I have wanted to try Prince’s Hot Chicken since long before this trip. This is the place that started it all. According to Prince’s own history, the recipe was born out of a jilted girlfriend’s revenge on Thornton Prince sometime around the Great Depression, and instead of teaching him a lesson, the extra spice turned into the dish that gave Nashville its signature food. Almost a century later, his great niece André Prince Jeffries still runs the business, and the Assembly Food Hall counter on Broadway is one of four Nashville area locations carrying that name forward.
To reach the food court, you head up a flight of stairs from street level. The Prince’s counter sits up there, marked by a red illuminated sign of a crowned Prince that is hard to miss once you know to look up. Nearby, a mural by local artist Omari Booker shows the same regal chicken delivery, crown and all, and a wall plaque retells the origin story for anyone waiting on their order. It is a fun bit of theater before the food even shows up.
I ordered the 4 Jumbo tenders with a side of fries, and went with medium heat. If you have never had Nashville hot chicken before, pay attention here. Medium at Prince’s is already a real heat level, not a starter option. I like spicy food and I still felt it building with every bite. The tenders themselves are worth the burn though. The crust is thick, dark, and craggy from the cayenne-forward seasoning, and the chicken underneath stays juicy rather than drying out under all that heat. Everything sits on a piece of plain white bread that soaks up the spiced oil, with a few pickle chips on top to cut through the fire. The crinkle fries on the side come dusted with the same seasoning blend, so do not expect them to cool anything down either.
This is Southern fried chicken, specifically the Nashville hot chicken style: chicken dredged and fried, then coated in a cayenne pepper paste at whatever heat level you choose. If you are new to the style, my advice matches the original inspiration for this post: order a level below what you think you can handle. Medium already had me reaching for my drink, and Prince’s goes several levels hotter than that.
The food hall setting itself makes for an easy stop. Lines can get long, especially around mealtimes, and once you order you wait at the counter for your tray rather than having it brought to your table. Grab a seat among the other vendors once you have your food, so it works well whether you are stopping in for a quick lunch or building out a bigger visit to Assembly Food Hall with a group who wants different things.
