Nashville "Fried" Chicken

  • Some of the links on this forum allow SMF, at no cost to you, to earn a small commission when you click through and make a purchase. Let me know if you have any questions about this.
SMF is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

disco

Epic Pitmaster
Original poster
OTBS Member
SMF Premier Member
Oct 31, 2012
11,135
5,265
Canadian Rockies
First, I am so sorry for not being active. I have been distracted by family issues. However, I have missed you all.

A friend took a trip to Nashville some time ago and told me about Nashville chicken. It is a fried chicken that is brushed with hot oil that has cayenne bloomed in it. The original is fiery hot. I didn’t know if I would like it quite that hot but decided I could do a version in my smoker that would approximate the dish. of course, you can also do it in an oven but I find the air circulation in my pellet smoker gives a wonderfully crisp crust.

I just cut back on the amount of cayenne they would use. You can feel free to add the full amount of cayenne if you are tougher than me!

I started with a 3 pound chicken and cut it into pieces (see how at How to Cut a Whole Chicken Into Pieces). You can use 3 pounds of precut chicken pieces if you prefer.

I made a marinade for the chicken by mixing:

  • 500 ml (2 cups) milk
  • 50 ml (2 tablespoons) Sriracha or Buffalo wing sauce
  • 10 ml (2 teaspoons) salt
  • 10 ml (2 teaspoons) sugar
  • 1 egg
I put the chicken in the marinade for 3 hours, turning the chicken twice.

Nashville Chicken 01.jpg


Mix the following in a shallow casserole dish:

  • 350 ml (1 ½ cup) flour
  • 5 ml (1 tsp) cayenne
  • 5 ml (1 teaspoons) your favourite barbecue rub
  • 6 ml (1 ¼ teaspoon) salt
  • 6 ml (1 ¼ teaspoon) onion powder
  • 6 ml (1 ¼ teaspoon) garlic powder
Lift a piece chicken out of the marinade with you left hand and put it in the flour mixture. Shovel the flour over the chicken with your right hand.

Put the chicken back in the marinade. Lift it out with your left hand into the flour again. Shovel flour over it with your right hand and put it on a rack.

Repeat with all pieces of chicken.

Nashville Chicken 02.jpg


While your smoker or oven is preheating to 400 F (205 C), heat 40 ml (3 tbsp) oil in a small pan until it is shimmering. Add betweem 5 ml (1 tsp) and 15 ml (1 tbsp) cayenne (depending on your heat tolerance), 3 ml (1/2 tsp) paprika, 1 ml (1/4 tsp) garlic powder, and 3 ml (1/2 tsp) sugar to the oil and stir for 30 to 40 seconds, until you can smell the cayenne. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Nashville Chicken 03.jpg


If cooking in a smoker, put the chicken on the rack, skin side up. If cooking in an oven, put it on a rack over a tray.

Cook for 30 minutes and brush with vegetable oil. Do not turn.

Continue cooking until the thickest pieces of chicken have an internal temperature of 170 F (75 C) or higher and the chicken is golden brown. Between 15 and 30 minutes depending on your smoker or oven.

Brush the chicken with the cayenne oil and serve.

Nashville Chicken 04.jpg


Nashville Chicken 05.jpg


Nashville Chicken 06.jpg


The Verdict

This was delicious! I love fried chicken but the additional Sriracha in the marinade and the cayenne oil gave a wonderful touch of burn. I love this!

Disco
 
Family is always #1, hope everything is good and glad to have you back.
Bookmarked, that looks excellent.
 
  • Like
Reactions: disco
It is dangerous, but ladling hot (temp-wise) oil over the chicken will help it absorb. This can be done relatively easily with a cooling rack over a cast iron skillet or deep baking sheet. Just need to make sure to ladle slowly as to not splash it.

If doing it your way, I might try having the oven really hot to fully bake the oil into the chicken, after the final brush.
 
That sounds good, looks good and am confident it were good. Nice pictures too
 
Phenomenal post my friend, will definitely be trying this!

Hoping all is well with you and yours!
 
Nice take on Nashville chicken. Looks delicious. Glad to see you posting, always enjoy. Hope all is well.
 
Hope things improve for you and family soon!! Glad to see you pop in. Food looks great as always and so well documented. We love some spicy Nashville Hot chicken.
 
Nice documentation and pics Disco, looks delicious, Like! I make fried chicken almost weekly, usually boneless, skinless thighs. My wife won't eat anything spicy, wish she could. RAY
 
Nice documentation and pics Disco, looks delicious, Like! I make fried chicken almost weekly, usually boneless, skinless thighs. My wife won't eat anything spicy, wish she could. RAY
I am a thigh meat man myself but She Who Must Be Obeyed wants her white meat. She is heat averse, too, but I can sneak a bit of heat in once in a while.

Thanks for the kind words.
 
SmokingMeatForums.com is reader supported and as an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

Latest posts

Hot Threads

Clicky