Here’s the thing about fast food and “junk” food: they are designed to be highly delicious. We love them and our kids love them, too, especially Chick-fil-A sauce. We all have a special weakness for the stuff. Meghan has spent the last couple of years perfecting her recipe, and our episode Should We Stop Talking About “Junk” Food was the perfect time to unveil her version.
Please ignore any copycat Chick-fil-A sauce recipes that call for BBQ sauce: we’ve discovered that there’s too much variation in sweetness and acidity in store-bought BBQ sauces to reliably come up with a Chick-fil-A sauce that tastes like the original. Instead, follow our lead and use ketchup, liquid smoke, and sugar to get that signature smoky flavor.
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Copycat Chick-fil-A Sauce
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 3/4 Cup 1x
Description
Please ignore any copycat Chick-fil-A sauce recipes that call for BBQ sauce: we’ve discovered that there’s too much variation in sweetness and acidity in store-bought BBQ sauces to reliably come up with a Chick-fil-A sauce that tastes like the original. Instead, follow our lead and use ketchup, liquid smoke, and sugar to get that signature smoky flavor.
Ingredients
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons tomato ketchup
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke or smoked salt
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine everything except the salt and pepper. Whisk until smooth. Refrigerate for 30 minutes and taste test for salt, pepper, and any other seasoning adjustment before using. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 5