The chicken at Dave’s Hot Chicken is hot. I mean, it’s not named Dave’s Hot Chicken for nothing. Find out all about the pop up turned fast casual chicken joint in our Dave’s Hot Chicken review.
Let’s start this out with a fact. Dave’s Hot Chicken is hot. It’s right there in the name. The restaurant is giving you all the facts right off the bat. It’s hot chicken. Not temperature hot, but style-wise.
Hot chicken is a style that originated in Nashville. There’s a specific preparation for the Southern chicken, which includes cayenne pepper, that gives it a bright red hue, making it look … well, as hot as it tastes.
Dave’s Hot Chicken is made with Carolina reaper, which earned the Guinness Book Of World Records title of world’s hottest pepper in 2013.
So it’s only fitting that after over 500 franchise locations in the United States, Dave’s Hot Chicken finally made it to the (sort of) namesake of it’s signature ingredient. (Side note: yes, we know the Carolina reaper actually originated in South Carolina. ).
Dave’s Hot Chicken opens its first Carolina location today, and, luckily for us, it’s opening in Wilmington, NC.
We were hosted by Dave’s during its soft opening and we got to preview all the hot chicken earlier this week … and that includes the hottest piece Dave’s offers: The Reaper, and “‘Cause it’s so dangerous, you’ll have to sign a waiver. ” And not just in that Barenaked Ladies lyric way. But in an actual waiver that prints from the register when you order the Reaper.
For more hot chicken reviews, check out our Al’s Hot Chicken review. That’s also a chain. We had the chance to check it out in Tacoma, WA.
Dave’s Hot Chicken is a fast-growing hot chicken chain that started in Los Angeles and has expanded to over 25 locations across the U.S. They are best known for their spicy Nashville style fried chicken tenders and sliders that come in 7 levels of heat ranging from no spice to the ultra-spicy Reaper. But just how hot is Dave’s Hot Chicken really? Here’s a breakdown of their spice levels and scoville heat units so you know what you’re getting into.
The Origins of Dave’s Hot Chicken
Dave’s Hot Chicken was founded in early 2017 by chef Dave Kopushyan and three friends as a parking lot pop-up tent in East Hollywood, Los Angeles. Their naturally brined fried chicken coated in proprietary spice blends drew long lines and became an overnight sensation. They opened their first brick-and-mortar location later that year in East Hollywood. Since then, Dave’s has expanded rapidly to locations across Southern California, Dallas, Houston, Chicago, Toronto and more. The spicy chicken chain gained national attention and now even has celebrity investors like Drake.
Overview of Dave’s Chicken Offerings
The core of Dave’s menu is their spicy chicken tenders and sliders. Boneless chicken breast fillets are soaked in a natural brine solution before getting double breaded in flour and fried to order. The tenders and sliders come in 7 levels of spice intensity:
- No Spice
- Lite Mild
- Mild
- Medium
- Hot
- Extra Hot
- Reaper
Each level builds progressively in heat with customized blends using dried peppers and extracts. All spicy options also use some Carolina Reaper pepper, one of the world’s hottest chile peppers. In addition to tenders and sliders, Dave’s also serves chicken strips, fries, mac and cheese and milkshakes.
Scoville Scale and Heat Units
The heat and spiciness of peppers and spices is measured using the Scoville scale. This scale rates the pungency and heat intensity of chili peppers and spicy foods in Scoville Heat Units (SHU). The ratings are based on the concentration of capsaicin the compound responsible for spiciness. The scale ranges from 0 SHU (no heat) up into the millions.
As a reference point a jalapeño pepper registers around 2,500 – 8000 SHU. The super hot ghost pepper is near 1,000,000 SHU. The Carolina Reaper currently holds the Guinness record for world’s hottest chile at 1,641,000 SHU.
No Spice and Lite Mild (0-100 SHU)
As the name suggests, there is no extra seasoning on the “no spice” tenders. This lets you taste the real flavors of the chicken and the crunchy breading. The light mild seasoning gives it some salt, black pepper, and other spice notes, but not much heat. Both of these are very low on the Scoville scale, below 100 SHU. You can choose either one if you don’t like spice.
