Description
These Nashville Hot Pepper Jelly Chicken Poppers are a perfect blend of sweet and spicy, featuring crispy fried chicken coated in a tangy pepper jelly sauce. They make a fantastic appetizer or main course that will have your taste buds dancing with flavor!
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chicken:
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For the Sauce:
- 1/2 cup pepper jelly
- 2 tablespoons hot sauce
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
For Frying and Garnish:
- Vegetable oil for frying
- Chopped fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Marinate the Chicken: Place chicken pieces in a bowl and cover with buttermilk. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (up to 4 hours).
- Prepare the Coating: In another bowl, mix flour, smoked paprika, garlic powder, cayenne, salt, and black pepper.
- Fry the Chicken: Heat vegetable oil in a deep skillet to 350°F. Dredge chicken in seasoned flour and fry in batches until golden and cooked through.
- Make the Sauce: Heat pepper jelly, hot sauce, and butter in a saucepan until smooth.
- Coat the Chicken: Toss fried chicken in the sauce until well coated.
- Serve: Garnish with parsley if desired and serve immediately.
Notes
- Adjust heat level by using more or less hot sauce.
- Great as an appetizer or served over waffles for a spicy-sweet twist.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes plus marinating time
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Appetizer, Main Course
- Method: Frying, Stovetop
- Cuisine: Southern American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: About 6 poppers
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 640 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg
