A great summer dinner, baked Nashville hot chicken is a healthier version of the fried, spicy classic. What’s not to love about tender chicken baked with a crunchy coating and slathered with a buttery, spicy glaze?
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I like to serve the chicken in a classic manner, atop a slice of white bread with dill pickles on the side. A creamy Southern-style Coleslaw to cool down the spice and a French White Bean Salad completes a healthy, flavorful, and summery meal that your family will love.
THE ORIGIN OF NASHVILLE HOT CHICKEN
The story has it was developed by accident when the great-uncle of the owner of Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack reportedly came home late to his live-in girlfriend after a philandering night on the town and was served a fried chicken breakfast doused with a peppery sauce as an act of revenge. Instead, he liked it so much that he opened a chicken restaurant and created his own version of the hot fried chicken. It was an instant hit, especially with late-night diners.
WHAT INGREDIENTS ARE NEEDED FOR THIS RECIPE?
There are three parts to this recipe: a marinade, the chicken itself, and the glaze.
For the marinade, you will need:
- Buttermilk- helps to tenderize the chicken. You could use either low-fat or whole buttermilk.
- Pickle juice – sounds odd, but adds wonderful flavor.
- Cajun seasoning – this starts layering the spiciness for the chicken.
- Hot sauce – I used Frank’s, but any will do.
For the chicken:
- Chicken – I like using boneless, skinless chicken breasts. You could also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs, but will need to adjust the cooking time.
- Corn Flakes cereal – the cereal keeps its crunchiness in the oven, rather than getting soggy.
- Flour, salt, and cayenne pepper – the cayenne adds another layer of spice. If you want less heat, reduce the amount of the cayenne or omit it completely.
- Olive oil
For the glaze:
- Cayenne pepper – a lot of it. Reduce or add to it to suit your tastes.
- Dark brown sugar – helps balance out the spice.
- Smoked paprika, garlic powder, chili powder, onion powder – all to add flavor. If you don’t like smokey flavor, use Spanish paprika rather than smoked.
- Cajun seasoning – flavor and spiciness.
- Vegetable oil and butter – these are the basis of the glaze. The butter adds richness to the glaze.
For serving, it’s traditional to serve the chicken on a slice of white bread with a side of pickles.
HOW DO I MAKE BAKED NASHVILLE FRIED CHICKEN?
This recipe is easier than it looks. First, you’ll whisk together the marinade ingredients and marinate the chicken for at least 6 hours up to overnight.
Then, dredge the chicken in a cornflake and spice mixture and bake to golden perfection.
While the chicken bakes, you will stir together the glaze so when the chicken comes out of the oven, you can slather all of that spicy goodness all over the chicken.
Place the chicken on old-fashioned white bread, toss a few pickles on the side and enjoy!
More chicken recipes to try:
- Italian Chicken Francese
- Easy Buffalo Chicken Salad
- Chicken Carbonara Flatbread
- Kentucky Hot Browns
- Classic Chicken Piccata
- Chicken Vesuvio
- Chicken Bahn Mi Sandwich
- Chicken Marbella
BAKED NASHVILLE HOT CHICKEN
- Total Time: 45 minutes + marinating time
- Yield: Serves 4
Description
Baked Nashville hot chicken is a healthier version of your favorite spicy fried chicken. This dish is a perfect summer dinner.
Ingredients
For the marinade:
- 2 cups buttermilk
- ¼ cup pickle juice
- 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
- ⅓ cup hot sauce
- For the chicken:
- 3 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut horizontally and then in half vertically
- 4 cups cornflakes, crushed
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Olive oil for brushing
For the cayenne glaze:
- 4 tablespoons cayenne pepper
- 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
- ¾ vegetable oil
- 4 tablespoons butter
For serving:
- Sliced pickles and white bread for serving
Instructions
Make the marinade.
In a large ziplock bag, pour in the buttermilk, pickle juice, hot sauce, and Cajun seasoning. Seal the top and shake to combine.
Add the chicken pieces, close the top, and knead the marinade into the meat.
Place in the refrigerator for 6 hours or overnight. The longer the better.
Make the chicken.
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil. Set aside.
Pour the chicken and marinade into a colander placed in the sink.
In a shallow bowl, stir together the cornflakes, flour, salt, and cayenne pepper.
Dredge the chicken pieces in the cornflake mixture, pressing firmly to adhere the crumbs to the chicken.
Move the coated chicken to the baking pan. Repeat with the remaining chicken.
With a pastry brush, lightly brush each chicken piece with olive oil.
Bake for 15 minutes. Turn the chicken over and continue cooking for another 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, as the chicken bakes, make the glaze.
In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and olive oil together.
Continue to cook until the butter and oil begin to foam.
In a small bowl, whisk together the cayenne pepper, brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, chili powder, onion powder, and Cajun seasoning.
Slowly add the spice mixture to the butter and olive oil, whisking constantly until smooth. Remove from the heat.
When the chicken is done, use a basting brush to slather the glaze on both sides of the chicken.
Serve with pickles and white bread.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Marinating Time: 6+ hours
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Dish - Chicken
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: Southern
Keywords: baked Nashville hot chicken, spicy chicken, hot fried chicken, fried chicken, oven fried chicken,
