Nashville Hot Chicken Fries

Nashville hot chicken meets waffle fries (these are the best) meets nachos for an ultimate sheet-pan party food mash-up. It’s crispy and cheesy with a spiciness that flushes your cheeks, prickles your throat, and is impossible to stop eating. Read on for some tips on how to make it:

The coating:
One of the secrets to hot chicken is the spice-heavy, slightly sweet oil or butter mixture that coats the crispy chicken. Some recipes rely only on oil, but a blend of oil and butter brings even more flavor while staying pourable. If it separates as it sits, whisk it back together. Drizzling some of this spicy butter directly over the fries before topping ensures the flavorful heat comes through every bite.

The cheese sauce:
The cheese sauce is the glue that holds everything together, and this thick roux-based sauce gets a hit of tang from cream cheese, which also helps keep the sauce from separating. To ensure the cheddar melts in smoothly, use freshly grated cheese from a block, and remove the pot from the heat before gradually adding in. This sauce is a bit thicker than one you might use for nachos, so it blankets the fries instead of soaking into them or running through the little windows of the waffle cuts.

The slaw:
A fresh, crisp slaw on top offers relief from the rich cheese and spicy chicken. We kept it simple with so many other big flavors going on, but you can always use a classic coleslaw or even try a vinegar coleslaw if mayo isn’t your thing. Just make sure to grab a fresh cabbage. It has a better crunch and brighter flavor than a bagged mix, and you can chop it into just the right size so it can be loaded onto each bite without falling off the fries.

Made this recipe? Let us know it went in the comments below!

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Yields:

6 – 8

serving(s)

Prep Time:

15 mins

Total Time:

40 mins

Cal/Serv:

756

Directions

Coleslaw

In a medium bowl, whisk mayonnaise, vinegar, and pickle brine; season with salt and pepper. Add cabbage and scallions and toss well to combine. Refrigerate until ready to assemble, at least 20 minutes or up to 2 hours.
Nachos
1. Step 1
  
  Meanwhile, place racks in center and lower third of oven; preheat to 425ᵒ. Spread waffle fries in a single layer on a large baking sheet, then arrange chicken on another baking sheet. Bake, turning and rotating sheets as needed, until very crispy according to package instructions. Let cool slightly.
2. Step 2In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, combine oil, cayenne, brown sugar, garlic powder, paprika, and 6 tablespoons butter; season with salt and black pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until butter melts, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. The sauce will separate as it sits, but just whisk back together before using.
3. Step 3In a medium pot over medium heat, melt remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Sprinkle in flour and mustard and cook, whisking frequently, until smooth. Reduce heat to medium-low and slowly pour in milk, whisking frequently, until combined. Cook, whisking occasionally, until sauce is smooth, steaming, and slightly thickened. Add cream cheese and whisk until melted. Remove pot from heat. Gradually add cheddar, whisking until smooth; season with salt and black pepper.
4. Step 4Pile fries in center of baking sheet. Chop chicken and transfer to a medium bowl. Add about half of spicy butter sauce and toss until coated. Drizzle some remaining spicy butter over fries, then pour about half of cheese sauce over. Scatter chicken over cheese sauce. Drizzle with remaining spicy butter and cheese sauce. Pile coleslaw on top. Top with chips.