Hot chicken
Encyclopedia
Hot chicken or Nashville hot chicken is a type of fried chicken
that is a local specialty of Nashville, Tennessee
. In its typical preparation, it is a portion of breast, thigh, or wing that has been marinated in buttermilk, breaded, sauced using a paste that has been heavily spiced with cayenne pepper
, and pan-fried. 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. It can be viewed in similar context to other foods that have been tweaked to be unique in a regional way, such as the slugburger
or the Mississippi Delta tamale. It is similar in heat to Caribbean Jerk chicken, but is sauced rather than spiced with a dry rub
.
Hot chicken has, in recent years, gained notoriety nationally due to the influence of Nashville's music industry. There are many restaurants in Nashville that serve a variant of the dish, and there is a city-wide festival and competition commemorating it. In 2006, the family that originated the dish was awarded the 'Guardian of the Tradition' designation by the Southern Foodways Alliance. It has been seen on restaurant menus (as Nashville hot chicken) as far north as Michigan.
A related dish popular in Nashville is hot fish, which is prepared in a similar way, but with a large fillet of fish
.
to impart flavor and to retain the meat's juices upon frying. Some preparations of hot chicken are breaded and fried after application of the spice paste; the more traditional method has the paste applied immediately after the chicken is removed from the fryer.
A typical Nashville-style hot chicken spice paste has two key ingredients: lard
and cayenne pepper. The two are mixed together, three parts pepper to one part lard, and heated until they form a thick sauce. Some restaurants vary the composition of the paste, adding sugar, garlic, or additional hot sauce
. The paste applied to the fried chicken by the server using a spoon and latex gloves; it is lightly squeezed into the finished chicken by hand. The heat level of the chicken can be varied by the preparer by reducing or increasing the amount of paste applied.
All hot chicken is served atop slices of white (enriched) bread, with pickle chips. Since the spice paste is made of lard and applied while the chicken is hot, it will often soak into the bread. Although originally intended to keep the grease contained and the chicken dry, many hot chicken enthusiasts eagerly consume the soaked bread to prove they can withstand the spicy food.
Sometimes vendors will substitute a hamburger bun for the slices of white bread.
A variation of the hot chicken theme is "hot fish", typically a breaded and fried white fish (usually whiting or trout) or a catfish filet prepared using a similar cayenne paste as hot chicken, or using a cayenne power blend sprinkled liberally over the filet. Some hot chicken restaurants also serve hot fish, but recently some have begun to specialize in hot fish only.
Ironically, what began as breakfast revenge is now considered to be a staple food for late-night diners. On weekends, most restaurants dedicated to hot chicken are open very late (some past 4AM). At present, Nashville plays host to over half a dozen restaurants dedicated to serving hot chicken. Several others offer it as an item but do not focus solely on it. The local popularity of the dish has attracted some rather famous attention. For a time, country music
stars Lorrie Morgan
and Sammy Kershaw
owned and operated a now-defunct hot chicken restaurant called "hotchickens.com". The former mayor of Nashville Bill Purcell is a devoted fan, sponsoring the Music City Hot Chicken Festival and giving numerous interviews touting the dish. While in office, he frequently referred to his table at Prince's Hot Chicken as his "second office".
released three songs about Nashville hot chicken ("Flying Lesson (Hot Chicken #1)" and "Do not Say A Word (Hot Chicken #2)" from the album Electr-O-Pura
and "Return to Hot Chicken" from the album I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One
). The band, while recording several albums in Nashville, became devoted consumers of the dish.
The Travel Channel
TV show Man v. Food Nation
showcased hot chicken during a Nashville-themed episode.
Fried chicken
Fried chicken is a dish consisting of chicken pieces usually from broiler chickens which have been floured or battered and then pan fried, deep fried, or pressure fried. The breading adds a crisp coating or crust to the exterior...
that is a local specialty of Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
. In its typical preparation, it is a portion of breast, thigh, or wing that has been marinated in buttermilk, breaded, sauced using a paste that has been heavily spiced with cayenne pepper
Cayenne pepper
The cayenne pepper—also known as the Guinea spice,cow-horn pepper, aleva, bird pepper,or, especially in its powdered form, red pepper—is a red, hot chili pepper used to flavor dishes and for medicinal purposes. Named for the city of Cayenne in French Guiana, it is a cultivar of Capsicum annuum...
