Nashville Hot Chicken has been on our radar for a while now, and we considered recreating the recipe to try at home, but KFC has taken care of it for us. Thank you Colonel Sanders Inc.
While not exactly “hot wings”, we’re including this unique chicken in our Week of Wings 7 – Day 4. It’s a shame KFC doesn’t offer their Nashville Hot Chicken in a “wing only” version.
Nashville Hot Chicken from KFC
We don’t often post about fast foods – our friend “Q” over at BrandEating.com does an awesome job of those reviews – but we just had to share this with our readers.
Quick backstory about the recipe: Nashville Hot Chicken originated in the 1930’s at Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack in Nashville, Tennessee.
Hot chicken or Nashville hot chicken is a type of fried chicken that is a local specialty of Nashville, Tennessee, in the United States. In its typical preparation, it is a portion of breast, thigh, or wing that has been marinated in a water-based blend of seasoning, floured, fried, and finally sauced using a paste that has been spiced with cayenne pepper. It is served atop slices of white bread with pickle chips. It is both the application of a spicy paste and the presentation that differentiates it from similar dishes, such as Buffalo wings. Source: Hot Chicken on Wikipedia
Our thoughts on the KFC Nashville Hot Chicken:
First of all, thank you Colonel Sanders for your stamp of approval – as evidenced on the sticker on our order:
See, it’s right there on the sticker.
We’ll keep this short and sweet spicy.
This is some of the best spicy chicken we’ve ever had. Without a doubt. Bar none. Period.
Ok, you get the idea. We like it.
KFC’s Nashville Hot Chicken sauce is a super spicy oil based mixture
Remarkably, KFC’s original Extra Crispy Chicken stays… well, extra crispy – even after being doused with the spicy oil. It must be science!
How it’s made – (the unofficial secret recipe):
1. Take KFC Extra Crispy Chicken parts (or tenders for you tenderfoots)
2. Douse them with a spicy oil laced with cayenne powder, chili powder, brown sugar, garlic, salt and pepper
3. Do this all over the parts again
4. Toss on a couple of dill pickle chips just for fun (and faux authenticity)
5. Bam! You’re in Nashville, eating Hot Chicken – or as close as you’ll get
KFC Nashville Hot Chicken
We purchased the 8 piece Family Meal, that included 2 breasts, 2 thighs, 2 legs, and 2 wings – along with 2 sides.
Heat Level: 
– Very spicy! Hot.
Overall Flavor: 
– Best spicy chicken we’ve had from a fast food joint. Unique and savory!
Enjoy with KFC’s really decent cole slaw and a good cola. Oh, and biscuits.
Nashville Hot Chicken Tenders from KFC
KFC also offers Nashville Hot Tenders that sport the same spicy sauce drizzled over their crispy chicken tenders.
Seriously, we think this offering trumps the best of what Popeye’s has ever offered.
Go get some now. Then come back and tell us what you think. We’ll wait.
More Week of Wings 7
Week of Wings 7 – Day 1: Moore’s Original Buffalo Wing Sauce
Week of Wings 7 – Day 2: Old Bay Butter Wings
Week of Wings 7 – Day 3: Moore’s Blue Cheese Buffalo and Creamy Ranch Buffalo Wing Sauces
Week of Wings 7 – Day 4: Nashville Hot Chicken from KFC
Week of Wings 7 – Day 5: The Flaming Chicken Hot Garlic Wing Sauce