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Home » Main Dish » Chicken » Nashville Hot Chicken Tenders

Nashville Hot Chicken Tenders

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Total 2 hrs 30 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Serves 6 tenders

By: Mariam Ezzeddine  |  February 13, 2022This post may contain affiliate links, read my disclosure policy for details

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Addictively spicy, these Hot Nashville Chicken Tenders are going to make you sweat, in a good way! Crispy golden-brown fried chicken tenders coated with a spicy but sweet sauce, these chicken tenders are going to have your family licking the plate clean. Crispy on the outside but juicy on the inside, these hot chicken tenders taste just like what you’d get at restaurants. 

A plate of Nashville hot chicken tenders with crumbled cheese.

These Nashville hot chicken tenders are delicious crispy and spicy fried chicken that will have you reaching for a drink! They are so juicy and tender thanks to the buttermilk in the marinade and they come together in less than an hour. It’s much easier than it looks and you won’t regret trying this tonight!

Did you know that you can strain the frying oil and reuse it later? Try making my Sweet and Spicy Asian Chicken or Crispy Honey Chicken with the oil later in the week!

Why You’ll Love This Spicy Chicken Tenders Recipe

  • They’re super crispy. There’s no soggy chicken tenders here! Each bite is crispy and full of hot flavor. They’re crispier than ordering take-out as they lose their crisp on the journey home. 
  • They’re easy. All you have to do is marinade and coat the chicken before deep-frying them. Then simply coat them with the Nashville hot sauce. 
  • They’re a classic recipe. These chicken tenders are a type of fried chicken that is well known in Nashville, Tennessee created by the family who owns Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack.

Nashville Hot Tenders Ingredients

Ingredients needed to make Nashville hot chicken tenders.
  • Marinade: for the chicken marinade, you’ll need buttermilk, pickle brine, hot sauce, paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
  • Chicken: I used chicken tenders but you can always slice up chicken breasts into thinner strips. 
  • Seasoned coating: you’ll need flour, corn starch, paprika, cayenne pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder to make the seasoned coating for the chicken tenders.
  • Vegetable oil: make sure you are using vegetable oil or another oil with a high smoke point. 
  • Nashville hot sauce: for the hot sauce, you’ll need hot oil, brown sugar, cayenne pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and salt.
  • Crumbled feta cheese: optional to serve with the Nashville Hot Chicken Tenders.

How To Make Nashville Chicken Tenders

  • Make the marinade: In a large bowl combine buttermilk, pickle brine, hot sauce, paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, black pepper, salt. Add in the chicken tenders, cover, and marinate for at least 2 hours.
  • chicken tenders in buttermilk mixture
  • Prepare the coating: In a shallow bowl combine flour, corn starch, paprika, cayenne pepper, onion powder, garlic powder.
breading of chicken tenders
  • Dredge the chicken: Remove the chicken tenders from the marinade and dredge each piece in the flour mixture and coat them evenly. Repeat the same with all the chicken pieces and set aside.
  • Fry the chicken tenders in oil: In a large deep pot heat oil on a medium flame to fry the chicken pieces. Once the oil is hot enough, slowly add the chicken pieces and fry for 5-6 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the outer is crispy and golden. Place over paper towel until you prepare the sauce.
A bowl of fried chicken tenders.
  • Make the Nashville sauce: Combining the hot oil (remaining oil from the chicken fried), brown sugar, cayenne pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and salt.
hot nashville sauce
  • Coat the chicken tenders: Brush the prepared Nashville hot sauce over the fried chicken pieces or pour the sauce over the chicken and toss it until evenly coated.
A bowl of Nashville hot chicken tenders
  • Garnish and serve: Serve the Nashville chicken tenders with a touch of feta cheese on top and ranch as a dipping sauce
Close up of a Nashville hot chicken tender cut in half.

Tips to Make the Best Chicken Tenders Recipe

  • A cast-iron Dutch oven retains heat well, so it’s perfect for frying. Try to make sure to use a pot that has high edges to prevent oil splatter. 
  • Do not add too many pieces of chicken to the oil at once as it’ll lower the temperature of the oil.
  • As the chicken is being fried in batches, place the cooked chicken into a 250 degrees F oven to keep the tenders warm and crispy.
  • Don’t skip the buttermilk! Buttermilk is great for tenderizing chicken so the chicken tenders will melt in your mouth.
  • Be sure the temperature of the oil reaches at least 350F. If the chicken is added to the oil too early on, the chicken will be greasy as it absorbs a lot more oil.
  • This dish is best eaten immediately as the chicken does lose its crispiness over time due to the sauce. Leftovers are still just as delicious, just not as crispy!
Nashville hot chicken tender dipped in sauce.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I store leftover Chicken Tenders?

To store, place leftover hot chicken tenders in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 1-2 days. Due to the sauce, the chicken tenders will lose some of their crispiness, but you can always reheat in the oven to crisp them up instead of the microwave.

