Kick It Up or Cool It Down: How Sauce Boosts Your Chicken Menu

Limited time offers are having a huge moment recently, thanks in part to exciting new sauces and some updated classics. In 2024 alone, there was a wide range of unique chicken and sauce pairings.¹ From the old standbys like spicy orange chicken to the modern mashups like maple butter chicken waffle tacos, sauces have been adding intrigue to chicken dishes and bringing more people in.

On-trend and exotic sauces are great ways to create interest and grab the attention of potential new customers. Dipping sauce is a menu mainstay, with chicken being four of the top six items most commonly paired with dipping sauce.² And you may have already seen vodka sauce all over menus—it’s the #1 fastest growing sauce on chicken sandwiches.³ And you’ll likely see sauced chicken dishes like Nashville hot on more menus in the future—the saucy flavor is projected to grow 57% over the next four years.⁴ There’s a place for sauce on every menu, particularly with chicken dishes. But there’s more to sauce than you think.

Global sauces are in the beginning stages of becoming a mega trend.⁵ From Korean BBQ sauce and sweet Thai chili sauce to cooling creamy sauces like tzatziki, raita and toum, operators can open up a whole new world of flavor for customers without much commitment. It’s an easy way to offer exciting new flavors, a totally different cuisine or the latest menu trend. But the classics still reign—ranch, barbecue, ketchup and mustard are the most ubiquitous dipping sauces.² Your customers expect them, particularly for chicken-based meals. 

If you’re looking for options that focus on deep, distinctive aromas, textures and tastes, this sourdough BBQ chicken sandwich is packed with a ton of different flavors. Featuring Tyson Red Label® Fully Cooked Wood Fire Seasoned Chicken Breast Strips and both chipotle and BBQ sauces, this sandwich will wow your customers’ palates.

Of course, there’s always the option to get experimental. Taking advantage of product flavor families like Tyson Red Label^® brand Authentically Crispy, Golden Crispy or Homestyle means you have a reliable canvas for your custom sauces. Offer up a mashup with this spicy maple chicken sandwich. It’s got a sweet sauce. It’s got a spicy bite. And it’s full of savory flavor—all in one delicious menu item. Change up a brunch classic and make it creamy, crunchy, spicy and savory with chicken and pancake breakfast tacos. The opportunities are endless.