Dave’s Hot Chicken Copycat (Chicken Tenders, Sliders, and Kale Slaw)
Since Dave’s Hot Chicken hasn’t made its way to Austin yet, I had to recreate it at home — and honestly, it might be even better! This recipe brings you everything you love: ultra-juicy tenders, spicy sliders with creamy slaw, and that signature Dave’s sauce, all stacked on fluffy homemade buns. It’s a labor of love, but so worth it!
Why You’ll Love It
- Juicy, flavorful chicken with the perfect spicy kick
- Crunchy double-dredged, double-fried crust
- Creamy kale slaw and a sweet-spicy Dave’s sauce
- Perfectly toasted homemade potato buns
- Way cheaper (and just as satisfying) than going out!
The Yogurt Brine
Instead of buttermilk, I use a yogurt and milk mixture to brine the chicken. Yogurt is slightly acidic, which helps tenderize the meat just like buttermilk — but I find it easier than buying a big jug of buttermilk that always expires before I can finish it! Of course, if you have buttermilk on hand, you can swap it in 1:1.
The Double Dredge
For that extra craggy, crunchy crust, we double-dredge the chicken:
- Coat in seasoned flour
- Dip back into the brine
- Dredge in flour again
Letting it sit for 10 minutes before frying helps the coating stick and gives you that signature craggy crunch.
The Double Fry
Dave’s Hot Chicken’s secret to staying crispy even after saucing? Double frying.
First fry: Cook the chicken until light golden and almost done.
Second fry: After a short rest, fry again to a deeper golden brown for a super crispy, shatteringly crunchy crust.
Homemade Potato Buns
For the sliders, I use my homemade potato bun recipe from my In-N-Out Burger copycat. These buns are soft, slightly sweet, and the perfect sturdy base to soak up all that spicy sauce and juicy chicken.
Trust me — it’s worth making them from scratch!
Other Tips:
- Rest Your Chicken: Let your dredged chicken sit before frying for a more textured crust.
- Hot Oil: Make sure your oil is actually HOT (around 350°F) or the chicken will turn greasy instead of crispy.
- Customize the Heat: Adjust the amount of cayenne in your oil and dry rub to make it milder or spicier to your taste.
Dave’s Hot Chicken Copycat (Chicken Tenders, Sliders, and Kale Slaw)
Ingredients
Chicken and Brine
- 2 lb chicken tenders and breasts pound breasts thin
- 1 1/2 cup yogurt
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup pickle juice
- 1 tbsp mustard
- 1/4 cup hot sauce
Seasoned Flour
- 400 g all purpose flour
- 200 g cornstarch
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp MSG
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp salt
Hot Oil Seasoning
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 cup hot frying oil
Dry Rub Seasoning
- 1 tbsp cayenne pepper
- 2 tsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
Kale Slaw
- 1 cup kale chopped
- 16 oz coleslaw mix green, purple cabbage and carrots
- 1/2 cup mayo
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp honey
- salt and pepper to taste
Dave’s Sauce
- 1/2 cup mayo or yogurt for more protein
- 1/4 cup chipotle sauce
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp honey
Other
- homemade potato buns see http://erinscozykitchen.com/recipe/in-n-out-burger-and-animal-style-fries/ for potato bun recipe
- pickles
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine yogurt, milk, eggs, pickle juice, mustard, and hot sauce. Add the chicken and mix to coat. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
- In another bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, pepper, paprika, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, and MSG.
- Remove chicken from brine. Toss in seasoned flour, dip back into the brine, then dredge again in flour. Set the coated chicken on a wire rack and let sit for 10 minutes.
- Heat oil to 350°F. Fry chicken until light golden brown and almost cooked through. Remove and let rest on a rack for a few minutes. Fry again until deep golden brown.
- In a bowl, mix together brown sugar, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and chili powder. Pour 1/2 cup of hot frying oil over the spices and whisk. Brush this spicy oil onto your fried chicken.
- Mix dry rub spices together and sprinkle over the oiled chicken for an extra punch of flavor.
- In a bowl, mix together mayo, apple cider vinegar, honey, salt, and pepper. Add in the kale and coleslaw mix, tossing to coat.
- Stir together mayo (or yogurt), chipotle sauce, sugar, and honey until smooth.
- Toast your potato buns with butter or mayo. Spread Dave’s sauce on the bottom bun, add a layer of kale slaw, pickles, a piece of hot chicken, drizzle more Dave’s sauce, and top with the bun. Enjoy!