Can I freeze these Nashville hot chicken tenders?

You can! Just make sure they are fully cooled first then place in a freezer bag and place them in the freezer for up to about 1 month. Thaw the tenders overnight in the fridge overnight before reheating.

What if I don’t have buttermilk?

If you do not have buttermilk, you can make your own. Combine 1 cup of milk with 1 tablespoon of vinegar and allow it to sit for about 5 minutes to allow the milk to curdle like buttermilk.

What can I serve with these chicken tenders?

Bread and pickles are a popular choice to serve with Nashville tenders but you can also serve them with Crispy Air Fryer French Fries, Crispy Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries, Jicama Fries, Spicy Baked Zucchini Fries, or Homemade Roasted Garlic Bread. 

Are Nashville tenders hot?

Yes, as this chicken tender recipe uses hot sauce and lots of cayenne pepper, the chicken is quite spicy. 

A plate of Nashville hot chicken tenders with pickles and dipping sauce.

More Chicken Recipes to Try

  • Crispy Baked Chicken Tenders
  • Parmesan Crusted Chicken Breast
  • Crispy Oven Baked Popcorn Chicken
  • Fried Chicken Sandwich

I hope you enjoy all the recipes I share with you, including this delicious Nashville Hot Chicken Tenders recipe. I hope you try it, enjoy it, rate it, and share it with your friends and family!

If you try this recipe and liked it, please leave a star rating and comment below. Use my hashtag to share it with me on INSTAGRAM So I can see your delicious recreations! Also, follow me at Cookin’ With Mima on FACEBOOK |INSTAGRAM |PINTEREST for all of my latest social posts and recipes.

A plate of Nashville hot chicken tenders with pickles and dipping sauce.

Nashville Hot Chicken Tenders

No ratings yet
Created by Mariam E.
Addictively spicy, these Nashville Hot Chicken Tenders are going to make you sweat, in a good way! These golden-brown fried chicken tenders are crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, coated with a spicy but sweet sauce your family will love.
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Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 2 hrs 30 mins
Course Chicken
Cuisine American
Servings 6 tenders
tenders

Ingredients

To marinate the chicken

  • 1 lb chicken tenders
  • 1 cups buttermilk
  • ½ cup pickle brine
  • 2 tablespoons hot sauce
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

To make coating

  • 1 ½ cup all purpose flour
  • ½ cup corn starch
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ¾ tsp salt
  • ½ tsp black pepper

To make Nashville sauce

  • ½ cup hot oil use the chicken fried oil
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder

Other

  • Vegetable oil to deep fry
  • Crumbled feta cheese to serve (optional)

Instructions

  • In a large bowl combine the ingredients for the marinade; buttermilk, pickle brine, hot sauce, paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder and black pepper. Add in the chicken tenders, cover and marinate for at least 2 hours.
  • In a shallow bowl combine the ingredients to make the coating; flour, corn starch, paprika, salt, cayenne pepper, onion powder, garlic powder.
  • Remove the chicken tenders from the marinade and dredge each piece in the flour mixture and coat them evenly. Repeat the same with all the chicken pieces and set aside.
  • In a large deep pot heat oil on a medium flame to fry the chicken pieces. Once the oil is hot enough, slowly add the chicken pieces and fry for 5-6 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the outer is crispy and golden.
  • Prepare the Nashville sauce by combining the mentioned ingredients; In a small bowl whisk hot oil (remaining oil from the chicken fried), brown sugar, cayenne pepper, paprika, garlic powder and salt.
  • Brush the prepared Nashville hot sauce over the fried chicken pieces or pour the sauce over the chicken and toss it until evenly coated.
  • Serve the Nashville chicken tenders with a touch of feta cheese on top and ranch as a dipping sauce.

Notes

  • A cast-iron Dutch oven retains heat well, so it’s perfect for frying. Try to make sure to use a pot that has high edges to prevent oil splatter. 
  • Do not add too many pieces of chicken to the oil at once as it’ll lower the temperature of the oil.
  • As the chicken is being fried in batches, place the cooked chicken into a 250 degrees F oven to keep the tenders warm and crispy.
  • Don’t skip the buttermilk! Buttermilk is great for tenderizing chicken so the chicken tenders will melt in your mouth.
  • Be sure the temperature of the oil reaches at least 350F. If the chicken is added to the oil too early on, the chicken will be greasy as it absorbs a lot more oil.
  • This dish is best eaten immediately as the chicken does lose its crispiness over time due to the sauce. Leftovers are still just as delicious, just not as crispy!

Nutrition

Calories: 404kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 19g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 52mg | Sodium: 825mg | Potassium: 438mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1475IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 54mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Rate the recipe below and mention @cookinwithmima and tag #cookinwithmima so I can see your recreations.
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Welcome, I'm Mariam!

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