Nashville-style hot honey chicken sandwich with coleslaw on a brioche bun drizzled with Alexandra’s Pikliz® Hot Honey Sauce
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4 min read

Nashville-Style Hot Honey Chicken Sandwich Recipe

Crispy fried chicken, creamy slaw, toasted brioche, and sweet heat all in one sandwich. This Nashville-style hot honey chicken sandwich uses Alexandra’s Pikliz® Hot Honey Sauce to glaze the chicken for a bold finish that is sweet, spicy, and full of flavor.

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Watch our chef make this Nashville-style hot honey chicken sandwich step by step.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

This sandwich delivers crispy texture, creamy slaw, soft toasted bun, and a sweet-spicy glaze in every bite. It is a great recipe for lunch, dinner, weekend comfort food, or game day.

What Makes This Chicken Sandwich Different

Instead of using a traditional Nashville hot oil, this version is finished with Alexandra’s Pikliz® Hot Honey Sauce, which adds a layered sweet heat that works beautifully with crispy fried chicken. The slaw cools everything down, while the toasted brioche bun pulls it all together.

Ingredients

For the Sandwich

  • 2 brioche buns
  • 1 tablespoon butter, for toasting buns
  • 2 boneless chicken thighs
  • Alexandra’s Pikliz® Hot Honey Sauce, for glazing
  • 2 tablespoons pickle or relish, for topping
  • Vegetable or canola oil, for frying

For the Chicken Marinade

  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • Pinch of salt

For the Seasoned Flour

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon salt

For the Coleslaw

  • 1 cup shredded cabbage, white, red, or a mix
  • 1 cup shredded carrot
  • 1/3 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons buttermilk
  • 1 tablespoon vinegar
  • Salt, to taste
  • Black pepper, to taste
  • 1 tablespoon celery seed, optional

How to Make Nashville-Style Hot Honey Chicken Sandwich

1. Marinate the Chicken

Place the chicken thighs in buttermilk with a pinch of salt. Let them marinate while you prepare the remaining ingredients. This helps keep the chicken tender, juicy, and flavorful.

2. Make the Coleslaw

In a bowl, combine the shredded cabbage, shredded carrot, mayonnaise, buttermilk, vinegar, black pepper, celery seed if using, and salt. Mix until creamy and well combined, then set aside.

3. Toast the Buns

Lightly butter the brioche buns and toast until golden brown. This adds flavor and helps keep the buns from getting soggy.

4. Bread the Chicken

In a shallow bowl, mix the flour, onion powder, garlic powder, brown sugar, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and salt. Remove the chicken from the marinade and coat each piece evenly in the seasoned flour mixture.

5. Fry the Chicken

Heat the oil to 325°F. Fry the chicken for about 5 to 7 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through. The internal temperature should reach 165°F.

6. Rest and Glaze

Transfer the fried chicken to a rack and let it rest briefly so the coating stays crisp. Then glaze generously with Alexandra’s Pikliz® Hot Honey Sauce.

7. Assemble the Sandwich

Build the sandwich with toasted brioche bun, crispy glazed chicken, creamy slaw, and pickle or relish. Serve immediately.

Recipe Tips

For a faster version, you can use pre-shredded coleslaw mix and make the dressing separately. That shortcut was also noted in the original technical sheet and works well when you want to save prep time.

What to Serve With It

This sandwich pairs well with fries, potato wedges, pickles, kettle chips, or a simple crisp salad.

Shop the Sauce Used in This Recipe

This recipe uses Alexandra’s Pikliz® Hot Honey Sauce for its signature sweet heat finish.

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Learn More in Our Learning Hub

Want to learn more about hot honey and how to use it in everyday cooking?

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use chicken breast instead of chicken thighs?
Yes, but chicken thighs usually stay juicier and more flavorful for this type of sandwich.

Is this sandwich very spicy?
It has a sweet heat profile. The creamy slaw helps balance the spice.

Can I make the slaw ahead of time?
Yes. You can make it a few hours in advance and keep it refrigerated until ready to use.

What sauce should I use for this recipe?
This recipe is made for Alexandra’s Pikliz® Hot Honey Sauce.

Make It With Alexandra’s Pikliz®

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