Ever stared at a plate of fried chicken and thought, “this needs something more”? Yeah, me too. That crispy, crunchy exterior is amazing on its own, but let’s be real – a good sauce can take your fried chicken from “pretty good” to “OMG I need this recipe” status.
I’ve spent way too many evenings experimenting with different sauces for my fried chicken obsession, and I’m excited to share what I’ve learned. Whether you’re dipping, drizzling, or completely drowning your chicken (no judgment here!), these sauce recipes will transform your ordinary weeknight dinner into something extraordinary.
Why Fried Chicken Needs a Great Sauce
Before diving into recipes, let’s talk about why sauces matter so much with fried chicken:
- They add moisture to counterbalance the crispy exterior
- They introduce new flavor dimensions (sweet, spicy, tangy, etc.)
- They can complement the savory richness of the chicken
- They make every bite different and exciting
Now let’s get to the good stuff – the sauces!
Classic Dipping Sauces for Fried Chicken
1. Honey Mustard Sauce (5-Minute Recipe)
This classic sauce hits all the right notes – tangy, sweet, and creamy. Plus, it only takes 5 minutes to make!
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl
- Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving (if you can wait that long!)
2. Ranch Dressing
Ranch and fried chicken is a match made in heaven. The creamy, herby goodness perfectly complements the savory chicken.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients in a bowl
- Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving
3. Copycat Chick-fil-A Sauce
I’m slightly obsessed with this smoky, tangy sauce. It’s perfect for dipping chicken tenders!
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons barbecue sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 teaspoons yellow mustard
Instructions:
- Stir all ingredients together until well combined
- Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving
Asian-Inspired Sauces
4. Sweet Soy Sauce
This soy-based sauce is delightfully sweet and garlicky – perfect for Korean-style fried chicken!
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon ginger, grated
Instructions:
- Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan
- Bring to a simmer over medium heat
- Cook for 5-7 minutes until slightly thickened
- Cool before serving
5. Sweet and Spicy Chili Sauce
This sauce gets its kick from gochujang (Korean chili paste) and is fantastic drizzled over crispy chicken.
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup gochujang
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
Instructions:
- Mix all ingredients together in a bowl
- Adjust sweetness or spiciness to taste
6. Orange Sauce
Just like your favorite takeout orange chicken but made at home!
Ingredients:
- 1 cup orange juice
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon ginger, grated
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons water
Instructions:
- Combine all ingredients except cornstarch mixture in a saucepan
- Bring to a simmer over medium heat
- Stir in cornstarch mixture and cook until thickened
- Cool slightly before using
Spicy Sauces for Heat Lovers
7. Buffalo Sauce
A classic that never gets old! The vinegary heat is perfect with fried chicken.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup hot sauce (like Frank’s RedHot)
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt to taste
Instructions:
- Melt butter in a small saucepan
- Whisk in remaining ingredients
- Simmer for 1-2 minutes
- Use immediately or store in refrigerator
8. Fermented Hot Sauce with Fresno Chiles
This is a bit more advanced but SO worth it for serious hot sauce lovers.
Ingredients:
- 1 pound Fresno chiles, charred and chopped
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1/4 cup tamari
- 2 tablespoons garlic oil
Instructions:
- Ferment chiles, garlic, and salt for 5-7 days
- Blend with remaining ingredients
- Strain if desired for smoother texture
9. Chipotle Mayo
Smoky, spicy, and creamy – what more could you want?
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt to taste
Instructions:
- Blend all ingredients in a food processor until smooth
- Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving
Lighter Sauces (Not Heavy or Greasy)
When you want something flavorful without heaviness, try these options:
10. Lemon Garlic Sauce
This bright, zesty sauce cuts through the richness of fried chicken perfectly.
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Whisk all ingredients together
- Let sit for 15-20 minutes for flavors to meld
11. Thai-Style Dipping Sauce
This light, tangy sauce packs a punch without being heavy.
