Description

These Nashville Hot Chicken Sliders feature spicy, crispy, juicy fried chicken nestled inside soft slider buns, complemented by tangy coleslaw, sliced pickles, and a flavorful spicy sauce. Perfect for gatherings or a satisfying meal, these sliders bring the iconic Nashville hot chicken experience in a convenient slider form.

Ingredients

Scale

Chicken Marinade / Dredge:

6-8 chicken tenders
2 egg whites
1 cup buttermilk (240g)*
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
1 tbsp paprika
1 ½ tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
½ cup hot vegetable oil (from frying skillet)

Coleslaw:

1 ½ cups shredded cabbage (mix of purple and green)
⅓ cup mayo
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp vinegar
¼ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper

Slider Sauce:

¼ cup mayo
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

*To make buttermilk: combine 1 cup milk with 1 tbsp vinegar or lemon juice and let sit for 5 minutes.

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Instructions

Marinate the Chicken: Remove tendons and excess fat from chicken tenders. If using mini slider buns, cut each tender in half. In a bowl, whisk buttermilk, egg whites, salt, and pepper. Add chicken tenders and mix to coat thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight for best flavor.
Prepare Sliders Components: While chicken marinates, mix coleslaw ingredients in a bowl. In a separate bowl, combine mayo, ketchup, salt, and pepper for the slider sauce. Thinly slice the pickles and set aside.
Coat the Chicken: Mix flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl. Remove each chicken piece from marinade, shaking off excess liquid. Dip into flour mixture, coat fully, shake off excess, dip back in marinade, then coat again in flour mixture. Place coated pieces on a wire rack and let rest for 20 minutes to help the coating adhere.
First Fry: Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet to 350F over medium-high heat. Fry one-third to one-half of the chicken tenders for 5-6 minutes, flipping halfway, until cooked inside but lightly colored. Remove and drain on wire rack. Repeat for all pieces.
Second Fry: After resting the chicken for 10-15 minutes, reheat the oil to 350F. Fry chicken again for 2-3 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Remove and drain on wire rack.
Make Nashville Hot Sauce: In a bowl, mix cayenne, paprika, brown sugar, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Carefully spoon ½ cup of hot oil from the skillet over the spices and whisk until combined. This will create the spicy hot sauce.
Coat Chicken in Sauce: Dunk each fried chicken piece into the hot sauce using tongs, ensuring all sides are well coated. Place them back onto the wire rack with a baking sheet underneath to catch drips.
Assemble Sliders: Warm buns on stovetop or microwave. Spread slider sauce on bottom bun halves, add sliced pickles, then place Nashville hot chicken, top with coleslaw, and cover with bun tops. Serve immediately while hot and enjoy.

Notes

These sliders are best enjoyed fresh to maintain crispiness.
You may halve the recipe if needed.
Chicken coated with flour can be frozen before frying to prepare ahead.
To reheat fried chicken, use an air fryer at approximately 300F to restore crispiness.
If buttermilk is unavailable, make your own by mixing milk with vinegar or lemon juice.
Adjust cayenne pepper in the hot sauce to suit desired spice level.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slider
Calories: 350 kcal
Sugar: 4 g
Sodium: 600 mg
Fat: 20 g
Saturated Fat: 4 g
Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 25 g
Fiber: 1 g
Protein: 18 g
Cholesterol: 50 mg