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Healthier Nashville Hot Chicken Bowls

August 11, 2021
by
A lighter take on the classic crispy southern chicken all chopped up in a bowl with your fav sweet and spicy toppings: these Healthier Nashville Hot Chicken Bowls are my everything!!
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A lighter take on the classic crispy southern chicken all chopped up in a bowl with your fav sweet and spicy toppings: these Healthier Nashville Hot Chicken Bowls are my everything!!

Jump to Recipe

Hot chicken is one of those classic foods that you have to try at least once in your life. Spicy, tangy, and oh so crunchy: there’s really nothing better. Personally? I love the type of heat that stings the back of your throat. It’s the best. To me, there’s three parts to a really good Nashville Hot Chicken. 1) You’ve got to have a good juicy interior. Yes, the crisp is arguably the best part, but it’s pretty much ruined if your actual chicken is dried out. 2) A crispy crunchy coating is a must!! Whether it’s fried or baked, like in this option, you have to be able to hear that bite. 3) Lastly, it wouldn’t be Nashville Hot Chicken without that good spicy glaze. Without it, it’s really just fried chicken. Or, in this case, baked crispy chicken. While that’s good, the sauce is really what takes everything over the top. Using these three benchmarks, some fun bowl-style toppings, and a bit of a healthier twist, I truly think I nailed these Healthier Nashville Hot Chicken Bowls. You have to try them!!

the breakdown…

Let’s get started by checking #1 off of the list from above: you need a good, juicy chicken. To do so, chicken breasts always have to be marinated. They’re naturally quite dry and bland, so I never pop chicken breasts into the oven without some moisture and flavor from a marinade. Plus, since the chicken in this recipe is cut into tenders, the marinade is able to seep through into the chicken a whole lot quicker… so you can really just knock this step out about an hour in advance of the rest of your cooking. 

In that marinade, you’ve got some milk for moisture. I kept the instructions pretty vague because you can use pretty much any type of milk. Buttermilk is traditional, but Skim milk or any plain non-dairy milk would be good for a lighter alternative. Next up, pickle juice. Yes, pickle juice. Even if you aren’t a fan of pickles, this step is mandatory!! The pickle juice brings the perfect brininess to the chicken without being too acidic. Plus, it’s basically like throwing in a million spices and vinegars at once, saving you from too many ingredients. If you’re still skeptical, let me just remind you that this is what Chick fil A does, too… and we all know that chicken’s freaking delicious!!

A lighter take on the classic crispy southern chicken all chopped up in a bowl with your fav sweet and spicy toppings: these Healthier Nashville Hot Chicken Bowls are my everything!!

Lastly, throw in some oil from balance and moisture, and then of course the hot sauce. It truly would not be hot chicken without it! I like to use Cholula hot sauce when I don’t have any specialty variety on hand. But, in all honesty, I love trying out new hot sauces, so I usually have some boutique brand on hand;) 

the crispy exterior…

Now, let’s talk about #2 on that list: the crispy exterior!! The crispy exterior is a must on any Nashville Hot Chicken. Traditionally, this chicken comes with its skin on and deep fried. Given that we are going a healthier route with these Healthier Nashville Hot Chicken Bowls, I opted for boneless, skinless chicken breasts and an oven-baked method. All that said, this chicken is definitely still super crispy, mostly thanks to the generous amount of flour and panko.

I love to use a mixture of all purpose and almond flours for this recipe. I find it gives it a nice nuttiness and texture, but you can really use whatever you want. Oh, and with the addition of that crispy Panko, your chicken is gonna be over the top crispy no matter what. In that mixture, I like to throw in all of the seasonings, as I think this is the best way to get in some good spices without going overboard. I kept this Healthier Nashville Hot Chicken Bowls at a pretty medium spice, just because I find that it is more family friendly. But, rest assured, I usually top mine with more red pepper flakes!! So, feel free to add more spice as you would like… there’s really no wrong way to spice your chicken!!

that glaze…

Once you have your chicken all set to go in the oven, it’s time to work on that glaze.  Yes, I know, this dish has a lot of components. But, in reality, many of them are ingredients you already have at home, and many of them overlap throughout different points in the recipe. For example, in this glaze, I use cayenne and paprika once again, along with some honey, dijon, and apple cider vinegar. You’ll also find these ingredients in the white sauce, which makes everything a whole lot easier:) 

A lighter take on the classic crispy southern chicken all chopped up in a bowl with your fav sweet and spicy toppings: these Healthier Nashville Hot Chicken Bowls are my everything!!

