This Is Dave’s hot chicken recipe is spicy and delicious, if you’re a chicken lover like me, you’ll love it !
This homemade hot dave chicken recipe is made of only a few ingredients and tastes even beter that the restaurants one. It is the perfect chicken recipe for busy days.
Let’s dive into the Dave’s hot chicken recipe !
Why you’ll love this Dave’s hot chicken recipe
- Spicy and Flavorful: The Dave’s hot chicken recipe mixes different delicious spices that give a unique flavor to the chicken.
- Quick and Easy: This Dave hot chicken recipe is quite easy and quick to prepare.
- Simple Ingredients: All the ingredients you need to prepare your Dave’s hot chicken recipe are certainly already in your kitchen.
- Versatile: Dave’s hot chicken are versatile you can eat them with a salad, with fries, in a sandwich, as an entree or main dish.
- Crowd-Pleaser: Dave’s hot chicken recipe is the perfect chicken recipe for gatherings, you can easily prepare large quantity for a party or a movie dinner.
A Bit About Dave’s Hot Chicken Recipe
Dave’s Hot Chicken comes from Nashville, Tennessee, where hot chicken has been a beloved staple for decades. The spicy fried chicken trend emerged in the 1930s, and it is said to have been inspired by the culinary creations of Thornton Prince.
What began as a culinary prank by a scorned lover became a sensation, as Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack introduced the unique combination of spicy heat and fried chicken to the world. Over the years, the dave hot chicken recipe gained in popularity. Today, Dave’s Hot Chicken captures the essence of Nashville’s vibrant food culture.
Dave’s hot chicken ingredients

To prepare your homemade Dave hot chicken recipe, you’ll need the following ingredients:
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs or chicken breast
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- Vegetable oil (for frying)
- 1/4 cup honey (optional, for serving)
- Pickles (optional, for serving)
You can add your favorite spices to personalise the dave’s hot chicken recipe.
How to Prepare your Dave’s Hot Chicken recipe
Step 1: Marinate the Chicken
First, grab a bowl and mix the buttermilk and hot sauce. Submerge the chicken thighs in the mixture and let them marinate for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator. I recommend you to let your chicken marinatte overnight.
Step 2: Prepare the Coating
In a separate shallow dish, combine the flour, paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.

Step 3: Coat the Chicken
Take the marinated chicken and dredge each piece thoroughly in the seasoned flour mixture, making sure every inch is covered. Press the coating onto the chicken to ensure it sticks.
Step 4: Fry or bake the Dave hot Chicken
Heat vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Once hot, fry the coated chicken pieces until they are golden brown and fully cooked, usually about 8–10 minutes per side.
Step 5: Serve Your Dave’s hot chicken recipe
Remove the chicken from the oil and let it rest on a wire rack to drain any excess oil. Serve warm with a drizzle of honey and pickles on the side for a traditional Nashville touch.
Happy cooking!🍗🔥😋
Tips to make your Dave’s hot chicken recipe perfect
- Marinate for maximum flavor: Let your chicken marinate in the buttermilk and hot sauce mixture for at least 2 hours or overnight. More your chicken will marinate more it will be tender and juicy.
- Use a thermometer: Ensure the oil is at the ideal frying temperature of 350°F (175°C). This helps achieve crispy, golden without being overly greasy.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan: Fry in small batches to maintain the oil temperature and ensure even cooking. If you overcrowd your pan, you’ll get uneven frying and soggy chicken.
- Press the coating: For a better crunch, I recommend you to firmly press the coating onto the chicken, when dredging in the flour mixture.
- Let the chicken rest after coating: Wait for 5–10 minutes before frying your dredged chicken. This helps the coating adhere better and prevents it from falling off during cooking.
- Customize the spice level: Adjust the cayenne pepper and hot sauce to suit your heat tolerance. If you want milder chicken, reduce these ingredients slightly.
- Opt for baking or air frying: If you prefer a healthier version, bake the chicken at 400°F (200°C) for about 20–25 minutes or use an air fryer for a similar crunch without deep frying.
The airfryer dave’s hot chicken recipe is healthier, but I find it much more tasty cooked when fried in the pan.
What to Serve with Dave’s Hot Chicken Recipe?
I love eating Dave’s hot chicken with some french fries, or a salad. There are plenty of pairing possibilities for this fried chicken recipe, you can pair it with classic sides like creamy coleslaw, soft bread rolls, or macaroni and cheese. You can also prepare a sandwich with it.

