The Reason You Always Get A Side Of Pickles With Nashville-Style Hot Chicken

Nashville hot chicken has had a meteoric rise to culinary fame in recent years. It seems like everywhere you look, there's a bustling new hot chicken joint to try. But the culinary triumph hailing from Nashville, Tennessee, is not your ordinary fried fowl. Succulent chicken breast, bathed in the fiery alchemy of cayenne-infused marinades and audacious dry rubs, culminated in the depths of the deep fryer. The result? A symphony of textures and flavors, boasting a crispy exterior that gives way to a tender, flavor-packed interior. And as delicious as the chicken is on its own, have you wondered why Nashville hot chicken is served with a side of pickles?

Combining pickles and Nashville hot chicken is more than a culinary quirk — it's a strategic dance of flavors that elevates this spicy dish to new heights. Pickles, with their tangy essence, provide a delicate counterpoint to the heartiness and heat of the chicken, creating a perfectly balanced flavor profile that doesn't rely solely on fire. The acidity and sugar in the pickle brine cut through the spice, offering a moment of reprieve as your eyes water with joy from each bite of hot chicken.

Finally, pickles are the traditional hot chicken pairing. And as much as we love shaking up culinary classics when it comes to Nashville hot chicken — don't touch those pickles.

You may be wondering why one can't simply serve cool, refreshing cucumbers alongside Nashville hot chicken. Won't they have the same effect as pickles in battling the fire of a decadent Nashville hot chicken sandwich? They are the same vegetable, after all.

For starters, Nashville hot chicken is celebrated for its robust, piquant flavor. Although its central attribute is fiery heat, there's depth to this tender Tennessee favorite, so you need a cooling agent that's equally as lively, to add even more dimension to its tapestry of flavors. The dynamic combination of acidity, saltiness, and hints of sweetness in pickles impart an extra layer of complexity. It doesn't just cut through spice, but elevates the entire experience, from the first bite of chicken to the last nosh of pickle.

A more subtle, yet equally important reason pickles are the go-to side for Nashville hot chicken comes down to mouthfeel. Cucumbers, although a respectable option for curbing spice, are more rigid in texture. Conversely, because they're marinated in a tenderizing brine, pickles are equal parts crunchy and succulent — offering a multi-faceted texture that's both satisfying and cooling.

Whether you're frying up Nashville-inspired hot chicken from the comforts of your own home, or picking up a spicy sandwich from your local hot chicken joint, you'll want to know which pickles pair best with this fiery poultry dish. But ultimately, it comes down to your unique preferences.

The classic dill pickle, with its robust and briny flair, stands as the stalwart choice. Its firm crunch and assertive-yet-familiar flavor provide a classic counterbalance to the heat. Another definitive pickle variety for pairing with hot chicken is bread and butter pickles. These comforting bursts of joy maintain a pungent tanginess while offering delicate sweetness, introducing a cozy, buttery softness to the intensity of the chicken. If you're feeling particularly daring, spicy pickles can bolster the heat of the chicken.

Moving beyond flavor, the cut of the pickle, while it may seem subtle, plays a crucial role. Slices, whether length-wise or coin-shaped, cover more surface area evenly, ensuring a consistent combination of heat and tang in every bite. Spear-shaped pickles, on the other hand, are thicker and provide a more concentrated pickle experience within a single bite.

Whichever variation you choose, as long as you've got some kind of pickle on the side of your Nashville hot chicken, you're doing it right.