40+ Best Sauces for Chicken

While chicken recipes can become quite ho-hum and sometimes boring, there’s no meal that a great sauce can’t elevate. These sauces for chicken will take your chicken from boring to fab!

If you know me, you know how much I love a good sauce. Homemade sauces can add another dimension of flavor to just about any dish, whether it be pork, rice, veggies, fries, or in this case, a chicken dish.

Sauces can take the taste of something good and make it great! Here are all of our favorite sauces for chicken.

Best Sauces for Chicken

bowl of nashville hot sauce in a bowl

Nashville Hot Sauce Recipe

Nashville Hot Sauce is a regional hot sauce made from cayenne pepper, other spices and brown sugar. Served on fried chicken!
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straight on shot of jar of buffalo sauce

Homemade Buffalo Sauce Recipe

Homemade Buffalo Sauce is an easy blend of just two ingredients! Use other buffalo sauce ingredients to make fun twists for all your buffalo recipes!
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gold spoon with garlic butter sauce

Garlic Butter Sauce Recipe

Easy garlic butter sauce recipe is perfect for steak, pasta, fish, shrimp, vegetables, and more! Make ahead and freezer friendly!
See The Recipe!
spicy ketchup in a glass bowl with a wooden spoon and tater tots

Spicy Ketchup

Spicy Ketchup is a sauce that kicks up a classic and favorite. Serve with fries, on a burger or hot dog or anything else that needs some zing!
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Easy Chicken Gravy made with chicken drippings is the best homemade chicken gravy recipe! It only takes 10 minutes and ingredients you already have in your pantry. #chickengravyrecipe #homemadechickengravy www.savoryexperiments.com

Easy Chicken Gravy

Easy Chicken Gravy made with chicken drippings is the best homemade chicken gravy recipe! It takes 10 minutes and ingredients you already have in your pantry. 
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close up angled shot of jar of harissa sauce

Harissa Sauce

Harissa Sauce or Harissa Paste is spicy chile sauce blended with spices. Add to marinades, hummus, salad dressings and more for some heat!
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Cran Blueberry BBQ is a zesty sauce for grilled chicken, seafood or even vegetables. Sweet with a little bit of tang and a spike of coffee.

Cran-Blueberry BBQ Sauce Recipe

Cran Blueberry BBQ is a zesty sauce for grilled chicken, seafood or even vegetables. Sweet with a little bit of tang and a spike of coffee.
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Zesty Cola BBQ Sauce is delicious on anything grilled including chicken, ribs, brisket and pulled pork. It only takes 10 minutes to make! #colabbqsauce #homemadebbqsauce www.savoryexperiments.com

Cola BBQ Sauce

Zesty Cola BBQ Sauce is delicious on anything grilled including chicken, ribs, brisket and pulled pork. It only takes 10 minutes to make!
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Chipotle Honey BBQ Sauce is a delicious recipe that will leave you with your very own homemade BBQ sauce! Slightly sweet and slightly spicy, it tastes perfect on anything that needs homemade BBQ sauce. #BBQsauce #homemadeBBQsauce www.savoryexperiments.com

Chipotle Honey BBQ Sauce Recipe

Chipotle Honey BBQ Sauce is rich, sweet and spicy, perfect for anything that begs to be slathered in a zesty dressing.
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spoon in jar of basil pesto sauce

Basil Pesto Recipe

Pesto Sauce made with pine nuts, fresh basil and parsley is perfect as a pasta sauce, marinade, sandwich spread or even dipping sauce. Pesto Sauce also freezes well and can be canned.
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jar of beurre blanc sauce with a spoon

Beurre Blanc Sauce

Beurre Blanc is a classic French sauce translated as "white butter"- which is an emulsified lemon butter sauce.
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close up of ranchero sauce on a spoon

Homemade Ranchero Sauce

Perfect for topping your favorite Mexican dishes like burritos and enchiladas, this Homemade Ranchero Sauce recipe is packed full of flavor!
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spoon dipping into honey mustard sauce