How to store your Dave’s Hot Chicken
If you have leftovers of your daves hot chicken recipe, don’t worry ! You can store your chicken in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To reheat, simply place the Daves hot chicken in the oven to restore its crispy texture.
FAQ: Dave’s Hot Chicken Recipe
How is Dave’s hot chicken cooked?
Dave’s hot chicken is cooked by marinating chicken thighs, then dredging them in a fiery flour mixture before frying to crispy perfection.
What makes Dave’s hot chicken special?
The special blend of spices and the tangy, succulent marinade elevate Dave’s hot chicken recipe above ordinary fried chicken, offering a distinctive taste experience.
What kind of sauce does Dave’s Hot Chicken have?
Dave’s hot chicken recipe traditionally includes a buttery hot sauce mix and can be served with honey on the side for a sweet contrast to the spiciness.
Is Dave’s hot chicken sauce or dry rub?
Dave’s hot chicken recipe is a combination of both. The chicken is marinated in a wet sauce and then coated with a dry spice mixture before frying. This creates layers of flavor and texture in every bite.
How does Dave’s hot chicken cook their chicken?
Dave’s hot chicken cook their chicken by marinating it in a tangy buttermilk and hot sauce mixture, coating it with a spicy flour blend, and frying it until crispy and juicy.
Why is Dave’s hot chicken so high in calories?
Dave’s hot chicken is so high in calories because it’s fried in oil, which adds fat and increases the amount of calories. Also, the rich coating made with flour and spices, combined with toppings like pickles, honey, or a buttery hot sauce, all contribute to the dish’s calorie density.
If you’re preparing the Dave’s hot chicken recipe at home, you can cook it in an air fryar or bake it for a lighter version.
What is the sauce called at Dave’s Hot Chicken?
The signature sauce often served with Dave’s hot chicken is a spicy, buttery hot sauce blend. You can prepare the signature sauce alongside your Dave’s hot chicken recipe, by melting butter and mixing it with cayenne pepper, paprika, and a splash of honey or hot sauce to balance the heat with sweetness.
Does Dave’s hot chicken use buttermilk?
Yes, buttermilk is an essential ingredient in the Dave’s hot chicken recipe. It’s used for the marinade, combined with hot sauce, to tenderize the chicken and infuse it with flavor. The buttermilk also helps the flour coating stick to the chicken, creating that signature crispy texture.
What seasoning does Dave’s Hot Chicken use?
The Dave’s hot chicken recipe features cayenne pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and black pepper for bold, spicy flavor. You can adjust the heat to your preference.
What kind of oil does Dave’s Hot Chicken use?
Dave’s hot chicken is fried in neutral oils like peanut, vegetable, or canola oil.

Easy Dave’s hot chicken recipe
Ingredients
- 4 boneless skinless chicken thighs or chicken breast
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 tablespoon hot sauce
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- Vegetable oil for frying
- 1/4 cup honey optional, for serving
- Pickles optional, for serving
Instructions
- Step 1: Marinate the Chicken
- First, grab a bowl and mix the buttermilk and hot sauce. Submerge the chicken thighs in the mixture and let them marinate for at least 2 hours in the refrigerator.
- Step 2: Prepare the Coating
- In a separate shallow dish, combine the flour, paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper.
- Step 3: Coat the Chicken
- Take the marinated chicken and dredge each piece thoroughly in the seasoned flour mixture, making sure every inch is covered. Press the coating onto the chicken to ensure it sticks.
- Step 4: Fry the Chicken
- Heat vegetable oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Once hot, fry the coated chicken pieces until they are golden brown and fully cooked, usually about 8–10 minutes per side.
- Step 5: Serve Your Chicken
- Remove the chicken from the oil and let it rest on a wire rack to drain any excess oil. Serve warm with a drizzle of honey and pickles on the side for a traditional Nashville touch.
If you loved this homemade Dave’s hot chicken recipe and are craving other easy oven baked chicken recipes, check this out :
- Alice Springs Chicken Recipe
- Honey and Garlic Chicken Wings Recipe
- Homemade Old-Fashioned Chicken and Dressing recipe
Easy chicken pizza crust recipe