Dave’s Hot Chicken Sauce (Copycat) is a creamy, smoky, spicy dipping sauce for hot chicken tenders, sandwiches and fries: mayonnaise whisked with finely chopped chipotle peppers in adobo, cayenne, paprika, a little honey, a splash of pickle juice, and garlic and onion powder. It takes 10 minutes to stir together, plus a short chill, and makes about 8 servings.
How to make it: Stir the chipotle peppers into the mayonnaise, mix in the cayenne and paprika, then the honey and pickle juice, then the garlic and onion powder. Taste, adjust the heat and sweetness, and chill for 15 minutes before serving.
Why You’ll Love It
- Ten minutes, one bowl: no cooking at all.
- Creamy, smoky and spicy: chipotle and cayenne in a cool mayo base.
- Easy to tune: make it milder, hotter, sweeter or tangier.
- Goes on everything: tenders, chicken sandwiches, fries, wraps and bowls.
Ingredient Notes
Mayonnaise: Half a cup. It is the creamy base that carries all the flavor.
Chipotle peppers in adobo: One to two tablespoons, finely chopped. They bring the smoky heat. Start with one tablespoon if you like it milder.
Cayenne and paprika: A teaspoon of each. Cayenne adds the kick; paprika adds color.
Honey: One to two teaspoons to balance the heat with a little sweetness.
Pickle juice: A teaspoon for tang. Lemon juice works too.
Garlic powder and onion powder: Half a teaspoon of each for savory depth.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 to 2 tablespoons chipotle peppers in adobo, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 to 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 teaspoon pickle juice (or lemon juice)
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
How to Make Dave’s Hot Chicken Sauce
1. Start the base. Add the mayonnaise and chopped chipotle peppers to a bowl.
2. Add the spices. Mix in the cayenne pepper and paprika.
3. Add honey and tang. Stir in the honey and pickle juice.
4. Finish the seasoning. Add the garlic powder and onion powder and mix until smooth and fully combined.
5. Taste. Taste and adjust: more chipotle or cayenne for heat, more honey for sweetness.
6. Chill. Refrigerate for 15 minutes before serving.
How to Make It Taste Just Right for You
The best thing about a homemade copycat sauce is that you can set the heat and sweetness exactly where you like them. Taste once everything is mixed and use these levers.
Hotter: Add more chopped chipotle in adobo, up to the full two tablespoons, or another pinch of cayenne.
Milder: Use just one tablespoon of chipotle and cut the cayenne back.
Sweeter: Add the second teaspoon of honey.
Tangier: Add a little more pickle juice or lemon juice, a few drops at a time.
Give it time. Chill the sauce for at least 15 minutes. A longer rest, around 30 minutes, lets the flavors come together even more.
How to Use Dave’s Sauce
As a dip: Serve a small bowl next to crispy chicken tenders and fries.
On a hot chicken sandwich: Spread a generous spoonful on a toasted brioche bun, add the crispy chicken, then top with dill pickle chips and a scoop of slaw.
As a drizzle: Thin it with a few drops of pickle juice and drizzle it over chicken wraps or rice bowls.
For a party: Double the recipe and set it out with a platter of tenders so everyone can dip.
Tips for Success
How finely should I chop the chipotles?
Very finely, almost to a paste, then mix until the sauce is smooth.
Can I use chipotle powder instead?
The recipe is built on chipotle peppers in adobo. For a powder-based sauce, see the chipotle-sauce version in Variations.
Is lemon juice OK instead of pickle juice?
Yes. Lemon juice gives the same bright tang.
What mayonnaise should I use?
Any regular mayonnaise you like to eat makes a good base.
Variations
- Chipotle sauce and brown sugar: Whisk 2/3 cup mayo with 3 tablespoons of chipotle sauce (the smooth kind, not adobo peppers), 1 tablespoon each of honey and brown sugar, a small pinch of garlic salt and black pepper, and 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar. Chill at least 30 minutes.
- Ketchup-style sauce: Whisk 1/2 cup mayonnaise with 2 tablespoons ketchup, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon pickle juice, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika and a pinch of cayenne.
- Smoky: Use smoked paprika in place of regular paprika.
Storage
Refrigerate: Keep the sauce covered in the refrigerator, and do not leave it out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
Freezing: Mayonnaise-based sauces do not freeze well, so make it fresh in small batches.
What to Serve With It
Use it as a dip for chicken tenders and fries, a spread for chicken sandwiches on brioche buns with dill pickle chips and slaw, or a drizzle over wraps and bowls.
It is made for crispy chicken: try it with copycat Chick-fil-A nuggets, Bisquick chicken tenders, fried chicken legs or chicken patties. For more homemade sauces, make Outback steakhouse ranch dressing or chipotle ranch dressing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is in Dave’s Hot Chicken sauce?
Dave’s Hot Chicken does not publish its recipe. This copycat is mayonnaise with chipotle peppers in adobo, cayenne, paprika, honey, pickle juice, and garlic and onion powder.
Is Dave’s sauce spicy?
It has a smoky, medium kick from the chipotle and cayenne, softened by the mayonnaise and honey. You can make it milder or hotter to taste.
What do you put Dave’s sauce on?
Hot chicken tenders and sandwiches, fries, wraps and bowls.
How long does it take to make?
About 10 minutes to mix, plus 15 minutes in the refrigerator.
Can I make it without chipotle peppers?
Yes. Use the ketchup-style version in Variations: mayonnaise, ketchup, Dijon mustard, pickle juice, garlic powder, smoked paprika and a pinch of cayenne. It is milder and tangier.
Can I make it ahead?
Yes. Make it ahead and keep it covered in the refrigerator; a longer chill lets the flavors develop.
Final Notes
Stir it together, taste, adjust the heat and sweetness, and give it a short chill. If you make this Dave’s hot chicken sauce, tell me how it turned out in the comments.
Dave's Hot Chicken Sauce (Copycat)
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Ingredients
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 to 2 tablespoons chipotle peppers in adobo finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 to 2 teaspoons honey
- 1 teaspoon pickle juice or lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
Instructions
- Add the mayonnaise and chopped chipotle peppers to a bowl.
- Mix in the cayenne pepper and paprika.
- Stir in the honey and pickle juice.
- Add the garlic powder and onion powder and mix until smooth and fully combined.
- Taste and adjust: more chipotle or cayenne for heat, more honey for sweetness.
- Refrigerate for 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
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