Chick-fil-a Sauce

Five minutes and 5 ingredients is all you need to make this Chick-fil-a Sauce copycat recipe at home! Basic ingredients like mayo, yellow mustard, barbecue sauce, paprika, and honey are mixed together to capture the sweet and smoky tang of the original sauce. Serve this healthier homemade version with chicken nuggets as a dip, or spread it on sandwiches!

Recently I went down the rabbit hole of perfecting these Chick-fil-a Nuggets at home.

And with that, of course, was the famous Chick-fil-a sauce that tastes a bit like honey mustard and bbq sauce had a delicious food baby. (We’ll see if those waffles fries are next?!)

I knew it was going to be a bit of a feat, but I was determined to make it just as GOOD and also a bit HEALTHIER.

After whisking together some barbecue sauce, mayonnaise, and mustard, I knew all that was remaining was the sweetener.

So I added in a bit of honey. And then just a touch more. And voila!! The BEST homemade Chick-fil-a sauce was born and is the recipe you’ll find below… a healthier remake of the restaurant favorite.

Not only will it take you less than 5 minutes to whisk up, but you also probably already have all of the ingredients you need on hand!

What is Chick-fil-a Sauce?

Before we get too far into the recipe, let me clear up a popular question, “What exactly IS Chick-fil-a sauce?” And also, “Which sauce is THE sauce?”

For today’s purposes, we’ll be referring to the sauce that Chick-fil-a claims is their sauce. It’s the one that is light orange in color and tastes a little sweet.

Chick-fil-a dipping sauce is a simple mixture with mayonnaise as the base, barbecue sauce, mustard, honey, and a touch of paprika. Other recipes may also add in lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, or even garlic.

Ingredients

The 5 simple ingredients you need to make this copycat Chick-fil-A sauce recipe include:

• Mayonnaise. Full fat, Duke’s mayonnaise is preferred, but Hellmann’s or any other brand will work. Do not substitute for Miracle Whip, as it has a different consistency and is slightly sweeter than regular mayonnaise.
• Barbecue sauce. The type you select can largely affect the finishing taste of the dip. Look for an original flavor that is light in color. Avoid using ones with added honey or sweetener. Stubb’s Original Barbecue Sauce was tested in this recipe.
• Mustard. Yellow or dijon mustard can both be used. Yellow is more mild, while Dijon will give you more of a spicy and tangy kick.
• Honey. This is the key ingredient to giving the sauce a natural sweetness. It is much healthier than the corn syrup in the regular recipe. You can also swap it out for agave nectar or even pure maple syrup, but the taste will be affected.
• Paprika. Just a pinch is mixed in for color and an added depth of flavor.
• Salt. A sprinkle will help to round out the other flavors, but this is optional.

How to Make Chick-fil-a Sauce

The basic steps for making Chick-fil-a Sauce are simple to follow. Please see the recipe card below for more detailed ingredient amounts.

Whisk Ingredients

You can either make the sauce in a medium-sized bowl and then transfer into an airtight container, or mix it directly in the container you’ll be storing it in.

Make sure to use a whisk in order to fully incorporate the ingredients. If there are streaks of color the sauce was not mixed thoroughly enough. Also, be sure to grab a spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl so everything is well mixed.

Store in Refrigerator

You can serve this sauce immediately with chicken nuggets or spread it on a chicken sandwich or let the flavors marinate in the fridge for a few hours.

The sauce will get better with time so it is best to prep it at least 24 hours in advance.

Dietary Modifications

The recipe you’ll find below is already gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegetarian as written. Here are some adjustments and substitutions you can make to help it fit your other dietary requirements:

• Low-carb – Substitute Stevia for the honey.
• Vegan – Swap out the honey for maple syrup, and use a plant-based mayo.

Meal Prep and Storage

• To Prep-Ahead: Make the entire sauce at least a few hours in advance for the best flavor.
• To Store: Seal in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to one month.
• To Freeze: This is not recommended as the ingredients will separate.

FAQs

Expert Tips and Tricks

• Really mix it. Whisk the sauce until there are no more streaks of color to make sure everything is thoroughly incorporated.
• Skip the extra dishes. Make the sauce directly in the container you will store it in to simplify things.
• Give it a kick. Use dijon mustard instead of yellow for a bit more of a bite.
• Let it rest. Allowing the sauce to sit for at least a few hours will greatly improve the flavors.

More Dipping Sauce Recipes

Pair all of your favorite foods with these easy-to-make homemade sauces:

Homemade Tartar Sauce

Cocktail Sauce

Teriyaki Sauce

Thousand Island Dressing

Spicy Sriracha Mayo

Chicken Cordon Bleu Sauce

[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”u65zSrHH” upload-date=”2022-02-09T00:01:24.000Z” name=”Chick-fil-a Nuggets Recipe” description=”You can now enjoy Chick-fil-a Nuggets anytime you want with this simple copycat recipe! Chicken nuggets are brined in a pickle juice and egg wash, tossed in a seasoned breadcrumb coating, and then lightly pan-fried in peanut oil. Serve them up with a side of homemade Chick-fil-a sauce and enjoy the classic taste of your favorite fast food restaurant’s nuggets that are made a bit healthier at home!” player-type=”collapse” override-embed=”true”]