There’s something about crispy Nashville hot chicken that always sounds good, especially when you can make it right in the air fryer without dealing with a pot of hot oil. This version comes out crunchy on the outside, juicy in the middle, and coated in that spicy, buttery hot sauce that gives Nashville chicken its signature flavor.
I love making this recipe on busy nights because it feels like comfort food without a lot of extra mess or effort. Serve it with pickles, white bread, fries, or your favorite dipping sauce for an easy dinner that has just the right amount of heat.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Chicken
- 4 chicken thighs
- 2 cups cornflakes ground in a food processor
- 2 eggs beaten
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp sea salt
Sauce
- ½ cup butter melted
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 ½ tbsp cayenne pepper
- 1 ½ tbsp chipotle pepper
- 2 tbsp packed light brown sugar
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
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How to Make Nashville Hot Chicken
1. Preheat your air fryer to 400ºF.
2. In a bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. In another bowl, add the beaten eggs. Finally, on a large plate, add the cornflake crumbs.
3. Coat the chicken by dusting it in flour, then the egg, then coating it with the crushed cornflakes.
4. Place the breaded chicken into the air fryer and cook for 10-15 minutes, flipping halfway through. Use an instant-read thermometer to ensure your chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165ºF.
5. While the chicken cooks, make the sauce. Add all of the sauce ingredients to a bowl and whisk together until smooth. This will be SPICY!
6. Set the cooked chicken on a baking sheet and brush it generously on both sides with the sauce. Serve hot alone or as a sandwich.
Crispy Nashville Hot Chicken (Air Fryer)
Equipment
Ingredients
Chicken
- 4 chicken thighs
- 2 cups cornflakes ground in a food processor
- 2 eggs beaten
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp sea salt
Sauce
- ½ cup butter melted
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 ½ tbsp cayenne pepper
- 1 ½ tbsp chipotle pepper
- 2 tbsp packed light brown sugar
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 400ºF.
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour and salt.
- In another bowl, add the beaten eggs.
- Finally, on a large plate, add the cornflake crumbs.
- Coat the chicken by dusting it in flour, then the egg, then coating it with the crushed cornflakes.
- Place the breaded chicken into the air fryer and cook for 10-15 minutes, flipping halfway through. Use an instant-read thermometer to ensure your chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165ºF.
- While the chicken cooks, make the sauce. Add all of the sauce ingredients to a bowl and whisk together until smooth. This will be SPICY!
- Set the cooked chicken on a baking sheet and brush it generously on both sides with the sauce. Serve hot alone or as a sandwich.
Notes
- This will be SPICY! Yes, you can adjust the cayenne pepper or chipotle pepper to your liking.
- A 1-pound box of cornflakes will compact down to about half a gallon zip-lock bag of crushed cornflakes after running it through the food processor. I typically crush one whole box at a time and keep it in an airtight bag for future use.
- These are best eaten hot and fresh. They can be refrigerated and reheated, but the breading may be soggy. I recommend reheating in the air fryer.
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