Creamy Honey Mustard Recipe

Creamy Honey Mustard is one of the most versatile condiments out there. Use it as a salad dressing, dipping sauce, marinade or seasoning.
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overhead of small spoon in homemade chimichurri sauce

Easy Chimichurri Sauce Recipe

Authentic Chimichurri Sauce is easy to make and doubles as a marinade and sauce. Traditional chimichurri ingredients will flavor any dish!
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Teriyaki Sauce can be made into an easy teriyaki marinade or glaze. Perfect for teriyaki chicken, easy stir fry recipe or even making homemade beef jerky. #teriyakisauce #chickenteriyaki www.savoryexperiments.com

Teriyaki Sauce

Teriyaki Sauce can be made into an easy teriyaki marinade or glaze. Perfect for teriyaki chicken, an easy stir fry recipe or even making homemade beef jerky.
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overhead angle of romesco sauce

Romesco Sauce Recipe

Romesco is a hearty, thick and smoky tomato-based sauce that uses nuts and bread for flavor and texture. Serve it over lamb, beef or even vegetables.
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green curry sauce pouring over steak

Green Curry Sauce

If you are a fan of Thai food, you have got to try this Green Curry Sauce recipe! Made with ingredients like lime juice and fresh ginger, it's bursting with flavor!
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straight on shot of jar of huli huli sauce

Huli Huli Sauce

This Huli Huli sauce recipe is always a winner in our house. The sweet, sticky, and slightly tangy sauce has a way of taking any meal to the next level.
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straight on shot of jar of homemade worcestershire sauce

Homemade Worcestershire Sauce

Make your own homemade Worcestershire Sauce with simple ingredients so that you can have the popular sauce handy all the time!
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overhead shot of szechuan sauce in jar

Szechuan Sauce

From the Sichuan Province of China, Szechuan sauce is a sweet and spicy combination of soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, garlic, and spiciness!
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overhead shot of pad thai sauce in jar

Pad Thai Sauce

Pad Thai Sauce has layers of flavor from sweet brown sugar, umami-laden soy sauce and fish sauce, acidic vinegar, and creamy peanut butter!
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angled shot of bowl of sweet and sour sauce

Sweet and Sour Sauce

Sweet and Sour Sauce is an amazing dipping sauce. This EASY recipe will make you think it came from your local Chinese takeout!
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overhead shot of bowl of peanut sauce

Spicy Peanut Sauce

This spicy peanut sauce recipe is one of my favorite ways to take a simple meal to the next level and I always get asked for the recipe when I serve it at parties!
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angled shot f spoon in pot of chinese garlic sauce

Chinese Garlic Sauce

With deep umami flavors, this EASY Chinese Garlic Sauce (or Brown Stir Fry Sauce) is perfect for recreating Chinese takeout at home!
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angled shot of bowl of lemon caper sauce

Lemon Caper Sauce

With briny capers, bright lemon, and rich butter, this EASY Lemon Caper Sauce is a winner on seafood, chicken, pasta, and veggies!
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angled shot of curry sauce added to meal

Curry Sauce

This all-purpose curry sauce can be used for anything from main dishes like chicken, shrimp, currywurst, or curry and chips to spicing up a vegetable side dish. It is freezer-friendly and comes together in a snap for a quick and tasty dish!
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angled shot of bearnaise sauce over beef and asparagus

Bearnaise Sauce

A close cousin to hollandaise, one of the French mother sauces, this EASY Bearnaise Sauce is a delicious sauce with a creamy texture!
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overhead shot of chick fil sauce in bowl

Chick-fil-A Sauce

This copycat Chick-fil-A Sauce recipe combines 3 basic ingredients for a sauce that tastes just like original! For dipping & slathering!
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overhead shot of bowl of browned butter sage sauce

Brown Butter Sage Sauce

This EASY and delicious brown butter sage sauce recipe brings together sweet and nutty brown butter with fragrant sage and aromatic garlic!
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close up shot of white garlic sauce on chicken

