Air Fryer Nashville Hot Chicken Tenders — If you’re looking for a new way to cook up some delicious Nashville Hot Chicken, then this Nashville Hot Chicken Air Fryer recipe is perfect for you! This tasty dish can easily be made at home without all the mess of frying chicken on the stove.
Why We Love this Recipe for Air Fryer Nashville Hot Chicken Tenders
Air Fryer Nashville Hot Chicken Tenders is delicious! I mean, who doesn’t love crispy chicken. It’s traditionally a fried chicken dish, but today I prepared it in the air fryer. It was so easy and delicious—tender yet crispy and full of flavor.
Nashville chicken is one of my favorite dishes, and I always order it when visiting my relatives in the South. About a month ago, I saw a packaged mix for Air Fryer Nashville Chicken and thought, hm, that would be good. So, I purchased it and prepared it in my air fryer, and it was terrific—a real hit with my family.
So, I thought I would make my homemade version. After some trial and error, I came up with the best air fryer Nashville Chicken Recipe. It’s spicy and crispy, but without a large amount of oil, so it is so much healthier. Serve it with a classic Macaroni and Cheese or Collard Greens, and you have a TRUE Nashville Hot Chicken Meal.
What You’ll Need to Make Air Fryer Nashville Hot Chicken
- For the Chicken:
- Chicken: I used chicken tenders but you can use any kind of chicken.
- Buttermilk: To soak your chicken in before cooking to make your chicken extra juicy.
- Pickle Brine: To be added to the buttermilk before the chicken soaks.
- Hot Sauce: Also to be added to the buttermilk. This will add some spicy flavor to the chicken.
- Egg: Creates your batter.
- Flour: Will make the chicken crispy. You can switch for gluten free flour if needed.
- Cayenne Pepper: Add as much or as little as you would like.
- Salt
- For the Sauce:
- Butter: The base of the sauce.
- Light Brown Sugar: Adds a hint of sweetness and makes the sauce sticky.
- Cayenne: Makes the sauce hot, just how we like it.
- Garlic Powder: Adds flavor.
- Onion Powder: Adds flavor.
- Salt
WHAT IS NASHVILLE HOT CHICKEN?
Nashville chicken is a great fried chicken recipe. It is usually deep-fried and then coated with a hot sauce.
This was traditionally only served in the South, and obviously has its roots in Nashville, Tennessee. It starts with either a breast, thigh, or wings that have been marinated in a brine, then seasoned, floured, and dried. Nashville chicken is typically served over white bread, and on the side, you usually have some pickle chips.
It is different from your regular Buffalo Chicken because there is a paste you apply to the chicken, which makes it spicy. The Nashville Hot Chicken paste is typically a combination of lard and cayenne pepper. For this version, we use butter instead of lard. But you still get the same fantastic taste.
Typically, the dish is deep-fried, but you can get the same flavors with the air fryer without all of the oil’s added fat.
How To Make Nashville Chicken In the Air Fryer
- For Nashville Hot Chicken Tenders, we started by soaking the chicken in a bowl with the buttermilk, pickle brine, hot sauce, and egg. Cover and refrigerate for about two hours. If you don’t have two hours, refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- Then in a mixing bowl, combine the flour, cayenne pepper, and salt. Add your chicken to the flour mixture.
- Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees F for at least 5 minutes. Spray your air fryer basket with olive oil. Then, after you coat your chicken with the flour mixture, place them into the sprayed basket.
- Spray the tops of the coated chicken tenderloins with olive oil spray, then set the timer for 10 minutes, flipping and spraying the tops of the chicken again.
- Then, heat the butter, brown sugar, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt in a small pot. Simmer until hot.
- Brush the chicken tenders with the sauce and serve with some sauce on the side for dipping!
Pro Tips:
- Seasoning your chicken is essential. Making sure to coat your chicken evenly is necessary as well.
- Most chicken dishes can be seasoned and then set refrigerated ahead of time. So, when you come home from work/errands/kids, etc., you can place it in the air fryer, spray it with olive oil spray, and air fry away!
- The secret that most experienced air fryer people would tell you is to spray, spray, and spray your chicken. I use an olive oil spray. Always spray your chicken before and after you flip it. This will ensure a moist and delicious chicken dish. You should always flip the chicken halfway and then spray again. This way, both sides are lovely, light, and tender.
- You can use any kind of chicken you have on hand, although I prefer boneless chicken for this dish if you are eating it on toast like an open sandwich.
