Recipes /

Nashville Hot Fried Chicken

Get ready to try your hand at Nashville’s most famous fried chicken dish with our Nashville Hot Fried Chicken. While the exact origins of the Nashville Hot Chicken dish aren’t confirmed, it’s rumored to have been the result of a failed attempt of an angry girlfriend to get revenge on her unfaithful boyfriend in the form of chicken by pouring a large amount of hot pepper onto the fried chicken that she prepared for him. Her boyfriend, Thornton Prince, would later become the founder of a widely successful restaurant inspired by the spicy dish she created that, to her surprise, he very much loved. Over 80 years later, the restaurant, Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack, is still in business and Nashville Hot Chicken remains a Nashville specialty.

Our Nashville fried chicken recipe features the Nashville Hot Chicken Seasoning, a balance of spicy, sweet, and savory flavors created through the combination of cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, and a medley of herbs and spices that make this blend shine. This delicious authentic tasting chicken is a simple and fun way to bring the Tennessee-favorite into your home for the whole family to love.

Curious Spoon Culinary Team
Difficulty:
Easy
Prep Time:
10 minutes
Cook Time:
20 minutes
Total Time:

Ingredients

Yield 4
  • 1 whole Chicken, cut into 8 pieces
  • 1 cup All-Purpose Flour
  • 2 tbsp. Curious Spoon Nashville Hot Chicken Seasoning
  • 1/2 cup Neutral Oil, for frying

From the Kitchen

  • Knife
  • Cutting Board
  • Large Mixing Bowl
  • Heavy Bottom, Deep Pan or Dutch Oven
  • Heat Resistant Bowl or Container
  • Ladle

Notes from the Chef:

To make this even spicier, once chicken is tossed in oil, sprinkle a little more seasoning on the chicken, and voila – extra Nashville heat!

Make it a meal:
Serve with smoky baked beans and creamy mac and cheese.
Pairs well with:
Pairs well with sweet tea.
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Directions:
  1. 1

    Prep all ingredients.

  2. 2

    Mix flour with 1/2 tbsp Nashville Hot Chicken Seasoning in large mixing bowl. Toss chicken pieces with flour mixture until thoroughly coated. Shake off excess flour.

  3. 3

    Heat 8-10 tbsp. neutral oil (vegetable, canola, or peanut) in deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Once oil starts to shimmer (or reaches 350 F), add flour coated chicken pieces ensuring the pan is not overcrowded. Add extra oil if needed. Fry for 8-10 minutes until breading is golden to light brown. Flip pieces over and cook for another 10-12 minutes until chicken is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165 F.

  4. 4

    Remove chicken from oil once cooked and reserve hot oil.

  5. 5

    In a heat resistant bowl or container, add remaining 1-1/2 tbsp. Curious Spoon Nashville Hot Chicken Seasoning. Ladle some hot oil into bowl or container with seasoning and mix. Toss chicken with hot, seasoned oil until coated. Serve immediately.