White Garlic Sauce

This creamy White Garlic Sauce Recipe is packed with fresh garlic that's beautifully balanced by parmesan or pecorino cheese!
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angled shot of bowl of choron sauce

French Choron Sauce

This famous French Choron Sauce recipe is a tomato and tarragon-laced Bearnaise sauce that only takes minutes to prepare! Perfect for meats!
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angled shot of bowl of honey mustard sauce

Chili’s Honey Mustard Sauce

If you're looking to recreate Chilis honey mustard sauce then this is the recipe for you. This honey mustard sauce will be your new favorite!
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overhead shot of chicken piccata in pan

Piccata Sauce

Whether you're looking to upgrade weeknight dinners or to impress guests, this sauce will deliver on flavor and presentation.
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overhead shot of alabama white sauce on chicken

Alabama White Sauce

This unique mayonnaise-based Alabama white sauce is creamy, tangy, and slightly spicy BBQ sauce that's perfect for smoked meats!
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angled shot of spoon in jar of golden bbq sauce

Golden BBQ Sauce

This tangy, sweet Golden BBQ Sauce recipe is fantastic on pork chops, pork tenderloin, grilled chicken and more! Great for sandwiches too!
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angled shot of bowl of chicken nugget dipping sauce

Chicken Nugget Dipping Sauce

This sweet and savory Chicken Nugget Dipping Sauce is perfect for dipping for chicken, but it's also a good sandwich spread!
See The Recipe!
angled shot of bow of jamaican jerk sauce

Jamaican Jerk Sauce

A warm, spicy and flavorful sauce, this EASY Jamaican Jerk Sauce recipe is the perfect accompaniment for pork, chicken, beef and veggies!
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angled shot of spoon in bowl of honey garlic sauce

Honey Garlic Sauce

If you want a sweet and savory sauce for your proteins and vegetables, this EASY Honey Garlic Sauce recipe is the sauce for you!
See The Recipe!
angled shot of spoon in jar of jack daniels bbq sauce

Jack Daniel’s BBQ Sauce

This EASY Jack Daniel's BBQ sauce is a heady sauce that is more tangy than it is spicy. The sugars and fruit make it sticky and sweet!
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Sauces for Chicken

I use the word “sauce” lightly. A sauce can mean different things to different people. Some might think of a sauce as a marinade, while for others a dipping sauce comes to mind.

On the other hand, you might think of a simple sauce such as a honey mustard or ketchup, while someone else might think of something more elevated like a white wine sauce or mushroom sauce.

The bottom line is- these are ALL sauces. Whether a creamy sauce to pour over a chicken breast, or a spread to add to a sandwich, sauces come in all shapes and sizes.

Popular Ingredients for Sauces for Chicken

While every recipe is going to vary, here are some popular ingredients to have on hand when you want to throw together a banging sauce to use with your chicken.

  • garlic
  • butter
  • olive oil
  • dijon mustard
  • lemon juice
  • chicken broth
  • fresh herbs like thyme and parsley
  • heavy cream
  • salt
  • black pepper

Storage and Freezing

As far as storing leftovers, each recipe will vary slightly. Most sauces can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for at least a few days.

For freezing instructions, defer to each recipe. Some things that contain cream will separate, therefore are best not to freeze.

collage of sauces for chicken


 
Jessica Formicola in her ktichen

About the Author

Chef Jessica Anne Formicola

Jessica the mom, wife and chef behind Savory Experiments. You might see her on the Emmy- nominated TV show Plate It! or on bookshelves as a cookbook author. Jessica is a Le Cordon Bleu certified recipe developer and regularly contributed to Parade, Better Homes & Gardens, The Daily Meal, Mashed and more!

Read More About Jessica

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Questions and Reviews

  1. All of these sauces sound fantastic. I’m always trying to find new ways to have chicken. I have bookmarked this page for future reference. It will definitely come in handy.

  2. This is such a fantastic list of suggestions, I wouldn’t have thought to pair chicken with a couple of these! Definitely making that cola BBQ sauce and the Szechuan sauce ASAP. Thanks for sharing!