Eat it in Nashville or make it at home. Either way, Nashville Hot Chicken is fiery, spicy, crispy, burn-your-tongue-but-can’t-stop-yourself, eat-it-’til-your-buttons-pop good!
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I love fried chicken. I don’t eat it often, but I love it. Back when I was a kid, my BFF’s Gramma Barbara kind of adopted me. She was fun and irreverent, and to this day I love her like my own. Anyway, Grandma B made ⋆ THE BEST ⋆ southern fried chicken I’ve ever eaten, or ever hope to eat, in my life. Tender, juicy, crispy, and seasoned just right, Gramma B’s chicken was so finger-licking delicious that it tasted like it had been fried up in heaven. It was Perfect.
Gramma B will be 95 in a few weeks, so she’s not cooking much these days. Here she is standing the kitchen where she made the last batch of her heavenly fried chicken.
Gramma Barbara tried to teach me to make fried chicken a couple of times, and I think I got the basics down fine, but I could never make it quite as good as she did. I don’t know if was her skillet, or the lard (of course it was the lard) or some other sublime combination of environmental and mystical factors, but her fried chicken was absolutely divine and mine was, at best, pretty darn good.
In my quest to scratch my fried chicken itch, I’ve ordered fried chicken at nearly every place in Portland that serves it, and while some turn out a very decent plate, not even Screen Door – Portland’s refined Southern restaurant and brunch mecca, where the lines go around the block and the chicken and waffles are stacked to the ceiling – not even that rings that elusive Gramma B-worthy, chicken-fried bell for me. There’s always something missing.
Then we went to Tennessee. Hattie B’s Nashville Hot Chicken is literally the first chicken I’ve eaten in at least twenty years that even comes close to Grandma B’s fried chicken – with one important caveat: instead tasting like chicken sent from heaven, it tastes more like the devil himself cooked up a batch of fried chicken on his day off. It’s fiery, spicy, crispy, burn-your-tongue-but-can’t-stop-yourself, eat-it-’til-your-buttons-pop good. It is heaven and hell in a one transcendent bite.
⋆ If you love Spicy and Fried Chicken, are traveling through Nashville, and can only eat one meal, make it THIS ⋆
Nashville Hot Chicken is a hyper-regional specialty with a long, colorful, sordid history involving a philandering man, a jealous woman hell-bent on revenge, and a whole lot ‘a hot pepper juice. It is a finely-woven tale that I simply can’t do justice and still keep this post under a couple thousand words, so I’m not even going to try. (Plus, I don’t need to, because The Bitter Southerner has done a bang-up job telling the story for us: when you have a minute or ten, I strongly encourage you to read this great post about how Nashville Hot Chicken really came be!)
While Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack is the acknowledged home of the original Nashville Hot Chicken, when we were in town, we opted to go to relative newcomer Hattie B’s Hot Chicken instead. Reviews said that the lines can get really long here (at the west Nashville location) but we arrived relatively late for a weekday – around 8:30 pm – and had hardly any wait at all.
We ordered two small plates (which turned out to be a ton of food!). Each plate came with a chicken quarter (dark meat for Mr B, light for me) and two sides. Mr B got baked beans and I ordered the potato salad, and we both got coleslaw. Our chicken arrived very quickly, stacked in a basket between the traditional slice of white bread, topped with a dill pickle. It only took me one bite to know that Hattie B’s Hot Chicken was absolutely amazing. Possibly addictive.
I needed that recipe.
When we got back to Oregon our hotel room (like I waited until we went home 😉 ), one of the first things I did was search to see what I could find on Hot Chicken, and was absolutely thrilled to find Hattie B’s recipe right here, in Lee Brian Schrager’s cookbook Fried & True: More than 50 Recipes for America’s Best Fried Chicken and Sides. Well, you can bet that it took me less than a Tennessee minute to order it.(Which, come to think of it, is probably substantially longer than a New York minute, but still…)
When my copy of Fried & True arrived, I opened it to find the pages bursting with great recipes, valuable tips and cooking methods, personal stories, and a true love of fried chicken.
⋆ If you love Spicy and Fried Chicken and can only make one meal, make it THIS ⋆
Total props and credit for this Hattie B’s Nashville Hot Chicken recipe go to Fried & True author Lee Brian Schrager. The ingredients list in the recipe below come directly from the book; however, the directions have been rewritten.
After the fry, you have the wet application. I take some soybean oil from the fryer, get it really hot, and add the dry rub into that fat. The heat activates all the spices. You want it hot enough that when you baste it over the fried chicken, the skin stays nice and crispy.
