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A classic Southern condiment, this Nashville hot sauce is the best for coating chicken in flavorful spice! It mixes up with just a few simple ingredients. You’re going to love having it on hand!
You probably know by now that I LOVE making sauces and seasonings from scratch. Not only do they taste better, but they’re free of preservatives and artificial flavoring! You’ve got to try this homemade buffalo sauce! And if you’re looking for yummy sauces for dipping chicken in, copycat Chick-fil-A sauce and Cane’s sauce recipes are both great choices!
Nashville Hot Chicken Sauce
If you’re a hot sauce lover, you’ve probably already tried Nashville hot sauce. But let me tell you this- there’s nothing better than making it from scratch! The flavor and texture is out of this world. It’s perfect for dipping or coating some tasty fried chicken in.
Now if you’ve never tried this tasty sauce, today’s your lucky day! Nashville hot sauce is like the love child of buffalo sauce and chili oil. It has the kick of buffalo sauce but a smooth, oil-like consistency that makes fried chicken extra tender and extra flavorful. One taste and you’ll be addicted! Good news is, it’s beyond easy to make. You’re going to love having it on hand!
Is Nashville Hot Sauce the Same as Buffalo?
Nope! Although they have a similar flavor, Nashville hot sauce and buffalo sauce are pretty different. One of the biggest differences is their texture. Buffalo sauce is thick and glossy whereas Nashville hot sauce has a more oily consistency. Additionally, buffalo sauce is typically made with bottled hot sauce and vinegar, but in this Nashville hot sauce recipe I just use a handful of different spices!
Ingredients Needed
Easily, the best thing about this homemade Nashville hot sauce is all of its simple ingredients! They’re all in your spice rack! As long as you’ve got some brown sugar, butter, and honey on hand as well, you can easily make a batch of this tasty sauce!
- Unsalted Butter: This is a key ingredient to making Nashville hot chicken sauce! It gives the sauce its signature texture and adds rich flavor as well. (You really can’t go wrong with butter.) You can also use ghee as a substitute.
- Cayenne Pepper: This is what gives this sauce its kick! Feel free to adjust the spice to preference.
- Brown Sugar: I love adding brown sugar because it helps to balance out the spice.
- Chili Powder: For a little extra peppery spice.
- Garlic Powder: Adds a delicious savory element to the sauce. You can also use minced garlic.
- Smoked Paprika: Smoked paprika is one of my favorite spices to cook with. I love it because it’s so warm and flavorful!
- Kosher Salt: Table salt can sometimes have a bitter aftertaste, so I always go for kosher salt instead.
- Honey: Adds a little sweetness and makes the texture of the sauce nice and smooth.
How to Make Nashville Hot Sauce
This tasty hot sauce is so easy to whip up! It mixes up in minutes. I know your family is going to love it as much as mine does! They want to put it on everything. I don’t blame them with the amazing spicy flavor this sauce adds to every dish!
- Melt Butter: Add the butter to a medium-sized saucepan and heat over medium-high heat.
- Mix in Seasonings: Once the butter is mostly melted, add the cayenne pepper, brown sugar, chili powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and salt.
- Combine, Add Honey: Whisk to combine until the mixture is smooth and reduce the heat to low. Then stir in the honey.
- Heat and Serve: Heat the sauce through and use it to baste your fried chicken and use it as a dipping sauce!
What Can I Use Nashville Hot Sauce For?
The savory-spicy flavor of this sauce makes it perfect for so many different dishes! Nashville hot sauce is extremely versatile and you’re going to LOVE having it on hand!
- Fried Chicken: This is probably the most common use for this hot sauce. Use it on fried chicken, chicken wings, or a chicken sandwich for an extra pop of flavor!
- Dipping Sauce: Nashville hot sauce is perfect for dipping chicken nuggets and tenders in!
Storing Leftover Sauce
The great thing about homemade Nashville hot sauce is that it has a nice, long shelf life! You just want to make sure you keep it in the fridge for best results.
- In the Refrigerator: Store sauce in an airtight jar for up to 2 weeks.
More Homemade Sauces
Here are a few more of my favorite sauce recipes to add a pop of flavor to all of your favorite dishes or use for dipping! They’re insanely easy to make and taste so much better than store-bought! Find my full list of sauce recipes here.
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Nashville Hot Chicken Sauce
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tbsp honey
Instructions
- Add the butter to a medium-sized saucepan and heat over medium-high heat.
- Once the butter is mostly melted, add the cayenne pepper, brown sugar, chili powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and salt.
- Whisk to combine until the mixture is smooth and reduce the heat to low. Stir in the honey.
- Heat the sauce through and use it to baste your fried chicken and use it as a dipping sauce!
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I substituted the 1/4 cup of cayenne for 1/4 cup of habanero powder and it was spectacular. I think it need more butter. It gets pretty thick. I would probably double the butter.
Alyssa, I tried this and love it! I’ve made it twice in three days. First time was full heat on chicken nuggets. Loved it but too much heat. 2nd time I did an 1/8 cup of cayenne. I used it on air fried fish sticks and then on salt sweet pretzel twists. It was great on both. I’m binging on the sauce! Thanks so much.
Same as Jessica. I love this recipe so much, but the 1/4c Cayenne was too much for me. I was SWEATING 🥵😂 Other than the spice, it was very tasty. I will definitely make again with less cayenne!
This is my first time making Nashville hot sauce. I’ve tried it at various restaurants and wanted to try it at home. I put in the full quarter cup of cayenne and I knew it was going to be pretty spicy. I love spicy but I couldn’t handle this much. I’m going to cut back on the cayenne next time I make it. The flavor was great though! I’m glad I added the honey.