Slow Cooker Nashville Chicken (Hot and Spicy)

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When you hear “Nashville Hot Chicken,” typically the Crockpot is not the first thing that comes to mind. The traditional preparation of hot chicken is very complicated, requiring a lot of steps and deep frying. This slow cooker recipe captures all of the traditional flavors of this classic dish without the hassle.

Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack is considered to be the original home of Nashville hot chicken. And it still operates today as a favorite for these super spicy sandwiches. There’s no need to travel down to Nashville to get your fix. Our version will leave your kitchen smelling amazing and your taste buds very happy.

Why you’ll love this slow cooker hot chicken

• Skip the dredging and deep frying. This recipe is so much easier to make than classic Nashville hot chicken.
• This recipe is spicy. It uses a generous amount of cayenne powder to capture the essence of the traditional Southern version.
• This slow cooker version makes for easy and amazing leftovers. You can serve the chicken on a bun (like we do), or mix it up with rice or potatoes.
• You can easily customize the level of spice in this chicken by scaling back on the cayenne pepper. If you like it really hot, follow the recipe exactly as is.

About the ingredients

• Chicken breast – we use boneless chicken breast in this recipe which is anything but traditional. But, fear not. It’s marinated and cooked perfectly in the slow cooker for a super tender bite.
• Buttermilk – an easy buttermilk marinade tenderizes the chicken and adds flavor.
• Hot sauce – you’ll want to use a Louisiana style hot sauce like Frank’s.
• Unsalted butter – the base of the sauce is made with unsalted butter which also adds fat back into the recipe, which the chicken is lacking.
• Cayenne pepper – here is where the magic and the heat happens. It wouldn’t be Nashville chicken without it, and there is no replacement. Learn how to make your own cayenne powder here.
• Apple cider vinegar – vinegar adds tang and acidity to this recipe which helps to balance out the flavors of the sauce.
• Brown sugar – a small amount of brown sugar is included in the sauce and also the crunchy panko topping.
• Onion – the onion placed at the bottom of the slow cooker helps to prevent burning. It also gives off flavor and helps to tenderize the meat even further.
• Cornstarch – to thicken the sauce, a simple slurry is made with cornstarch and water.
• Spices – other spices used in this recipe include paprika, salt, black pepper and garlic powder. You can always experiment with your own spices to make this recipe more unique.

How to make slow cooker hot chicken

See full ingredients list below.

Marinate the chicken in the fridge for at least 4 hours in the buttermilk chicken marinade. If possible, marinate for 8-10 hours, but not more than 12.

After marinating, when ready to cook, prepare the chicken sauce. Mix melted butter along with all ingredients till smooth.

Rough chop 1-2 onions into large chunks and lay on the bottom of a slow cooker. Lay chicken breast on top of onions in slow cooker. 

Using a basting brush or spoon, coat one side of the chicken in the sauce, then flip and repeat on the other side. Pour remaining sauce over chicken.

Cook on low for 2.5 hours in the Crockpot / slow cooker, then check the internal temperature of chicken. It should read 165 degrees when done. 

When chicken comes to temp, remove chicken breast and shred on a cutting board into small bite-sized pieces. Remove onions from crockpot and discard.

Create a slurry with 2 Tbsp. of cornstarch and 2 Tbsp. of cold water. Whisk into crockpot sauce for 1 minute till dissolved.

Add chicken back to crockpot, mix with sauce, and cook on high for 20-30 minutes till thickened. Meanwhile, make the panko topping.

Combine panko, melted butter and all spices in a bowl and bake at 350°F for 5-8 minutes in a single layer. This cooks quickly and can easily burn, so keep a close eye on it. I typically make it in the toaster oven.

Serve the chicken hot on white rolls with sliced pickles. Top with panko topping and enojy!

Recipe tips and FAQs

• For best results, do not overcook the chicken. Many people assume that chicken needs 6-8 hours in the slow cooker but this is not true. The chicken breast should be completely cooked around 2.5 hours. Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature (it should be 165°F).
• Do not skip the buttermilk marinade. It really makes all the difference in this recipe!

How spicy is this recipe? This slow cooker hot chicken is about a 7/10 for spice level. The cayenne pepper leaves a lingering burn, but we find the heat to be perfect. Scale back the cayenne pepper for less heat.

How do I serve this chicken? We like serving this chicken on white bread or potato rolls with dill pickles. The panko topping adds the traditional Nashville crunch and the pickles really level the sandwiches up.

If you end up trying this delicious slow cooker recipe, let us know how you liked it. And, if you’ve ever had traditional fried Nashville chicken, we would love to know how you think this recipe compares.