Nashville Hot Fried Chicken Sandwich

Ingredients

• 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1–2 tbsp water or milk, just enough to loosen the egg wash
• 4–5 tbsp Nashville Hot Chicken Rub, divided
• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup cornstarch
• 1 tsp baking powder
• Neutral frying oil
• ½ cup hot frying oil, reserved after frying
• 1 tbsp brown sugar, optional, for a rounder Nashville-style finish
• 4 soft sandwich buns
• Dill pickles
• Simple slaw: shredded cabbage, mayo, pickle juice or lemon juice, salt, and pepper

Instructions

1. 01

   Set up the chicken. Lightly season the chicken thighs with 1 tablespoon Nashville Hot Chicken Rub. In one shallow bowl, beat the eggs with a splash of water or milk. In another bowl, mix flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and 1 tablespoon Nashville Hot Chicken Rub.

2. 02

   Dredge, egg, dredge. Press each thigh into the seasoned flour, dip it through the egg wash, then press it back into the flour until the coating looks craggy and well covered. That seasoned flour is part of the flavor, not just the crust.

   
3. 03

   Fry until crisp. Fry chicken at 325–350°F until the crust is deeply golden and the chicken reaches 165°F internal. Move pieces to a wire rack instead of paper towels so the crust stays crisp.

   
4. 04

   Make the hot seasoned oil. Carefully ladle ½ cup hot frying oil into a heat-safe bowl. Whisk in 2–3 tablespoons Nashville Hot Chicken Rub and the optional brown sugar until the oil turns deep red and fragrant.

5. 05

   Pour over the chicken. Place the fried chicken on a rack set over a sheet pan. Spoon or carefully pour the hot seasoned oil over each piece so it runs across the crust. Let it settle for a minute before building the sandwich.

   
6. 06

   Assemble. Add pickles to the bottom bun, set the Nashville hot chicken on top, then add slaw and the top bun. Serve immediately while the crust is still crisp.