"Tennessee's most ferocious dish was invented as revenge in the 1930s. A cayenne-lard paste is brushed on after frying, doubling the heat. Served on white bread with pickles."
About Nashville Hot Chicken
Tennessee's most ferocious dish — a whole fried chicken breast or thigh soaked in buttermilk and cayenne, dredged and deep-fried, then brushed with a lard paste of cayenne, brown sugar and garlic that turns the crust a burnished red; served on white bread with pickles to cut the heat; invented as revenge at Prince's Hot Chicken Shack in the 1930s; now the most replicated regional dish in America.
Nashville Hot Chicken — a staple of United States's cuisine
A whole fried chicken breast or thigh soaked in buttermilk and cayenne, dredged and deep-fried, then brushed with a lard paste of cayenne, brown sugar and garlic that turns the crust a burnished red and adds a second wave of heat. Served on white bread with pickles. Invented as revenge at Prince's Hot Chicken Shack in the 1930s.
Ordered by heat: plain, mild, medium, hot, extra hot, XXX. The extra hot level at Prince's is a genuine challenge — the capsaicin accumulates over multiple bites.
What to Expect
At Prince's the hot chicken arrives on white bread, the crust dark red from the cayenne paste. The heat is immediate and builds through the meal. The pickles provide the only relief.
Why Try It
Nashville hot chicken is the clearest example of a local revenge dish becoming a national obsession — and the original is still the most intense version available.
Insider Tips
Start at medium if you're uncertain — extra hot at Prince's is a serious undertaking.
Prince's Hot Chicken Shack (original) and Hattie B's (more accessible) are the two essential Nashville addresses.
White bread and pickles are the only correct accompaniments — they're functional, not decorative.
