Publix launches Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich

Feel like taking a spicy trip to the Music City? The Publix Deli Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich is our take on the Tennessee specialty, now available for a limited time.

How we make it
Publix’s famous chicken tenders are marinated in spices, breaded and fried, then glazed with a sauce that features garlic, cayenne pepper and brown sugar before being placed between two slices of King’s Hawaiian bread. A pickle adds the finishing touch.

Spicy origins
Since Nashville hot chicken has become a trend on restaurant menus, Publix did its homework to make sure the sandwich had the most authentic flavors. After creating the recipe, the category team and a company chef traveled up to Nashville to sample the best hot chicken local restaurants had to offer to make sure our version hit the mark.

“We’ve heard from many people in the Nashville area,” said Audrey Peace, Hot Prepared Foods Category Manager at Publix. “They said we really nailed the flavor.”

Nashville hot chicken is known for being quite spicy, but our chefs didn’t want it to be too much for our customers. However, they landed on a tangy profile that will appeal to most hot chicken lovers.

“No one can say it isn’t spicy,” Audrey laughed. This is not the first time Publix has dipped its toe in the Nashville hot chicken trend. In late 2022, we introduced the flavor as an eight-piece fried chicken meal. Following that, we glazed our chicken wings in a marinade, before moving on to chicken tenders.

When you can try this sandwich
This flavorful fiery Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich is available at Publix stores beginning in April 2023 until June 30.