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce
- 3 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 small Thai chili, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
Instructions:
- Stir all ingredients together until sugar dissolves
- Let sit for 10 minutes before serving
12. Ponzu-Ginger Sauce
Citrusy, salty, and refreshing!
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup ponzu sauce
- 1 tablespoon ginger, grated
- 1 green onion, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds
Instructions:
- Mix all ingredients together
- Let sit for 10 minutes before serving
Southern-Style Sauces
13. White Gravy
A southern classic that takes fried chicken to a whole new level of indulgence.
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- Salt and lots of black pepper
Instructions:
- Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat
- Whisk in flour and cook for 1-2 minutes
- Gradually whisk in milk
- Add seasonings and simmer until thickened
- Serve warm over chicken
14. Carolina Mustard BBQ Sauce
This tangy mustard-based sauce is amazing with fried chicken!
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup yellow mustard
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Instructions:
- Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl
- Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving
15. Memphis-Style Barbecue Sauce
This sauce dials back the sugar and amps up the vinegar for a perfect balance.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup ketchup
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions:
- Combine all ingredients in a saucepan
- Simmer over medium heat for 10-15 minutes
- Cool before serving
Tips for Creating Your Own Fried Chicken Sauces
Wanna get creative? Here’s how to build your own signature sauce:
- Start with a base – mayo, yogurt, sour cream, ketchup, or just oil and vinegar
- Add acidity – lemon juice, vinegar, or pickle juice
- Sweeten if desired – honey, maple syrup, or brown sugar
- Spice it up – hot sauce, chili flakes, or cayenne
- Add depth – soy sauce, Worcestershire, or fish sauce
- Finish with herbs/aromatics – garlic, ginger, herbs, or green onions
How to Prevent Sauces from Being Too Heavy or Greasy
If you’re worried about sauces being too heavy for your fried chicken, try these tricks:
- Use acid-forward sauces like vinaigrettes instead of cream-based ones
- Thin out creamy sauces with a splash of water, vinegar, or lemon juice
- Serve sauce on the side for dipping rather than pouring over (keeps chicken crispy!)
- Balance rich sauces with fresh herbs or a squeeze of citrus
- Make lighter emulsions using less oil and more water-based ingredients
Storage Tips for Homemade Sauces
Most of these sauces will keep well in the refrigerator for 5-7 days in airtight containers. Some exceptions:
- Fermented hot sauces can last for months
- Fresh herb-based sauces are best used within 2-3 days
- Cream or yogurt-based sauces typically last 3-5 days
Final Thoughts
The beauty of making sauces for fried chicken is that you can customize them to your exact taste preferences. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different combinations – some of my best sauces have come from late-night fridge raids when I was looking for something to dip my leftover chicken in!
Whether you’re feeding a family or just treating yourself, these sauces will take your fried chicken experience to the next level. And honestly, isn’t that what cooking is all about? Making food that makes you happy?
Now I’m off to make some fried chicken with at least three different dipping sauces… because why choose just one?
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Last month when I was with my sister to The Running Man, I picked up a box of Tempura Chicken Tenders. This is the closest thing we have to a Costco here in the Valley and my sister and I take a trip up to it about once a month or so. We hardly ever get into the city which is were our nearest Costco is.
In fact, since I moved back here in 2020, we have never been to the Costco in the city at all. We get pretty much everything we might want at either The Running Man or the Cambridge Convenience store in Cambridge. You can order things from Costco and the CCS will drive into the city and pick them up. They go in once a week. There is a $2 surcharge per item.
Anyways I had picked up this box of Chicken Tenders in a Tempura Batter. I decided to cook some of them today and thought it would be fun to make an assortment of sauces to enjoy with them. Of course I did not eat all of the sauces. (That would have been way too much.) I did enjoy a tiny bit of each however in minute quantities.
I made a Sweet & Sour, a Alabama White BBQ Sauce, a Spicy Honey Chipotle Sauce, Restaurant Ranch, Honey Mustard and Bang Bang Sauce. Some of them were new to me.
I have of course had the ranch, and the sweet and sour in the past. The Honey mustard was something I was also quite familiar with. The other three were something new and I have to say I enjoyed all of them.
