Review: Nashville Hot Chicken Crispers from Chili’s

Bottom Line: The Nashville Hot Chicken Crispers from Chili’s offer some sizeable chicken tenders with a good crunch, and they also deliver on the heat.

Chicken again, chicken again, chicken again. As I have commented multiple times on this site, the restaurant industry continues to focus on the bird as the main protein to spice up, giving short shrift to beef, pork, seafood, and other options. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, though, because I like chicken, and it is a blander meat, so spicing it up makes some sense. And beef is pretty pricey these days, with the quality also a bit questionable, so bring on the piquant poultry!

The most recent spicy chicken I tried was the Nashville Hot Chicken Crispers from Chili’s, which are relatively new for that chain. These are their signature chicken tenders, consisting of strips of breast meat that are breaded, deep-fried, and covered in their new Nashville Hot Sauce (introduced earlier this year). You can get these in a combo with two sides and two sauces, or as part of their 3-for-Me promotion (more on that below).

To start off with, these are sizeable tenders that look like they have been hand-breaded, as opposed to those from chains that pull their chicken pieces pre-made out of a freezer bag. They have a good crunch to them, even with all the sauce, and also a good meat-to-breading ratio. Inside, they are quite tender and neither too dry nor too greasy.

As for the Nashville Hot Sauce, they are definitely quite generous with it, which is a good thing because you can mix some of the excess with ketchup for dipping your fries. The sauce is on the oily side—typical for Nashville Hot—but it is not greasy. It has a very intense, peppery taste and a bit of a tang, and I think I detect a touch of cumin in there—an unexpected addition. It works quite well with the Chicken Crispers, and as mentioned, even though there is a fair amount of sauce, it does not turn the tenders soggy.

As for the heat, it is more than you would expect from one of the national chains. Instead of catering to the average consumer, the Nashville Hot Sauce speaks to those who like some spice. At first, it is just a quick kick of heat that does not seem too bad. But the more you eat, the more it intensifies. By the time I finished all three Crispers, my mouth was burning, and the heat approached Hot on my scale. The average mortal may want to steer clear of these (or ask for the sauce on the side), but Chiliheads will certainly enjoy them. And while I don’t consider myself an expert on Nashville Hot (I’m from Texas, not Tennessee), these compare favorably to other versions of the dish I have had.

As for the calories, four of these Crispers drenched in Nashville Hot Sauce tip the scale at 1,140. That’s quite a bit for one sitting, and that doesn’t even include your sides (the fries alone add another 420 cals). That also packs 83 grams of fat and an eye-popping 4,180 mg of sodium! Best to split the four-piece combo with someone or take half of it home, but even then, you are indulging.

The four-piece combo with two sides runs $17.49 in my area, which is not bad for a meal you could easily split with somebody. But the best bet is to get this as part of the 3-for-Me promotion they are currently running. With that, you get three Crispers, a side, and a drink, plus an appetizer (the endless chips and salsa are your best bet), for $14.99. That’s a heck of a deal, and more than enough to fill you up while also providing an appetizer for the table. The Nashville Hot Crispers appear to be part of the permanent menu, but I don’t know how long the 3-for-Me option will stick around, so I suggest heading to Chili’s soon if these sound tempting and you want to take advantage of the deal.

Nutrition Info:

Serving Size: 4 Chicken Crispters
Calories: 1140
Fat: 83g (14g Sat/0 Trans)
Protein: 48g
Carbs: 51g
Sodium: 4180mg