private class MyAdapter extends RecyclerView.Adapter<RecyclerView.ViewHolder> {

final int EMPTY_VIEW = 77777;
List<CustomData> datalist = new ArrayList<>();

MyAdapter() {
    super();
}

@Override
public RecyclerView.ViewHolder onCreateViewHolder(ViewGroup parent, int viewType) {

    LayoutInflater layoutInflater = LayoutInflater.from(parent.getContext());

    if (viewType == EMPTY_VIEW) {
        return new EmptyView(layoutInflater.inflate(R.layout.nothing_yet, parent, false));
    } else {
        return new ItemView(layoutInflater.inflate(R.layout.my_item, parent, false));
    }
}

@SuppressLint("SetTextI18n")
@Override
public void onBindViewHolder(final RecyclerView.ViewHolder holder, int position) {
    if (getItemViewType(position) == EMPTY_VIEW) {
        EmptyView emptyView = (EmptyView) holder;
        emptyView.primaryText.setText("No data yet");
        emptyView.secondaryText.setText("You're doing good !");
        emptyView.primaryText.setCompoundDrawablesWithIntrinsicBounds(null, new IconicsDrawable(getActivity()).icon(FontAwesome.Icon.faw_ticket).sizeDp(48).color(Color.DKGRAY), null, null);

    } else {
        ItemView itemView = (ItemView) holder;
        // Bind data to itemView
    }
}

@Override
public int getItemCount() {
    return datalist.size() > 0 ? datalist.size() : 1;
}

@Override
public int getItemViewType(int position) {
    if  datalist.size() == 0) {
        return EMPTY_VIEW;
    }
    return super.getItemViewType(position);
}

}

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<LinearLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="match_parent"
    android:layout_gravity="center"
    android:orientation="vertical"
    android:paddingBottom="100dp"
    android:paddingTop="100dp">

    <TextView
        android:id="@+id/nothingPrimary"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:layout_gravity="center"
        android:drawableTint="@android:color/secondary_text_light"
        android:drawableTop="@drawable/ic_folder_open_black_24dp"
        android:enabled="false"
        android:fontFamily="sans-serif-light"
        android:text="No Item's Yet"
        android:textAppearance="?android:attr/textAppearanceLarge"
        android:textColor="@android:color/secondary_text_light"
        android:textSize="40sp"
        tools:targetApi="m" />

    <TextView
        android:id="@+id/nothingSecondary"
        android:layout_width="wrap_content"
        android:layout_height="wrap_content"
        android:layout_gravity="center_horizontal"
        android:enabled="false"
        android:fontFamily="sans-serif-condensed"
        android:text="You're doing good !"
        android:textAppearance="?android:attr/textAppearanceSmall"
        android:textColor="@android:color/tertiary_text_light" />
</LinearLayout>

compile 'com.mikepenz:fontawesome-typeface:4.6.0.3@aar'
compile 'com.mikepenz:iconics-core:2.8.1@aar'