Slow Burn Hot Chicken lives up to its name, offering several different heat levels from Sprinkle (just a hint of spice) to Slow Burn to Inferno. The cult-favorite Hendersonville restaurant also offers hot fish, seafood, pork chops, and a selection of specials.

Whether it’s the spicy fried chicken, fish, brisket, or sides, Moore’s is the real deal, with loyal fans swearing this is the best hot chicken in Hendersonville — if not in Greater Nashville.

Just 20 minutes northwest of Nashville in the small town of Joelton, Tennessee, Granddaddy’s turns out consistently good hot chicken. Besides the usual suspects of meats and varying levels of heat, Grandaddy’s fans rave about the hot chicken loaded baked potato, hot chicken spring rolls, and deep-fried hot dogs on special.

Native Nashvillian and lifelong hot chicken fan Aqui Hines first started 400 Degrees more than 15 years ago, gaining loyal fans via her food truck and her Clarksville Pike restaurant (the airport has a location now, too). Hines’s hot chicken recipe calls for deep-fried rather than skillet-fried chicken, the chief distinction between 400 degrees and most other restaurants.

One of Nashville’s most famous purveyors of hot chicken, Bolton’s has been serving the hot stuff for 20-plus years; it’s named for the late founder, Bolton Polk. And while, yes, the chicken is the main attraction at this East Nashville classic, don’t miss out on the hot fish sandwich or the Southern-style sides.

Offering more of a full-service restaurant experience than most other hot chicken purveyors, Party Fowl’s menu has a little bit of everything, including signature hot chicken dishes with heat levels ranging from traditional Southern fried to the “Poultrygeist,” the hottest option. Tasty tweaks to the formula include a Nashville hot deconstructed Cobb salad and a hot chicken Cuban sandwich. The local chain has a handful of locations in and around Nashville, and has also begun expanding beyond Tennessee.

Nashville native Eric “Red” White’s Midtown restaurant specializes in hot but still incredibly flavorful fried chicken sandwiches, catfish, and stellar sides like pimento mac and cheese and seasoned fries. Red’s 615 Kitchen begins with a 36-hour brine of buttermilk and hot sauce before breading the chicken, letting it rest for two hours, frying it up to order, and dousing it with a proper dose of a secret blend of Nashville hot seasoning and lard. Comeback sauce and slaw balance out the heat nicely in a sandwich, while a fun take on a Crunchwrap is stuffed with hot chicken, pickles, and mac and cheese.

Hurt’s Hot Chicken is a roving hot chicken source that typically parks at a Dollar General at 3288 S. Mt. Juliet Rd. in Hermitage (aka “tha spot” on Instagram posts). This one’s worth tracking down, as it doles out some of the best hot chicken (and fish) in the city, including in a fantastic gyro sandwich.

The granddaddy of them all, Prince’s created Nashville hot chicken and has kept the family business going strong for over 70 years, even snagging a James Beard Award along the way. In Nashville, André Prince Jeffries continues the tradition at this shack on the south side of town and with a limited menu at the Assembly Food Hall downtown, where the line is often fairly short since Prince’s food counter is tucked away on the second floor. Keep an eye out for a location coming to Jefferson Street in North Nashville, too.

A popular food truck planted permanent roots on the southeast side of town in Smyrna in 2019, setting up shop as Mack’s Hot Chicken. Heat levels range from plain to the oh-so-fiery Mack’s Revenge. In addition to the traditional meats and heats, Mack’s serves up solid sides, desserts, and a weekly Wild Wednesday featuring fun spins like hot Cornish hen, hot shrimp, and hot chicken grilled cheese sandwiches.

Founded in Franklin, Big Shake’s also has locations in Capitol View in Nashville and in Columbia, where you can get hot chicken with heat levels like “Cry Baby” and “Rambo” plus ghost pepper mayo. Try the bird in sandwiches, salads, and tacos too.