Sweet and Hot Chicken with Dill Pickle Sauce

Total Time Prep: 25 min. + marinating Bake: 40 min.
Yield 8 servings
Contest Winner
Test Kitchen Approved
This is my low-carb version of Nashville hot chicken. We try to cut carbs as much as possible, so the fried breaded version and the sandwich version of this dish were out. Instead, I make a baked rendition with the same delicious flavors. This is also amazing made with chicken tenders and served in wraps. —Fay A. Moreland, Wichita Falls, Texas

Ingredients

  • 1 cup sweet pickle juice
  • 2 tablespoons hot pepper sauce
  • 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 8 bone-in chicken thighs (about 3 pounds)
  • PICKLE SAUCE:
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 cup chopped sliced sweet pickles
  • 1/4 cup sweet pickle juice
  • 2 teaspoons dill weed
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • SPICE RUB:
  • 1 tablespoon sweet smoked paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • HOT SAUCE DIP:
  • 1 cup hot sauce
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar substitute blend equivalent to 1 cup brown sugar

Directions

  1. In a bowl or shallow dish, combine sweet pickle juice, hot sauce, garlic and pepper. Add chicken and turn to coat. Refrigerate, covered, 2-3 hours.
  2. Preheat oven to 375°. In a small bowl, combine pickle sauce ingredients until well blended. Refrigerate until serving.
  3. In another small bowl, combine the spice rub ingredients. Remove chicken from marinade, discarding marinade. Place chicken on a greased, foil-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with spice rub. Bake 30 minutes.
  4. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat hot sauce and butter until butter is melted. Whisk in brown sugar blend, simmer until sauce thickens slightly, 1-2 minutes. Remove chicken from oven. Using tongs, dunk cooked pieces into sauce; return to baking sheet. Increase oven temperature to 400°; bake until a thermometer reads 170°-175°, about 10 minutes. Serve chicken with dipping sauces, and additional pickle slices if desired.

Nutrition Facts

1 chicken thigh with 2 tablespoons pickle sauce: 350 calories, 23g fat (9g saturated fat), 106mg cholesterol, 484mg sodium, 12g carbohydrate (10g sugars, 1g fiber), 23g protein.

This is my low-carb version of Nashville hot chicken. We try to cut carbs as much as possible, so the fried breaded version and the sandwich version of this dish were out. Instead, I make a baked rendition with the same delicious flavors. This is also amazing made with chicken tenders and served in wraps. —Fay Moreland, Wichita Falls, Texas
Recipe Creator

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