THE ORIGIN STORY OF SPICY CHICKEN
The Story Begins
Prince's Hot Chicken Shack has been a staple of the Nashville community for 76 years and is widely regarded as the birthplace of the dish that has taken the culinary world by storm. Nothing is said to be more craveable for the most zealous of spice fans than Nashville hot chicken. This fiery style of Chicken, which began at a Tennessee institution with a royal name, combines a southern classic with a kick of spice.
Prince has served its Chicken in the same manner since the beginning, with briny sliced pickles, a slice of white bread to soak up the fiery, savory juices, and a choice of sides. The restaurant offers different varieties of Chicken, including mild, medium, and hot. But the story behind Prince's fabled dish is more scandalous than you might think.
The Origin Story of Nashville Hot Chicken
The origin story of Nashville Hot Chicken is more of a legend than a historical narrative, which makes it more fun. It all started with a man named Thornton Prince. Prince was highly popular with women in the 1930s. For those reasons, he frequently stayed out late at night despite having a girl waiting for him at home. After Prince spent another night in the town, his sweetheart decided to exact retribution. Knowing that fried spicy Chicken was his favorite cuisine, she cooked a pile of it and drowned it in a scorching mixture of her cultivated cayenne peppers. She intended to make the dish practically inedible, but things went astray when she discovered how much her unfaithful husband enjoyed the hot Chicken.
Prince's Hot Chicken Shack in Nashville, Tennessee, is still run by the Prince family. Though the Prince and his wife split up soon after, his affection for the sizzling Chicken lingered. He reproduces the recipe and opens a shack to share the miraculous creation with others.
There is no secret recipe!
While each of the two dozen or so Nashville hot chicken shacks has its own somewhat different recipe, no specific blend of herbs and spices separates "genuine" Nashville hot chicken from an imposter. Nashville hot chicken is spicy chicken tenders parts marinated in buttermilk, breaded, then deep-fried to perfection before being topped with the highly spiced, cayenne pepper-based paste that makes up its distinctive "dry" sauce.
According to Timothy Davis, author of The Hot Chicken Cookbook, "there's no secret" to cooking this dish, just "a ton of cayenne". Even Nashville hot chicken flavor ramen restaurant Hattie B's generously shared its recipe with the Food Network, allowing non-Nashvillians to try their sweet heat from the comfort of their own homes. Given that hot chicken shacks often give varying heat levels to match each customer's preferences (and tolerances), it's only natural that there is no one "right" recipe; instead, there are specific fundamental rules cooks can follow to prepare the finest bird for them.
But there is a "right way" to serve it.
So there is no perfect hot chicken recipe, but there is a proper technique to serve it. Nashville hot chicken is always filled with dill pickle rounds on the side for a hint of vinegary flavor that can mitigate the spiciness. Furthermore, spicy chicken wings are always served with a slice or two of white bread placed beneath the Chicken to absorb the juices.
Of course, as the meal has grown in popularity, chefs and cooks have experimented with new variations. However, for lovers and purists of the dish, the most traditional method of serving Nashville hot chicken has always been and will always be regarded as the "right" way.
Final Words
There are dozens of Hot Chicken restaurants in Nashville and hundreds worldwide, and it's easy to see why: it's fantastic! So delicious that you must try to make your version. With the help of Alcoeats' Easy Indie Bowl Spicy Chicken, you can make the most exacting and delectable version of spicy chicken stir fry, spicy chicken burger, spicy grilled Chicken, spicy chicken curry, spicy chicken ramen, and hot fried Chicken. Aromatic ingredients do not have to be tasteless, which Alcoeats ensures in addition to retaining authenticity and trust with their approved labels. Why the wait, then? Check out Alcoeat's gluten-free Easy Indie Bowl options right now for the best spices for the chicken recipe!