- 1/2 cup (110g) good quality mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup (61g) sweet chili sauce
- 1 to 2 TBS Sriracha Sauce (depending on how spicy you want it)
- 1 tsp rice wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup (120ml) pineapple juice
- 1/3 cup (64g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (61g) tomato ketchup
- 3 TBS white vinegar
- 2 TBS soy sauce
- 1/4 tsp red chili flakes
- 1 1/2 TBS cornstarch (corn flour)
- 2 TBS cold water
- few drops red food coloring (optional)
I use Hellmans mayonnaise for all of the sauces requiring mayonnaise and Heinz Ketchup for all of the ketchup requirements. I used Franks Sweet Chili Sauce. You can find rice wine vinegar in the oriental food section of most shops. Same with the soy sauce. I did use a few drops of red food coloring in the sweet and sour sauce.
- 1/3 cup (73g) good quality mayonnaise
- 2 TBS your favorite BBQ Sauce
- 1 1/2 TBS runny honey
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp white vinegar
- 1 tsp Santa Fe Chipotle Honey Spice (you can buy here)
- 1/2 tsp Maple Pepper (you can buy here) (optional but nice)
- 1/2 cup (110g) good quality mayonnaise
- 1/8 cup (30ml white wine vinegar
- 1/2 TBS spicy brown mustard (I used a grainy Dijon)
- 1/2 TBS creamy horseradish sauce
- 1 clove of garlic, peeled and grated
- 1/2 tsp coarse black pepper
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp paprika
I used French Maille Dijon Mustard and I used Greek Honey. I did not have Spicy Brown Mustard as they dont have that here where I live, but the Grainy Dijon worked well. I didnt have any BBQ sauce so I kind of fudged together my own using ketchup, etc. The Santa Fe Chipotle Honey Spice is really nice. It has a smoky spicy flavor. I used regular creamed horseradish sauce. I love that stuff and could eat it with a spoon. I threw a bit of the Maple Pepper spice that I had gotten at the farmers market the other week just to use it and it worked
- 1/2 cup (110g) of good quality mayonnaise
- 2 TBS prepared American Mustard
- 1 TBS Dijon mustard
- 1 TBS liquid honey
- 1/4 cup (55g) good quality mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup (30g) dairy sour cream
- 1/2 tsp dried dillweed
- 1/4 tsp dried parsley
- 1/4 tsp dried chives
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder (not salt)
- 1/4 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 1/8 tsp onion powder (not salt)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp white wine vinegar or lemon juice
- 1/4 to 1/3 cup (60ml to 80ml) buttermilk (or regular milk)
I used Frenchs American Mustard. It is this mustard which gives a lovely color to the sauce. Again, Greek honey and French Dijon. This was an excellent Ranch dressing. You could use fresh herbs if you had them, but dried work very well. I liked that you didnt have to use buttermilk if you didnt have access to it, but if you do, do use it as it adds a nice tang!
I adapted all of the recipes that I shared here today from Platings and Pairings. She had over 20 sauces that she was sharing. I picked six that I thought we might all like. I did downsize all of the recipes by cutting them in half.
If I had to pick a favorite out of these sauces I would really be hard pressed to do so. Each has their own lovely qualities and is delicious in their own right. I think my overall favorite was the Spicy Honey Chipotle Sauce. It had a layer of almost Tex Mex flavor to it and I am really fond of Mexican flavors.
The Ranch Sauce is pretty amazing as well. So is the Bang Bang sauce. Actually they are pretty darned delicious, but dont take my word for that! Try them out for yourself!
The ingredients for any single sauce can very easily be doubled to make more. They all store very well in the refrigerator, covered for four to five days. I do not recommend freezing any of them.
If you are fond of dipping things into sauces, or drizzling sauces over things, here are a few more recipes that you might also enjoy!
SWEET AND SOUR PEANUT SAUCE – This was a wonderful mix of flavors and textures . . . sweet, tangy, creamy, spicy, rich and sour. In short perfection. If you like peanut sauce, you will love this sweet and sour version!
