Nashville Hot Fried Chicken

Slug Icon WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS Mimicking the heat of this Nashville hot fried chicken was harder than we anticipated. We created a spicy exterior to the chicken by “blooming” the spices (cooking them in oil for a short period) to create a complex yet still lip-burning spicy flavor. We also added a healthy amount of hot sauce to our brine to inject spicy flavor into the chicken, making the flavor more than skin deep. See the sidebar that follows the recipe.

SERVES 4 TO 6

Chicken quarters take longer to cook than smaller pieces. To ensure that the exterior doesn’t burn before the inside cooks through, keep the oil temperature between 300 and 325 degrees while the chicken is frying. You will need at least a 6-quart Dutch oven for this recipe. Serve the chicken as they do in Nashville, on white bread with pickles.

BRINE AND CHICKEN

½

cup hot sauce

½

cup salt

½

cup sugar

1

(3½- to 4-pound) whole chicken, quartered

COATING

3

quarts peanut or vegetable oil

1

tablespoon cayenne pepper

½

teaspoon paprika

½

teaspoon sugar

¼

teaspoon garlic powder

Salt and pepper

2

cups all-purpose flour

1. FOR THE BRINE AND CHICKEN: Dissolve hot sauce, salt, and sugar in 2 quarts cold water in large container. Submerge chicken in brine, cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes or up to 1 hour.

2. FOR THE COATING: Heat 3 tablespoons oil in small saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add cayenne, paprika, sugar, garlic powder, and ½ teaspoon salt and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer to small bowl.

3. Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet. Remove chicken from brine and pat with paper towels. Combine flour, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper in large bowl. Dredge chicken pieces two at a time in flour mixture. Shake excess flour from chicken and transfer to prepared baking sheet. (Do not discard seasoned flour.)

4. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. Set clean wire rack in rimmed baking sheet. Add remaining oil to large Dutch oven until it measures about 2 inches deep and heat over medium-high heat to 350 degrees. Return chicken pieces to flour mixture and turn to coat. Fry half of chicken, adjusting burner as necessary to maintain oil temperature between 300 and 325 degrees, until deep golden brown and breast meat registers 160 degrees and legs register 175 degrees, 20 to 25 minutes. Drain chicken on prepared baking sheet and place in oven. Return oil to 350 degrees and repeat with remaining chicken. Stir spicy oil mixture to recombine and brush over both sides of chicken. Serve.