Tennessee Fire Fried Chicken Recipes

THREE PIECE NASHVILLE HOT FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• For the Nashville hot sauce: Combine chicken stock, brown sugar, cayenne, Carolina reaper powder, if using, chili powder, paprika, salt, Scotch bonnets, anchos, guajillos and scorpion chiles, if using, in a saucepan. Boil and reduce by half, then let cool. Puree in blender, then add mustard and combine. Slowly add melted fat.
• For the brine: Mix 1 gallon water with 1 cup salt in a large container. Submerge the chicken pieces in the brine and let sit overnight, refrigerated.
• Drain the chicken and cover in buttermilk, then let sit overnight.
• For the fried chicken: Combine the flour, masa, cornstarch, celery salt, coriander, seafood seasoning, salt and pepper in a big bowl. Toss in chicken parts and coat well, then let rest, refrigerated, for 30 minutes.
• Bring oil to 300 degrees F in a deep-fryer.
• Fry chicken in batches until it reaches internal temperture of 160 degrees F, about 20 minutes. Toss in bowl with Nashville Hot Sauce.
• For the biscuits: Meanwhile, grate butter with a cheese grater, then freeze again.
• Mix together flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, baking soda and shortening in a bowl, then freeze, 3 hours.
• Mix frozen butter, dry mixture and buttermilk together in a large bowl until dough comes together, then lay out on a floured surface and roll out to about 2 inches thick. Fold into thirds, then repeat the rolling and folding 3 more times. Cut into 20 biscuits and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Freeze for 3 hours or up to overnight.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Take biscuits out of freezer and sprinkle with salt. Bake for about 15 minutes.

NASHVILLE-STYLE HOT CHICKEN SANDWICH

Steps:

• In a large heat-resistant bowl, whisk together the cayenne, brown sugar, chile powder, granulated garlic, paprika, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper. Sprinkle the spice mixture on all sides of the chicken. Transfer the chicken to a container and refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours. Leave the remaining spice mixture in the bowl.
• In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil until a deep-fry thermometer inserted in the oil registers 350 degrees F. Position a wire rack on a baking sheet.
• Whisk together the buttermilk, hot sauce and eggs in a shallow bowl. Put the flour in a second bowl and season with salt and pepper. Dunk the chicken first in the buttermilk mixture, then dredge in the seasoned flour and coat thoroughly. Gently drop the chicken into the oil, in batches if necessary, and fry until golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer the cooked chicken to the wire rack.
• Carefully add about 1 large ladleful (6 to 8 ounces) of the frying oil to the reserved spice mixture to let it bloom. Be careful, as it will bubble aggressively. Whisk until smooth. Brush the fried chicken with the bloomed spiced oil as desired.
• For the sandwich build: Meanwhile, halve the Hawaiian rolls, spread with butter and toast on a griddle. Put the hot chicken on the griddled buns, top with pickles, lettuce and a schmear of mayo.

CHEF JOHN'S NASHVILLE HOT CHICKEN

Steps:

• Toss chicken pieces with 1 tablespoon kosher salt. Transfer chicken to a bowl; cover and refrigerate overnight.
• Whisk buttermilk, pickle brine, hot sauce, and egg together in a mixing bowl. Pour marinade over chicken and stir to ensure each piece is thoroughly coated. Cover and let chicken marinate in refrigerator 2 to 4 hours.
• Mix flour and salt together in a shallow flat dish. Remove chicken from marinade and blot with paper towels. Reserve marinade. Toss chicken in flour until thoroughly coated. Return chicken to marinade, coating all sides; remove chicken from marinade allowing excess to drip back into the bowl. Coat the chicken once again in flour mixture. Place on a rack. Repeat with all chicken pieces. Allow to sit out about 15 minutes to allow coating to dry out a bit.
• Place butter and lard in a large pot. Add cayenne pepper, brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, kosher salt, and black pepper. Place over medium-high heat. Cook and stir until fats melt. Remove from heat; keep sauce warm.
• Fill cast iron skillet about 1/3 of the way with vegetable oil. Heat oil to 350 degrees F over medium-high heat. Carefully place chicken into hot oil, skin side down. Maintain an oil temperature of 325 degrees F, adjusting heat as need. Fry until instant read thermometer reads 160 degrees F, 8 to 10 minutes per side.
• Transfer chicken to a rack to drain. Brush with the sauce on both sides.

