The Best Vegan Nashville Hot Chicken (2024)

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The Best Vegan Nashville Hot Chicken, y’all!!! If you’ve been wondering what the fuss is all about, wonder no more. Now you get to partake in this epic spicy chicken without the actual bird. We started with our Vegan Seitan Chicken recipe and created this awesomeness. Serve it with our garlic mashed potatoes or crispy baked oil-free French fries, and sautéed rainbow chard .

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Hi there! We’re Linda and Alex, the mother daughter duo and creators of Veganosity. Thanks for visiting us, we’re so happy you’re here. If you’re looking for Southern inspired vegan comfort food recipes, you’ve come to the right place.

We love vegan comfort food and we’re really good at making it. Take a tour through our site and you’ll find all of the recipes that scream, stretchy pants required!

The good news, they’re all plant-based recipes, so you don’t need to feel guilty eating them. Now sit back, relax, and eat happy. 🙂

Also, in case you didn't know, we're published cookbook authors. We've written two vegan cookbooks that will help you make amazing vegan BBQ (you don't even need a grill) and everyday meals, from breakfast to dessert.

Click on the titles to check them out. GREAT VEGAN BBQ WITHOUT A GRILL and THE ULTIMATE VEGAN COOKBOOK.

If you know us, you know that we LOVE spicy food.

We love to feel a little burn when we eat, and this vegan hot chicken recipe doesn’t disappoint.

It starts out a little sweet and the heat builds with each bite. Such a fabulous thing.

We love this recipe and we’re thrilled to share it with you. So let’s get cookin’!

WHAT IS NASHVILLE HOT CHICKEN?

The story of the origin of Nashville hot chicken is actually kind of funny, in a not so funny kind of way.

It all began in the 1930’s when Norton Prince lll ticked his girlfriend off for the last time, and she thought she’d pay him back for his cheating ways by making him fried chicken that was so hot it would make him cry for mercy. Or something like that.

It didn’t work. He actually loved the spicy chicken and built a business selling it to the fine people of Nashville.

Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack is still going strong in Nashville and has become popular throughout the world.

There’s even a KFC Nashville Hot Chicken sandwich!

So what exactly is hot chicken?

It’s fried chicken that’s made with a spicy marinade and then topped with a cayenne pepper oil.

The first bite is strangely kind of sweet, and then the heat builds.

If you love spicy food, you’re going to cry for joy over this vegan Nashville Hot Chicken recipe.

WHAT INGREDIENTS DO YOU NEED TO MAKE NASHVILLE HOT CHICKEN?

To start, you’ll need to make a batch of our seitan chicken

Once that’s made, these are the ingredients you’ll need.

1 cup plant milk (unsweetened almond, soy, cashew, or pea protein) plus 2 tablespoon of lemon juice – when you whisk them together it is like buttermilk.
One tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Hot sauce – if you’re not a fan of super spicy food, feel free to add less.
Two vegan eggs – we use JUST egg for this. You can use Follow Your Heart Vegan Egg, too. Both work great.
2 cups of all-purpose flour
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup of melted vegan butter – we prefer Miyoko’s or Earth Balance.
2 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper – feel free to use less if you’re sensitive to heat.
1 tablespoon of brown sugar
One teaspoon of paprika
1 teaspoon of garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup of the chicken oil

HOW DO YOU MAKE A VEGAN NASHVILLE HOT CHICKEN SANDWICH?

STEP ONE

Make the vegan seitan chicken recipe. Click HERE to get the recipe.

STEP TWO

Whisk the vegan egg, plant milk, lemon juice, and hot sauce together in a shallow bowl.

TIPS ON MAKING THE BEST VEGAN NASHVILLE HOT CHICKEN

Make sure that the chicken cutlets are at room temperature. This will ensure that the breading sticks and they’re hot in the middle.
Make sure that the oil is 350°F (176°C). This will ensure the crispiest breading. Keep in mind that when you add the chicken the temperature will drop a bit, that’s okay, don’t turn the heat up.
Don’t be afraid to coat the chicken with the sauce, that’s what makes hot chicken, HOT CHICKEN.

HOW SHOULD I SERVE HOT CHICKEN?

Traditionally it’s served with white bread and pickles.

We’re not fans of white bread, so we like it on a bun or alone. The pickles are always welcome, though.

You can also cut the seitan chicken into smaller pieces to make Nashville Hot Chicken Wings.

MORE VEGAN MEAT RECIPES YOU WILL LOVE

The Best Vegan Southern Fried Chicken

Vegan Meatball Sub Sandwiches

Beer Braised Pulled Pork

Authentic Vegan Swedish Meatballs

The Best Vegan Nashville Fried Chicken

Spicy hot fried chicken with a crunchy coating and a delicious sweet to spicy flavor. Just like the real thing, only no birds were harmed.

4.67 from 15 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Entree, Main Course

Cuisine: American, Vegan

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Make the seitan cutlets: 45 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 533kcal

Author:

Equipment

▢
heavy skillet

Ingredients

▢ 6 vegan chicken cutlets link to recipe is in the instructions.
▢ Canola or corn oil
▢ EGG MIXTURE
▢ 2 vegan eggs see note
▢ 1 cup unsweetened plant milk almond, soy, cashew, or pea protein will work. Do not use coconut milk
▢ 2 tablespoon lemon juice
▢ 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Hot sauce
▢ FLOUR MIXTURE
▢ 2 cups all-purpose flour
▢ Salt and pepper to taste
▢ SAUCE
▢ ½ cup vegan butter melted see note
▢ 2 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper use less if you don’t like super spicy food.
▢ 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
▢ 1 teaspoon paprika
▢ 1 teaspoon garlic powder
▢ Salt and pepper to taste
▢ ¼ cup oil from the chicken

Instructions

Line a cooking rack or plate with paper towels. This will absorb the excess oil from the fried chicken.
Make the chicken cutlets. Make sure that they’re at room temperature before frying.
In a shallow bowl, whisk the 2 vegan eggs, 1 cup plant milk, 2 tablespoon lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon hot sauce until combined.
In a shallow bowl, whisk the 2 cups all-purpose flour and salt and pepper to taste until completely combined.
In a small bowl whisk the ½ cup melted vegan butter, 2 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (use less if you don’t like super spicy food), 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, and salt and pepper to taste until completely combined. Set aside.
Fill a heavy skillet with approximately 2 inches of canola or corn oil and heat to 350°F (176°C). The temperature will fall when you add the chicken, that’s fine. DON’T turn the heat up.
Dredge the chicken cutlets in the flour, then the egg and milk mixture, then again in the flour. Shake off excess flour.
When the oil is ready, carefully put the cutlets in the oil, leaving room between each one, and cook for approximately 4 to 5 minutes per side, or until golden brown and crispy.
Remove from the oil and place on a cooling rack or plate that’s lined with paper towels.
When all of the chicken is done. Turn off the heat and wait 3 minutes so the oil cools slightly.
CAREFULLY spoon a ¼ cup of the oil from the pan into the cayenne and butter sauce. Stir until completely blended.
Liberally brush the sauce on the fried chicken and serve as is or on a bun with pickles and slaw.
Best when eaten immediately.
Enjoy!

Video

Notes

NUTRITION DISCLAIMER

For the vegan eggs, we suggest using JUST egg or Follow Your Heart vegan egg replacers. Do NOT use chia, flax, or aquafaba as a replacer or you won't get the desired result.

We recommend Miyoko's or Earth Balance vegan butter.

Nutrition

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