Nashville Hot Chicken Burger with Pickles and Slaw

Imperial May 20, 2026May 20, 2026

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

Yield: 4 burgers
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes, including 30 minutes marinating time

Quick Ingredients

Chicken: 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs, 1 cup buttermilk, 1 large egg, 2 tablespoons hot sauce, 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/2 cup cornstarch, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and 6 cups neutral oil for frying
Nashville hot oil: 1/2 cup hot frying oil, 3 tablespoons cayenne pepper, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 tablespoon smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Slaw: 3 cups shredded cabbage mix, 1/4 cup mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 teaspoon honey, 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Spicy mayo: 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons hot sauce, 1 teaspoon pickle brine, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
To assemble: 4 brioche burger buns, 2 tablespoons softened butter, 3/4 cup dill pickle chips

Do This

1. Pound chicken thighs to 1/2-inch thickness, then marinate in buttermilk, egg, hot sauce, and salt for 30 minutes.
2. Mix flour, cornstarch, and seasonings. Dredge chicken well, pressing the coating into every piece.
3. Fry chicken in 350°F oil for 5 to 7 minutes, until deeply golden and 165°F inside.
4. Whisk 1/2 cup hot frying oil with cayenne, brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, chili powder, and salt.
5. Brush or dip the fried chicken in the fiery cayenne oil.
6. Stir together coleslaw and spicy mayo, then butter and toast the buns.
7. Build each burger with spicy mayo, hot chicken, crunchy pickles, creamy slaw, and the top bun.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Big Nashville flavor at home: The fiery cayenne oil gives the chicken that signature deep-red heat, balanced with a touch of brown sugar.
Crispy, juicy chicken: Buttermilk tenderizes the chicken, while flour and cornstarch create a craggy, crunchy crust.
Perfect heat balance: Cool coleslaw, tangy pickles, spicy mayo, and a soft buttered bun make every bite rich, spicy, creamy, and crisp.
Great for a weekend dinner: It feels restaurant-worthy, but every step is simple and doable in a home kitchen.

Grocery List

Produce: 3 cups shredded cabbage and carrot slaw mix, optional green onions, optional lemon wedges
Dairy: 1 cup buttermilk, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Meat: 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs, about 1 1/2 pounds total
Bakery: 4 soft brioche burger buns
Pantry: All-purpose flour, cornstarch, mayonnaise, hot sauce, dill pickle chips, pickle brine, neutral frying oil, apple cider vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, light brown sugar, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, chili powder, kosher salt, black pepper

Full Ingredients

For the Buttermilk-Marinated Chicken

4 boneless skinless chicken thighs, about 1 1/2 pounds total
1 cup buttermilk
1 large egg
2 tablespoons hot sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

For the Crispy Dredge

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

For Frying

6 cups neutral oil, such as peanut, canola, or vegetable oil, for a 2-inch depth in a heavy pot

For the Nashville Hot Cayenne Oil

1/2 cup hot frying oil, carefully ladled from the pot after frying
3 tablespoons cayenne pepper, or 2 tablespoons for medium heat
1 tablespoon light brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

For the Creamy Coleslaw

3 cups shredded cabbage and carrot slaw mix
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

For the Spicy Mayo

1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons hot sauce
1 teaspoon dill pickle brine
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

For Assembly

4 brioche burger buns
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup dill pickle chips, drained
Optional: 2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions for garnish

Nashville Hot Chicken Burger with Pickles and Slaw – Closeup

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Flatten and marinate the chicken

Place the chicken thighs between two sheets of parchment paper or plastic wrap. Pound each piece to an even 1/2-inch thickness so the chicken cooks quickly and evenly. In a medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg, hot sauce, 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper.

Add the chicken to the buttermilk mixture and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. If you have extra time, you can marinate the chicken for up to 8 hours for even more tenderness and flavor.

Step 2: Make the coleslaw and spicy mayo

For the coleslaw, combine the shredded cabbage and carrot mix, mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, kosher salt, and black pepper in a bowl. Toss until the cabbage is lightly coated and creamy. Refrigerate while you fry the chicken so the slaw stays crisp and cool.

For the spicy mayo, stir together the mayonnaise, hot sauce, pickle brine, garlic powder, and smoked paprika in a small bowl. Taste and add an extra teaspoon of hot sauce if you want more heat. Cover and refrigerate until assembly.

Step 3: Prepare the seasoned dredge

In a shallow dish or pie plate, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, kosher salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and baking powder. The cornstarch helps the coating fry up extra crisp, while the baking powder gives the crust a light, craggy texture.

Remove the chicken from the marinade one piece at a time, letting excess buttermilk drip back into the bowl. Press each piece firmly into the flour mixture on both sides, making sure the coating gets into all the folds and edges. For extra crunch, dip the coated chicken briefly back into the buttermilk marinade, then dredge it a second time in the flour mixture. Transfer the coated chicken to a wire rack and let it rest for 10 minutes while the oil heats.

