Air Fryer Nashville Hot Chicken

Nashville Hot Chicken In The Air Fryer

I love this recipe because it lets you control the level of spice by simply adjusting the hot sauce ingredients! Want more spice? Add more cayenne pepper! Need to tame it a bit? Mix in some light brown sugar!

This Air Fryer Chicken uses basic ingredients to add a ton of flavor to a mid-week meal or weekend snack! With a spice you crave that requires under 30 minutes of hands-on time you may find yourself making it often!

If you love heat then you’re going to go crazy for this flavorful and easy dinner that’s ready in less than 30 minutes! Plus here are a few more tips for preparing it!

This is my favorite Friday night indulgence and it is so good. I’ve even done it with leftover pasta and I like think I even like it better than the fries I use broccoli slaw to make it healthier and can’t say enough good things about this recipe.

– Suzanne

Ingredients for Nashville Hot Chicken

Chicken breasts are marinated in a homemade brine made up of pickle juice, franks hot sauce, and buttermilk. All-purpose flour, salt, and pepper are used for coating the chicken strips before air frying.

To make the fiery hot sauce use salted butter, paprika, cayenne pepper, chili powder, garlic powder, and salt. If desired you can mix in light brown sugar to reduce the heat!

Just cook the sauce on medium-low or the sugar will caramelize and turn to a taffy texture that won’t coat the chicken properly.

How To Make Nashville Chicken In The Air Fryer

1. Marinate the chicken strips in pickle juice, franks hot sauce, and buttermilk in a medium bowl covered in the refrigerator.
2. Dip the chicken in the seasoned flour then buttermilk and dredge it in the flour mixture a second time.
3. Prepare the air fryer by preheating it and spraying the basket with olive or coconut oil, or brushing on vegetable oil.
4. Cook chicken strips in a single layer in the air fryer tray. I also like to brush chicken with olive oil before air frying to ensure it doesn’t stick. Repeat with the second batch.
5. Combine the ingredients for the hot sauce in a small saucepan over medium heat while the chicken cooks. Cook until the mixture has melted together.
6. Brush the air-fried chicken with the spicy sauce mixture before serving. Pair with a side of sweet pickles, white bread, or crinkle-cut fries if you’d like!

How To Keep The Chicken Warm!

While preparing the second batch of strips, you can keep the cooked chicken warm in the oven at 200°F.

Can I Fry This Recipe In Oil?

Absolutely, just heat vegetable oil to 350°F and fry the strips for about 5 to 6 minutes, turning halfway through. The chicken is done when it has an internal temperature of 165°F.

Can I Use This Recipe For Chicken Wings?

Yes, cook them at 380°F for about 12 minutes. Then turn the air fryer to 400°F and cook for another 6 minutes or until they reach your desired crispiness. If using boneless wings, keep in mind that you may need to adjust temperatures and cooking time.

Try out another chicken recipe that has less kick but is still jam-packed with delicious flavor!

• Oven Fried Chicken – Crunchy chicken dredged in a spiced breadcrumb mixture!
• Salsa Chicken – Baked in the oven after being prepared with just 4 ingredients!
• Healthy Baked Chicken Nuggets – Breaded in crushed tortilla chips and Rice Krispies!
• Garlic Chicken – Uses garlic, olive oil, thyme, salt, and pepper for perfectly flavored chicken!
• Baked Chicken Wings – Skips the hassle of deep frying but still delivers crispy chicken!