Air Fryer Nashville Hot Chicken–a healthier, air fryer version of the classic spicy fried chicken you can order when you visit Tennessee.
Air Fryer Nashville Hot Chicken
Greg and I visited Nashville a few years ago and were instructed by a friend that we just had to visit a restaurant called Hattie B’s and order the hot chicken. We did so and it really was amazing (along with the mac and cheese and banana pudding!). The hot chicken is famous in Nashville. It’s fried chicken basted with a spicy sauce. We ordered ours at a less spicy level since I was a little nervous (there are 6 different spice levels).
My version of hot chicken is not quite the real thing but it will give you a feel for it if you can’t get to Nashville. Oh and it’s made in your air fryer so it’s not deep fried and not quite so heavy as to leave you in a food coma for hours.
- I used my 6 quart Instant Pot Duo Crisp 11-in-1 Multi-Use Pressure Cooker and Air Fryer* to cook this chicken. I cooked about 1 ¼ pounds of chicken all at the same time in the 2 level air fryer basket. The chicken was juicy and tender and the outside was crispy and spicy. It was a win in my book. If you’re using a smaller air fryer you may need to cook the chicken in batches.
- This chicken tastes great served with dill pickles or collard greens.
- If you have leftovers a great way to reheat the chicken is to use the air fryer to crisp up the crust. This is much better than the microwave which will make the breading soggy.
- If you are unsure of the chicken being too spicy then do not baste with the spicy coating (or go super easy on it). You can also use a mild wing sauce or bbq sauce instead.
More Instant Pot Air Fryer Recipes…
Instant Pot Breakfast Mac and Cheese
Air Fryer Sunday Dinner Chicken
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Air Fryer Nashville Hot Chicken
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4–6 servings 1x
Ingredients
For the buttermilk mixture:
- 1 to 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of excess fat
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
- 1 Tbsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1 Tbsp hot sauce
- 1 egg, beaten
For dredging:
- 1 1/2 cups flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1 Tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
For the spicy coating:
- 1/4 cup heated vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 3/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Instructions
- In a bowl stir together the buttermilk, kosher salt, pepper, hot sauce and egg. Add the chicken into the mixture and stir to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 8 hours.
- On a pie plate or pan combine the flour, cornstarch, kosher salt and pepper.
- Dip each piece of chicken into the flour mixture. Dredge well to fully cover each piece of chicken in flour. Let chicken sit in flour mixture for 10 minutes.
- Spray your air fryer basket with non stick cooking spray.
- Add chicken to air fryer basket in one layer. I used my air fryer basket that came with my Instant Pot Duo Crisp + Air Fryer*. I placed half of the chicken pieces on the bottom of the basket and the other half on top of the dehydrator tray.
- Set the air fryer for 10 minutes at 400° F. Flip the chicken and cook for another 5-7 minutes. Check chicken for doneness with a thermometer*. It should be at least 160° F.
- Make the spicy coating by adding hot oil to a bowl and then whisking in the cayenne pepper, brown sugar, sea salt, black pepper, the paprika and garlic powder. Baste the spice mixture over the hot chicken and serve immediately; garnish with pickles.
Notes
This chicken lives up to its name! It is hot! If you are unsure of the spiciness then do not baste with the spicy coating or go super easy on it. You can also use a mild wing sauce instead.
- Category: Chicken
- Method: Air Fryer
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 chicken thigh
- Calories: 409
- Sugar: 4.3 g
- Sodium: 298 mg
- Fat: 19.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 4.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 21.6 g
- Fiber: 1.4 g
- Protein: 37.8 g
- Cholesterol: 191 mg
*Karen Petersen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.
This looks amazing! Can’t wait to try it. Wondering why you add the egg after the chicken has marinated. Why not add it at the beginning? Thank you!
★★★★★
It’s to help the breading stay on the chicken.
I made this tonight. The 1-1/2 T of cayenne scared me, so I just used 1 T. It turned out great and my family said the heat was just right.
I, too, was wondering about adding the egg after the marinating.The recipe says add the egg then set aside. I added the egg to the marinade before putting the chicken in. Breading stayed on fine.
It’s another keeper recipe from Karen.
★★★★★