Step 4: Heat the oil safely

Pour 6 cups neutral oil into a heavy Dutch oven or deep, heavy-bottomed pot. The oil should be about 2 inches deep, and the pot should not be more than halfway full. Heat the oil over medium-high heat to 350°F. Use a deep-fry thermometer or instant-read thermometer to monitor the temperature closely.

Set a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet near the stove. This gives the fried chicken a place to drain without getting soggy. If you do not have a wire rack, use a paper towel-lined plate, but a rack gives the best crispy result.

Step 5: Fry the chicken until crispy and cooked through

Carefully lower 2 pieces of chicken into the hot oil. Fry for 5 to 7 minutes total, turning once halfway through, until the crust is deep golden brown and the thickest part of the chicken reaches 165°F. Keep the oil between 325°F and 350°F as the chicken cooks, adjusting the heat as needed.

Transfer the fried chicken to the wire rack and sprinkle very lightly with a pinch of salt while hot. Let the oil return to 350°F before frying the remaining chicken. Avoid crowding the pot, since too much chicken at once will drop the oil temperature and make the crust greasy instead of crisp.

Step 6: Make the fiery Nashville hot cayenne oil

In a heatproof bowl, whisk together the cayenne pepper, brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, chili powder, onion powder, kosher salt, and black pepper. Very carefully ladle 1/2 cup of hot frying oil into the spice mixture. It will bubble and bloom the spices, creating a glossy, brick-red cayenne oil.

Whisk until smooth. Brush the hot oil generously over both sides of each fried chicken piece, or dip each piece directly into the oil for maximum Nashville-style heat. For a slightly milder burger, brush only the top of the chicken instead of coating both sides.

Step 7: Butter and toast the buns

Spread the cut sides of the brioche buns with the softened butter. Toast them in a skillet over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes, cut-side down, until golden and lightly crisp. This step adds richness and helps the buns hold up against the spicy mayo, hot oil, and creamy slaw.

Step 8: Assemble the Nashville hot chicken burgers

Spread a generous spoonful of spicy mayo on the bottom half of each toasted bun. Add one piece of Nashville hot chicken, then layer on dill pickle chips for crunch and tang. Spoon a mound of creamy coleslaw over the pickles, letting a little spill over the edges for that classic overstuffed burger look.

Add the top bun and serve immediately while the chicken is hot, crisp, and glossy with cayenne oil. These burgers are best eaten fresh, with extra pickles and napkins on the side.

Pro Tips

Use thighs for juiciness: Boneless skinless chicken thighs stay tender and flavorful, even with high-heat frying. If using chicken breasts, slice them into 4 thinner cutlets and pound to 1/2-inch thickness.
Let the dredged chicken rest: A 10-minute rest after coating helps the flour hydrate and cling to the chicken, which means less coating falls off in the oil.
Control the heat level: Use 2 tablespoons cayenne for medium-hot, 3 tablespoons for classic fiery heat, or 4 tablespoons for extra-hot. The brown sugar helps balance the burn but will not make the chicken sweet.
Keep the oil temperature steady: Frying at 350°F gives you crisp chicken without overcooking the inside. If the oil drops below 325°F, pause and let it recover before adding more chicken.
Build right before serving: Assemble the burgers at the last minute so the slaw stays crisp and the chicken crust stays crunchy.

Variations

Hot honey Nashville burger: Stir 1 tablespoon honey into the cayenne oil after adding the hot frying oil for a sweet-hot glaze.
Extra-creamy ranch slaw: Replace the honey and Dijon in the slaw with 2 tablespoons ranch dressing for a cooler, tangier topping.
Air fryer shortcut: Bread the chicken as directed, spray generously with oil, and air fry at 390°F for 14 to 18 minutes, flipping once, until 165°F inside. Brush with Nashville hot oil made with 1/2 cup melted butter or warmed neutral oil instead of frying oil.

Storage & Make-Ahead

The fried chicken is crispiest right after cooking, but leftovers can still be delicious. Store cooked chicken, coleslaw, spicy mayo, pickles, and buns separately in airtight containers. Refrigerate the chicken for up to 3 days, the coleslaw for up to 2 days, and the spicy mayo for up to 5 days. Reheat chicken on a wire rack set over a baking sheet in a 375°F oven for 10 to 14 minutes, or in an air fryer at 375°F for 5 to 7 minutes, until hot and crisp. Do not microwave if you want to keep the crust crunchy.

To make ahead, mix the spicy mayo up to 5 days in advance, prepare the coleslaw dressing up to 2 days ahead, and marinate the chicken up to 8 hours ahead. For the best texture, dredge and fry the chicken just before serving.

Nutrition (per serving)