Copycat Dave’s Hot Chicken Recipe: Crispy Nashville-Style Tenders at Home

The closest Dave’s might be a 40-minute drive away, or you just want to feed six people without ordering six combos. Either way, you can get remarkably close at home. This copycat Dave’s Hot Chicken recipe gives you thick, craggy tenders with a spicy, slightly sweet coating, and you choose how hot it gets.

Dave’s has never published its recipe, so this is a home version built around the classic Nashville method: brine, double dredge, fry, then brush with a hot spiced oil. It’s not hard, but it does take a little patience.

This is an independent, fan-made recipe and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Dave’s Hot Chicken.

At a Glance

Ingredients

For the brine

• 2 lb chicken tenderloins (or breasts cut into thick strips)
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 1/4 cup dill pickle juice
• 1 tbsp hot sauce (any vinegar-based one)
• 1 1/2 tsp salt

For the dredge

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup cornstarch
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp black pepper

For the hot oil coating

• 1/2 cup of the hot frying oil (ladled out after frying)
• Cayenne pepper, to your heat level (see the chart below)
• 1 tbsp light brown sugar
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp salt

To fry and serve

• Neutral oil for frying, such as peanut or canola (about 2 inches in the pot)
• Soft white bread and crinkle-cut dill pickles

Pick Your Heat Level

Dave’s has seven spice levels. Here’s a rough way to match them at home with the 1/2 cup of oil above. Cayenne brands vary a lot, so taste a drop of the oil before you brush it on.

We’re not giving a Reaper version. Superhot powders are hard to measure at home, the fumes get into the air when they hit hot oil, and one bad pinch ruins the whole batch. If you try it anyway, wear gloves and keep the kitchen well ventilated.

How to Make This Dave’s Hot Chicken Recipe

1. Brine the chicken

Whisk the buttermilk, pickle juice, hot sauce and salt in a bowl. Add the chicken, cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 8. The pickle juice and buttermilk keep the chicken juicy and add a little tang. Even 30 minutes helps if you’re short on time.

2. Mix the dredge

In a wide, shallow dish, mix the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, garlic powder, paprika and pepper. Drizzle in 2 to 3 tablespoons of the brine and rub it in with your fingers. Those little clumps are what give you the shaggy, crunchy crust.

3. Double dredge

Lift a tender out of the brine and let it drip for a second. Press it into the flour, dip it back in the brine, then press it into the flour again, firmly. Set it on a rack and repeat. Let the coated tenders rest for 10 minutes so the coating sticks during frying.

4. Fry

Heat the oil to 350°F. Fry 3 or 4 tenders at a time for 5 to 6 minutes, turning once, until deep golden and 165°F inside. Don’t crowd the pot or the oil temperature drops and the crust goes greasy. Move the fried tenders to a wire rack, not paper towels, so the bottoms stay crisp.

5. Make the hot oil and coat

Put the cayenne, brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, chili powder and salt in a heatproof bowl. Carefully ladle in 1/2 cup of the hot frying oil and stir. It will sizzle and smell amazing. Brush it over the tenders right away, while both are still hot.

6. Serve the Dave’s way

Lay the tenders on a slice of white bread, which soaks up the extra oil, and pile crinkle pickles on top. Serve with fries and a cup of Dave’s-style sauce. Our Dave’s Hot Chicken sauce recipe covers that part in detail, and it can be made a day ahead.

Want Sliders Instead?

Toast soft potato slider buns, add one tender to each, then top with pickles, a spoonful of sauce and a quick kale slaw. For the slaw, toss finely shredded kale and cabbage with a little mayo, a splash of apple cider vinegar, a pinch of sugar and salt. Make it 20 minutes before serving so the kale softens slightly.

Air Fryer Version

After the double dredge, spray the tenders well with oil on both sides. Air fry at 400°F for 10 to 12 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden and 165°F inside. Since you won’t have frying oil to ladle out, warm 1/2 cup of neutral oil in a small pan until it shimmers, then pour it over the spices. The crust is a little lighter than deep-fried, but it’s still very good.

Tips for a Closer Copy

• Go thick. Dave’s tenders are big. If your tenderloins are thin, cut strips from a breast instead.
• Coat while hot. The oil only clings well when the chicken and oil are both hot.
• Don’t skip the sugar. That hint of sweetness under the heat is a big part of the flavor.
• Season the bread. A light brush of the leftover hot oil on the bread is a nice touch.

Got leftovers? Here’s how to reheat hot chicken without losing the crunch.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make it without buttermilk?

Yes. Stir 1 1/2 tablespoons of lemon juice or white vinegar into 1 1/2 cups of milk and let it sit for 5 minutes.

What’s the best oil for frying?

Peanut oil gives the most classic flavor. Canola or vegetable oil works fine and is cheaper. Use one with a high smoke point.

My coating fell off. What went wrong?

Usually the tenders didn’t rest after dredging, or they were moved around too soon in the oil. Let them sit for 10 minutes before frying, and don’t flip until the first side has set.

How can I tone it down after cooking?

Serve with ranch or a cooling sauce, add extra pickles, or mix a spoonful of honey into the hot oil next time. Once the cayenne is on, you can’t really take it off.

Bottom Line

This Dave’s Hot Chicken recipe won’t be an exact clone, since the restaurant keeps its blend private, but it gets the important things right: juicy brined chicken, a thick crunchy crust and a sweet, smoky heat you can set to your level. Start at Medium, see how it lands, and work your way up from there.