, and pan-fried. It is served atop slices of white bread
White bread
White bread is made from wheat flour from which the bran and the germ have been removed through a process known as milling. Milling gives white flour a longer shelf life by removing the bran which contains oil, allowing products made with it, like white bread, the ability to survive storage and...
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. It can be viewed in similar context to other foods that have been tweaked to be unique in a regional way, such as the slugburger
Slugburger
A slugburger is a traditional southern delicacy found in northeast Mississippi, particularly Corinth, Iuka and northwest Alabama. Consisting of a patty made from a mixture of beef or pork and an inexpensive extender such as soybeans, it is deep fried in oil...
or the Mississippi Delta tamale. It is similar in heat to Caribbean Jerk chicken, but is sauced rather than spiced with a dry rub
Spice rub
Spice rub is any mixture of ground spices that is made for the purpose of being rubbed on raw food before the food is cooked. The spice rub forms a coat on the food. The food can be marinated in the spice rub for some time for the flavors to incorporate into the food or it can be cooked...
.
Hot chicken has, in recent years, gained notoriety nationally due to the influence of Nashville's music industry. There are many restaurants in Nashville that serve a variant of the dish, and there is a city-wide festival and competition commemorating it. In 2006, the family that originated the dish was awarded the 'Guardian of the Tradition' designation by the Southern Foodways Alliance. It has been seen on restaurant menus (as Nashville hot chicken) as far north as Michigan.
A related dish popular in Nashville is hot fish, which is prepared in a similar way, but with a large fillet of fish
Fish (food)
Fish is a food consumed by many species, including humans. The word "fish" refers to both the animal and to the food prepared from it. Fish has been an important source of protein for humans throughout recorded history.-Terminology:...
.
Preparation
Although the components of the dish largely remain the same, the preparation of the dish can differ greatly. A pressure fryer or deep fryer can be used, although most restaurants serve a pan fried product. Nearly all hot chicken is marinated in buttermilkButtermilk
Buttermilk refers to a number of dairy drinks. Originally, buttermilk was the liquid left behind after churning butter out of cream. It also refers to a range of fermented milk drinks, common in warm climates where unrefrigerated fresh milk otherwise sours quickly...
to impart flavor and to retain the meat's juices upon frying. Some preparations of hot chicken are breaded and fried after application of the spice paste; the more traditional method has the paste applied immediately after the chicken is removed from the fryer.
A typical Nashville-style hot chicken spice paste has two key ingredients: lard
Lard
Lard is pig fat in both its rendered and unrendered forms. Lard was commonly used in many cuisines as a cooking fat or shortening, or as a spread similar to butter. Its use in contemporary cuisine has diminished because of health concerns posed by its saturated-fat content and its often negative...
and cayenne pepper. The two are mixed together, three parts pepper to one part lard, and heated until they form a thick sauce. Some restaurants vary the composition of the paste, adding sugar, garlic, or additional hot sauce
Hot sauce
Hot sauce, chili sauce or pepper sauce refers to any spicy sauce made from chili peppers and other ingredients.-Ingredients:There are many recipes for hot sauces - the common ingredient being any kind of peppers. A group of chemicals called capsaicinoids are responsible for the heat in chili peppers...
. The paste applied to the fried chicken by the server using a spoon and latex gloves; it is lightly squeezed into the finished chicken by hand. The heat level of the chicken can be varied by the preparer by reducing or increasing the amount of paste applied.
All hot chicken is served atop slices of white (enriched) bread, with pickle chips. Since the spice paste is made of lard and applied while the chicken is hot, it will often soak into the bread. Although originally intended to keep the grease contained and the chicken dry, many hot chicken enthusiasts eagerly consume the soaked bread to prove they can withstand the spicy food.
Variations
The main variation to traditional hot chicken is in the application of the spice paste: before breading or after breading, and whether or not additional spices are applied. Recipes, cooking methods, and preparation steps for hot chicken are often closely guarded secrets, proprietary to the specific restaurant, so the look of the chicken may vary widely.Sometimes vendors will substitute a hamburger bun for the slices of white bread.
