Name: Nashville Hot Chicken
Prep time: 7 min
Cook time: 14 min
Total time: 21 min
Yield: 1
Ingredients: Marinade:; 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken tenders; 1 cup buttermilk; ½ cup dill pickle juice; 3 Tbsp Hot Sauce; Coating:; 1 cup all purpose flour; 1 cup panko; ½ cup cornstarch; 2 tsp salt; 2 tsp paprika; 2 tsp cayenne pepper; 1 tsp garlic powder; 2 large eggs; 1 cup buttermilk; 1 Tbsp hot sauce; Sauce:; 2 Tbsp. Hot sauce; 2 Tbsp. Brown sugar

Jump to Recipe

If you like spicy food, try this Nashville Hot Chicken recipe. These spicy chicken strips are great to serve for game day or any day. Grab your cayenne and get cookin’!

This post may contain affiliate links. We may receive a commission if you click and purchase something. Please see our disclosure policy for more details.

Some like it hot, and the heat is on. What can I say except, it’s getting hot in here! If you enjoy spicy foods, you’ll love this recipe for Nashville Hot Chicken. These breaded chicken fingers definitely pack some heat.

You’ll let it marinade in a blend of ingredients before adding more spices to it, coating it, and cooking it.

The crispy, spicy chicken will pleasantly surprise you with its powerful punch. You can eat it with side dishes, add it to a salad, or even put it on a roll and eat it like a sandwich.

Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Nashville Hot Chicken

When preparing the Nashville Hot Chicken, you’ll need specific ingredients for the marinade, coating, and sauce. When preparing the marinade, you’ll need to have chicken tenders, along with the following ingredients:

Buttermilk. Let your chicken soak in the buttermilk mixture to give it flavor and get the coating to stick better.
Hot Sauce. Add the spice to your chicken marinade by using your favorite hot sauce.
Pickle Juice. The pickle juice is the perfect addition to the marinade because it adds a slightly tangy taste.

If you like spicy food, try this Nashville Hot Chicken recipe. These spicy chicken strips are great to serve for game day or any day. Grab your cayenne and get cookin'!

When making the coating for your chicken, you should have these important ingredients:

Flour. Use all-purpose flour that will stick perfectly to your pieces of chicken.
Panko. Add panko breadcrumbs to the chicken for an extra crispy crunch.
Hot Sauce. You’ll add even more hot sauce to give your chicken added spice.
Cayenne Pepper. If you like things as hot as possible, be sure to add cayenne pepper.

You’ll need a few other ingredients for the coating, including eggs, paprika, garlic powder, buttermilk, and hot sauce. You’ll only need hot sauce and brown sugar to make the perfect sauce for the Nashville Hot Chicken.

How To Make Nashville Hot Chicken Strips

Which Hot Sauce Should I Use?

It doesn’t matter which hot sauce you use in this recipe. You can use one that you already have at home and enjoy. If you’re looking for a good brand to use, Louisiana Hot is an excellent choice.

Which Type of Panko Bread Crumbs Should I Use?

Use traditional panko bread crumbs in this recipe. While you can use the seasoned bread crumbs, you don’t really need to buy them because you’ll season your bread crumbs with spices, including paprika and cayenne pepper.

Do I Have to Use Chicken Tenders?

It’s a good idea to use chicken tenders when preparing the Nashville Hot Chicken. They’re boneless, skinless, and easy to cover in a crisp coating. If you don’t have tenders, you can make them by cutting chicken breasts into strips.

What to Serve with Nashville Hot Chicken

Serve the Nashville Hot Chicken with a side of homemade mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, or homemade fries. The spicy chicken pairs well with lots of savory side dishes.

You can also serve it with some of your favorite vegetables or a side salad. If you don’t want to serve it with sides, add the chicken to a brioche roll with a few pickles and enjoy it as a sandwich.

Save these spicy breaded chicken tenders for later. Pin this Nashville Hot Chicken recipe to your favorite Pinterest Board.