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Where to go for the best hot chicken in Nashville

Check out these top spots for hot chicken in Nashville for authentic classics and innovative takes

Written by
Margaret Littman
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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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Best hot chicken in Nashville

After Prince’s, Bolton’s is the next OG hot chicken purveyor, frying it up from Main Street in East Nashville. Bolton’s was opened in the 1980s, shuttered in the 1990s, and reopened in 1997. The authentic, multi-spice options are created with a dry rub. Bolton’s also fries up hot fish, catfish, and sells ribs and wings. There’s also a nice patio to sit and wait for your bird.

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There’s probably a line outside of Hattie B’s Hot Chicken right now. Purists bemoan the fact that this isn’t the authentic hot chicken experience, but the recipes are delicious—the Shut the Cluck Up spice level is legit—and having a selection of sides, beers, and air conditioning while you wait does not suck.

One of the few traditionalists in town willing to share recipes, 400 Degrees uses seasoned flour to get started. Spices include cayenne, cumin, paprika, garlic and onion, with different dried peppers—such as habanero or ghost pepper—in the mix depending on the eater’s spiciness preferences. The owner of this Clarksville Pike eatery was a fan of Prince’s growing up—at one point, she ate it daily—and her deep-fried, thicker skin recipe is her take on the classic.

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Maneet Chauhan came to Nashville to start her restaurant empire after her celebrity turn on TV’s Chopped, bringing her take on Indian cooking to Music City (she now owns four restaurants and is designing jewelry, too). So, it’s no surprise that her flagship eatery serves hot chicken pakoras, a combination of both traditions, seasoned with chat masala, orange peel, cayenne and more.

Nestled in the Buchanan Arts District, The Southern V is one of the city’s most popular vegan restaurants. Its vegan “hot chicken,” made from seitan, provides the same spicy punch as the poultry versions across town. Vegan options of traditional hot chicken sides, such as mac 'n' cheese and green beans, are also available. If you can’t handle the heat, opt for the vegan “fried chicken," instead. 

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Located in Music Valley near the Gaylord Opryland resort, Scoreboard has a big menu, live music, late-night hours, and a casual, tourist-friendly vibe. In addition to the traditional white-bread-with-a-pickle-prep, options include a hot chicken salad, nuggets, wings, and hot chicken-and-waffles, all available with varying spice levels. While Music Valley isn’t a neighborhood where you tend to see locals hang out, they make an exception for the hot chicken at Scoreboard Bar & Grill.

The name pretty much says it all. It’s a good time here, where your hot chicken can be served with a beer or a frozen alcohol concoction. If you want to mix it up, you can try hot chicken poutine, nachos, po’ boy, or even a hot chicken Cuban sandwich (with chimichurri and buttered bread). Party Fowl is a full service restaurant and bar with the game on big TVs and patios for lazy day drinking.

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You’ll want to get up early to try this one. The uber-popular Biscuit Love started as a food truck and now has multiple locations—in The Gulch, Hillsboro Village, and Franklin—where folks line up each morning for a perfectly flaky buttermilk biscuit. The bright minds at Biscuit Love put a twist on hot chicken, layering a spicy thigh on said biscuit, serving it with a pickle, mustard and honey and calling it the Princess.

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