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.


Shrimp and Brie Cheese Nachos

November6

Whoo-hoo!! Of all the food holidays, this one is my favorite: National Nacho Day! Mama's High Strung Shrimp and Brie Nachos

What’s wonderful about nachos is that there is no recipe… whatever you’ve got in the pantry or fridge will work. You don’t even need corn chips… I’ve seen nachos made with pita bread and cucumber slices. Heck, I once ate a Japanese Maki called the “Nacho Roll” loaded with jalapenos, sour cream, chorizo and seared tuna. Now that’s inventive.

For basic nachos, all you need to do is top corn chips with shredded cheese and microwave or heat in the oven until nice and melty. If you want a little heat, add fresh or pickled jalapeños or serrano peppers. Cooked ground beef, turkey or chicken will up the protein level. Sour cream, guacamole, chopped cilantro, sautéed onions and diced red or green peppers are excellent on top. It’s all up to you…that’s the beauty of nachos!

I’m going to get fancy, since this is such a special day: Sautéed Shrimp and Brie Nachos. I didn’t use jalapeños because I don’t want to mask the wonderful flavor of the shrimp and creamy Brie cheese. I added a dash of paprika for a little color and a hint of smokiness. You won’t need the oven to melt the cheese because the shrimp will be hot out of the pan.



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