The Best Nashville Hot Chicken Sliders Recipe
These Nashville Hot Chicken Sliders feature spicy, crispy, and juicy fried chicken tenders, marinated and double-fried to perfection, served on soft slider buns with creamy coleslaw, tangy pickles, and a flavorful homemade sauce. Perfect for game day or any casual gathering, these sliders deliver authentic Nashville spice in bite-sized sandwiches.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes (plus 2 hours to overnight marinating)
- Cook Time: 40 minutes (includes frying and assembly)
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes (including marinating minimum 2 hours separate time)
- Yield: 6-8 large sandwiches or 12 mini sliders
- Category: Sandwiches
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Southern American
Ingredients
Chicken Marinade / Dredge
- 6-8 chicken tenders
- 2 egg whites
- 1 cup buttermilk (240g) (make your own with 1 cup milk + 1 tbsp vinegar or lemon juice)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
Flour Coating / Breading
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (130g)
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
Deep Frying
- 2 inches vegetable oil (enough to fill a large skillet or wok for frying)
Nashville Hot Sauce
- 2-3 tbsp cayenne pepper (adjust to spice preference)
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 ½ tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ cup hot vegetable oil (from frying skillet)
Coleslaw
- 1 ½ cups shredded cabbage (mix of purple and green)
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp vinegar
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
Slider Sauce
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup ketchup
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of pepper
Assembly
- 12 mini slider buns or 6-8 full sized buns
- 2-4 pickles, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Marinade: Prep the chicken tenders by removing tendons and excess fat. If making mini sliders, cut each tender in half for a better fit. In a bowl, whisk together buttermilk, egg whites, salt, and pepper until smooth. Add the chicken tenders and coat thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or preferably overnight to tenderize and infuse flavor.
- Prep Other Components: While the chicken marinates, prepare the coleslaw by combining shredded cabbage, mayonnaise, sugar, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Mix the slider sauce ingredients—mayonnaise, ketchup, salt, and pepper—in another bowl. Thinly slice the pickles and set aside.
- Coating / Breading: In a shallow bowl or plate, mix flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Remove each chicken tender from the marinade one at a time, shaking off excess liquid. Dredge the tender in the flour mixture, coating well on all sides. Dip back into the marinade briefly, shake off excess, then coat again with the flour mixture for a double coating. Place coated tenders on a wire rack and let them rest about 20 minutes to set the coating while oil heats up.
- Deep Frying - First Fry: Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok to 350°F (175°C). Fry one-third to one-half of the coated chicken tenders at a time for 5-6 minutes, flipping halfway through. This initial fry cooks the chicken through but results in a light color. Remove and drain on a wire rack. Repeat with remaining tenders.
- Rest and Second Fry: Allow the fried chicken to rest for 10-15 minutes. Then, return the chicken to the hot oil (350°F) and fry for an additional 2-3 minutes to develop a deep golden color and crisp texture. Remove and drain again on the wire rack.
- Make Nashville Hot Sauce: In a bowl, combine cayenne pepper, paprika, brown sugar, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. When the chicken is almost done with the second fry, carefully remove ½ cup of hot oil from the skillet and pour it over the spices. Whisk thoroughly to create the Nashville hot sauce.
- Coat Chicken in Sauce: Immediately after frying, using tongs, dunk each fried chicken tender into the Nashville hot sauce, coating evenly on all sides. Place the coated pieces back on the wire rack with a baking sheet underneath to catch any drips.
- Assembly: Warm the slider buns briefly on the stovetop or microwave. Spread a generous amount of slider sauce on the bottom halves, layer thin pickle slices, place the Nashville hot chicken tender on top, add a generous portion of coleslaw, then cover with the top bun. Serve immediately while hot and enjoy!
Notes
- For best flavor and tenderness, marinate the chicken overnight if possible.
- Adjust cayenne pepper in the hot sauce to control the heat level to your liking.
- Use a wire rack to drain the fried chicken to maintain crispiness and avoid sogginess.
- Double coating the chicken with flour and buttermilk helps create an extra crispy crust.
- The resting period after breading helps the coating stick better during frying.
- If you don't have buttermilk, substitute with milk plus vinegar or lemon juice.
- Ensure oil temperature is maintained at 350°F during frying for best results.
- These sliders are best consumed fresh but can be reheated gently in an oven to maintain crispness.
