The 31 Best Fast Food Chicken Nugget Sauces

Here is your philosophical question for the day: Without a scrumptious dipping sauce, is a chicken nugget truly a chicken nugget? Or is it just a piece of breaded poultry without the sauce? Can a sauceless nugget be satisfying? Sure. Can it be bite-sized and adorable? Absolutely. What about convenient and accessible across fast-food locations nationwide? Also, yes.

However, without a sauce, a chicken nugget is without its true mate and unable to exist at its full potential. Sauces can bring levels of personalization, entirely unique flavor experiences, and a restaurant specialty that can set their offerings apart from the rest. That is why we will give full credit where credit is due to some of the most amazing chicken nugget dipping companions, because without their sauces, chicken nuggets are just not the same. So, put on a saucy outfit and prepare to take a dip into the world of what we consider the best chicken nugget sauces out there.

This sauce fits its restaurant's vibe and "raises Cain" with its deliciousness. For all of you young whippersnappers, the term "raising Cain" means to cause trouble, though the chain's name actually references the founder's beloved dogs. Still, we can all agree that a sauce this tasty has the potential to cause trouble for dieters everywhere. With its tangy, peppered, creamy flavor profile, Cane Sauce is a fabulous side to chicken nuggets, tenders, fries, burgers, and anything else you can think of. While the general managers of Raising Cane's are forbidden from sharing the full ingredient list, that hasn't stopped admirers from making their own copycat versions and bringing the yummy goodness home.

McDonald's did it again. Another sauce that goes down into popular history is the Szechuan Sauce, which came about when the beloved Disney movie "Mulan" was released in 1998. Szechuan Sauce made a loud return in 2017 and Mickey Dee's has brought it back for limited-time engagements every once in a while since then. The Szechuan Sauce is reminiscent of the style of sweet and sour sauce typically found at Chinese restaurants; the main difference is that the Szechuan Sauce brings a balanced combination of sharp vinegar, ginger and sesame seed oil. It makes an excellent accessory for your chicken nuggets.

Melted cheese makes everything better, and Sonic clearly knows this, which is why its cheese sauce is one of the top sauces around. No chicken nugget is complete without its sauce, and every chicken nugget is elevated when covered in gooey, salty, creamy cheese. Originally paired with its soft pretzel, the Sonic cheese sauce is a multipurpose sauce that should not be limited to bread. Instead, pair this with your chicken nuggets, tenders, and fries, or even eat it with a spoon if that's what feels right.

Bok a Bok is a smaller restaurant chain based in Washington state, and offers allergen-free, air-dried, hand-dipped, and double-fried, delicious chicken. Their chicken might not be "fast," strictly speaking, but it is delightful. They offer an assortment of equally delicious dipping sauces, like their cheese sauce. Served in a generously large bowl, you can order a hearty helping of cheesy goodness to enhance your fried chicken tenders further. The melted cheese is mixed with fried shallots and green onion and is a uniquely indulgent dipping sauce option. For a pro tip, try their jalapeño cheddar wings, generously pour on the cheese sauce, and thank us later.

Here's another cheese sauce, because you can never have enough cheese. Culver's does something special with their Wisconsin Cheddar Cheese Sauce, and it works in that classic Midwestern flavor that we know and love. It's made with the real deal — sharp cheddar cheese straight from Wisconsin — and is served warm to make all of your problems feel like they've gone away for a moment. Culver's website recommends pairing this liquid gold comfort food with their Wisconsin cheese curds (cheese on cheese, oh yes, please), their chili cheddar fries, and their pretzel bites. But why stop there? Let the cheese take you where it may.

If you're from the South, then you are likely familiar with many uses for mayonnaise. It makes a creamy and savory base for dressings and dips of all kinds and Shake Shack's herb mayonnaise is no exception. The herbal mayonnaise is mixed with buttermilk, vinegar, chives, thyme, parsley, salt, and pepper and is a mild and tasty dipper for your chicken of choice. Nutritionally, it comes in at about 10 grams of fat per serving, but that's definitely worth it for a comforting Shake Shack meal.

