The role of T cells in contact hypersensitivity (CHS) to haptens has been well described. However, recent reports demonstrated that CHS‐like reactions to experimental haptens could be induced in mice deficient in T cells and B cells, as a result of adaptive‐like features of NK cells. Here, we compared hapten‐specific inflammatory reactions induced by memory T cells or NK cells. Classical CHS protocols were applied to WT or T‐ and B‐cell deficient mice. Adoptive transfers of hapten‐specific T cells and NK cells were also performed. Liver NK cells from hapten‐primed mice induced specific recall responses to haptens upon transfer in CD3ε‐deficient mice, thus confirming the existence of “memory” NK cells in the liver. We investigated the nature of the inflammation generated in these transfer conditions and found that hapten‐induced skin inflammation mediated by CD8⁺ T cells or “memory” NK cells are different. Indeed, ear swelling induced by memory NK cells was transient and not associated with cellular infiltrate and inflammation markers, characteristic for T‐cell‐mediated responses. Thus, NK cells and T cells mediate distinct forms of skin inflammation. NK cell‐mediated pathogenesis does not rely on cellular infiltrate and could be involved in atypical forms of adverse drug reactions.