Hot chicken is a Nashville thing. Not "trendy hot chicken at a chain in Phoenix" Nashville. The actual original-recipe, family-secret, this-was-invented-here Nashville. Below are our favorite spots and what to order when you get there.
🔥⭐️ Prince's Hot Chicken
The original. The Thornton Prince family recipe goes back to the 1930s, and it's still the bar everything else gets measured against.
Order: Classic Hot Chicken Plate
🔥⭐️ Party Fowl
Built around hot chicken with bigger, bolder takes on the dish.
Order: Hot Chicken Nachos
🔥⭐️ Bishop's Meat & 3
Old-school meat-and-three hot chicken with Southern sides, the way Nashville has always done it.
Order: Hot Chicken Leg Quarter with Sides
Pepperfire Hot Chicken
A neighborhood staple with a loyal following and a signature item worth the trip.
Order: Tender Royale
Hattie B's
One of the most recognizable names in hot chicken and a reliable entry point for first-timers.
Order: The Sandwich
Punk Wok
The most unexpected mashup on the list. Nashville Scene called it out for a reason.
Order: Curry Back Mutha Cluckers
Limo Peruvian Eatery
Nashville Scene's pick for most interesting dish of the week. Hot chicken meets Peruvian technique.
Order: Peruvian Hot Brasa Chicken
Alba's Empanadas
On-brand, creative, and a genuinely fun Hot Chicken Week spin.
Order: Nashville Hot Chicken Empanadas
Chief's / Rodney Scott's at Chief's
BBQ legend Rodney Scott bringing his take on hot chicken.
Order: Rodney's Hot Chicken Tender Sandwich
Brown's Diner
A Nashville dive bar institution doing something unique for the week.
Order: Little Cheater's
Eat them all. Hate yourself a little. Tell us your ranking.
