk for tenderness, dredge for crisp edges, fry with confidence, then finish with that signature cayenne-spiked oil. Serve it with pickles and soft bread, and suddenly you are very busy not sharing.

A real photograph of a cast iron skillet with red spiced oil and a brush resting on the edge

Why It Works

  • Juicy chicken, not dry. A buttermilk brine tenderizes and seasons the meat all the way through.
  • Shatter-crisp crust. A seasoned flour and cornstarch dredge plus a quick rest helps the coating cling and fry up craggy.
  • Spiced and aromatic, not just hot. Blooming cayenne, paprika, garlic, and brown sugar in hot oil creates that classic Nashville aroma and deep red sheen.
  • Balanced bite. Pickles, optional slaw, and soft bread cut through the richness and keep the heat fun.

Pairs Well With

  • A real photograph of creamy coleslaw in a white bowl with a spoon

    Quick Creamy Coleslaw

  • A real photograph of cast iron skillet cornbread with a golden top

    Skillet Cornbread

  • A real photograph of dill pickle chips in a small glass bowl

    Garlic Dill Pickles

  • A real photograph of fluffy mashed potatoes with gravy in a bowl

    Mashed Potatoes and Gravy

Storage Tips

Best rule: store the chicken and the hot oil separately if you can. The coating stays crisp longer, and you control the heat when reheating.

Fridge

  • Fried chicken: Cool completely, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. If possible, line with paper towels and do not stack too tightly.
  • Nashville hot oil: Store in a small jar up to 1 week. It will solidify. That is normal.

Reheat for crisp edges

  • Oven: 400°F on a wire rack over a sheet pan, 12 to 18 minutes until hot and crunchy.
  • Air fryer: 375°F for 6 to 10 minutes, flipping once.
  • Hot oil: Warm just until fluid, then brush on after reheating.

Freezer (works, but not perfect)

  • Freeze fried chicken on a sheet pan until firm, then bag it up for up to 2 months. Reheat from frozen at 400°F for 20 to 25 minutes. Brush with hot oil at the end.

Common Questions

How spicy is Nashville hot chicken?

It depends on your cayenne. For a medium heat that still feels like Nashville, start with 1 tablespoon cayenne in the hot oil. For hot-hot, go 2 tablespoons. For mild, drop to 1 to 2 teaspoons and lean on paprika for color and flavor.

Can I bake it instead of frying?

You can, but it will not be the same kind of crunch. For the best baked version, place dredged chicken on a wire rack, spray generously with oil, then bake at 425°F until 165°F internal, about 25 to 35 minutes depending on cut. Brush with the hot oil right after baking.

What oil is best for frying?

Use a neutral, high-heat oil like peanut, canola, or vegetable oil. Avoid olive oil here.

How do I know the chicken is done without cutting it open?

A thermometer makes this stress-free. Dark meat is happiest at 170°F to 175°F. Breast meat is done at 165°F. Pull it, rest it, then sauce it.

Why did my breading fall off?

Usually one of these: oil was not hot enough, chicken went straight from wet to flour without pressing, or it went into the fryer immediately. Press the dredge on firmly and let the coated chicken rest 10 minutes before frying so the flour hydrates and bonds.

Why start the oil hotter than 325°F?

Because cold chicken drops the oil temp fast. Preheating to 350°F to 360°F helps you land in the sweet spot of 325°F to 340°F once the chicken goes in, which keeps the crust crisp instead of greasy.

The first time I made Nashville hot chicken at home, I treated the spicy oil like an optional accessory. Big mistake. The whole point is that warm, cinnamon-and-cayenne perfume that hits your face before the first bite. Now I do it like a ritual: chicken resting on the rack, oil hot, spices ready in a bowl, kitchen smelling like a barbecue joint that also has opinions. It is a little chaotic, a little messy, and exactly the kind of dinner that makes people hover near the stove and “taste test” until it is suddenly time to fry another batch.