Dave's Hot Chicken Sauce (Copycat Recipe)

This Dave’s Hot Chicken sauce is creamy, sweet, smoky, tangy, and just spicy enough. It comes together in minutes with simple ingredients, and after a little time in the fridge, the flavor gets even better. Use it as a dip for tenders and fries, a spread for sandwiches, or a drizzle for wraps and bowls.

Why You'll Love This Dave's Hot Chicken Sauce

I love Dave’s Hot Chicken, and I’ve already recreated their hot chicken sandwich. I’ve been getting their signature sauce on the side lately, and I couldn’t stop thinking about how many things I could use it for at home. So I started trying different ingredient combinations while taste testing the sauce from Dave’s, and I finally nailed it.

My copycat version is creamy and smooth from the mayo, smoky from the chipotle sauce, a little tangy from the vinegar, and just sweet enough from the honey and brown sugar to give it that signature flavor. Nothing in it is complicated, but once all the ingredients come together to create a sauce that instantly makes chicken, fries, and sandwiches better. It's so good, and also really easy to make. You just whisk everything together, let it chill, and it’s ready to use.

Ingredients

• ⅔ cup mayo
• 3 tablespoon chipotle sauce (not the kind with adobo peppers)
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1⁄8 teaspoon garlic salt
• Small pinch of black pepper
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

How To Make Dave's Hot Chicken Sauce

Step 1: Combine the ingredients

Add the mayo, chipotle sauce, honey, brown sugar, garlic salt, black pepper, and apple cider vinegar to a small bowl.

Step 2: Whisk until smooth

Whisk everything together until the sauce is fully combined, smooth, and creamy with no streaks left.

Step 3: Taste and adjust 

Give the sauce a taste and adjust if needed. Add a little more chipotle sauce if you want more heat, or a little more honey if you want it sweeter.

Step 4: Chill before serving

Cover the bowl and refrigerate the sauce for at least 30 minutes. This gives the flavors time to blend and makes the sauce taste more balanced.

How to Serve Dave's Hot Chicken Sauce

This sauce is best with anything crispy, salty, or savory. It’s especially good as a:

• Dip for chicken tenders, nuggets, fries, and onion rings
• Spread for chicken sandwiches, burgers, chicken wraps, and sliders
• Drizzle for bowls, tacos, loaded fries, and roasted potatoes

I use it most on crispy chicken sandwiches and fries, but it’s a sauce that works on way more than just chicken.

Expert Tips for the Best Dave's Hot Chicken Sauce

• Use a smooth chipotle sauce. Since this recipe doesn’t use chipotles in adobo, make sure the sauce you use is smooth and pourable so the final texture stays creamy.
• Whisk until the sugar dissolves. That helps the sauce taste more balanced and keeps it from having any grainy spots.
• Chill it before serving. Give it at least 30 minutes in the fridge so the flavors can blend and the sauce can thicken slightly.
• Taste after chilling, not just before. The heat, sweetness, and tang will settle as it rests, so it’s easier to adjust once the sauce has had time to sit.
• Adjust in small amounts. A little extra chipotle sauce, honey, or vinegar goes a long way, so make small changes and taste as you go.
• Use it cold or slightly cool. That’s when the texture is thickest and the flavor is closest to the restaurant-style sauce you’re going for.

Dave's Hot Chicken Sauce FAQS

What is Dave's Hot Chicken sauce?

What is in Dave’s Hot Chicken sauce?

Dave’s Hot Chicken sauce is a creamy, sweet, smoky, tangy sauce with a little heat. This homemade version is made with mayo, chipotle sauce, honey, brown sugar, garlic salt, black pepper, and apple cider vinegar.

Is Dave’s Hot Chicken sauce spicy?

It has a little heat, but it’s not overwhelmingly spicy. The spice level depends a lot on the chipotle sauce you use, so you can easily make it milder or hotter by adjusting that ingredient.

Can I make Dave’s Hot Chicken sauce ahead of time?

Yes, and it actually tastes better after it sits for a bit. Making it ahead gives the flavors time to blend, so the sauce tastes smoother and more balanced once it’s chilled.

How long does Dave’s Hot Chicken sauce last in the fridge?

Stored in an airtight container, it should keep well in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Give it a quick stir before serving if it thickens a little in the fridge.

Can I freeze Dave’s Hot Chicken sauce?

I don't recommend freezing it. Since it’s mayo-based, the texture can separate after thawing and won’t be as smooth.

Why does the sauce taste better after chilling?

Chilling gives the honey, vinegar, chipotle, and seasonings time to blend into the mayo, which makes the sauce taste more even and a little bolder.

Can I make this sauce sweeter or spicier?

Yes. If you want it sweeter, add a little more honey. If you want more heat, add a little more chipotle sauce. Make small adjustments and taste as you go.

Can I use this as a sandwich spread?

Yes, this sauce works really well as a sandwich spread. It’s thick enough to stay on the bread and adds a lot of flavor, that's why it's so good on a chicken sandwich.

Copycat Sauce Recipes To Try Next

• Whataburger creamy pepper sauce
• In-N-Out sauce
• Shake Shack sauce
• Red Robin campfire sauce
• BWW Asian zing sauce