It’s finally here! Our Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich recipe has arrived, and she is a beauty. The chicken turns out so juicy and tender and truly next level. You can add spice or take this spicy chicken recipe down a notch depending on your personal preferences. (And gluten-free friends, have no fear! We used gluten-free flour for the dredge, and you can find a fabulous gluten-free bun to join in the fun!)

teri holding a nashville hot sandwich

I had been cooking up this idea for months, and it was time well spent. It’s delicious and fun to eat!

What You Need To Cook Your Nashville Hot Chicken

Ingredients

  • Boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
  • Flour, gluten-free or regular
  • Eggs
  • Milk
  • Hot Sauce
  • Cayenne
  • Garlic & Onion Powder
  • Butter
  • White Vinegar
  • Honey
  • Cabbage
  • Mayo
  • Green Onions
  • Pickles
  • Brioche Buns, or gluten free
spiced chicken on a sheet tray

How To Make Your Chicken Sandwich

First, Make Your Slaw 

In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise and vinegar and stir. This will thin the mayo enough to stir in easily to the slaw. In large bowl, toss the cabbage, mayonnaise mixture, scallions, salt and pepper together and refrigerate.

Second, Make the Fried Chicken

On a sheet tray, lay out the chicken breasts and pat dry. Let them come up to room temperature on your counter for about 30 minutes. Season both sides of each breast, with ½ teaspoon of salt per breast. Combine the 4 teaspoons of cayenne and 2 teaspoons of garlic powder and season both sides of the chicken breasts with this blend. I like to salt them individually because I like to know that each piece is perfectly salted. This way I avoid having some pieces under salted and some over salted.

chicken breasts with sauce on a sheet tray

In a wide, shallow bowl mix the eggs, milk, and hot sauce. Add the flour to another baking dish or large, shallow bowl. With your designated dry hand, dredge the chicken breasts, one at a time, in the flour, making sure both sides are coated. With your other hand, dip the breasts in the egg mixture. Make sure both sides are dipped, and return to the flour. With your dry hand, dredge the breast again, fully coating the breast, and return the breast to the sheet tray.  Repeat with remaining chicken breasts.

In a large nonstick skillet, add about 1 to 2 inches of oil, which for us ended up being about 3 cups, and heat over medium high. Heat the oil until it is hot and shimmering but not smoking. If you have a thermometer, you want the oil to be 350°F. Once the oil is hot enough, fry one breast to test the oil. You’ll want to fry the breast for about 5 or 6 minutes, flipping halfway through, until it is brown and crispy and about 165°F. Set aside on a rack lined sheet tray or a paper towel lined plate.

Open face nashville hot sandwich

If the test breast is fried well and the oil isn’t too hot, repeat with the remaining chicken breasts in batches so as not to overcrowd the pan, otherwise adjust your heat level before proceeding. Everyone’s pans and stoves are different, that’s why it is important to test your cooking environment and make sure you’re getting the results you want.

Third, Make Your Sauce and Assemble

In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium and add all of the remaining ingredients for the sauce.  Stir very well, turn off heat and set aside. Warm the buns in the oven.

For each sandwich, you are going to slather the sauce on both sides of a fried chicken breast. Place the breast on the bottom half of a bun, top with a couple of pickles and top with coleslaw to your liking. Close the sandwich with the top bun and repeat with the remaining sandwiches. Serve and enjoy!

teri holding a nashville hot sandwich

When you make this Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich, be sure you rate and review it below. I can’t wait to hear what you think and what fun ways you make it your own. If you’re looking for more inspiration, sign up for our Friday Favorites newsletter, and follow along on Pinterest, Instagram, and TikTok to join in all the fun!

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teri holding a nashville hot sandwich

Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 7 reviews
  • Author: Teri Turner
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 30 minutes
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 6-8 sandwiches
  • Category: Sandwich
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Diet: Gluten Free
Print Recipe

Description

This Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich is next level delicious! It can be made gluten free or regular, and it is an absolute crowd pleaser.

Ingredients

For the slaw

  •   5 cups shredded white cabbage
  •   ½ cup mayonnaise, plus more if needed
  •   ? cup chopped scallions
  •   1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  •   1 teaspoon salt
  •   ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

For the fried chicken

  •   2 cups Bob’s Red Mill Paleo Baking Flour or regular flour
  •   2 eggs
  •   2 tablespoons milk
  •   1 teaspoon hot sauce
  •   8 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or thighs)
  •   4 teaspoons cayenne
  •   2 teaspoons garlic powder
  •   4 teaspoons kosher salt
  •   3 cups of light olive oil (we used a medium bottle)

For the sauce

  •   1 stick unsalted butter
  •   1 tablespoon cayenne
  •   ½ tablespoon hot paprika
  •   1 teaspoon garlic powder
  •   ½ teaspoon onion powder
  •   ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  •   ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
  •   2 tablespoons white vinegar
  •   1 tablespoon honey

For the sandwich

  •   8 brioche or soft gluten-free or regular buns*
  •   Dill pickles

*Trader Joe’s gluten free buns are fabulous

Instructions

Make the slaw: 

  1.   In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise and vinegar and stir. This will thin the mayo enough to stir in easily to the slaw. In large bowl, toss the cabbage, mayonnaise mixture, scallions, salt and pepper together and refrigerate.

Make the fried chicken:

  1.   On a sheet tray, lay out the chicken breasts and pat dry. Let them come up to room temperature on your counter for about 30 minutes.
  2.   Season both sides of each breast, with ½ teaspoon of salt per breast. Combine the 4 teaspoons of cayenne and 2 teaspoons of garlic powder and season both sides of the chicken breasts with this blend. I like to individually salt the breasts because I like to know that each piece is perfectly salted. This way I avoid having some pieces under salted and some over salted.
  3.   In a wide, shallow bowl mix the eggs, milk, and hot sauce.
  4.   Add the flour to another baking dish or large, shallow bowl.
  5.   With your designated dry hand, dredge the chicken breasts, one at a time, in the flour, making sure both sides are coated. With your other hand, dip the breast in the egg mixture, making sure both sides are dipped, and return to the flour. With your dry hand, dredge the breast again, fully coating the breast, and return the breast to the sheet tray.  Repeat with remaining chicken breasts.
  6.   In a large nonstick skillet, add about 1 to 2 inches of oil, which for us ended up being about 3 cups, and heat over medium high. Heat the oil until it is hot and shimmering but not smoking. If you have a thermometer, you want the oil to be 350°F.
  7.   Once the oil is hot enough, fry one breast to test the oil. You’ll want to fry the breast for about 5 or 6 minutes, flipping halfway through, until it is brown and crispy and about 165°F. Set aside on a rack lined sheet tray or a paper towel lined plate.
  8.   If the test breast is fried well and the oil isn’t too hot, repeat with the remaining chicken breasts in batches so as not to overcrowd the pan, otherwise adjust your heat level before proceeding. Everyone’s pans and stoves are different, that’s why it is important to test your cooking environment and make sure you’re getting the results you want.

Make the sauce:

  1.   In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium and add all of the remaining ingredients for the sauce.  Stir very well, turn off heat and set aside.

Assemble the sandwich:

  1.   Toast the buns (watch closely, as brioche burns quickly) or warm them in the oven.
  2.   For each sandwich, you are going to slather the sauce on both sides of a fried chicken breast. Place the breast on the bottom half of a bun, top with a couple of pickles and top with coleslaw to your liking. Close the sandwich with the top bun and repeat with the remaining sandwiches.
  3.   Serve and enjoy!