Nashville Hot Chicken Tender Mac & Cheese Waffle Cones
Crispy Nashville hot chicken tenders stuffed into golden waffle cones with thick, creamy mac and cheese. This backyard party recipe is spicy, crunchy, cheesy, and perfect for game day, cookouts, or over-the-top comfort food content. The chicken is fried until golden, brushed with Nashville hot oil, then stacked over scoopable mac and cheese inside a sturdy waffle cone.
Equipment
- Cast iron Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot
- Outdoor burner, stovetop, or deep fryer
- Instant-read thermometer
- Wire cooling rack
- Sheet pan
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Tongs
- Spider strainer or slotted spoon
- Medium saucepan
- Large pot for pasta
- Cheese grater
- Wooden spoon
- Waffle cone stand or tall cups for serving
- Black nitrile gloves Optional
Ingredients
The Chicken Tenders:
- 2 pounds chicken tenderloins
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1/4 cup hot sauce
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
The Dredge:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
Frying:
- 6 to 8 cups peanut oil canola oil, or vegetable oil
Nashville Hot Oil:
- 1/2 cup hot frying oil carefully reserved after frying
- 3 tablespoons cayenne pepper
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
Mac N Cheese:
- 12 ounces elbow macaroni
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1 cup evaporated milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese freshly shredded
- 1 cup Monterey Jack cheese freshly shredded
- 1 cup American cheese chopped or shredded
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
Waffle Cones:
- 8 sturdy waffle cones
- 1/4 cup sliced pickles optional
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley or chives optional
- Hot honey optional
- Ranch dressing optional
Instructions
Instructions:
- Marinate the chicken. Add chicken tenderloins, buttermilk, hot sauce, kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and paprika to a large bowl. Mix until the chicken is fully coated. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight.
- Make the dredge. In a shallow bowl or pan, mix flour, cornstarch, kosher salt, black pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, and baking powder.
- Dredge the chicken. Remove each chicken tender from the buttermilk marinade and let the excess drip off. Coat heavily in the flour mixture, pressing the dredge into the chicken so it forms a rough, craggy crust. For extra crunch, dip the coated tender back into the buttermilk, then coat again in the flour mixture.
- Rest the breaded chicken. Place the dredged chicken tenders on a wire rack for 10 to 15 minutes. This helps the coating stick during frying.
- Heat the oil. Add frying oil to a cast iron Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot. Heat to 350°F. Do not overfill the pot.
- Fry the chicken. Fry the chicken tenders in batches for 4 to 6 minutes, flipping as needed, until golden brown and crispy. The internal temperature should reach 165°F. Transfer fried chicken to a wire rack.
- Make the Nashville hot oil. Carefully ladle 1/2 cup of hot frying oil into a heat-safe bowl or saucepan. Stir in cayenne pepper, brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, chili powder, kosher salt, black pepper, and onion powder. Mix until smooth.
- Coat the chicken. Brush or lightly toss the fried chicken tenders with the Nashville hot oil. Do not soak them too heavily or the crust can soften.
- Cook the pasta. Boil elbow macaroni in salted water until just al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Make the cheese sauce. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in whole milk, evaporated milk, and heavy cream until smooth.
- Add the cheese. Lower the heat and stir in cheddar, Monterey Jack, and American cheese. Add kosher salt, garlic powder, black pepper, paprika, and mustard powder. Stir until the sauce is smooth and thick.
- Combine the mac and cheese. Fold the cooked macaroni into the cheese sauce. The mac should be creamy and thick, not runny. If it gets too thick, add a small splash of milk.
- Optional smoke step. For extra backyard flavor, transfer the mac and cheese to a cast iron skillet and smoke at 225°F for 20 to 30 minutes using apple, cherry, pecan, or maple wood.
- Prep the cones. Place waffle cones in a cone stand, tall cups, or parchment cone sleeves so they stay upright.
- Build the cones. Spoon warm mac and cheese into each waffle cone, filling it about three-quarters full.
- Add the chicken. Place one or two Nashville hot chicken tenders on top of each mac-filled cone.
- Garnish and serve. Top with sliced pickles, chopped parsley or chives, hot honey, or a drizzle of ranch if desired. Serve immediately while the chicken is crispy and the cone is still crunchy.
Notes
Notes:
Use sturdy waffle cones instead of thin sugar cones. Thin cones can crack or get soggy too fast.
Freshly shredded cheese melts smoother than pre-shredded cheese.
The mac and cheese should be thicker than normal because it needs to sit inside the cone without running out.
For less heat, reduce the cayenne in the Nashville hot oil to 1 1/2 tablespoons.
For more heat, add extra cayenne or a pinch of ghost pepper powder.
Drain fried chicken on a wire rack, not paper towels, to keep the crust crispy.
Assemble the cones right before serving. Do not build them too early or the waffle cones may soften.
For an air fryer version, bread the chicken, spray with oil, and air fry at 400°F for 10 to 14 minutes, flipping halfway, until the chicken reaches 165°F internal. Brush with Nashville hot oil after cooking.
For an oven version, place breaded chicken on a wire rack over a sheet pan, spray with oil, and bake at 425°F for 18 to 22 minutes, flipping halfway, until the chicken reaches 165°F internal.
Store leftover chicken and mac and cheese separately in airtight containers for up to 3 days. Reheat chicken in an air fryer or oven to bring back the crunch.