Nashville Hot Chicken Strips

These Nashville Hot Chicken Strips put a delicious twist on the classic Nashville hot chicken. They’re melt-in-your-mouth tender and guaranteed to bring just the right amount of heat to your appetizers or weeknight family dinners.

Easy Nashville Hot Chicken Strips Recipe

What exactly is Nashville Hot Chicken? There’s a fun story regarding the origin of the now-famous Nashville hot chicken. It dates as far back as the 1930’s, and is said to have its roots in the revenge of a woman whose significant other was a womanizer. The story goes, she doused the fried chicken she prepared for him with cayenne pepper making it impossible to eat.

While this recipe for Nashville hot chicken strips does include cayenne, I assure you it’s quite edible. This fried chicken recipe does include several steps beginning with the buttermilk marinade. The simple ingredients aren’t hard to find and none of the steps are difficult. Plan ahead and you’ll be frying Nashville hot chicken like a pro.

Checkout this quick list of key ingredients you’ll need make homemade Nashville Hot Chicken Strips Recipe: (Scroll down for full printable recipe card.)

• Chicken Breasts – Boneless skinless chicken breasts sliced into strips.
• Marinade – Buttermilk, dill pickle juice and hot sauce amp up the flavor ans tenderize the chicken.
• Breading – All purpose flour, salt, paprika, cornstarch and cayenne pepper.
• Whole Eggs – Large eggs for the egg wash.
• Oil – Peanut oil or vegetable oil for frying. Skip the olive oil for this recipe.
• Hot Chili Glaze – Reserved frying oil, butter, cayenne pepper, brown sugar, paprika, salt and chili powder.

How to Make the Best Nashville Hot Chicken Strips Recipe

• Marinate Chicken – Place chicken into a bowl or large plastic storage bag with buttermilk, pickle juice and hot sauce. Stir, cover and chill.
• Sift Dry Ingredients – In a shallow bowl, whisk together flour, corn starch, salt, paprika, cayenne and granulated garlic.
• Egg Wash – In a separate shallow bowl, whisk together reserved buttermilk, eggs and hot sauce.
• Dredge Chicken Tenders – Remove chicken from buttermilk brine then dredge chicken strips in flour, then into buttermilk-egg wash and back into flour. Repeat until all chicken pieces are breaded.
• Stand to Set Breading – Let chicken sit on counter for 20 minutes, or place into the fridge to chill for 1 hour to help coating adhere.
• Heat Oil – In a deep heavy pot or dutch oven, heat oil to 325-335°F.
• Cook – Fry chicken strips in batches per the cooking time in the recipe. Place on a paper towel lined baking pan to drain grease.
• Make Chili Oil – In a saucepan, whisk together hot oil from frying with melted butter, cayenne, brown sugar, paprika, salt and chili powder. Warm over low heat or melt setting to prevent seasonings from burning. Stir occasionally.
• Serve – Brush cooked chicken pieces with hot chili oil. Serve immediately with sliced bred and dill pickles.

How to Make Chili Oil for Nashville Hot Chicken Strips

The hot chili oil for this chicken must be cooked over low heat to avoid burning the spices. The spices won’t completely dissolve, they’re purpose is to season the oil. Gently tip the saucepan to separate the oil from the seasonings and brush the oil, not the seasonings, onto the chicken pieces.

Kitchen Equipment to Make Nashville Hot Chicken Tenders

• Dutch oven fitted with a fry thermometer or a deep fryer.
• Stainless steel spider or slotted spoon.
• Baking sheet pan.
• Large bowl.
• Shallow bowls.
• Small saucepan.
• Measuring cups and spoons.
• Basting brush.

Recipe Variations, Tips and Substitutions

• Chicken – I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into strips for this recipe. Depending on the size of the chicken pieces, the actual yield may vary. You can use bone-in chicken, but the cooking time will be considerable longer and you’ll need extra breading ingredients.
• Chicken Tenders – Should you choose to use chicken tenders, they will cook much more quickly, so adjust the cooking time to prevent overcooking accordingly.
• Homemade Buttermilk – I highly recommend buying buttermilk, not fat free, for the marinade and the dredging ingredients. If you’re hard pressed, you could make your own. To do so, add 1 tablespoon of white distilled vinegar or fresh lemon juice to each cup of whole milk. Let stand on the counter for 5 minutes, then proceed.
• Watch the Oil Temperature – The spices in the breading for the fried chicken can burn if cooked at too high a temperature. Watch the oil temperature and adjust while frying.
• Chili Oil – Toss the chicken strips with chili oil just before serving to prevent the breading from losing its crispy fried texture.

Storage and Leftovers

• Leftovers – Store Nashville Hot Chicken Strips chilled in the fridge for up to 3 days.
• Reheating – Reheat in an air fryer or a preheated 350°F oven on a baking sheet fitted with a wire rack to crisp the coating.
• Freezer – You can freeze leftovers for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge and reheat just before serving.

More Southern Chicken Recipes to Make

• Treat the family to homemade Crispy Chicken Sandwiches.
• The kiddos will love this recipe for Easy Popcorn Chicken.
• Chicken Fried Chicken and Gravy with a side of mashed potatoes.
• Southern Fried Chicken and Waffles drizzled with maple syrup.
• Easy Oven Fried Chicken Tenders cook in no time flat.
• Decadent Honey Pecan Fried Chicken.
• Fried Chicken Cakes and remoulade sauce is a fan favorite.
• Grilled Chicken Skewers from The Pioneer Woman.

Thanks for visiting come back soon!

Disclosure ~ If  a purchase is made using one of the affiliate links on this website we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you!

Helpful Kitchen Items:

• Dutch Oven
• Breading Pans
• Fry Thermometer
• Stainless Steel Spider