Nashville Hot Fried Chicken
Ingredients: Buttermilk, Frank's Red Hot, Kosher salt, MSG, Chicken leg quarters · 120 min cook time · 800kcal · ₩36,100
Ingredients
2cups Buttermilk, 2tablespoons Frank's Red Hot, 1tablespoon Kosher salt, 2teaspoons MSG, 2pounds Chicken leg quarters, 3cups All-purpose flour, 0.5cup Cornstarch, 2teaspoons Smoked paprika, 1teaspoon Cayenne pepper, 2teaspoons Garlic powder, 0.25cup Cayenne powder, 1tablespoon Smoked paprika, 1tablespoon Garlic powder, 0.5teaspoon Onion powder, 2teaspoons Kosher salt, 2tablespoons Dark brown sugar, 2teaspoons Chicken bouillon powder, 6cups Frying oil, 4slices White bread, 8slices Dill pickle slices, 2pounds Chicken tenders, 0.75cup Mayonnaise, 0.5cup Sour cream, 3cloves Garlic cloves, 2tablespoons Fresh parsley, 2tablespoons Fresh dill, 0.5teaspoon Black pepper, 4cups Cabbage, 1teaspoon Granulated sugar, 2tablespoons Apple cider vinegar
Instructions
1. Combine 2 cups buttermilk, 2 tablespoons Frank's Red Hot, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, and 2 teaspoons MSG in a bowl. Whisk until thoroughly combined.
2. Add 4 chicken leg quarters (about 2 pounds) to the marinade. Ensure they are completely submerged and the marinade gets under the skin. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight for best flavor.
3. For the dredge, combine 3 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup cornstarch, 1 tablespoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon MSG, 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, and 2 teaspoons garlic powder in a bowl. Whisk until thoroughly combined.
4. For the chili oil spice mix, combine 1/4 cup cayenne powder, 1 tablespoon smoked paprika, 1 tablespoon garlic powder, 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar, and 2 teaspoons chicken bouillon powder in a bowl. Whisk until homogeneous. Break up any brown sugar clumps with your hands.
5. To bread the chicken, dip your wet hand (non-dominant) into the marinade and flick small dots into the flour dredge. Toss the flour to create clumps. Repeat this process up to three times to create extra crispy bits.
6. Take a chicken leg quarter from the marinade, coat it thoroughly with the flour dredge, pressing the flour into the chicken. Ensure all sides and crevices are covered, with no bald spots. Shake off excess flour and place on a tray. Repeat for the remaining leg quarters.
7. Heat frying oil in a pot to 325°F (163°C). Fry chicken leg quarters in batches of two until an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C) is reached, about 12-15 minutes. Be careful with heat control to prevent burning.
8. While chicken is frying, ladle about 1 cup of hot frying oil (around 350°F / 177°C) into the chili oil spice mixture. Immediately whisk until combined. The spices will sink, so stir before adding chicken.
9. Once leg quarters are done, immediately toss them in the spicy oil. Place on a wire rack to drain. Optionally, spoon a little more spicy oil over them for extra flavor and color.
10. To assemble the classic Nashville hot chicken, serve a leg quarter on a slice of white Texas toast or thick-cut white bread, topped with a few dill pickle slices.
11. For chicken tenders, cut 2 pounds of chicken breast into strips lengthwise, about 1/2 inch thick. Marinate them in the same buttermilk mixture overnight.
12. For the ranch dressing, combine 3/4 cup mayonnaise, 1/2 cup sour cream, 3 grated garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley, and 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill in a bowl. Mix well.
13. Adjust the consistency of the ranch dressing by adding a tablespoon of buttermilk at a time until desired thickness is reached. Season with salt and pepper to taste. This dressing is designed to be viscous for sandwiches.
14. Bread the chicken tenders exactly like the leg quarters (Step 5 & 6).
15. Fry chicken tenders in batches at 350°F (177°C) until an internal temperature of at least 165°F (74°C) is achieved and they are golden brown and delicious, about 3-5 minutes.
16. As soon as tenders are fried, toss them in the spicy oil (from Step 8). Place on a wire rack to drain.
17. For the slaw, thinly slice 1/4 head of cabbage (about 4 cups). Add 1/4 cup mayonnaise, kosher salt to taste, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, and a touch of freshly cracked black pepper. Mix thoroughly with your hands.
18. To assemble the Nashville hot chicken sandwich, toast a burger bun (brioche or potato rolls work well) in butter. Spread a nice layer of ranch dressing on the bottom bun. Layer on dill pickles, followed by 2-3 chicken tenders. Top with a mound of slaw and a ranch-sauced top bun.
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