Are you planning to make some rocking chicken sandwiches but aren’t sure what sauce will go well with them? Or are you tired of using the same old sauce—want to spice things up a little (even if you don’t actually want to make it too spicy!)? You’re in luck. There are plenty of sauces that work really well with chicken sandwiches, as well as a few you might want to avoid. I’ve listed both.
So, what sauces work well with chicken sandwiches? Generally speaking, mayo-based sauces work fabulously well with chicken sandwiches – you can mix the mayo with some Greek yogurt (or any creamy yogurt) to make it healthier, too. Aioli, chipotle mayo, mustard mayo, you name it. A more involved mayo-based sauce is a Chick A Fil sauce. An avocado “sauce” such as guacamole is also delicious, as is a good old BBQ sauce.
Now, let’s have a closer look at those sauces, and some other sauce tips, as well as at what sauces you’ll want to avoid for your chicken sandwiches!
Best Sauces For Chicken Sandwiches
Mustard Mayo Sauce
A traditional honey mustard sauce is a bit too runny for your average chicken sandwich, but mix it with mayo, and you have a deliciously creamy concoction!
You need some mayo, mustard, honey, and perhaps some tarragon, should the fancy take you.
Want to make it a little bit healthier? Go half and half with mayo and Greek yogurt.
Chipotle Mayo
If you love that smokey taste, chipotle sauce is fantastic.
It’s also pretty strong, but when mixed with mayo, it becomes more mellow, super creamy, and darn delicious!
If you want less spice and more of a smokey flavor, go light on the chipotle sauce and add some smoked paprika to the mix.
You can add some dried herbs, like Italian herbs, which work surprisingly well in the sauce, too. And if you like a sweet tinge, just add a bit of honey.
Want more spice? Add minced garlic. Boil it beforehand if you want to mellow out the taste (and the stink).
And garlic takes us to the next sauce—aioli.
Aioli
Good old aioli—is there anything this sauce does not work well with? Probably, but it’s fantastic on a chicken sandwich or even a chicken burger.
Mayo and garlic, that’s all it takes. As with any mayo sauce, you can add some Greek yogurt if you want it a bit less creamy, tangier, and a tad healthier (if you aren’t sensitive to lactose, that is).
You can add just a touch of honey and salt if you fancy.
Cream Cheese or Mayo and Sweet Chili Sauce
Sweet chili sauce mixed with cream cheese tastes like a dream. While you could argue it’s a spread, not a sauce, it’s creamy enough to pass as a sauce.
Of course, you can also use mayo or mayo and Greek yogurt as a base for the sweet chili sauce. Then, at least, it’s a proper sauce!
Don’t like the sweetness? Use any other hot sauce you like instead.
You can always add a touch of honey if it has too much of a vinegar base. That won’t make the sauce as sweet as the sweet chili; it’ll just balance out the acidity.
Basically, hot sauce and mayo combined are never wrong when it comes to chicken sandwiches.
Chick Fil A Sauce
Have an obsession with McDonald’s sauces? Or a similar kind of chain? You’ll be happy to find out that a Chick Fil A Sauce is super simple to make.
The ingredients required for this yummy sauce are mayo, mustard, ketchup or BBQ sauce, brown sugar or honey, apple cider vinegar, and/or lemon juice.
And all you have to do is stir all the ingredients together or pop them in a blender.
Spread a thick layer on your chicken sandwich, and you’re ready to roll. Easy peasy lemon squeezy.
Read more: What Does Chick Fil A Sauce Taste Like?
BBQ Sauce
There’s nothing wrong with some good old BBQ sauce for your chicken sandwich.
If you want a creamier version, blend it with mayo or add a layer of mayo before adding the BBQ sauce.
BBQ sauce will work best for a grilled chicken sandwich as it has, well, a BBQ flavor!
If you want to make the sauce spicier, just add a pinch of cayenne, a dash of chipotle sauce, or some jalapeño peppers.
Avocado Sauce or Guacamole
Mashed-up avocado, potentially mixed with sour cream or Greek yogurt, makes for a creamy base.