Matt Duckor, The Secret Behind Hattie B’s Legendary Hot Chicken
Note that the following recipe is gauged as Medium Hot. Adjust spices according to your own tastes.
Hattie B's Nashville Hot Chicken {Recipe}
Ingredients
For the Dry Brine
- 1 whole chicken 3 pounds, washed, patted dry, and cut into quarters
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
For the Dip
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon Louisiana-style hot sauce
For the Dredge
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons sea salt
- Vegetable oil for frying
For the Spicy Coating
- 1/2 hot frying oil or hot lard
- 3 tablespoons cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Garnish
- Dill pickle slices
- White bread optional
Instructions
Step 1: The Dry-Brine
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In a medium bowl, toss together the chicken pieces, salt, and pepper. Cover and refrigerate overnight. (Up to 24 hours)
Step 2: The Dip & Dredge
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Whisk together the milk, eggs, and hot sauce in a medium bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the four and salt.
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Drag the chicken through the flour mixture, coating evenly. Dip the floured chicken in the milk mixture, and then once again in the flour mixture. Shake off exceess between each step.
Step 3: The Fry
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Heat vegetable oil in a deep skillet or deep fryer until it is between 350° - 375° F. The oil needs to be deep enough for the chicken to fully submerge.
-
The temperature will drop when you add the chicken. Keep the oil at 300° to 325° F while the chicken fries. (See NOTES)
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Working in batches, use tongs to carefully add the chicken to the hot oil and fry until crispy. (15-17 minutes for breast quarters; 18-20 minutes for leg quarters.) Remove chicken from oil and allow to drain on wire rack.
Step 4: The Spicy Coating
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Ladle hot frying oil into a heatproof bowl. Whisk in cayenne, brown sugar, and spices. Baste the spice mixture over the hot fried chicken.
Step 5: The Serve
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If you want to go traditional, serve your Hot Chicken up over a slice of white bread. Garnish with dill pickle slices.
Recipe Notes
IMPORTANT: The oil needs to maintain an optimal temperature of 325° while the chicken is frying. However, the oil temp will drop at least 25° when you add the chicken, so initially you need to heat the oil up to about 350°.
It’s important to maintain the correct temperature for frying chicken of 325° F. If the temperature of oil in the pan drops down below 300°, the chicken will begin to absorb the cooking oil, resulting in greasy, soggy chicken. If it rises above about 340°, the chicken will cook too quickly on the outside, and not get done in the middle. When fried at the correct temperature, the chicken will come out golden brown, having absorbed very little oil.
You can read more about Nashville Hot Chicken’s rough and tumble history, and get some great recipes in the deal in Hot Chicken Cookbook: The Fiery History & Red-Hot Recipes of Nashville’s Beloved Bird.
What is something that your parents or grandparents cooked in your childhood that you miss now? Let me know in the comments.
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I have actually been to Screen Door in Portland! I loved it. I’m not too surprised you found better fried chicken in Tennessee. Portland has all that hip vegan food. Although I’m sure there are lots of good local meats as well.
We have definitely have some amazing, carnivore-friendly places, too!
mom’s homemade pizza.
I have a soft spot in my belly for old-fashion ’70s school pizza, of all things!
Love Hattie B’s. Thanks for this!!!
I totally cannot do super hot foods, but my hubby would LOVE this recipe. Nashville is also such an amazing place to visit.
That looks awesome and you have a recipe! Really funny but a hot chicken is somethig completely different where I am from: hot whote bread sanwich with shredded chicken topped with a gravy, green peas on the side.
I miss my Grandma’s pies the most – peach and apple. The fruit was from their orchard.
My grandmother made the best lemon meringue pie I have ever had and I really wish I had gotten the recipe before she passed on.
I totally understand. It’s so sad when those family recipes get lost to time.
My grandparents were Italian descent and my grandma always made homemade noodles for spaghetti dishes and soups…Her pasta was the best!
dumplings
Homemade creamed corn. OMG! Delish!
We all love spicy food and chicken here! But I am not sure if I could handle this one, lol! I would love to try this so yummy recipe 🙂
Oh my gosh YES! I love hot stuff, and this chicken looks scrumptious. I need to make this.
Chicken pot pie! OMG so good. Oh and chicken and dumplings.
OMGosh! My good friend Mike is traveling in Nashville right now! He’s been posting up awesome food pics like yours here and I am craving all the deliciousness of that gorgeous area. Thank you so much for sharing this Hot Chicken Recipe. It looks finger-licking good!
old fashioned spaghetti n meatballz
My Dad made some kind of salmon casserole that I liked, but I don’t remember enough about it to duplicate it
My grandmother used to make the most delicious potato croquettes.
banana pancakes
My grandmas’ fried egg sandwiches!
