Grilled Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich
A good Nashville Hot chicken sandwich is in my top three sandwiches off all time. Right next to a Rueben and Banh Mi. There’s just something about it being so boldly spicy that makes it so appealing. And this grilled Nashville Hot chicken sandwich hits all the marks of the original fried version.
And the backstory of the sandwich is just hilarious. It involves a womanizing man and a spiteful partner. After the man, Thornton Price, came home late one night his lady friend got mad and tried to get revenge by making an over-the-top spicy fried chicken sandwich. But the plan completely backfired when he loved it! You can read more about it here.
What I Use
I love cooking outdoors. Here are some of my favorite grills and other products that I use.
- Weber Gas Grill (my favorite weeknight grill)
- Classic Weber Kettle
- Lump Charcoal (the only thing I use)
Lets Talk About Nashville Hot Seasoning
Some like it hot. And some like it Nashville Hot. The heat in Nashville Hot comes from cayenne pepper. It’s the main ingredient. To balance out that heat there’s a decent amount of brown sugar along with other spices to round out the flavor profile.
I have developed my own Nashville Hot seasoning that does not have any salt so you can control the sodium level. But feel free to use a store bought seasoning as well.
Pro Tips: Grilled Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich
It’s a simple sandwich, but here are some tips to get the most of your efforts.
- Flip the chicken often – the rub contains a fair amount of brown sugar. So flip the chicken every 1 – 2 minutes to avoid burning.
- Use chicken thighs – I prefer thighs to breasts in this recipe. They have a better flavor and texture. Just make sure you cook them to the correct internal temperature.
- Cook to 185 degrees – Yes, chicken is technically cooked at 165 but thighs have more fat and connective tissue. Cook until an internal temperature of 185 to get the best texture!
- Extra seasoning at the end – Once the thighs are cooked sprinkle them with some additional seasoning to amp up the flavor. Let them rest for a few minutes and absorb that extra seasoning while getting the sandwich assembled!
Grilled Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich
Ingredients
For the sandwich
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs can use breast as well
- canola oil enough to coat the chicken before seasoning
- salt
- Nashville Hot seasoning reserve about 2 tablespoons, also see note below
- buns, pickles, mayo or whatever else you want on the sandwich
Nashville Hot Seasoning (see notes)
- 3 tablespoons cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoons garlic powder
- ½ tablespoons paprika
- 1½ teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoons celery seeds
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Set grill to medium heat (about 350 – 400 degrees)
- Trim excess fat from chicken thighs then lightly coat in oil then the salt followed by a generous coat of Nashville hot seasoning. Reserve 2 tablespoons of seasoning for a later step.
- Once grill has reached temperature, place seasoned chicken thighs over direct heat. Flip the chicken every 1-2 minutes to ensure the rub doesn't burn. Chicken thighs are technically cooked at 165℉ but I suggest cooking them until 185℉ as this yields a better texture.
- After the chicken has cooked, immediately sprinkle additional seasoning on the chicken to amplify the Nashville Hot taste. Let thighs rest for a few minutes to absorb the extra seasoning.
- Assemble the sandwich and enjoy!