Mild (500-1,500 SHU)
Dave’s mild chicken starts to bring noticeable but modest heat. The seasoning has a sweet smoked paprika and cumin profile. Most would describe it as zesty rather than spicy. It’s about as hot as a banana pepper or an Anaheim chili pepper (500–1,500 SHU). It’s a little spicy, but the mild tenders are still pretty mild for most people.
Medium (1,500-5,000 SHU)
The medium spice level at Dave’s provides a moderate burn with more prominent chili flavor. It packs more of a punch than the mild but is not excessively hot for the average person. Medium hits in the 1,500 to 5,000 SHU range which is comparable to a cherry pepper. You’ll feel some heat right away on your lips and throat. It’s spicy but probably manageable for most people.
Hot (5,000-15,000 SHU)
Dave’s hot chicken really starts to bring the intensity and mouth burn. It delivers a slow steady heat that builds as you eat it. The initial taste may not seem that overwhelming but it creeps up on you. The hot registers around 5,000 to 15,000 SHU which puts it in cayenne pepper territory. This one starts to get fiery especially if you’re spice sensitive. Drink plenty of milkshakes.
Extra Hot (15,000-50,000 SHU)
The extra hot tenders and sliders are not playing around. You can smell the spices as soon as the box opens. Each bite delivers an instant mouth-burning jolt. Extra hot rings in at 15,000 to 50,000 Scoville units which approaches habanero levels. Your tongue and lips will be tingling within seconds. The heat lingers and builds as you keep eating. This one is hot enough to make most people break a sweat. Proceed with caution and keep drinks handy.
Reaper (200,000+ SHU)
The Reaper is Dave’s spiciest product, made as a challenge for people who love really spicy foods. It’s made with a crazy mix of superhot dried peppers and extracts and is named after the Carolina Reaper pepper. Dave’s won’t say what kind of peppers are in the mix, but it probably has ghost peppers, scorpion peppers, and other peppers. The Reaper chicken has more than 200,000 SHU, which is more spicy than even habaneros. This is probably one of the spiciest chicken dishes you’ll ever eat. Expect intense burning, sweating and possibly tears. Only the most hardcore chili-heads should attempt this.
Cooling Down From the Heat
If you take on the Reaper or any of the spicier options, Dave’s provides a few ways to help cool your inflamed mouth after the chicken torture. Milkshakes made with real ice cream are the best remedy. A thick chocolate, vanilla or strawberry shake can really soothe the pain. You can also use honey packets or Dave’s house cooling sauce which has a creamy, tangy flavor similar to ranch. And of course cold drinks like soda or water help wash away some of the burning sensations.
That covers the scoop on the heat levels at Dave’s Hot Chicken. Overall, they live up to their name and deliver some seriously spicy, Nashville style fried chicken. Mild and medium tenders have a slow building kick. Hot, extra hot and Reaper are scorching. While actual SHUs vary batch to batch, you can expect the upper end tenders to rival some of the hottest chile peppers and chicken out there. Dave’s lets you test your spice tolerance in seven progressively hotter options. So next time you’re craving some fiery chicken, stop by Dave’s and decide how hot you can handle!
Dave’s Hot Chicken: Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Dave’s Hot Chicken is actually spicy. Really spicy. Each of the spice options has a lot of spice, but not all of them are hot. For example, the Lite Mild has a lot of spice but is not hot. The spice is in the batter, rather than in the sauce like many other restaurants do. So you’re getting the spice — and an equal amount — in every bite, not just some of them. Meals are served with a side of Dave’s sauce and sandwiches are served with sauce drizzled on top. But that’s just a sauce to accompany the chicken, not one to impart the spice.
The first people to open Dave’s Hot Chicken were Chef Dave Kopushyan, his best friend Arman Oganesyan, and their brothers Tommy and Gary Rubenyan. They started franchising two years later with Bill Phelps (co-founder and former CEO of Wetzel’s Pretzels) and movie producer John Davis. Brand investors include really big names like retired New York Giant Michael Strahan, actor Samuel L. Jackson, Red Sox owner Tom Werner, and former California First Lady Maria Shriver. The same people who started Blaze Pizza with LeBron James are now running this new business. Blaze is my favorite pizza place in Wilmington, but a new place is opening soon that will give Blaze a run for its money. We’ll let you know more about that when we get it.
