Nashville Style Hot Chicken

November17

If you love spicy food, I mean, really, really LOVE all things fiery and flavorful, then you’re ready for Nashville Style Hot Chicken.

What makes Nashville Style Hot Chicken so unique is the “sauce” that is brushed, dipped or poured over the chicken just before serving.

I’m telling you, this atomic fried chicken is guaranteed to burn your face off. Ah, the eye-watering pain. The mouth-burning agony. It hurts (and tastes) so good.

Yes, there are a lot of spicy fried chicken recipes out there. But what makes Nashville Style Hot Chicken so unique is the “sauce” that is brushed, dipped or poured over the chicken just before serving. That sauce is so delicious; you have to serve it with a slice or two of good old-fashioned white bread to soak up all the drippy goodness.

Oh, and you definitely need some good pickles to gussy-up the plate. That’s part of the presentation. You don’t want to go to all the trouble of making Nashville Style Hot Chicken and leave off a traditional garnish!

Several (now famous) places in Nashville have been serving Hot Chicken for decades. But as we all know, it only takes one hip website or famous food show star to get the rest of the country clamoring for the next BIG THING RIGHT NOW.

But what in the world is Nashville Style Hot Chicken anyway? How it came into being is absolutely fascinating, but, then again, I love food history and how it defines our culture, and in this case, a city.

Give a read to Dr. Rachel Martin’s post on the website The Bitter Southerner to understand how Nashville’s so-called signature dish stayed hidden in plain sight for so long before exploding into the mainstream.

What makes Nashville Style Hot Chicken so unique is the “sauce” that is brushed, dipped or poured over the chicken just before serving.

Hattie B’s in Nashville, which offers five heat levels, including “Shut the Cluck Up”, inspired my Nashville Style Hot Chicken recipe. I’ve changed it a bit by adding some spices to the flour. Like Hattie B’s recipe, I dredge the chicken pieces (breasts, thighs and legs only) twice in the flour before frying.

But I don’t add quite as much cayenne pepper as Hattie B’s because, well, I may be a little high strung, but I’m not crazy.

Read this recipe all the way through before you begin. I just heard you gasp. That’s right, one of the ingredients in the secret sauce is one cup of the hot oil from the skillet where the chicken is fried.

But, like I always say, you don’t eat like this every day, and I know how much you love fried chicken!

What makes Nashville Style Hot Chicken so unique is the “sauce” that is brushed, dipped or poured over the chicken just before serving.


Hatch Chile Cornbread Waffles

August24

It’s Hatch Chile season!Hatch Chile Cornbread Waffles

 

Over the years, I’ve written a lot about my favorite pepper, which is grown only in southern New Mexico’s fertile Mesilla Valley, where perfect conditions allow the chile to develop an intense earthy flavor.

Hatch Chiles are only available in August and September, so time is running out! Melissa’s Produce is roasting the chiles at select locations around the country. Click here to see if there is a roasting event near you.

I doubled down on the Hatch Chiles in this recipe for Hatch Chile Cornbread Waffles with Watermelon & Hatch Chile Salsa. This savory cornbread waffle is also a great base for meat or fish. I served it with grilled chicken for a twist on traditional Chicken and Waffles.

I wanted gluten-free Hatch Chile Cornbread Waffles, so I used Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Baking Flour, but you can also use regular flour along with the corn meal. I also used fish sauce in the Watermelon and Hatch Chile Salsa to add some umami saltiness, but you can add salt to taste.


Here’s how they do the roasting:

Perfect Rhubarb Pie

June16

 I love this recipe for Perfect Rhubarb Pie because it’s so simple. Added bonus: Vodka crust!

Growing up, I didn’t eat a lot of rhubarb.

Maybe there wasn’t a lot of rhubarb in West Texas as that time because fruits and vegetables didn’t fly around the world like they do today.

Perhaps Papa Daddy didn’t like rhubarb. Or it might not have been on Aba’s radar screen. Regardless, I found rhubarb late in life and I fell in love.

My favorite way to enjoy rhubarb is, like most people, in a pie. I love this recipe for Perfect Rhubarb Pie because it’s so simple. Tart, but sweet (like me!). I know the recipe looks long and involved, but that’s the fault of the delicious Vodka Crust. Use a refrigerated pie crust, if you prefer.

I’m going to be taking some time off to pursue some other writing projects. I’ll be posting some of my previous recipes with (much) better images. I’ll be checking my email so please leave comments, suggestions and share my recipes (please!).

Thanks for the fun.


Best Gluten Free Coffee Cake Ever

April22

The secret to the Best Gluten Free Coffee Cake Ever is the coffee and chocolate combo that adds a delicious depth of flavor. Mama's High Strung

When I was a kid, I wouldn’t eat coffee cake because I thought it was made from coffee… (what kid likes coffee?)

Kind of makes sense, doesn’t it?The secret to the Best Gluten Free Coffee Cake Ever is the coffee and chocolate combo that adds a delicious depth of flavor. Mama's High Strung

Well, after 17 years as a journalist, five kids and too many late nights, you’ve got to believe I love coffee. And to drive home the point, here’s a recipe for coffee cake actually MADE with coffee.

And it is amazing.

The coffee and chocolate combo offers a delicious depth of flavor. I also used sour cream in this recipe, which makes for a rich, dense cake, perfect for holding the pecan and brown sugar swirl in the middle.

Even better… this is a totally gluten free recipe, made with Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Baking Flour. I also tested it using All-Purpose flour, so you’ll get the same perfect results with either type of flour.

Hamilton Beach® FlexBrew® 2-Way CoffemakerOne other thing… this recipe calls for a ½ cup of brewed coffee, so I used the Single-Serve side of my Hamilton Beach 2-Way FlexBrew® Coffeemaker. When I was ready to serve the cake, I brewed a large pot of coffee on the Carafe Side. My pals at Hamilton Beach sent me the FlexBrew® Coffeemaker to try out… it’s great being able to make a big old pot of coffee OR a just a cup!

So here’s my recipe for the Best Gluten Free Coffee Cake Ever… made with coffee. Funny how things sometimes come full circle.


 

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Hi…
I’m Christina Chavez

I was a TV journalist for many years, but with a house full of kids I decided to come off the road, go to culinary school and follow my passion for cooking. Mama’s High Strung is all about food… everything from creative recipe ideas to some really cool kitchen gadgets and cooking tips. I live in Chicago, but I love to travel and write about my food discoveries! You can reach me by email: mamashighstrung@gmail.com