Hot Chicken Sandwich Recipe
Nashville-spiced fried chicken thigh, mayo, house pickles, potato bun
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Ingredients
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Fried Chicken
Nashville Spice Paste (for finishing)
Sandwich Assembly
Method
Fried Chicken
Marinate chicken
Trim excess fat from the thighs. In a bowl or zip-top bag combine buttermilk (2 cups) and 2 tbsp hot sauce. Add chicken, toss to coat, refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
Prepare dredge
Whisk together flour (2 cups), cornstarch (1/4 cup), 1.5 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp black pepper, 2 tsp paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder and 1 tsp cayenne in a shallow bowl or rimmed sheet pan.
Heat oil
Pour vegetable oil into a heavy skillet or dutch oven to a depth of about 1 to 1.5 inches (about 1 liter). Heat oil to 350°F (175°C). If you don't have a thermometer, test with a small pinch of flour — it should sizzle steadily.
Dredge and fry
Remove chicken from buttermilk, letting excess drip off. Dredge each piece in the flour mixture, pressing to adhere a thick coating. Shake off excess. Fry in batches without overcrowding until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C), about 8–12 minutes per thigh depending on size. Keep cooked pieces on a wire rack over a baking sheet to drain; do not stack.
Nashville Spice Paste (for finishing)
Make spice butter
Melt 4 tbsp unsalted butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir in 2 tsp cayenne, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp hot honey (or 1 tsp honey plus a pinch more cayenne if you want extra heat), 1/2 tsp brown sugar, 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce and 1/4 tsp salt. Warm until combined, then remove from heat.
Coat fried chicken
Using a pastry brush or spoon, liberally brush or spoon the spicy butter over each fried thigh while still hot so it soaks into the crust. For extra heat, toss briefly in a bowl with the butter to fully coat. Place back on the rack for 2–3 minutes to set.
Sandwich Assembly
Toast buns and prep mayo
Split potato buns and lightly butter cut sides with 2 tbsp unsalted butter. Toast in a skillet or on a griddle over medium heat until golden, about 1–2 minutes per side. Meanwhile, spread about 1 tbsp mayonnaise on the bottom half of each bun (adjust to taste).
Assemble sandwiches
Place a bed of shredded iceberg lettuce (about 1/4 cup) on the mayo-spread bottom bun (optional). Place one hot, spice-butter-coated chicken thigh on each bun bottom. Top the chicken with about 1/4 cup house pickle slices. Spread mayo on the top bun and close the sandwich.
Serve
Serve sandwiches immediately while chicken is hot and crust is crisp. Offer extra pickles and hot sauce at the table.