Fried chicken is an irresistible standby of American cuisine and one that has spawned many delicious regional variations. Among the most beloved is Nashville hot chicken, which adds a powerful spice mix to the classic combination of crispy skin and fatty juices. Students working toward an online culinary arts certificate owe it to themselves to try some of the best examples of this style and then try creating their own ideal flavor combination.
Going to the source
“Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack is where Nashville hot chicken began.”
Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack is where the story of Nashville hot chicken began in the 1930s. According to local lore, the dish was invented by the wife of Thorton Prince as vengeance for his two-timing ways. Mrs. Prince was taken aback to realize that rather than running screaming, her husband dug into a second helping of the heavily spiced chicken with gusto.
In the decades since, the chicken restaurant has remained in the Prince family and continued on the tradition of exceptional, flaming hot poultry. Spice levels range from (still pretty hot) mild, all the way up to XXXHot, and the chicken is served atop white bread with pickle slices. The current proprietor, Ms. Andre Prince Jeffries, isn’t revealing the secrets of the family recipe, but you can be sure the chicken continues to live up to its legendary reputation.
Hattie B.’s, a hot chicken joint of more recent vintage, is relatively open about its approach to cooking up a flavor-packed bird. According to Bon Appetit, a medium-heat recipe for preparing two chickens calls for six tablespoons of cayenne pepper, along with a vinegar-based hot sauce, dark brown sugar, chili powder, garlic powder and paprika. The results are perfect on the establishment’s signature sandwich, which includes a breast, coleslaw, a pickle and the house-made Nashville comeback sauce.
Fiery flavors across the country
If you can’t make it to Music City, there are plenty of restaurants all over the U.S. offering their own variations on hot chicken. Austin culinary arts fans can satisfy their craving while enjoying remarkable cocktails and checking out live music at The Townsend. The hot chicken recipe features a healthy dose of harissa chili pepper paste, and the tasty thigh is accompanied by flatbread and pickles.
For a more traditional approach to hot chicken in the Midwest, try Chicago’s The Budlong. Restaurateur Jared Leonard crafted a menu that offers chicken-lovers plenty of opportunities for customizing their meal, with heat options that go from naked to Xtra hot. They can opt for quarter or half of a bird on buttered Texas toast, a sandwich on brioche or tenders served with comeback sauce or buttermilk ranch.
Los Angeles chicken fans came to trust the name Howlin’ Ray’s in its original form as a food truck. Today, the brick-and-mortar location in Chinatown continues to serve Nashville-inspired flavors. On the weekend, you can even dig into the amazing combination of hot chicken and waffles.
The taste and heat of Nashville’s classic chicken has become popular all over the U.S. For students in culinary academy, exploring those flavors could be the key to perfecting your own fried chicken masterpiece.