You might not initially think of chicken nugget dipping sauces when you think of Little Caesars, but you would be remiss to overlook its crazy good Crazy Sauce. By providing fast pizza, Little Caesars has brought society a yummy convenience. While it is essentially a well-herbed marinara, this Crazy Sauce pairs wonderfully with their various pizzas, their Caesar wings, and their Crazy Bread. For a bargain on a meal, a quick and easy dinner, and a well-paired sauce, you can't go wrong with this crazy wonderful sauce from Little Caesars.

Zaxby's knows how to make a tantalizing chicken tender and seems to have also mastered the joy of excellent dipping sauce. With 12 different sauces to choose from, Zaxby's aims to spoil its customers by providing a staple sauce with its name on it — the Zax Sauce. Zesty, creamy, with a hint of tang, the Zax Sauce is the perfect match for all of Zaxby's chicken offerings and can even do some favors to their salads as a dressing. Bloggers everywhere have sought to recreate the Zax Sauce and have come very close to the real deal, even if they haven't quite nailed it down.

While Popeye the Sailor Man boasted a consistently puffy eye, Popeyes fast-food joints provide a very tasty blackened ranch sauce option that takes the usual joy of normal ranch up a notch. Ranked as one of our favorite Popeyes sauces of all time, the blackened ranch flavor adds a smoky essence to the well-spiced sauce. With seasonings like paprika, garlic, and onion, you know it's bound to be delicious enough to eat on its own. However, we highly recommend pairing it with Popeyes' crispy chicken — a combination made in heaven.

White Castle can boast of honing its slider expertise since 1921, so perhaps it comes as no surprise that they have also created a darn delicious sauce to go with sliders ... or chicken nuggets, if you prefer. The Zesty Zing Sauce is a mayonnaise horseradish hybrid that brings a creamy heat to White Castle's tiny burgers and side items. In addition to the mayonnaise and horseradish base, the Zesty Zing Sauce also packs notes of vinegar, onion, mustard, and Worcestershire sauce. It's a tasty combo to enjoy with the tasty combo order of your choice.

Honey mustard is a sauce made in numerous ways and by various brands. While each kind may bring its own unique spin, to some extent, honey mustards often seem very similar to their competition. Therefore, it is noteworthy when a fast-food restaurant hits the nail on the head with a honey mustard that you simply must try. It's a creamy, thick, and well-spiced dipping sauce that truly complements their nuggets as well as any sauce could. A tried-and-true favorite over the years, McDonald's honey mustard is a traditional choice for good reason.

What is it with fast-food restaurants and the term "zesty?" Whatever their motivation, it clearly is a successful tactic with customers. One of the numerous beloved zesty sauces comes from Burger King. With a somewhat spicy flavor profile, Burger King's Zesty Sauce goes well with its burgers, chicken sandwiches, onion rings, and of course, chicken nuggets. If you don't feel like going out for your zesty, spicy kick, never fear because there's a zesty sauce recipe right here for you.

The cool and creamy essence of ranch complements chicken wings perfectly. Wingstop obviously understands this, because its ranch is not only classically delicious — it's also a part of the secret menu, which was shared with the public by Wingstop chef Larry Bellah. He proposed combining ranch with the restaurant's other sides of flavor, like the Atomic flavor for a spicy and cooling balance. He suggested Mango Habanero or Hawaiian for a hint of sweetness. For a traditional vibe, he pointed to the Hickory Smoked BBQ or Original Hot. Additionally, for National Ranch Day a while back, Wingstop encouraged its customers and fanbase to partake in a cup of the yummy sauce for free.

Mardi Gras is a celebration like no other, and Popeyes seems to have captured the same fun spirit in their Mardi Gras Mustard. It's free of wheat, soy, fish, peanuts, or sesame, so it is accessible to many Popeyes fans with sensitive allergies. The sauce brings a sweet and spicy combination that spreads smoothly across a sandwich bun and creates a pleasant dipping pool for chicken tenders. Copycat recipes are all over the internet, so some folks are clearly interested in eating as much of it as possible.

While truffles themselves are as expensive as can be, the Black Truffle Sauce at Shake Shack is budget-friendly and easily accessible. This sauce was evidently designed to go with their entire menu, as it pairs well with burgers, fried chicken, french fries, hot dogs, and obviously, chicken nuggets. While we wouldn't suggest mixing this with your milkshake, we do recommend trying out the addition of truffle sauce with your fast-casual meal. Currently, this sauce is unavailable in stores, so get your fill the next time you visit Shake Shack.