A variation of the hot chicken theme is "hot fish", typically a breaded and fried white fish (usually whiting or trout) or a catfish filet prepared using a similar cayenne paste as hot chicken, or using a cayenne power blend sprinkled liberally over the filet. Some hot chicken restaurants also serve hot fish, but recently some have begun to specialize in hot fish only.
History
Anecdotal evidence suggests that spicy fried chicken has been served in Nashville for generations. The current dish may have been introduced as early as the 1950s, however, the current style of spice paste may only date back to the mid 1970s. It is generally accepted that the originator of hot chicken is the family of Andre Prince Jeffries, owner of "Prince's Hot Chicken". She has operated the restaurant since 1980; before that time, it was owned by her great-uncle, Thornton Prince. Although impossible to verify, Jeffries says the development of hot chicken was an accident. Her great- uncle Thornton was purportedly a womanizer, and after a particularly late night out his girlfriend at the time cooked him a fried chicken breakfast with extra pepper as revenge. Instead, Thornton decided he liked it so much he came up with his own extra-spicy recipe and served it in his restaurant.Ironically, what began as breakfast revenge is now considered to be a staple food for late-night diners. On weekends, most restaurants dedicated to hot chicken are open very late (some past 4AM). At present, Nashville plays host to over half a dozen restaurants dedicated to serving hot chicken. Several others offer it as an item but do not focus solely on it. The local popularity of the dish has attracted some rather famous attention. For a time, country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
stars Lorrie Morgan
Lorrie Morgan
In 1996 Morgan married Jon Randall, a singer/songwriter now credited with writing the 2004 Brad Paisley/Alison Krauss hit "Whiskey Lullaby"; they divorced three years later in 1999....
and Sammy Kershaw
Sammy Kershaw
Samuel Paul "Sammy" Kershaw is an American country music artist. A third cousin of Cajun fiddler Doug Kershaw and ex-husband of Lorrie Morgan, he has been active in country music since 1991. He has released ten studio albums, with three RIAA platinum certifications and two gold certifications...
owned and operated a now-defunct hot chicken restaurant called "hotchickens.com". The former mayor of Nashville Bill Purcell is a devoted fan, sponsoring the Music City Hot Chicken Festival and giving numerous interviews touting the dish. While in office, he frequently referred to his table at Prince's Hot Chicken as his "second office".
Appearances
The American alternative rock band Yo La TengoYo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo, sometimes abbreviated as YLT, is an American alternative rock band formed in Hoboken, New Jersey in 1984. Since 1992, the lineup has consisted of Ira Kaplan , Georgia Hubley , and James McNew .Despite achieving limited mainstream success, Yo La Tengo has been called "the quintessential...
released three songs about Nashville hot chicken ("Flying Lesson (Hot Chicken #1)" and "Do not Say A Word (Hot Chicken #2)" from the album Electr-O-Pura
Electr-O-Pura
Electr-O-Pura is the seventh album by Hoboken, New Jersey indie rock group Yo La Tengo, released in 1995. The back of the CD case gives intentionally wrong running times leading many to think the running time is around 45 minutes, when in fact it is just shy of one hour...
and "Return to Hot Chicken" from the album I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One
I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One
I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One is an album by Yo La Tengo. It was recorded in Nashville, Tennessee and mixed in New York City. The album was released on Matador in 1997, and "Busy with My Thoughts" appeared on the Japanese version, the song also available as the b-side to the "Sugarcube"...
). The band, while recording several albums in Nashville, became devoted consumers of the dish.
The Travel Channel
Travel Channel
The Travel Channel is a satellite and cable television channel that is headquartered in Chevy Chase, Maryland, US. It features documentaries and how-to shows related to travel and leisure around the United States and throughout the world. Programming has included shows in African animal safaris,...
TV show Man v. Food Nation
Man v. Food Nation
Man v. Food Nation is the name given to the fourth season of the Travel Channel's Man v. Food, a food reality television series. It premiered at 9 PM ET on June 1, 2011, with a special preview episode, "The Quest Begins", airing at 9 PM ET on May 25, 2011.In this show, host Adam Richman, actor and...
showcased hot chicken during a Nashville-themed episode.