Nashville Hot Chicken
Curing process:
8 chicken thigh fillets
Salt generously.
Dredge:
3 cups plain flour
3 tsp kosher salt
Buttermilk Dip:
2 large eggs
2 cups buttermilk (see note 1)
2 Tbsp hot sauce
2 Tbsp pickle juice
Hot Oil Spices:
1 cup hot oil
4 Tbsp cayenne chilli powder
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp smoked paprika
2 tsp kosher salt
2 Tbsp dark brown sugar
To serve:
Brioche buns or bread rolls (user preference).
Coleslaw, or any other chosen side dishes.
A whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces.
A Rabbit, cut into 6 pieces.
Pot (for frying)
Stainless mixing bowl
Wire rack and drip tray
Whisk
(Optional). Start by curing the chicken. Salt both sides of the chicken, cover with glad wrap, and allow to sit in the fridge for 24 hours.
Fill your pot with oil and preheat to 325F, (163 Celsius).
For the buttermilk dredge, whisk eggs, then add the buttermilk, hot sauce, pickle juice.
For the flour dredge, combine plain flour with kosher salt, and whisk together.
For the spicy oil, combine the cayenne chilli powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, kosher salt, and dark brown sugar, into a large stainless mixing bowl.
Dunk the chicken into the flour, followed by the buttermilk mixture, and back into the flour mixture. Press the flour into the chicken with firm pressure (see note 2).
Fry the chicken in small batches for 15-18 minutes, or until internal temperature reaches 165F, (74 Celsius), (see note 3).
Transfer cooked chicken onto a wire rack, set over a drip tray. This will allow the excess oil to drain from the chicken.
Take a cup of hot frying oil and add it to the stainless mixing bowl with your spice mix. Whisk together thoroughly.
Once mixed, add each piece of chicken to the bowl, and cover with the oil/ spice mixture.
Lay chicken on your brioche bun (or bread rolls), top with pickles, and serve with your chosen side dishes.
- Homemade buttermilk can be made by mixing 60ml of white vinegar to 2 cups of milk (lactose free, or full cream). Stir the mixture well, and allow to sit for 5 – 10 mins before using.
- Press the flour into the chicken, don’t rub it. Rubbing will remove the coating.
- Don’t overcrowd your oil! Adding too many things into your fryer will drop your oil temp, this creates a soggy coating instead of a crispy one. It also causes the food to absorb more oil during the cooking process.