Simply add some lemon or lime juice, and you have a nice sauce right there.
If you fancy, you can pop it in a blender and add some cilantro or parsley. Or why not some onion and/or garlic?
Alternatively, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder together with some salt and cayenne pepper make for great flavoring for this sauce.
You can also simply make your own favorite version of guacamole (if you have a secret ingredient) and spread it on your chicken sandwich.
You can also play around with using avocado as a base and create your own recipe for a creamy and healthy sauce.
Cajun Ranch Dressing
This is a really lovely dressing–especially if you like cajun seasoning, of course!
As with so many other sauces on this list, it has a mayonnaise base. The difference here is that it also has buttermilk!
This sauce comes with chopped scallions, red bell peppers, garlic, and celery.
In addition to that, you add lemon juice, hot sauce, blackening seasoning, Dijon mustard, and cayenne pepper.
For the full recipe, have a look here.
Curry Sauce
OK, so you have to love curry for this to work, but it can work really, really well.
Not if you want a chicken sandwich with jalapeños or pickled gherkins in there, but if you are making a simple chicken sandwich with some salad, tomato, and cucumber, a nice curry sauce is actually divine.
All you need is equal parts of mayo and yogurt (or sour cream) and some curry powder.
Possibly a pinch of salt and a little bit of honey. It’s super easy to make. Try dipping a piece of chicken in it and see if you like it!
Usually, shops have mild, medium, and hot curry powders, so choose the one that suits your taste buds!
What Types of Sauces Pair Best With Chicken Sandwiches?
As a general rule, creamy sauces are great for chicken sandwiches. Most have a mayo base, but you can mix it up with some Greek yogurt (or any creamy yogurt), or go for a cream cheese sauce, or one made from a base of avocados. You can also if you want to skip the dairy and eggs, make a base with raw cashew nuts.
While not mentioned above, you could sub the mayo for some cashews soaked in water and blend them into a smooth, creamy sauce.
It has a different flavor profile, but if you don’t like products made with eggs or dairy, it’s a great option.
With mayo (or mayo and a creamy yogurt) as a base, you can add in pretty much any flavoring you like – from mustard to garlic or some form of hot sauce.
You could also stick to herbs, like some Italian herbs and herbal salt. Easy but still delicious!
If you prefer yogurt to mayo, you can try drizzling tzatziki on your chicken sandwich for a Greek-inspired chicken sandwich.
All you need is yogurt, garlic, cucumber, and salt. You can add some mayo, too, to make it a bit more creamy.
And the tiniest bit of honey can help bring out the flavors further.
And then there are bottled sauces like BBQ sauce or, heck, even some good old ketchup and mustard!
Spread a layer of mayo first to get the creaminess, and then add the sauce of your liking on top (if you’re too lazy to blend it with the mayo first…).
If you love your guacamole, there’s no saying you can’t spread it on your chicken sandwich!
And if guacamole is a bit too spicy for you, simply stick to avo and some lemon or lime, or avo with some herbs and spices you like.
Smoked paprika together with a little bit of onion powder and herbal salt is really yummy.
What Sauces To Avoid Serving With Chicken Sandwiches
Anything that’s too runny, like a runny salad dressing, can turn your chicken sandwich soggy. Opt for creamy, not runny. Like a honey mustard sauce on its own without blending it with mayo.
Another thing to consider is that while mayo mixed with hot sauce is delicious, hot sauce alone might be a tad over the top.
Of course, there are people who love hot sauce on its own as they can handle the heat.
However, the creaminess you get when you mix the hot sauce with mayo, cream cheese, or any other creamy base (cashew cream, yogurt, or sour cream) is what truly makes the sandwich top-notch.
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Hello, I’m Jeremy, a sauce enthusiast and taste trailblazer! My endless pursuit of new flavors has led me on a journey to master sauce making at home, along with try out a range of exciting brands and sauce offerings. Now I share my recipes, tips and recommendations on WeWantTheSauce to help fellow foodies find the perfect sauces.