Nashville Chicken Sliders
A proper buttermilk marinade, a double dredge for a coating that actually stays put, and a spiced hot oil brushed on while the chicken’s still fresh from the fryer.
Keeping the oil at a steady 170°C and checking it with a thermometer is what gets you crisp, cooked-through chicken instead of something burnt outside and raw in the middle.
Twelve sliders, a tangy slaw, and dill pickles on top, proper Nashville hot chicken without needing a trip to Tennessee.
Nashville Chicken Sliders
NASHVILLE CHICKEN SLIDERS · CHICKEN · SHARING · MEDIUM
A coating that actually stays on
The double dredge, flour then back through the marinade then flour again, followed by a proper rest on a rack, is what keeps the crust from sliding off in the hot oil.
Brushing the Nashville hot oil on while the chicken's still hot from frying lets that spiced oil actually soak into the crust rather than just sitting on top.
A tangy mayo and yogurt slaw on soft slider buns balances the heat, twelve sliders that disappear fast at any gathering.
Nashville Chicken Sliders
Ingredients
Chicken
- 6 Chicken Thighs Boneless & Skinless
- 250 ml Buttermilk
- 15 ml Hot Sauce
- 200 g Plain Flour
- 60 g Cornflour Cornstarch
- 8 g Smoked Paprika
- 8 g Onion Powder
- 8 g Garlic Powder
- 4 g Cayenne Pepper
- 6 g Salt
- 2 g Cracked Black Pepper
Nashville Hot Oil
- 125 ml Frying Oil From The Chicken
- 8 g Cayenne Pepper
- 8 g Smoked Paprika
- 4 g Onion Powder
- 4 g Garlic Powder
- 5 g Brown Sugar
- 1.5 g Chilli Powder Optional
Slaw
- 100 g Green Cabbage Shredded
- 100 g Red Cabbage Shredded
- 1 Carrot Grated
- 40 g Mayonnaise
- 40 g Greek Yogurt
- 15 ml Apple Cider Vinegar
- 2 g Sugar Optional
- Salt & Pepper To Taste
To Serve
- 12 Soft Slider Buns
- Dill Pickle Slices
Method
- Whisk together the buttermilk and hot sauce in a large bowl, then add the chicken thighs, coat them well, cover, and refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight.
- In a separate bowl, mix the mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper. Then, toss the mixture through the shredded cabbage and grated carrot before covering and refrigerating until serving.
- Combine the flour, cornstarch, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish to make the dredge.
- Remove the chicken from the marinade, let any excess drip off, then dredge it in the seasoned flour. Dip it back into the marinade and coat it again in the flour before resting on a wire rack for 10 minutes to set the coating.
- Heat neutral oil in a deep pan to 170°C (340°F). Fry the chicken in batches for 5–6 minutes, turning once. Remove the chicken once it is golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 75°C (165°F). Place it on a wire rack to drain.
- Ladle some of the hot frying oil into a heatproof bowl. Stir in the cayenne, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, brown sugar, and chilli powder (if using), and mix until smooth and deep red.
- Generously brush or spoon the hot oil mixture over each piece of fried chicken while still warm, so the coating soaks up the flavour.
- Lightly toast the slider buns, add a spoonful of slaw to the base, place a piece of Nashville hot chicken on top, and finish with dill pickle slices before serving immediately.
Why dredge the chicken twice?⌄
The second dip through the marinade and back into the flour builds a thicker, craggier coating that holds up much better in hot oil than a single dredge.
Do I need a thermometer for this recipe?⌄
Strongly recommended, both for the oil temperature and checking the chicken's done. Guessing on oil heat is the easiest way to end up with a burnt coating and undercooked chicken.
Can I make this less spicy?⌄
Yes, cut back the cayenne in both the dredge and the hot oil. The slaw and pickles help balance the heat too, so it's easy to dial down without losing the overall flavour.
Can I bake or air fry the chicken instead of deep frying?⌄
You can, though you won't get quite the same craggy, crisp crust as deep frying. If you air fry, you'll also need a separate neutral oil for the hot oil sauce since there's no frying oil to reuse.
