Nashville Hot Chicken Sliders
Nashville Hot Chicken Sliders
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 2 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, sliced horizontally into 8 portions
For the Marinade
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
- 1/4 cup hot sauce
- 1 egg, large
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
For the Flour Dredge
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
For Frying
- 4 cups vegetable oil, or enough to submerge chicken
For the Nashville Hot Oil
- 1/2 cup hot oil, reserved from frying
- 2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar, packed
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
For Assembly
- 8 slider buns
- 16 dill pickle slices
- 1/2 cup creamy white sauce, such as ranch or mayonnaise-based sauce
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the chicken: Slice each chicken breast horizontally into 4 thinner portions, resulting in 8 pieces total.
⏱️ 5 min
- 2
Make the marinade: In a medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, hot sauce, egg, salt, and black pepper until well combined.
⏱️ 2 min
- 3
Marinate the chicken: Add the sliced chicken pieces to the marinade, ensuring they are fully submerged. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 4 hours for best results.
⏱️ 3 min
- 4
Prepare the flour dredge: In a separate large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper. Whisk thoroughly to ensure all spices are evenly distributed.
⏱️ 5 min
- 5
Set up for frying: Pour the vegetable oil into a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, ensuring there is enough oil to submerge the chicken pieces. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F (175°C). Use a candy thermometer or deep-fry thermometer to monitor the temperature.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 350
- 6
Dredge the chicken: Working with one piece of chicken at a time, remove it from the marinade, letting any excess drip off. Fully coat the chicken in the flour dredge, pressing to adhere. Dip the dredged chicken back into the marinade, then immediately dip it back into the flour dredge for a second coating, ensuring it is well-covered. Set aside on a plate.
⏱️ 5 min
- 7
Fry the chicken: Carefully place 2-3 pieces of double-dredged chicken into the hot oil, being careful not to overcrowd the pot. Fry for 3-5 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through (internal temperature reaches 165°F / 74°C).
⏱️ 10 min•🌡️ 350
- 8
Drain the chicken: Remove the fried chicken from the oil and place it on a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain any excess oil. Repeat with the remaining chicken pieces. Reserve 1/2 cup of the hot frying oil for the Nashville hot oil.
⏱️ 5 min
- 9
Make the Nashville hot oil: In a heatproof bowl, combine the reserved hot oil, cayenne pepper, brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, and salt. Whisk vigorously until all ingredients are thoroughly mixed and the sugar has dissolved.
⏱️ 3 min
- 10
Coat the chicken: Generously brush the Nashville hot oil over both sides of each freshly fried chicken piece.
⏱️ 2 min
- 11
Assemble the sliders: Take a slider bun. Place one piece of Nashville hot chicken on the bottom bun. Top with 2 dill pickle slices and a dollop of creamy white sauce. Place the top bun on to complete the slider.
⏱️ 5 min
- 12
Serve immediately and enjoy your Nashville Hot Chicken Sliders!
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Nashville Hot Chicken Sliders
For the Chicken
- 2 chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, sliced horizontally into 8 portions
For the Marinade
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
- 1/4 cup hot sauce
- 1 egg, large
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
For the Flour Dredge
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
For Frying
- 4 cups vegetable oil, or enough to submerge chicken
For the Nashville Hot Oil
- 1/2 cup hot oil, reserved from frying
- 2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar, packed
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
For Assembly
- 8 slider buns
- 16 dill pickle slices
- 1/2 cup creamy white sauce, such as ranch or mayonnaise-based sauce
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the chicken: Slice each chicken breast horizontally into 4 thinner portions, resulting in 8 pieces total.
⏱️ 5 min - 2
Make the marinade: In a medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, hot sauce, egg, salt, and black pepper until well combined.
⏱️ 2 min - 3
Marinate the chicken: Add the sliced chicken pieces to the marinade, ensuring they are fully submerged. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to 4 hours for best results.
⏱️ 3 min - 4
Prepare the flour dredge: In a separate large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper. Whisk thoroughly to ensure all spices are evenly distributed.
⏱️ 5 min - 5
Set up for frying: Pour the vegetable oil into a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, ensuring there is enough oil to submerge the chicken pieces. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F (175°C). Use a candy thermometer or deep-fry thermometer to monitor the temperature.
⏱️ 5 min•🌡️ 350 - 6
Dredge the chicken: Working with one piece of chicken at a time, remove it from the marinade, letting any excess drip off. Fully coat the chicken in the flour dredge, pressing to adhere. Dip the dredged chicken back into the marinade, then immediately dip it back into the flour dredge for a second coating, ensuring it is well-covered. Set aside on a plate.
⏱️ 5 min - 7
Fry the chicken: Carefully place 2-3 pieces of double-dredged chicken into the hot oil, being careful not to overcrowd the pot. Fry for 3-5 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through (internal temperature reaches 165°F / 74°C).
⏱️ 10 min•🌡️ 350 - 8
Drain the chicken: Remove the fried chicken from the oil and place it on a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain any excess oil. Repeat with the remaining chicken pieces. Reserve 1/2 cup of the hot frying oil for the Nashville hot oil.
⏱️ 5 min - 9
Make the Nashville hot oil: In a heatproof bowl, combine the reserved hot oil, cayenne pepper, brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, and salt. Whisk vigorously until all ingredients are thoroughly mixed and the sugar has dissolved.
⏱️ 3 min - 10
Coat the chicken: Generously brush the Nashville hot oil over both sides of each freshly fried chicken piece.
⏱️ 2 min - 11
Assemble the sliders: Take a slider bun. Place one piece of Nashville hot chicken on the bottom bun. Top with 2 dill pickle slices and a dollop of creamy white sauce. Place the top bun on to complete the slider.
⏱️ 5 min - 12
Serve immediately and enjoy your Nashville Hot Chicken Sliders!