- Because eating uncooked chicken is unhealthy and can you sick, invest in a meat thermometer. I recommend always checking the temperature of your chicken before eating it to make sure it is fully cooked. You want the internal temperature of the chicken to reach 165 degrees.
FAQ:
Is Nashville Chicken Super Spicy?
The sauce for this chicken does provide a really, VERY spicy, truly hot chicken. Start by adding a small amount like 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper and tasting it as you add more. Otherwise, you may not like the chicken. The authentic Nashville Hot Chicken contains about two teaspoons of cayenne pepper.
Can I Use Whole Chicken Breasts Instead of Tenders?
Yes, they would come out amazing as well. I used chicken tenders since they are the classic way Nashville Hot Chicken is served, but it would be the same.
The cooking time will change by a few minutes, so remember to use your meat thermometer and check the chicken about halfway through the cooking process. The internal temperature of the chicken should be 165 degrees F.
Can I Use Bone-In Chicken Instead of Boneless?
You can use this recipe with bone-in chicken; you need to cook the meat until it is fully cooked. Use a meat thermometer to ensure it is 165 degrees F. When you cook with bone-in meat; you need to ensure you don’t touch a bone when you check the meat. If you hit a bone, it will give you a false reading.
Does The Nashville Chicken Store Well?
Like all fried foods, you will find the breading softens a bit once it cools down. You can store leftovers in the fridge for up to three days. Just make sure that you reheat in the microwave, in a skillet on the stove, or warm it up in the air fryer to get a crispier texture than it was when first cooked.
You will find it can make the chicken a bit drier with reheating chicken, but it will still taste delicious. Or slice up the chicken and use it cold to top a salad!
What Is Nashville Chicken Usually Served With?
You can really serve this with anything, but the traditional Southern meal is served with:
- Sliced White Bread
- Pickles
- Macaroni and Cheese
- Collard Greens
- Coleslaw
- Sweet Iced tea
Some Helpful Products Used In Making This Recipe
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. At no cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.
Philips Kitchen Appliances Digital Twin TurboStar Airfryer XXL, with Fat Removal Technology, 3 Lbs, Black, HD9650/96
More Air Fryer Chicken Recipes
This Nashville Hot Chicken is so good! If you have been looking for an easy air fryer chicken recipe, this is one of my favorites. Here are some more amazing Air Fryer Chicken Recipes!
Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo | Give this Chicken Alfredo recipe a try. Tender pasta, delicious creamy white sauce, and chicken in every single bite.
Breaded Air Fryer Chicken | You will enjoy another air fryer breaded chicken. It is loaded with flavor, and juicy, and is one of my favorite chicken recipes.
Instant Pot Sesame Chicken | Sesame chicken is made in the Instant Pot chicken loaded with rich flavors. Pair with a bed of rice, rice noodles, etc. This recipe is better than takeout.
Chili’s Cajun Chicken Pasta | Skip eating out and make a copycat Chili’s Cajun chicken pasta for dinner. Pair with some steamed vegetables, bread, garlic bread, etc.
Air Fryer Nashville Hot Chicken Tenders is amazing!! I mean amazing. It's a traditional hot chicken dish, but today I prepared it in the air fryer, and it was simply easy and absolutely delicious—tender, but yet crispy and full and full of flavor.
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons pickle brine
- 2 tablespoons hot sauce
- 1 large egg
- 1 pound chicken tenderloins
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup butter melted (unsalted)
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper see note
- 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
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In a medium-sized bowl, add the buttermilk, pickle brine, hot sauce, and egg. Whisk until well combined.
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Add the chicken tenderloins to the bowl and toss in the marinade. Let marinate for about two hours.
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Then in another bowl, whisk the flour, cayenne, and salt.
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Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees F, then spray your air fryer basket with olive oil.
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Coat your chicken with the flour mixture, shaking off any excess flour, and as you coat them, place them into the air fryer basket.
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Spray the tops of the coated chicken tenderloins with olive oil spray, then set the timer for 10 minutes, flipping and spraying the tops of the chicken again.
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Chicken is cooked when the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F, and the outside is golden brown.
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While the tenders are cooking, prepare the sauce, whisk the butter, brown sugar, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt in a small bowl.
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Once the tenders are fully cooked, brush with the sauce.
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Serve the extra sauce on the side for dipping.
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Plate, serve, and enjoy!
Note: The sauce is VERY hot, a true spicy hot chicken. I would start with 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne and then add it slowly, and tasting in between.
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