The first, the original, and many believe, the best, Prince’s is where to go if you want the roots of hot chicken. Head to Nolensville Pike on the city’s South side for fried birds six days a week. There’s also a Prince’s food truck stationed inside the Assembly Food Hall at 5th and Broadway. All three are serious about their spices.
It is said that in the 1930s, a woman’s partner stepped out on her (as they say in the South), and she sought revenge by making him a seriously hot version of his favorite fried chicken. But he loved it, and he and the rest of his Prince family created Prince’s hot chicken – that which we now know as Nashville hot chicken. And sure, hot chicken ain’t just a Nashville thing anymore. You can get it in New York. You can get it in Chicago. Hell, you can get it at KFC if you want. But let’s be real, Nashville is the original, and if you’re here in the city, it’s got to be at the very top of your bucket list.
Since its creation, chefs all over Nashville have put their own spin on things. But if you want the classic, get yourself an open-faced sandwich of fluffy white bread, with bone-in chicken and a pickle. Our top tip? The darker the spice mix, the hotter the chicken. On our list of the best hot chicken in Nashville , you’ll find both traditional and more jazzed-up versions of the delicacy, plus some vegan takes (purists, look away now). One rule holds true across them all, though: it is milk only (not water, not beer, and certainly not a frozen cocktail) that will settle down the intensity of the spice in your mouth—so have some handy at all times.
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