Description
A spicy and flavorful Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich featuring perfectly fried chicken cutlets coated in a fiery cayenne sauce, served on toasted buns with creamy mayonnaise, tangy coleslaw, and crunchy pickles. This recipe delivers a perfect balance of heat, sweetness, and crunch for an authentic Southern experience.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Marinade
- 2 medium chicken breasts
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
Dredging Mixture
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon cayenne powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Frying and Sauce
- ½ cup frying oil
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon cayenne powder
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
Assembly
- 4 burger buns (buttered and toasted)
- coleslaw (to taste)
- mayonnaise (to taste)
- pickles (to taste)
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken: Slice the medium chicken breasts into cutlets of even thickness and season them lightly with salt and pepper to enhance flavor.
- Make the marinade: Whisk together the buttermilk and hot sauce in a bowl to create a spicy marinade for the chicken.
- Mix the dredging flour: In a separate bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, cayenne powder, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper evenly to form the dry coating mixture.
- Dredge the chicken: Coat each chicken cutlet first with the flour mixture, then dip it into the buttermilk marinade, and again dredge it in the flour mixture for a double coating to ensure crispiness.
- Fry the chicken: Heat the frying oil in a pan over medium-high heat to reach 350ºF. Fry the coated chicken pieces until they turn golden brown and reach an internal temperature of 165ºF, ensuring they are cooked through and juicy.
- Prepare the Nashville hot sauce: Carefully remove hot oil from frying the chicken and mix it with brown sugar, cayenne powder, chili powder, smoked paprika, and garlic powder to create the signature fiery Nashville hot sauce.
- Assemble the sandwiches: Spread mayonnaise on the buttered and toasted burger buns, layer in the fried chicken coated with the hot sauce, then top with coleslaw and pickles for added texture and flavor. Serve immediately.
Notes
- For extra heat, increase the cayenne powder in the hot sauce mixture.
- Use a thermometer to monitor oil temperature carefully to avoid greasy or undercooked chicken.
- Buttermilk adds tenderness and moisture, so do not skip the marinating step.
- Serve with a side of fries or potato chips for a complete meal.
- Leftover hot sauce can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week.
