A paleo take on Guy Fieri's
Nashville Hot Chicken
Serves 4
Original
Guy Fieri's classic
- Chicken thighs — 600 g
- Buttermilk — 300 ml
- All-purpose flour — 200 g
- Cayenne pepper — 30 g
- Brown sugar — 20 g
- Lard (for the spice paste) — 120 g
- Frying oil — 500 ml
- White bread and pickles, to serve
The paleo version
Paleo
- Chicken thighs — 600 g
- Full-fat coconut milk (in place of the buttermilk) — 300 ml
- Lemon juice — 15 ml
- Egg — 1
- Almond flour (in place of the wheat flour) — 150 g
- Arrowroot flour (in place of the wheat flour) — 50 g
- Cayenne pepper — 30 g
- Paprika — 5 g
- Coconut sugar (in place of the brown sugar) — 20 g
- Lard (for the spice paste) — 120 g
- Lard or avocado oil (in place of the frying oil) — 500 ml
FoodRef's paleo framework excludes added salt, so this version leaves it out.
Our steps
- 1Whisk the coconut milk, lemon juice and egg; turn the chicken in it and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
- 2Mix the almond flour, arrowroot, paprika and 10 g of the cayenne. Lift the chicken out, let the excess drip off, and press it into the coating. Rest 10 min on a rack so the coating sets.
- 3Heat the lard or avocado oil to 170 °C / 340 °F in a heavy pot. Fry in batches, turning, 6–8 min, until deep golden and the thickest piece reads 74 °C / 165 °F. Almond flour browns faster than wheat, so keep the oil from running hotter.
- 4Melt the 120 g lard with the remaining 20 g cayenne and the coconut sugar; spoon it over the hot chicken.
- 5Serve straight away: no bread, no pickles.
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