NSHGuide
The Best Hot Chicken In Nashville, Ranked
photo credit: Emily Schindler
Turns out, revenge isn’t a dish best served cold. Exhibit A: Nashville hot chicken. Legend has it a scorned lover finally had enough of her partner’s philandering, so she loaded up his favorite fried chicken dish with a punishing amount of spice. But instead of remorse, he loved it, and went on to share it with family and friends. That person was none other than Thornton Prince, of Prince’s Hot Chicken fame.
The perfect Nashville hot chicken has crispy skin, moist meat, and a spice-coating that slaps the palate without singeing it. You’ll almost always find a liberal amount of cayenne pepper in the mix, but the rest is fair game—there could be garlic, mustard seed, or even a dash of brown sugar to round out the heat.
Through some difficult research, many tears, and a few arguments over the ideal spiciness of the bird, we tasted and ranked all of the major hot chicken power players in Nashville’s city limits (we’re coming for you next, Hendersonville).
THE SPOTS
photo credit: Eliza Kennard
This small, singular bungalow in East Nashville churns out the best hot chicken in the city. Don’t expect any wacky slogans or funny names for the spice levels—just a few well-worn tables and a simple takeout window that’s been quietly doling out plates of perfectly spiced poultry for over 25 years. Bolton’s is the best hot chicken in town because it’s a consistently spectacular fried bird—there are very few (if any) off days at this spot. The skin has just the right amount of crunch without turning the roof of your mouth into sandpaper, while the meat is nice and juicy. And perhaps most importantly, when they say “hot,” they mean it. A “medium” here is the equivalent of max heat at other hot chicken joints (that’s due to them using on a dry rub instead of sauce).
photo credit: Eliza Kennard
400 Degrees sets themselves apart from the competition because of how they prepare the bird. Most hot chicken spots pan fry their poultry, but that’s not the case at 400. This restaurant deep fries their chicken, which results in a fantastically crunchy and juicy final product served on red trays. There are five spice levels here: 100, 200, 400, 800, and 900. However, it’s easy to lose all sense of nuance in the spice blend beyond the 400 mark, so it’s not really worth it to go any higher. If you want to savor the subtleties at your own pace, you can buy a bottle of seasoning to take home.
photo credit: Emily Schindler
Hattie B's has perfected the method of hot chicken production, so you’re going to get a consistently cooked bird just about every single time. Locals love to sip an icy-cold glass of haterade when talking about the chain—it’s easy to feel like this is just hot chicken marketed to the masses. But their hot chicken has just the right amount of crispy skin-to-tender meat ratio, and an almost overwhelming number of different spice levels to choose from—the hottest tests even the mightiest tolerance for capsaicin. So yes, it’s a touristy spot with long lines at every location, but you can’t deny good hot chicken when you taste it.
photo credit: Eliza Kennard
You can usually rely on Prince’s to deliver perfectly seasoned, crunchy, and still-moist tenders, along with a messy but delicious sandwich doused with a sweet heat sauce reminiscent of Frank’s Red Hot. But they landed at number four on this list because of some inconsistency issues—there’s a small chance you'll get some dry and overly salted chicken. Still, we recommend it if you’re looking to try all the big poultry players in Nashville, since Prince’s is the reason hot chicken exists in the first place. It’s also a great spot for sampling a few flavors, since you can order tenders by the piece with different spice levels. They have locations all around the city, but we like the spot on Nolensville Pike best.
photo credit: Eliza Kennard
Pepperfire moved from East Nashville to the Nations a few years ago, and according to some people, that’s when the quality took a bit of a hit. The bird here is generally cooked well with a nice crispy exterior, but on off days, the skin can take on a bit too much grease, making it slightly soggy. If you want to break a sweat, you’re going to have to max out your heat level—it’ll take going higher than a four to feel any kind of tingle. But they get extra gold stars for a killer green chili mac and cheese and banana pudding. They only offer pickup or delivery, so make sure you have a spot nearby to enjoy your meal, because cold hot chicken is sad hot chicken (West Park is a four-minute drive away).
photo credit: Eliza Kennard
BJ is great when you need a quick hot chicken fix right after you land (it’s near Nashville International Airport), or don’t want to deal with finding parking (it’s in a strip mall). The interior feels like one of those corporate fast-casual spots a la Chipotle: it’s clean, generic, and inoffensive, making it a safe choice when you have a hot chicken hankering. You can find a decent bird here, but know that the heat levels don’t really push the needle, not even at their most scorching. The hot catfish sandwich comes with two pieces of perfectly breaded and delicately spiced fried fish, and it carries the whole dang menu.
