Description
These Nashville Hot Chicken Sliders feature spicy, crispy fried chicken tenders coated in a flavorful cayenne hot sauce, nestled in soft slider buns with crunchy coleslaw, tangy pickles, and a creamy slider sauce. Perfect for a bold, satisfying snack or party appetizer.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken Marinade / Dredge
- 6-8 chicken tenders
- 2 egg whites
- 1 cup buttermilk (240g) (or 1 cup milk + 1 tbsp vinegar or lemon juice)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
Flour Coating / Breading
- 1 cup all purpose flour (130g)
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
Deep Frying
- 2 inches vegetable oil for frying
Nashville Hot Sauce
- 2-3 tbsp cayenne pepper (adjust to preference)
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1½ tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ cup hot vegetable oil (from frying skillet)
Coleslaw
- 1½ cups shredded cabbage (mix of purple and green)
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp vinegar
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
Slider Sauce
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup ketchup
- Pinch of salt
- Pinch of pepper
Assembly
- 12 mini slider buns or 6-8 full sized buns
- 2-4 pickles, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Marinate the Chicken: Trim the chicken tenders by removing tendons and fat. If using mini slider buns, cut each tender in half for better fit. In a bowl, whisk together buttermilk, egg whites, salt, and pepper to break down the egg whites. Add chicken tenders and coat thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight to tenderize and infuse flavor.
- Prepare Coleslaw and Slider Sauce: While chicken marinates, mix shredded cabbage, mayonnaise, sugar, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a bowl to create the coleslaw. In a separate bowl, combine mayonnaise, ketchup, and season with salt and pepper to make the slider sauce. Thinly slice pickles and set aside.
- Coat the Chicken: In a shallow bowl or plate, mix flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Remove each chicken piece from marinade, shaking off excess liquid. Dredge it in the flour mixture, coat thoroughly, then dip back into the marinade briefly. Shake off excess, then coat again with flour mixture for a double coating. Place coated tenders on a wire rack and let rest for 20 minutes to help the coating adhere.
- First Fry: Heat vegetable oil to 350 degrees Fahrenheit in a large skillet or wok. Fry one third to half of the chicken tenders for 5-6 minutes, flipping halfway through to cook inside while keeping the color light. Remove and drain on a wire rack. Repeat with remaining chicken pieces.
- Second Fry: After waiting 10-15 minutes following the first fry, ensure oil remains at ~350 degrees Fahrenheit. Fry the chicken tenders again for 2-3 minutes to achieve a deep golden, crispy exterior. Remove and drain on wire rack.
- Prepare Nashville Hot Sauce: Combine cayenne pepper, paprika, brown sugar, salt, pepper, and garlic powder in a bowl. Carefully remove ½ cup of hot vegetable oil from the frying pan and pour over spices, whisking thoroughly to create the spicy Nashville hot sauce.
- Coat Chicken with Sauce: Quickly dunk each fried chicken tender into the Nashville hot sauce using tongs, coating all sides. Place back on the wire rack with a baking sheet underneath to catch drippings as you work through all tenders.
- Warm Buns and Assemble Sliders: Warm the slider buns on the stovetop or microwave. Spread a generous amount of slider sauce on the bottom half of each bun, top with sliced pickles, add a Nashville hot chicken tender, then a generous scoop of coleslaw. Cover with the top half of the bun.
- Serve: Serve the Nashville Hot Chicken Sliders immediately while hot for the best taste and texture. Enjoy!
Notes
- Nashville hot chicken sliders are best enjoyed fresh to maintain crispiness.
- You can halve the recipe if fewer sliders are needed.
- Coated chicken can be frozen before frying for meal prep; fry directly from frozen, adjusting cooking time as needed.
- If reheating fried chicken, use an air fryer at 300 degrees Fahrenheit until crispy to restore texture.
- Adjust the cayenne pepper in the hot sauce to suit your spice tolerance.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 mini slider
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 15 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
