When it comes to fried chicken, there’s no doubt that the sauces you use make all the difference. Whether you favor the tang of barbecue or the creamy kick of buffalo sauce, the perfect condiment may take your fried chicken experience to the next level.
Today, we’re delving into the delectable world of chicken sauce for fried chicken, highlighting the 7 most delicious selections that will certainly excite your taste buds. Prepare to discover a variety of tastes that will elevate your fried chicken from decent to outstanding.
What Sauces Go With Fried Chicken?
Want to receive some quick ideas so you can get back to cooking? No worries!
Honey mustard, sweet and sour, and ranch are some of the best fried chicken sauces. You can’t go wrong with these traditional favorites, which are guaranteed to be a hit with the entire family!
If you want to try something new, consider tamari plum sauce, teriyaki, or mango sweet chili. Are you curious? Continue reading for more ideas!
7 Best Chicken Sauce for Fried Chicken
Whether you’re searching for a rich and delicious sauce or an amazing dipping sauce, this list has it all. I adore these adaptable sauces, and I believe you will, too.
1. White Gravy
When it comes to traditional comfort food pairings, crunchy fried chicken and creamy white gravy are hard to top. Usually created from a blend of flour, butter, and milk or cream, this silky sauce adds a rich and savory ingredient to the meal.
White gravy’s smooth texture and somewhat peppery flavor create a lovely symphony of flavors and textures with the crispy and juicy fried chicken. Every bite is enhanced by the decadent touch of the creamy gravy. This makes it an unstoppable choice for anyone wishing to improve their fried chicken experience.
2. Honey Mustard Sauce
Honey mustard sauce is a timeless choice that never goes unappealing because it combines the sweetness of honey with the tang of mustard. With a blast of sweetness and a hint of acidity, this creamy and adaptable sauce offers the ideal balance of tastes.
The crunchy fried chicken is complemented by the thick, velvety honey mustard sauce, which creates a pleasing fusion of flavors and textures.
While the mustard gives a sharp, zesty zing, the honey’s sweetness accentuates the chicken’s savory characteristics. Honey mustard sauce is a popular choice for many people since it creates a delicious mixture that enhances the overall enjoyment of fried chicken.
3. Spicy Korean Sauce
Korean sauce for fried chicken is known for its bold, savory, and complex flavor profile. This sauce strikes a perfect balance between heat, sweetness, tanginess, and umami. It’s a cornerstone in many Korean dishes, especially when paired with fried chicken, stir-fries, rice bowls, or even noodles.
Ingredients like garlic, soy sauce, sesame oil, and rice vinegar enhance its taste with aroma, saltiness, and a slight acidity. Sweeteners like honey or brown sugar round out the heat, making the sauce intense but not overwhelming.
4. Ranch Dressing
Ranch dressing, a mainstay in many American homes, provides a refreshing and tart alternative to the heat and crunch of fried chicken.
This adaptable sauce, which is made with a blend of herbs, buttermilk, mayonnaise, and spices, has a refreshing flavor profile and a creamy texture. The dill, parsley, and chives’ herbaceous notes bring a burst of freshness and bring out the fried chicken’s inherent aromas.
Whether you dip your chicken directly into the dressing or drizzle it generously over your crispy creation, ranch dressing adds a delicious balance to every mouthful.
Ranch dressing is a go-to pick for fried chicken fans that never fails to provide a gratifying and tasty experience from start to finish.
5. Sweet Soy Sauce
Fried chicken pairs well with sweet soy sauce because of its blend of sweet and salty flavors. This sauce, which is frequently used in Asian cooking, gives the already tasty chicken a lovely caramelized richness. It is made using sugar, soy sauce, and other ingredients and has the ideal amount of sweetness and salt.
The sticky and glossy consistency of sweet soy sauce coats the crispy surface of the fried chicken, imparting a delightful sheen and infusing each bite with its addictive umami flavor.
Sweet soy sauce is an essential choice for anyone wishing to up their fried chicken game because of its adaptability. This enables it to improve the flavor of the chicken without dominating it.