TENNESSEE HOT FRIED CHICKEN TENDERS

Steps:

• Season chicken tenders with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper.
• In shallow bowl, mix flour, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper with whisk. In another shallow bowl, beat buttermilk and hot sauce together with whisk. Dredge chicken tenders in seasoned flour, then in buttermilk mixture, and back in flour.
• In 12-inch skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat until hot (350°F). Fry tenders in hot oil, all at once, about 5 minutes, turning once, until deep golden brown and no longer pink in center (at least 165°F). Place on rack lined with paper towels to drain, with paper towels underneath rack.
• In 1-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Beat in paprika, red pepper and garlic powder with whisk. Brush fried chicken tenders with spicy butter. Serve with slices of white bread and sweet pickles, if desired.

NASHVILLE-STYLE HOT CHICKEN

Steps:

• Toss chicken with black pepper and 2 tablespoon salt in a large bowl. Cover and chill at least 3 hours.
• Whisk eggs, buttermilk, and hot sauce in a large bowl. Whisk flour and remaining 4 teaspoons salt in another large bowl.
• Fit a Dutch oven with thermometer; pour in oil to measure 2". Heat over medium-high heat until thermometer registers 325°. Pat chicken dry. Working with 1 piece at a time, dredge in flour mixture, shaking off excess, then dip in buttermilk mixture, letting excess drip back into bowl. Dredge again in flour mixture and place on a baking sheet.
• Working in 4 batches and returning oil to 325° between batches, fry chicken, turning occasionally, until skin is deep golden brown and crisp and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of pieces registers 160° for white meat and 165° for dark, 15-18 minutes. Transfer to a clean wire rack set inside a baking sheet. Let oil cool slightly.
• Whisk cayenne, brown sugar, chili powder, garlic powder, and paprika in a medium bowl; carefully whisk in 1 cup frying oil. Brush fried chicken with spicy oil. Serve with bread and pickles.
• Do ahead: Chicken can be seasoned 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.

NASHVILLE-STYLE HOT FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Prepare the brine: In a large bowl, whisk salt and spices in 2 cups boiling water until salt dissolves. Whisk in 6 cups ice water. The brine should be cold; if not, chill until it is. Add chicken pieces to the cold brine and chill for at least 12 and up to 24 hours.
• In a bowl, combine the ingredients for the very hot spice mixture. In another bowl, prepare the dredge: combine the flour, granulated garlic and onion, salt and pepper.
• Remove chicken pieces from brine, pat dry with paper towels and season with a light dusting of hot spice mixture. Dust pieces with dredge mixture. Reserve both the remaining hot spice mixture and the dredge. Let chicken rest in fridge, uncovered, for at least an hour for the coating to adhere.
• Pour 2 inches of oil into a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot with a cover. Heat oil to 325 degrees on a deep-fat thermometer. In a shallow bowl, whisk together eggs and 2 cups ice water to make egg wash. Dip chicken in egg wash, then coat with more dredge. Shake pieces lightly so any excess dredge falls off.
• Carefully place chicken in hot oil, about 3 to 4 pieces per batch. Cover pot with lid and let fry for 5 to 6 minutes, until golden brown on one side. Remove lid and flip pieces. Fry another 5 to 6 minutes, uncovered. Using tongs, transfer cooked chicken to a wire rack set over a baking sheet to catch the oil drips. Dust with very hot spice as it comes out of the fryer.

TENNESSEE FIRE FRIED CHICKEN RECIPE

Steps:

• in large bowl combine buttermilk, hot sauce, and salt add drumsticks and thighs cover and refrigerate overnight turning occasionally place oil in a 12 in skillet heat over high until a pinch of flour bubbles immediately or at 320 degrees in med bowl combine flour, paprika, pepper, and cayenne working in batches, remove pieces from buttermilk mix coat in flour mix, shake and place in oil do not overcrowd cook 15 min. turn once make sure 170 degrees transfer to wire rack to drain blot with paper towels