<P> The main variation to traditional hot chicken is in the application of the spice paste: before breading or after breading, and whether or not additional spices are applied . Recipes, cooking methods, and preparation steps for hot chicken are often closely guarded secrets, proprietary to the specific restaurant, so the appearance of the chicken may vary widely . </P> <P> A variation of the hot chicken theme is hot fish, typically a breaded and fried whiting or catfish filet prepared using a similar cayenne paste as hot chicken, or using a cayenne powder blend sprinkled liberally over the filet . Some hot chicken restaurants also serve hot fish, but recently some have begun to specialize in hot fish only . </P> <P> Anecdotal evidence suggests that spicy fried chicken has been served in Nashville's African - American communities for generations . The current dish may have been introduced as early as the 1930s; however, the current style of spice paste may only date back to the mid-1970s . It is generally accepted that the originator of hot chicken is the family of Andre Prince Jeffries, owner of Prince's Hot Chicken Shack . She has operated the restaurant since 1980; before that time, it was owned by her great - uncle, Thornton Prince III . Although impossible to verify, Jeffries says the development of hot chicken was an accident . Her great - uncle Thornton was purportedly a womanizer, and after a particularly late night out his girlfriend at the time cooked him a fried chicken breakfast with extra pepper as revenge . Instead, Thornton decided he liked it so much that, by the mid-1930s, he and his brothers had created their own recipe and opened the BBQ Chicken Shack café . </P> <P> What began as breakfast revenge is now considered to be a staple food for late - night diners . On weekends, most restaurants dedicated to hot chicken are open very late (some past 4 am). As of 2015, there are an estimated two dozen restaurants in the Nashville area that serve hot chicken, either as the focus or as part of a larger menu . For a time, country music stars Lorrie Morgan and Sammy Kershaw owned and operated a now - defunct hot chicken restaurant called "hotchickens.com". The former mayor of Nashville Bill Purcell is a devoted fan, sponsoring the Music City Hot Chicken Festival and giving numerous interviews touting the dish . While in office, he frequently referred to his table at Prince's Hot Chicken as his "second office". </P>

When did nashville hot chicken become a thing
find me the text answering this question