Late last week, the Nashville Scene’s Chris Chamberlain made a lot of Nashvillians very, very happy by dropping news that Prince’s Hot Chicken — the place that started the hot chicken craze that’s come to define Nashville’s culinary personality — is finally expanding, with a new restaurant on Nolensville Pike and a new food truck.
There are plenty of places to get great hot chicken in Nashville, but few people will argue with the fact that the original — Prince’s on Ewing Drive — offers the hands-down best version. And having more places to get the best hot chicken in Nashville (i.e. the world) is definitely reason for celebration.
Chamberlain says the new Prince’s at 5814 Nolensville Pike should be open on September 5. We know we’re not alone in counting the days.
Since we had our minds on Prince’s and the origins of hot chicken, we got to thinking about the many hot chicken twists and turns that have popped up since, as the story goes, Thornton Prince was punished for his wandering eye with a meal of super-spiced, and super delicious fried chicken.
Below, a few of our favorite twists on the original, found at restaurants all around Nashville.
Our favorite twists on Nashville Hot Chicken
Hot Chicken Buns at Otaku South
1104 Division Street, The Gulch
In the Otaku South kitchen, ramen is the specialty, but being a Nashville ramen restaurant, they had to throw in a few Southern-inspired twists. One of our favorite: from the snacks menu, the Hot Chicken buns, which marry fiery chicken with the slight sweetness of a Bao bun and some cooling slaw (plus a requisite pickle).
Hot Chicken Popcorn at Kernels Nashville
2501B Gallatin Avenue, East Nashville
The folks at this family-owned East Nashville gourmet popcorn place have more than a dozen savory/sweet flavors to choose from, including Nashville “HOT” Popcorn, a spicy, hot chicken-inspired twist on the cheddar-blasted popcorn we all know and love. (order online or buy at the shop)
Nashville Hot Chèvre from Noble Springs Dairy
3144 Blazer Road, Franklin
Franklin farmers Noble Springs Dairy make lots of delicious stuff with goat milk, including fudge, yogurt and a mix of different cheeses. Among the newer goat cheese flavors they’ve produced: Nashville Hot Chèvre, which mixes a spot-on blend of hot chicken-like spice with creamy, tangy goat cheese. (Available online as part of their three-pack of chèvre; Noble Springs cheeses are also carried in various stores in the area, including the Turnip Truck and Whole Foods, so they may have Nashville Hot on hand too.)
Nashville Hot Cauliflower and Hot Chicken Tacos at Americano
1720 West End Ave, Midtown
Tapas spot Americano has some more expected fare to sample, from Albondigas to Paella, but the menu also nods to Nashville quite a bit too. Vegetarians get a rare opportunity to take in some Nashville hot-style spice with their Nashville Hot Cauliflower, and the Hot Chicken Tacos offer a unique hot chicken angle, pairing bits of spicy fried chicken with shoestring fries, pickled cabbage and garlic mayo.
Hot Chicken Nachos at Party Fowl
719 8th Ave. S., The Gulch
East Gulch restaurant Party Fowl is in part a hot chicken place, but their menu expands, even on the hot chicken template. Take the Hot Chicken Nachos — a seemingly obvious twist that sadly doesn’t appear on many menus. Theirs has bacon-fried tortilla chips topped with hot chicken of your spice preference, plus avocado and sour cream to cool things down, cheese, white beans, lettuce and a bunch more. Proper nachos, with a boost.
Have you come across any other creative twists on hot chicken that we should check out? Let us know! Any excuse to explore a new Nashville menu is more than welcome.