Nashville hot chicken sliders trace their roots to the classic hot chicken served in East Nashville, where Prince’s Hot Chicken set the standard more than a century ago. That original recipe shaped what most of us picture when we think of a hot chicken slider: a crisp piece of fried chicken, plenty of heat, and a sauce with real depth.
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In our recipe, the chicken gets a long soak in buttermilk with plenty of seasoning before it hits the oil. After frying, each piece is brushed with a hot honey sauce that adds sweetness and heat without taking over. We like adding Southern-style coleslaw for a nice balance to the heat, and when we want more kick, we add a spoonful of jalapeno pimento cheese. If you like this blend of sweet heat, you’ll probably enjoy our hot honey chicken wings too.
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
To make your own Nashville Hot Honey Chicken Sandwiches, you need only some pantry staples: buttermilk, chicken thighs, and slider buns.
The complete ingredient list and measurements are listed in the printable recipe below.
- Chicken Thighs: Boneless, skinless thighs stay tender during frying and have more flavor than chicken breast. If you prefer chicken breast, slice each piece in half and give it a light pound so it cooks evenly.
- Buttermilk: A buttermilk soak helps keep the chicken moist and gives the coating something to hold onto. If you’re out of buttermilk, mix regular milk with a little lemon juice and let it sit for a few minutes before using.
- Hot Sauce: A splash of hot sauce seasons the marinade and adds mild heat before the chicken ever hits the oil.
- Spices: Smoked paprika, white pepper, and cayenne give the flour dredge and hot honey sauce their color and flavor. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes for extra heat.
- Honey and brown Sugar: A small amount of sweetness rounds out the heat in the hot honey sauce.
- Slider Rolls: Hawaiian rolls have a soft texture and a hint of sweetness that is great with the spicy chicken. We also love Martin’s slider bus, though any slider bun you like will work here.
How to Make Nashville Hot Chicken Sliders
Here are the quick, step-by-step instructions with visuals; you can find the full instructions, including the exact ingredients, in the recipe card below.
Pro-tip: Let the dredged chicken thighs rest for a few minutes to prevent the coating from falling off during frying.
1. Brining the Chicken: Pat dry the chicken thighs with paper towels and cut them in half to be approximately equal in size and weight. Make the buttermilk brine in a large bowl by combining the buttermilk, smoked paprika, hot sauce, salt, and black pepper. Add the chicken to the brine, then cover it with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.
2. Dredge the Chicken: Mix the flour, cayenne, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, and white pepper in a large bowl. Lift each piece of chicken from the marinade, letting the excess drip back into the bowl, then coat it well in the seasoned flour. Set each piece on a wire rack placed over a baking sheet. Continue until all the chicken is coated and let it rest while the oil heats.
3. Fry the Chicken: Pour about 1½ inches of oil into a cast-iron skillet or a heavy pan. Heat over medium-high until the oil reaches 350°F. Add four to six pieces of chicken and fry, turning every couple of minutes, until the crust is deeply golden and the internal temperature reaches about 160°F.
4. Drain the Chicken: Lift each piece from the oil and set it on a clean wire rack so the excess oil can drip away. Continue with the remaining chicken.
4. Hot Honey Sauce: Stir together the cayenne, honey, brown sugar, smoked paprika, and garlic powder in a medium bowl. When all the chicken is fried, add a small spoonful of the hot cooking oil to the mixture and stir until blended.
5. Assemble the Hot Honey Chicken Sliders: Brush the cooked chicken with the hot honey sauce, coating both sides. Place one piece on the bottom of each slider bun. Add coleslaw and pickle slices, then top with the remaining bun.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- Heat the oil fully. Aim for 350°F before adding the chicken. The temperature will settle around 325°F once the pieces go in, keeping the crust crisp rather than greasy.
- Choose a neutral oil. Skip olive oil here. A neutral option like canola, peanut, corn, or vegetable oil keeps the flavor clean and holds up to frying temperatures.
- Drain the fried chicken. Set each piece on a wire rack placed over a baking sheet. This keeps the coating crisp and prevents the bottoms from steaming.
- Dip, don’t brush for spicier chicken. For a hotter hot chicken slider, dunk the fried chicken directly into the hot honey sauce instead of brushing it on.
- Make it cheesy. Spread jalapeño pimento cheese on the buns or use a slice of pepper jack for a little extra richness and heat.
Frequently Asked Questions
More Recipes to Try
Looking for more slider recipes? Try these other favorites:
- Hawaiian Roll Meatball Sliders – Soft Hawaiian rolls, tender meatballs, and melted mozzarella come together in a small, crowd-friendly bake that works for weeknights or game day.
- Philly Cheesesteak Sliders – Thinly sliced steak, peppers, onions, and plenty of cheese tucked into pull-apart rolls for an easy take on the classic sandwich.
- Mini Burgers – Bite-sized burgers with simple toppings that work for game day, backyard gatherings, or any time you get a burger craving.
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Nashville Hot Honey Chicken Slider Sandwiches
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Equipment
- 2 Large Bowl
- Medium Bowl
- Large Cast-Iron Skillet (10 inches)
- Cookie or Baking Sheet
- Wire Rack
Ingredients
Brine
- 4 chicken thighs, skinless and boneless
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 3 tablespoons hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Hot Seasoned Flour
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ tablespoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 ½ tablespoons garlic powder
- ½ tablespoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
- canola oil for frying, or other neutral oil
Hot Honey Sauce
- 2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
- 4 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- ½ tablespoon smoked paprika
- ½ tablespoon garlic powder
- ½ cup hot oil, from frying the chicken
Slider Sandwiches
- 8 slider rolls
- creamy southern coleslaw
- pickle slices
Instructions
Brining Chicken
- Cut the chicken thighs in half so that they are approximately equal in size and weight.
- In a large bowl, combine the buttermilk, hot sauce, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Add the chicken and put it in the refrigerator for at least two hours but preferably overnight.
Frying Chicken
- In a large bowl combine the ingredients for the hot seasoned flour and set aside.
- Remove chicken from the refrigerator and allow excess buttermilk brine to drip off the chicken before thoroughly coating each piece in the hot seasoned flour mixture. Transfer to a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet and repeat until all chicken thighs have been coated. Allow dredged chicken to rest while the oil is heating.
- Heat a large cast iron or heavy bottom pan filled with about 1 ½ inches of oil. Heat over medium-high until the oil reaches about 350°F.
- Once the oil has reached 350°F carefully add 4-6 thighs to the pan. Fry chicken thighs turning every 2 to 3 minutes until the chicken is a golden brown color and has reached an internal temperature of 160 F. Transfer cooked chicken to a clean wire rack and repeat with remaining chicken.
Hot Honey Sauce
- In a medium bowl combine the cayenne, honey, brown sugar, smoked paprika, and garlic powder. Add the hot oil that was used to fry the chicken and mix thoroughly.
Assembly
- Brush both sides of the chicken thighs with hot honey sauce.
- Place one chicken thigh on the bottom of a slider bun, then add a spoonful of creamy southern coleslaw and a couple of pickle slices. Top with the top slider bun and serve immediately.
YUM! The photography of these drool-worthy sammies is fantastic. Especially love the variation suggesting jalapeno pimento cheese…saved, specifically for that version!
We made this for dinner last night and it was so delicious. First, it was really easy to make. Your instructions were spot on. Everyone loved the crunch, tang, and sweet flavors of this hot honey chicken. Will definitely make it again
Amazing flavor! Now I don’t have to go out to a restaurant to enjoy a delicious spicy chicken sandwich. Great recipe!