Nashville Hot Chicken Sammy Recipe

Marinate

Trim and, if needed, pound the chicken pieces to an even thickness (~1/2 inch). In a bowl combine buttermilk, 2 tbs hot sauce, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Submerge chicken, cover, and refrigerate at least 1 hour (up to overnight) to tenderize and flavor.

Prepare Dredge

In a shallow dish whisk together flour, cornstarch, paprika, 1 tsp cayenne, garlic powder, and onion powder. Set dredge next to the marinated chicken.

Fry or Grill

For frying: heat vegetable oil in a heavy skillet or Dutch oven to 350°F (175°C). Remove excess buttermilk from chicken, dredge thoroughly in the seasoned flour mixture, pressing to adhere. Fry in batches 3–5 minutes per side until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Drain on a wire rack over a sheet pan. For grilling: preheat grill to medium-high. Brush chicken lightly with oil, season both sides with a pinch of the dredge mix, and grill 4–6 minutes per side until char marks appear and internal temp reaches 165°F. Note: grilled chicken will be less crispy but still works well with the sauce.

In a small saucepan over low heat melt 4 tbs butter with 1 tbs lard or extra oil if using. Stir in 2 tsp cayenne, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp brown sugar, 1 tsp apple cider vinegar and 1/2 tsp chili flakes if using. Taste and adjust cayenne for heat. Remove from heat and whisk in 3 tbs hot honey (or 3 tbs honey if not using spicy honey) until glossy. Keep warm.

If you prefer a separate hot-honey drizzle, reserve 2 tbs of the hot honey mixture and keep it slightly warm; use the rest to toss the cooked chicken for classic Nashville treatment.

Toast buns: spread 2 tbs butter on cut sides of brioche buns. Toast in a skillet or on the grill over medium heat until golden, about 1–2 minutes.

Prepare tomato and greens: slice tomato into 1/4 inch rounds and season lightly with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Toss mixed greens briefly with a pinch of salt or leave plain to preference.

Sauce the chicken: place fried or grilled chicken on a tray. Either brush/toss each piece with the warm Nashville hot butter mixture to coat evenly (for classic Nashville) or spoon hot honey over top for a sweet-spicy finish. For extra buffalo flavor, drizzle about 1 tbs buffalo sauce per sandwich over the chicken (or mix buffalo with mayonnaise for a spread).

Build the sandwich: spread ~1 tbs mayonnaise (or buffalo-mayo) on bottom bun. Add a handful of mixed greens, then 1 tomato slice, then the hot-sauced chicken. Top with house pickles (about 2–3 slices per sandwich) and an extra drizzle of hot honey or buffalo sauce if desired. Cap with toasted top bun.

Serve: serve immediately while chicken is hot and sauce is glossy. Provide extra hot honey or buffalo on the side for those who want more heat/sweetness.