6. Sweet and Sour Sauce
When it comes to serving fried chicken, sweet and sour sauce is a classic choice since it offers a lovely blend of sweetness and tanginess. This sauce, which is commonly linked with Chinese cuisine, is distinguished by its use of vinegar, sugar, and a range of aromatic ingredients like pineapple, bell peppers, and ginger.
The rich and decadent fried chicken is a welcome counterpoint to the bright and fragrant aromas of the sweet and sour sauce. The delicate sweetness gives each mouthful depth and complexity, while the acidic flavors arouse the palate.
Sweet and sour sauce for chicken stir fry elevates your fried chicken to new levels of delectability with its vivid color and robust flavor.
7. Fermented Hot Sauce
Fermented hot sauce makes a great accompaniment to fried chicken for people who prefer a strong, scorching flavor. Made from fermented chili peppers and spices, this sauce gives your chicken layers of depth with its rich and nuanced flavor profile.
By enhancing the inherent tastes of the chili peppers, the fermenting process produces a zesty and smoky sauce. The heat gradually increases as you dip your fried chicken into this spicy mixture, bringing out the nuanced tastes.
The fermented spicy sauce has a distinct umami flavor that complements the chicken’s crispy crust and tender meat, providing a powerful and electrifying dimension to each bite.
Exotic and Unique Sauces
Let’s explore some of the unique stir fry sauce for chicken fry.
Teriyaki Sauce
Try teriyaki sauce for a combination of sweet and savory flavors. Made with sugar, mirin, and soy sauce, this Japanese-inspired sauce gives your fried chicken depth and a distinct, delightful flavor.
Pesto
Try a flavorful pesto sauce for a variation on classic fried chicken combos. The crispy chicken is complemented by a delightfully herbaceous and nutty pesto made with basil, garlic, Parmesan cheese, and pine nuts.
Harissa
Harissa is the perfect addition to fried chicken if you’re craving some heat. A combination of spicy chilli peppers, garlic, olive oil, and spices like caraway and coriander make up this colorful North African sauce.
Peanut Sauce
With its distinct combination of savory and somewhat sweet flavors, this Southeast Asian favorite goes very well with fried chicken.
Mango Sweet Chili Sauce
Finally, a mango sweet chili sauce gives your fried chicken a fiery and delicious twist. This unique take on the traditional sweet chili sauce, which goes well with crispy chicken, combines the tropical sweetness of ripe mango with the spiciness of sweet chili peppers.
Homemade vs. Store-Bought: Which Sauce is Better for Fried Chicken?
You have complete control over the flavor, amount of spice, and ingredients in homemade sauces. This is perfect if you want to create something special or need to accommodate dietary restrictions (such as low-sodium or sugar-free alternatives).
Store-bought sauces, on the other hand, are convenient and often designed for universal taste appeal. They’re great for busy weeknights or parties when you don’t have time to make sauce from scratch.
Tip: If buying bottled sauces, check the ingredients list for high-quality ingredients and minimal artificial additives.
Final Words
This is our ultimate guide on chicken sauce for fried chicken. The right chicken sauce doesn’t just complement fried chicken; it transforms it. Whether you’re sticking with a classic or exploring bolder global flavors like spicy Korean, your sauce choice reflects your personal taste and adds a unique twist to every bite.
At the end of the day, it’s the sauce that elevates fried chicken from ordinary to extraordinary. So don’t just dip, drizzle, coat, and savor every flavorful layer.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do you serve with fried chicken?
There are a number of side dishes and accompaniments that can be served with fried chicken to improve and balance the dish. Mashed potatoes, coleslaw, macaroni and cheese, biscuits, cornbread, greens with collards, or a crisp green salad are some traditional choices.
What are some popular sauces?
Barbecue sauce, ranch dressing, buffalo sauce, honey mustard sauce, sriracha mayo, blue cheese dressing, sweet chili sauce, and spicy sauce are a few of the well-liked condiments that are frequently served with fried chicken.
What kind of sauce is KFC sauce?
Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) sauce is a proprietary sauce made by KFC with the express purpose of enhancing its fried chicken products. Only the corporation knows the precise recipe for KFC sauce, which is a highly guarded secret. Generally speaking, KFC sauce is described as having a slightly sweet and tangy flavor with undertones of mustard, vinegar, and other herbs and spices.
