Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich Recipe

This Nashville Fried Chicken Sandwich features juicy buttermilk-marinated chicken coated in an extra crispy crust, brushed with a rich buttery Nashville hot sauce, and piled onto a toasted brioche bun with creamy mayo and crunchy pickles. It's the perfect homemade spicy chicken sandwich that's packed with bold Southern flavor.

Course dinner, Main Course

Cuisine American, Southern

Keyword chicken sandwich, fried chicken, Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich, southern

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 20

Marinating Time 4

Servings Servings

Calories 1183kcal

Author Bon Appeteach

Ingredients

For The Chicken Marinade

4 Chicken Breasts or Thighs
2 cups Buttermilk
1 Egg
2 tbsp Dill Pickle Juice
1 tbsp Hot Sauce
1 tbsp Nashville Hot Seasoning
1 tsp Kosher Salt

Crispy Breaded Coating

2 cups Flour
1/2 cup Cornstarch
2 tbsp Nashville Hot Seasoning
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Kosher Salt
Oil for frying

Nashville Butter Sauce

1/2 cup Butter
2 tbsp Nashville Hot Seasoning
1 tbsp Honey

For the Sandwcihes

4 Brioche Buns
1/2 cup Mayo
16 Dill Pickles
2 cups Dill Pickle Coleslaw

Instructions

Marinating the Nashville Hot Chicken

In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg, pickle juice, hot sauce, Nashville dry rub, and salt.
Add the chicken and coat well. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Breading the Nashville Hot Chicken

In a shallow dish, combine the flour, cornstarch, Nashville dry rub, baking powder, and salt.
Remove each piece of chicken from the marinade, allowing the excess to drip off. Press firmly into the flour mixture until fully coated.
Let the breaded chicken rest on a wire rack for 10-15 minutes. For an extra crispy crust, dip it back into the flour mixture for a second coating.

Frying the Nashville Hot Chicken

Preheat the oil in a large pot.
Fry the chicken for 6-8 minutes per piece, flipping halfway through if needed, until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165°F.
Transfer the chicken to a wire rack to drain while preparing the sauce.

Making the Nashville Hot Sauce

In a heatproof bowl, whisk together the melted butter, Nashville hot seasoning and honey until smooth.
Brush the hot butter sauce generously over both sides of each piece of fried chicken.

Assembling the Sandwich

Spread mayonnaise on both halves of each bun. Add the Nashville fried chicken and top with dill pickle slices. Add lettuce or coleslaw if desired before serving.

Notes

Cornstarch helps create a lighter, crispier crust.
Letting the breaded chicken rest before frying helps the coating stick and reduces blow-off in the oil.
Brushing on the Nashville butter sauce instead of dunking the chicken keeps the crust crispy while adding plenty of flavor.

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