CHIP SHOP CURRY SAUCE – A very British sauce that you will see sold in chip shops all over the U.K. People love this on their chips, but it is actually delicious spooned over anything. Chicken cutlets, Fish, pork. Sausages. Its just a really tasty sauce. The curry in this is of a medium strength so not too hot, You can always vary that if you wish!
Six Delicious Dipping Sauces for Chicken TendersA variety of delicious sauces designed for dipping. All are simple and easy to make and require little, if no, cooking. There is something here for every taste!
- 1/2 cup (110g) good quality mayonnaise
- 1/8 cup (30ml white wine vinegar
- 1/2 TBS spicy brown mustard (I used a grainy Dijon)
- 1/2 TBS creamy horseradish sauce
- 1 clove of garlic, peeled and grated
- 1/2 tsp coarse black pepper
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp paprika
Restaurant Ranch Sauce:
- 1/4 cup (55g) good quality mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup (30g) dairy sour cream
- 1/2 tsp dried dillweed
- 1/4 tsp dried parsley
- 1/4 tsp dried chives
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder (not salt)
- 1/4 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
- 1/8 tsp onion powder (not salt)
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/8 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp white wine vinegar or lemon juice
- 1/4 to 1/3 cup (60ml to 80ml) buttermilk (or regular milk)
Honey Mustard Sauce:
- 1/2 cup (110g) of good quality mayonnaise
- 2 TBS prepared American Mustard
- 1 TBS Dijon mustard
- 1 TBS liquid honey
Bang Bang Sauce:
- 1/2 cup (110g) good quality mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup (61g) sweet chili sauce
- 1 to 2 TBS Sriracha Sauce (depending on how spicy you want it)
- 1 tsp rice wine vinegar
Spicy Honey Chipotle Sauce:
- 1/3 cup (73g) good quality mayonnaise
- 2 TBS your favorite BBQ Sauce
- 1 1/2 TBS runny honey
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp white vinegar
- 1 tsp Santa Fe Chipotle Honey Spice (you can buy here)
- 1/2 tsp Maple Pepper (you can buy here) (optional but nice)
Sweet and Sour Sauce:
- 1/2 cup (120ml) pineapple juice
- 1/3 cup (64g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (61g) tomato ketchup
- 3 TBS white vinegar
- 2 TBS soy sauce
- 1/4 tsp red chili flakes
- 1 1/2 TBS cornstarch (corn flour)
- 2 TBS cold water
- few drops red food coloring (optional)
- The only sauce which needs cooking is the Sweet and Sour Sauce. To make this place the pineapple juice, sugar, ketchup, vinegar, soy sauce and chili flakes in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk well together.
- Bring just to a simmer. Whisk together the cornstarch (corn flour) and the cold water. Slowly whisk this into the ingredients in the saucepan.
- Bring to a slow boil, whisking constantly. Boil for one minute. Remove from the heat and whisk in the food coloring if using.
- For all of the other sauces, simply whisk all of the ingredients together until thoroughly combined.
- Store in the refrigerator in a covered container until ready to use. It is good to let the sauces chill for at least half an hour or so for the flavors to fully develop.
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This is my FAVORITE sauce for fried chicken!
FAQ
What kind of sauce goes with fried chicken?
- Sweet Soy Sauce. Vicky Wasik. …
- Sweet and Spicy Chili Sauce. Vicky Wasik. …
- White Gravy. Vicky Wasik. …
- Ranch Dressing. …
- Sweet and Sour Sauce. …
- Fermented Hot Sauce With Fresno Chiles, Garlic, and Tamari. …
- Chipotle Fermented Hot Sauce With Garlic, and Cumin. …
- Thai Dried Chili–Vinegar Dipping Sauce.
How to make OK sauce for chicken?
Place tomato ketchup,brown sauce,sugar,chinese 5 spice,soy sauce and cup of water in a saucepan and boil until sugar has desolved. Stir, then turn heat down and simmer for 30 mins. Add extra water if mixture starts to thicken.