This glaze is really more of a cheater’s glaze, just as the greek yogurt white sauce is kind of a cheater’s Alabama white bbq sauce. I don’t use a stovetop method to make the glaze, just as I don’t grate horseradish and slow roast my bbq sauce. Nobody has time for that when they’re whipping up dinner on a Monday night… they just don’t. But, none to fear, this glaze and sauce both still pack all the right flavors and textures. Plus, they are the perfect complements of each other: sticky and spicy meets cooling and smooth. There’s no better combo.

time to assemble!!

Once all of your components are good to go, all there is left to do is assemble your bowls!! I like to use quinoa as my grain, but you could really go with any grain you would like. Brown rice, couscous, and farro would also be delicious. You could even go with all mixed greens or cauliflower rice for a low-carb alternative! Next up, add all the good toppings! I’m talking creamy avocado, crunchy red onion, and tangy pickle chips… there’s absolutely nothing better in the world than a crisp pickle chip, if you ask me. You could also add fresh corn, collard greens, carrot chips, or any other vegetable. Bowls are truly so versatile. Finish everything with that crispy chicken, Alabama white sauce, and some sunflower seeds and boom!! You’ve got yourself a killer dinner.

 I hope you love these Healthier Nashville Hot Chicken Bowls as much as I do! Let me know what you think in the comments below:)

Healthier Nashville Hot Chicken Bowls
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Healthier Nashville Hot Chicken Bowls

Recipe by Annie PatrickCourse: Main Course, Bowl, Lunch, DinnerCuisine: American, SouthernDifficulty: Easy
Servings

4

servings
Prep time

30

minutes
Cooking time

20

minutes
Total time

50

minutes

A lighter take on the classic crispy southern chicken all chopped up in a bowl with your fav sweet and spicy toppings: these Healthier Nashville Hot Chicken Bowls are my everything!!

Ingredients

  • chicken:

  • 1.5 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into tenders*

  • 1 cup milk

  • ½ cup pickle juice

  • ¼ cup olive oil

  • ⅓ cup hot sauce

  • ¾ cup flour of choice*

  • ¾ cup panko breadcrumbs

  • 1 tsp salt

  • 1 tsp smoked paprika

  • 1 tsp garlic powder

  • ½ tsp cayenne

  • Olive oil or olive oil spray, to coat

  • glaze:

  • 1-2 tbsp cayenne

  • 2 tsp smoked paprika

  • 1 tsp salt

  • 2 tbsp honey or brown sugar

  • 1 tbsp ketchup

  • 1 tbsp worcestershire sauce

  • 2 tsp dijon mustard

  • 2 tsp cornstarch

  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar

  • 2-3 tbsp water

  • Alabama white sauce:

  • ½ cup plain greek yogurt or mayonnaise

  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

  • 1 tbsp honey or brown sugar

  • ½ a small lemon, juiced

  • 2 tsp dijon mustard

  • 1 tsp garlic powder

  • Salt and pepper, to taste

  • optional: 2 tsp prepared horseradish

  • bowls:

  • 1 cup quinoa, prepared according to package*

  • 2 cups mixed greens

  • 1 avocado, diced

  • ½ a red onion, diced

  • ½ cup pickle chips

  • Sunflower seeds, to garnish

  • optional toppings: corn, collard greens, crumbled queso fresco

Instructions

  • In a large bowl or freezer bag, whisk the milk, pickle juice, olive oil, and hot sauce. Toss with the chicken and allow to marinate for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight in the fridge.
  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and a greased wire baking rack.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together all of the glaze ingredients.
  • In a shallow bowl, whisk the flour, panko, salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne. Remove the chicken from the marinade and dredge through the flour mixture. Arrange each piece to the greased baking rack, then generously spray or brush each with olive oil. Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and bake for 15 minutes. Brush the glaze over the chicken, then return to the oven for 3-5 more minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and crisp.
  • Assemble your bowls with a scoop of quinoa, a bit of the greens, some diced avocado, red onion, and pickle chips. Add some of the hot chicken and drizzle everything with some of the white sauce. Serve with sunflower seeds (and any additional toppings) and enjoy!

Notes

  • I usually can find chicken breasts already cut into tenders, but you could also slice your breasts in half both length and width wise if you would like. 
  • You can use all purpose, almond, chickpea, cassava, or whole wheat flour for this recipe. You could even do a combination of two or three!
  • You could sub the quinoa for any other grain, or even cauliflower rice or all mixed greens. 
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