What is it – When I was growing up, fried chicken was a food that was associated with the south, and it gradually became almost synonymous with Kentucky Fried Chicken. KFC grew into an international franchise with over 25,000 outlets in 145 countries. Today, chicken exceeds beef and pork as the most widely consumed meat product in the United States. Chicken tenders, chicken sandwiches, chicken wings and rotisserie chickens are just a few of the popular chicken food items. Meanwhile, Chick-fil-A has become the leading quick-service chicken restaurant chain in the country. 

Food tastes and trends are always changing, however, and the newest item in the chicken world is “hot chicken.”  This type of chicken has been popular on the Nashville food scene for years and it is now emerging all over the country at various restaurant establishments. Nashville based Hattie B’s is a family-owned restaurant chain with eight locations in the South focused on providing hot chicken and other southern cuisine. Four restaurants are in Nashville including one on Lower Broadway and the company has opened others in Birmingham, Atlanta, Memphis, and Las Vegas.

Hattie B’s is drawing large crowds and top reviews from food critics and customers for its chicken and stylish but casual dining. The popular Lower Broadway location is a brick building at the entrance to an outdoor mall with ample seating. The interior has a modern design with metallic counters and seats along with red neon signage and bright lighting. The food service and preparation areas were exceptionally clean and welcoming. There is an organized line to place your order, pick up your drinks, and receive a numbered flag for the staff to use in delivering your meal.

Popular Menu Items -  But what about the food? The quarter and half chicken plate entrees feature various combinations of breast, thigh, wing, and leg meat, which is served on white bread with pickles, along with two sides. The other main menu choices include whole chicken wings or a hot chicken sandwich which is a breaded and deboned breast served with one side, Cole slaw and a kosher pickle. But the jumbo chicken tenders, which northerners would call large chicken strips, served with various dipping sauces are the most popular item. The side dishes or a la carte offerings include crinkle cut fries, southern greens, red skin potato salad, pimento mac & cheese, baked beans, Cole slaw and black-eyed pea salad. Just as important are the drink offerings that will be needed to cool you off and wash down the hearty meal. These include iced tea, lemonade, soft drinks, and local beers. 

The process for cooking hot chicken usually includes creating a secret sauce and then marinating the chicken with it, followed by making a wet and a dry coating, dipping the marinated chicken pieces into both mixes, and then frying it up. Surprisingly, the six gradations of “heat” at Hattie Bs do not relate to the amount of sauce added to the mix but to the type of chiles used. Hattie Bs heat index ranges from “no heat” Southern style to mild, medium, hot, damn hot, and “shut the cluck up.” That level uses the hottest chiles around you can be sure. 

Interesting Facts - There are several quality hot chicken establishments in Nashville, some of which have been around longer than Hattie Bs. Ever since Nick Bishop and his son opened Hattie Bs in 2012, however, the competition and attention paid to hot chicken has been on the rise. Although sometimes there are lines and long waits to get a table or pick up an order at the Nashville locations, we were able to place our order and be served within a matter of a few minutes early one afternoon in June. We really enjoyed the experience even though we did not take the challenge of ordering a plate with one of the more intense heat levels. A root beer float helped cool me down in any event.

When to Go - The restaurant is open most days from 11 am to 10 pm with shorter hours on Sunday. With ample indoor seating, the Lower Broadway location can be enjoyed year-round.

Cost - The cost of the different dinner plates ranges from $9 to $13 excluding beverages, drinks, and dessert.