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This spicy spin on traditional mozzarella sticks adds Nashville hot chicken flavors to gooey cheese goodness. The golden, crunchy coating wraps around melting mozzarella, topped with a hot-sweet butter sauce that brings the authentic Nashville burn straight to your kitchen.
I whipped these up after my family got hooked on Nashville hot chicken during our Tennessee trip. Mixing that trademark spicy butter with stretchy cheese has turned into our end-of-week tradition when we have company over.
What You'll Need
- Whole milk mozzarella block: It cuts into sticks more cleanly and melts better than the bagged shredded stuff
- Panko breadcrumbs: These Japanese-style crumbs deliver extra crunch that normal breadcrumbs just can't match
- Standard breadcrumbs: They work with the panko to make sure every spot gets covered
- Cayenne pepper: Get the newest jar you can find - it's what gives that true Nashville kick
- Brown sugar: It cuts the heat with a touch of sweetness and helps everything get nicely browned
- Avocado oil: Won't burn at high temps, making it perfect for frying these sticks
- Smoked paprika: Brings a woody, smoky note that makes the whole flavor come alive
How To Make Them
- Cut your cheese:
- Slice mozzarella into even sticks about 3 inches long and ½ inch wide. Getting them all the same size matters - too skinny and they'll melt too fast, too thick and the middle won't get gooey. Keep them cold until you're ready to bread them.
- Set up your coating area:
- Put out three wide, shallow dishes in a row. Mix salt and pepper into flour in the first dish. Beat eggs in the second dish until they look smooth. For the third dish, mix both types of breadcrumbs with all your spices, stirring well so everything's evenly spread out.
- Bread them twice:
- Roll each cheese stick in the flour and tap off extra. Dunk completely in egg, letting drips fall off. Then roll in the breadcrumb mix, pressing firmly so it sticks. For extra crunch, dip back in the egg mixture then coat with breadcrumbs again, making sure to cover every spot.
- Give them a chill:
- Place coated sticks on a baking sheet lined with parchment, keeping them separated. Freeze for at least 20 minutes, up to an hour. This key step stops the cheese from leaking out too soon during frying.
- Fry them right:
- Get your oil to exactly 375°F - use a thermometer to check. Cook in small groups of 3-4 sticks for just 60-90 seconds until they turn golden but before cheese starts escaping. Let the oil come back to temperature between batches.
- Mix up the Nashville sauce:
- Melt butter in a pan over medium heat. Stir in cayenne, brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder and hot sauce until it's all blended. The sauce should be thin enough to pour but thick enough to stick to a spoon.
- Finish and eat:
- Use tongs to dip each hot fried stick into the sauce for even coverage. Serve right away while they're still crispy outside and melty inside.
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Smoked paprika is the hidden hero in this recipe. I learned how amazing it can be during a cooking class I took in Barcelona, and now I keep three different kinds in my kitchen. My kid once told me these cheese sticks beat anything from our neighborhood sports bar - still my biggest cooking win ever.
Stop Cheese From Escaping
Watching your oil temp is your best defense against cheese leaks. Besides freezing your breaded sticks, keep your oil at exactly 375°F with a good thermometer. If it's too hot, the outside burns before the inside warms. Too cool and the sticks soak up oil while the cheese liquefies too fast and bursts out.
Getting the coating right seals the cheese inside. Push the breadcrumbs firmly onto each stick while coating and check for any bare patches. Even tiny spots without coating can let melted cheese escape. Try to keep frying time under 90 seconds when you can - longer cooking almost always leads to blowouts no matter how careful you've been.
Prep Them Beforehand
You can make these cheese sticks up to a month ahead by freezing them after the double coating step. Put them on a baking sheet in a single layer until solid, then move them to sealed containers with parchment paper between layers. Cook them straight from frozen, just add about 30 seconds to the frying time.
You can mix the Nashville hot sauce up to three days early and keep it in the fridge. Warm it gently before using, and add a little water or hot sauce if needed to get it flowing right again. Don't coat the sticks until right when you'll serve them or the breading will get soggy fast.
What To Serve With Them
Make a Nashville hot mozzarella stick platter by putting freshly sauced sticks next to cooling dips like ranch, blue cheese, and pickle spears. Add celery and carrot sticks for a fresh crunch that contrasts with the rich cheese. This setup lets your guests customize how much heat they want to handle.
These sticks taste great with cold beer, especially bold IPAs that can stand up to the spiciness or light lagers that clean your palate between bites. If you don't want alcohol, try sweet iced tea which normally comes with Nashville hot foods, or tart lemonade which cuts through the richness nicely.
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Frequently Asked Questions
- → Which mozzarella type works best?
Go for whole milk mozzarella in a block form. It’s creamy and cuts into neat stick shapes for uniform frying.
- → How can I make the coating stay put?
Run your cheese sticks through the egg wash and breadcrumbs twice. This extra step makes the coating thick and extra crunchy when fried.
- → How do I adjust the heat level?
If you want mild heat, cut back on the cayenne and hot sauce. Or skip the chili powder altogether for less spice.
- → What frying oil should I pick?
Avocado oil is a great choice since it handles high heat well and doesn’t mess with the flavor.
- → When’s the best time to serve these?
Straight out of the fryer is best! This keeps the cheese gooey and the breading crunchy. Add a dip like ranch or blue cheese to complete it.