Dave’s Hot Chicken sauce is a chipotle mayo, according to the Internet, but to us, it tastes like Thousand Island dressing.
Dave’s Not Chicken Review
Right in time for Lent 2024, Dave’s came out with Dave’s Not Chicken: a deep fried cauliflower sandwich. So of course, we had to try it.
You can get it as bites (which we’ve had somewhere else, so that’s not unique), as tenders (which is basically just a cauliflower steak) or served just like a Dave’s slider, which is how we tried it.
With the not chicken sandwich, you choose your spice level, the slaw is on the bottom, and Dave’s sauce is on the top. We went with medium because we really wanted to see how the cauliflower tasted without being masked by all the spice.
Besides it being just slightly under seasoned (adding a little salt went a long way), the sandwich was delicious. The breading was crispy and stuck to the cauliflower, which had a nice bite and texture that really did mimic chicken breast.
I would honestly order it every single time if it was on the menu. Unfortunately, it’s a limited time menu item. But, here’s to hoping it’s there permanently one day.
The Truth About Dave’s Hot Chicken
FAQ
What levels of heat does Dave’s Hot Chicken have?
- No Spice.
- Lite Mild.
- Mild.
- Medium.
- Hot.
- Extra Hot.
- Reaper.
How many Scoville units is a chix hot chicken?
It would have been surprising if he hadn’t been tearing – the Ghost chilli pepper used to season the chicken is rated at more than one million Scoville heat units.
How hot is hot chicken?
Nashville Hot Chicken, which is becoming more and more popular, is in the 10,000 to 100,000 SHU range because it is usually made with cayenne pepper.
What are the spice levels at Dave’s Hot Chicken Bites?
Dave’s Bites offer the same taste and quality as the rest of the Dave’s Hot Chicken lineup. Available in three spice levels — no spice, medium and hot — the bites are priced at $6. 99 for a 10-piece serving.
What heat levels does Dave’s hot chicken have?
Dave’s Hot Chicken has the following heat levels: – This is a great place to start for people who are new to spicy food It has a mild taste without too much heat. – If you want a bit more spice, the mild level is ideal. It balances flavor and spice well. – This level is the perfect mix of heat and flavor. It’s a favorite among customers.
What is Dave’s Hot Chicken menu?
There are a lot of bold flavors, crispy fried chicken, and different levels of heat on Dave’s Hot Chicken Menu. Famous for its Chicken Tenders, Chicken Sliders, and Combo Meals, the menu offers a range of spice levels from No Spice to the Extreme Reaper.
How spicy is Dave’s hot chicken?
The heat at Dave’s Hot Chicken goes from “No Spice” to “Reaper.” The Reaper is the spiciest, with over 1,500,000 Scoville heat units (SHU). For comparison, the Carolina Reaper pepper has a rating of 1,400,000 to 2,200,000 SHU. Finding the right spice level can be tricky, especially if you’re new to hot chicken.
Who eats the hottest level at Dave’s hot chicken?
Danny Gallagher takes a bite of the reaper, the hottest level at Dave’s Hot Chicken. Jerry Nerviano The drive-thru chicken wars have another serious con-tender (pardon the pun, laughter distracts me from the pain).
Is Daves Hot Chicken Good?
Daves hot chicken is a standout in the spicy chicken world. It’s known for its bold flavors and many spice options. This makes it a top choice for those who love spicy chicken sandwiches. As soon as you enter, you’ll see the focus on quality. They use only the freshest ingredients for every dish.
How many spice levels does Dave’s hot chicken have?
Dave’s Hot Chicken offers seven spice levels to cater to customers with varying levels of heat tolerance. Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle. What do the seven spice levels at Dave’s Hot Chicken taste like? Here are our thoughts on each spice level so you can see which one better suits your palate.