Gluten Free Nashville Hot Fried Chicken

Total time5 hr 10 min

Prep time30 min

Cook time40 min

This is the fried chicken that lives up to the hype: a buttermilk-and-hot-sauce soak keeps every piece juicy, then a well-seasoned crust — loaded with garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika — fries up shatteringly crisp and deep mahogany-brown. The real showstopper is the hot paste brushed on straight out of the fryer, a molten mix of cayenne, brown sugar, and smoked paprika that clings to the crust and delivers that signature Nashville burn-and-sweet punch. Cool crunchy pickle chips piled on top cut through the heat perfectly, balancing every bite. It's built for people who want serious heat with serious crunch, not a timid version of the classic. Whether you're serving it family-style with extra pickles on the side or plating it up for a weekend feast, this one delivers all the smoky, spicy, crispy drama the dish is known for — and it's a great pick to add to your gluten free lineup.

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the brine

3 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (drumsticks, thighs, and/or breast halves cut crosswise)
2 cups buttermilk
saco Buttermilk Blend Cultured For Cooking And Baking - 12 Oz Frontier Buttermilk Blend Marburger Farm Dairy Gourmet Buttermilk Organic Valley Cultured Lowfat Organic Buttermilk, 946 ml Saco Buttermilk Dry Milk 16 - 16 Oz
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1 tbsp hot sauce
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper

For the dredge

2 cups all-purpose flour
Chef's tip
Choose a gluten-free baking blend labeled 1:1 or cup-for-cup and use the same amount. Almond and coconut flour won't work the same way.
2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp smoked paprika

For frying

4 cups vegetable oil or lard, for frying

For the hot paste

3 tbsp lard butter or unsalted butter
3 tbsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp dark brown sugar
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
½ tsp salt

For serving

8 slices white sandwich bread
½ cup dill pickle chips

Instructions

1
In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, hot sauce, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp black pepper. Add the chicken pieces, turning to coat, then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to overnight.
2
When ready to fry, set a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet. In a second large bowl, whisk together the flour, 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and smoked paprika.

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