Nashville Hot Chicken Tacos

Nashville Hot Chicken Tacos
and
Grits & Greens

The story goes that Thornton Prince III, a Nashville resident, had a reputation for being a womanizer. One day, after a late night out, he came home to his girlfriend who wanted to teach him a lesson. In an attempt to make his breakfast unappetizing, she heavily seasoned the chicken with cayenne pepper. However, instead of being put off by the spice, Prince enjoyed the fiery flavor and decided to share it with his friends.

In the late 1930s, Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack was officially established, and the popularity of Nashville hot chicken began to grow. Over the years, the dish became a local favorite and gained recognition way beyond Nashville.

We are huge fans of the city of Nashville, and Nashville Hot Chicken. A little while back we did a tasting of Nashville Hot Chicken in Vegas.

The chicken is often served on a piece of white bread or in between a bun. Here, I take the hot chicken concept and serve it in charred flour tortillas. By all accounts, it’s just another way to enjoy fabulous Nashville hot chicken.

Nashville Hot Chicken Tacos
and Grits & Greens Recipes

Chicken  🐓

1 lb. chicken breasts, boneless, skinless, cut into good-sized nuggets

1/2 c. buttermilk

1/4 c. pickle juice

2 T. hot sauce (we like Franks Red Hot)

Combine buttermilk, pickle juice, and hot sauce in a bowl. Add chicken nuggets. Marinate for 3 hours in the refrigerator.

Grits and Greens  🌽 + 🥬

1/3 c. olive oil

10 oz. fresh greens (collard or southern greens blend), tough stems removed, rough chopped

2 small celery stalks, chopped

1 qt. hot chicken stock

1 c. corn grits (we like Bob’s Red Mill)

sea salt and fresh ground pepper

1/4 c. buttermilk

2 T. butter

Heat olive oil in a skillet large enough to hold all the greens over medium heat. Add celery and sauté for a few minutes then add the greens, cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add chicken stock, cover and cook for 20 minutes or until the greens are soft.

Remove cover and bring to a boil. Gradually add the grits stirring constantly. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover and cook an additional 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

To finish, swirl in buttermilk and butter. Taste again for seasoning.

Coleslaw

2 T. mayonnaise

1 1/2 t. mustard (we like Dijon)

1 t. hot sauce

2 c. cabbage (green and purple), thinly shredded

1/3 c. shredded carrot

sea salt and fresh ground pepper

Mix mayonnaise, mustard, and hot sauce in a medium bowl. Add cabbage and carrots and toss to coat. Season to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Nashville Hot Chicken Seasoning Blend 🔥

1 T. cayenne pepper

1 t. fine sea salt

1 t. sugar

1/2 t. dry hot mustard powder

1/2 t. garlic powder

1/2 t. black pepper

1/2 t. paprika

Mix ingredients in a small bowl. Adjust amounts to taste and to your heat tolerance level.

Hot Chicken Glaze 🔥

3 T. butter

3 T. brown sugar

3 T. hot sauce

1 T. seasoning blend

Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Blend in brown sugar with a rubber spatula to melt. Add hot sauce and seasoning blend. Keep warm over very low heat until ready to glaze the chicken.

Cooking the Chicken

seasoning blend

flour

egg, beaten

panko breadcrumbs

avocado oil for frying

Drain marinade from chicken and discard marinade. Let chicken sit at room temperature for about 15 -20 minutes.

Season chicken lightly with seasoning blend.

Place flour, egg, and panko in 3 separate bowls. Add some seasoning blend to the panko and toss to combine.

Dust chicken nuggets with flour, dip chicken into beaten egg (let excess egg drain off), then press into panko breadcrumbs, to coat evenly.

Pan-fry chicken in avocado oil over medium-high heat, flipping once. Tip the pan frequently to cook the sides of the nuggets. When the breadcrumbs are golden, transfer nuggets to a wire rack set over a sheet pan.

Generously brush the hot nuggets with the warm glaze.

To Plate  🔥 + 🐓 + 🌮

flour tortillas

pickle chips

Char flour tortillas over an open flame. Spoon a good helping of coleslaw onto the tortillas. Top coleslaw with Nashville Hot Chicken Nuggets. Tuck a few pickle chips into the side of the taco. Serve with grits & greens, fries, and cold beer. Thanks Mr. Prince! 🍺