by Bottom Line: The Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich from Hopdoddy is a tasty and hefty sandwich made from high-quality ingredients that brings a good kick of heat.
Hopdoddy is a growing “Burger Bar” fast casual chain that started in Austin and focuses on delivering burgers made with high-quality ingredients, along with craft beers. I have made several visits to the location near me in San Antonio (you can find my review of their El Diablo Burger here), each time indulging in their tasty burger selections. I had seen the Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich on the menu but couldn’t get past the burgers until a recent trip when I finally decided to go for the cluck instead of the moo. Here is what comes on that one according to the website:
Crispy fried chicken, dusted with Nashville hot spices and topped with cabbage slaw, mayo, Alabama comeback sauce, and pickles on a fresh-made egg bun.
This sells for $10.95 in my area, and that price does not include a side. But it is a hefty sandwich and worth the money.
The chicken breast has a nice crust that delivers some crunch and is well-seasoned. The filet is also rather sizeable, spilling over the bun. The meat inside is juicy and tender and cooked perfectly. The Nashville hot spice brings a good, peppery flavor and maybe a bit of a Cajun kick. The slaw is creamy and fresh, and the vegetables still have some texture, adding a slight crunch. The mayo and Alabama comeback sauce seem to merge together, bringing some additional creaminess along with some tang, while the pickles add the nice vinegary pop you expect from a chicken sandwich these days. The egg bun has a nice sheen with just a bit of crust and a pillowy interior, and it does much more than simply hold everything together.
You have two options on the heat: Not Hot and Nashville Hot. Since my site has “spicy” in the title, I of course went for the latter. The first few bites delivered some tingle, but not an assault of heat. After a few more bites, though, things really started to warm up and it began to approach Hot on my scale. Overall, this is a damn good Nashville hot sandwich, and I will have a hard time choosing between it or one of their tasty burgers next time I venture into Hopdoddy. This also compares very favorably to the many other spicy chicken sandwiches that are available out there these days.
Calorie-wise, this totals up to 750 cals (they don’t give a further breakdown of the nutrition, though), which is actually not bad considering the size of the sandwich. But you know you will get a shareable order of their tasty fries (the Green Chile Queso version is a great option), and they have quite a number of craft brews on tap to wash it all down. So this meal will definitely count as a splurge, and you will be paying some penance in the gym afterward. It’s certainly worth it, though.
The name Hopdoddy is derived from the “Hops” used to make beer and “Doddy” which is a nickname for Black Angus cattle. The chain has spread throughout Texas, and they are even starting to venture outside of the state. You can check for a location near you on their website, and it is definitely worth the visit. Whether you get one of their beefy burgers, juicy chicken sandwiches, or another of their menu items (the shakes are also worth trying), you will be treated to some quality food that won’t put too much of a dent in your wallet. And if you are looking for some heat, the Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich and the El Diablo Burger certainly deliver.
