Spicy Dipping Sauce

Use this versatile spicy dipping sauce to spice up your favorite fried foods like chicken tenders, fries, onion rings, and chips!

This delicious dipping sauce combines a creamy mayo sauce kicked up with a few simple ingredients like cayenne pepper and hot sauce. It is the perfect creamy sauce to wake up your tastebuds!

What is it?

This is a spicier version of my chicken dipping sauce but can be used with many of the same foods. My spicy dipping sauce is a spicy mayo kicked up with chili sauce and seasonings for an added kick, then balanced out with the sweetness of brown sugar.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Mayonnaise - For a lighter texture, you can swap out some mayo for sour cream instead. Greek yogurt can be substituted for a healthier option.
• Ketchup
• Chili sauce - You need Heinz-style chili sauce, not Asian chili sauce. They are very different products. Chili sauce is the secret ingredient that really adds backbone to the spicy flavor.
• Spicy brown mustard - Dijon mustard is a good substitute.
• Brown sugar
• Worcestershire sauce - Soy sauce can be substituted if desired.
• Vinegar-based Hot sauce - I specifically recommend using a cayenne pepper hot sauce, but you can use a tad bit hotter variety if you wish as well.
• Smoked paprika - Regular paprika or sweet paprika can also be substituted.
• Ground black pepper
• Cayenne pepper - You can substitute crushed red pepper flakes or chili powder. Add more or less spicy seasonings to adjust the spice level to your preference.

If you want to customize this recipe, adding a teaspoon of garlic powder would be a great addition to add subtle hints of garlic. Otherwise, some lemon juice would brighten the flavor if desired.

How to make it

This spicy dipping sauce recipe is exceptionally easy to make. All of the ingredients get added to a small mixing bowl and whisked together until well combined. That's it! There is no cooking involved to craft this easy sauce.

This can be enjoyed immediately, but the flavor will continue to improve as it melds in the refrigerator. It should be stored in an airtight container to protect the flavor.

What to serve with this spicy dipping sauce?

This is a very versatile spicy sauce that can be used on many of your favorite finger foods or as a special sauce to up your sandwich game. If you are looking for inspiration, it is the perfect dip to pair with any of these ideas:

• French Fries - Including sweet potato fries!
• Onion Rings
• Potato chips
• Beer battered chicken tenders - Or chicken nuggets as well as chicken fingers.
• Fried chicken gizzards
• Deep fried cheese curds
• Fried pickles
• Egg sandwiches

This recipe was originally published here on March 10, 2022.