I like fried chicken.And I know it is awesomely delicious when it is fried,crispy and hot because I like spicy and hot food.Thanks for sharing all these details and recipe.I’ll try this chicken recipe at home…
My grandma used to make a pastry with honey and crumble on top. Both my mom and grandma have passed away and I don’t have a recipe to make it:(
This looks delicious if I find myself in the area I will stop by for sure.
OMG this recipe is the best.. I wish I could taste grandnie’s chicken made by her.. Definitely gonna drop by if I have the chance.
My grandma’s fried rice!
My grandmother made the best huckleberry pie back in 1975 ! I sure wish I could have another!
As a kid now grown up I miss my grandma’s homemade pies, jams and jellies…also her fried chicken with baked potato on the side.
I miss my mother’s Christmas cookies. Her recipes are written in German, and she doesn’t know how to translate them over; and other people probably couldn’t read them.
I love spicy good and hot chicken is one of my favorite. This recipe sounds delicious.
My mouth is watering with that chicken! It looks so delicious! My husband loves Nashville hot chicken recipes.
Fried chicken is so delicious, I would love to try these places out. I love the story of Gramma B I think it’s so sweet you were close to her like that.
Your photos make me want some fried chicken they look so delicious. Fried chicken is one of those comfort foods you can’t go wrong with.
I miss my grandfathers pierogis!!
I miss playing with love crabs in sink when I was a kid for ginger crabs
okay, this is the third blog post I’m looking at this morning that involves food and now I’m going to absolutely head out and get some lunch. Guess what I’m going to eat? That’s right! Chicken…haha. I’m entering the giveaway too. Hope I win. *fingers crossed*
I miss the many kinds of labor intensive Christmas cookies that my mother made each year. She baked every weekend in December in preparation. I make a few kinds, but not nearly the assortment she made. So good!
I love Nashville Fried Chicken for the flavors though I find it very messy so I’m torn because I think it’s too much work to make myself and I’d like to leave it to the experts but then I’m not sure I want to eat it with people seeing me…
Well Hello Hattie and your sublime chicken! Snipping this recipe immediately for my cookbook!
Katja xxx
http://www.katnapped.com
A Sunday dinner staple was my mom’s homemade bread.
I loved when my mom would make her homemade butter rolls. They were the best.
Grandmas empanadas were the best! I have tried others but hers are always on top.
Chicken hearts,onions, green peppers ,mushroom soup and rice casserole.
My grandma used to make fried matzah. It was so good!!!
My granmothers’ pierogi.
My grandmother made the best peanut butter fudge
My mom used to make a brown sugar candy that we loved but it’s not too often she makes it anymore.
My Grandmother made the best gravy and biscuits from scratch!
my mom showed me how to make pancake when I was 7 years old
I miss my Grams’ homemade chicken and dumplings! They were the best! I always looked forward to her cooking them.
I miss my Grandma’s cast iron fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and gravy!!!~
i miss my dad’s peach cobbler. it is so good.
I so get that, Susan. My mom made great peach cobbler, too.
apple pie, she made the best
My grandpa made me a cherry cake.
My grandpa would make a leftover soup.
I miss my mom’s homemade pancakes.
I miss my mom’s German Apple Cake & Plum Cake that she made for us
I miss Grandma’s Paczki!
My grandmother made a beef barley shop that I have been trying to replicate for YEARS.
My mom made the best brisket ever!
My grandma made delicious homemade spaghetti and meatballs!
There was always the fried liver and onions with greens and potatoes. But my favorite meal growing up was
spicy fried chicken with vegetables, salad, biscuits and gravy or biscuits and honey, pie and lots of cold milk to wash everything down properly. Hattie B’s chicken sounds just right.
Homemade pizza.
I miss my grandmothers homemade clam chowder. It warmed you up on cold winter nights in Maine.
My gram’s tomato noodle soup…I have no idea how she did it and I have such a craving for it now
I miss the old fashioned flapjacks they made from rising bread dough.
I miss my grandma’s sloppy joes. Great memories.
I miss my grandma’s apple pie.
My grandmother made the best cupcakes!
Homemade pasta.
turnip cakes
That’s a new one to me, Lily. 🙂
It’s a dim sum dish. =)
I also miss fried chicken. I also miss fried peas that I used to have.
I miss both of my grandmothers’ cooking, biscuits, stew beef, etc. I also now miss my mother’s cooking, fried chicken especially, but she’s too old to do so anymore.
If you think Hattie B’s is good, you should have went to Prince’s! There is NO comparison to the original. This from a Nashvillian!