Nashville Hot Chicken Sliders (Printable version)

Crispy spicy chicken thighs nestled in soft buns with tangy dill pickle aioli and crunchy pickles.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken

01 - 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
02 - 1 cup buttermilk
03 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Breading & Spice Mix

04 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
05 - 2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
06 - 1 tablespoon paprika
07 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
08 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
09 - Salt and black pepper, to taste

→ Frying

10 - Vegetable oil, for frying

→ Dill Pickle Aioli

11 - 1/2 cup mayonnaise
12 - 2 tablespoons dill pickle juice

→ Assembly

13 - 8 slider buns
14 - Dill pickle slices

# Directions:

01 - Place chicken thighs in a bowl, season lightly with salt and pepper, and cover with buttermilk. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight for enhanced tenderness.
02 - In a shallow dish, whisk together flour, cayenne pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and black pepper until thoroughly combined.
03 - Remove chicken from marinade, allowing excess buttermilk to drip off. Dredge each thigh thoroughly in the flour-spice mixture, pressing firmly to ensure the coating adheres completely.
04 - Pour about 1 inch of vegetable oil into a heavy skillet and heat over medium-high heat until temperature reaches 350°F.
05 - Fry chicken in batches, cooking 4–5 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F. Transfer to a wire rack or paper towels to drain excess oil.
06 - In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise and dill pickle juice, stirring until smooth and well blended.
07 - Lightly toast slider buns if desired for added texture and warmth.
08 - Place a piece of fried chicken on each bun bottom, top with dill pickle slices, spoon dill pickle aioli over the chicken, and finish with the bun top. Serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The spice blend hits that perfect sweat inducing sweet spot that keeps everyone reaching for just one more slider
  • Buttermilk marinade transforms chicken thighs into impossibly tender meat that practically falls apart under the crispy crust
  • Dill pickle aioli cuts through the heat like a cool breeze on a sweltering Southern afternoon
02 -
  • The oil temperature will drop when you add chicken so let it recover between batches or the coating will turn soggy instead of crispy
  • Let the fried chicken rest on a wire rack not paper towels so air circulates and keeps that crunch intact
  • The heat builds as you eat so start with less cayenne than you think you need because you can always add more spice later
03 -
  • Use a kitchen thermometer to monitor your oil temperature because guessing leads to either undercooked chicken or burnt coating
  • Let the chicken come to room temperature for about twenty minutes before frying so it cooks evenly all the way through
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