How To Make Copycat Chick-Fil-A Sauce With 3 McDonald's Condiments
Just like classic burgers and nuggets, the condiments that come along with fast food favorites have their superfans. And while the options run the gamut, many claim that when selecting from the definitive ranking of Chick-fil-A dipping sauces, their go-to topping is the chain's signature Chick-fil-A Sauce. But what happens when visiting a Chick-fil-A location for a fix isn't an option?
Maybe you're the type to go to great lengths to find out what's in McDonald's Szechuan Sauce in order to reverse engineer the stuff, but you don't need a culinary degree to replicate the experience of Chick-fil-A's most crave-worthy condiment. In fact, viral videos have demonstrated a simple hack that allows you to create your own version with just three ingredients, which you can find in perhaps an unlikely place — behind the counter at one of Chick-fil-A's main competitors. With a ratio of equal parts McDonald's Creamy Ranch, Honey Mustard, and Tangy Barbecue sauces, you can closely approximate the flavor of this smoky, sweet, tangy, and irresistible topping.
There are plenty of copycat recipes out there for Chick-fil-A Sauce, some of which call for apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, paprika, and even turmeric. This McDonald's sauce hack, on the other hand, requires a lot less heavy lifting to check all those familiar flavor boxes.
Why this dip trick works
To understand why this dupe is effective, it helps to examine the label of Chick-fil-A Sauce for clues, and then compare those components with the ones found in the McDonald's sauce trio. Creamy Ranch Sauce comes complete with onion and garlic, Tangy Barbecue contributes hickory smoke and vinegar, while Honey Mustard adds sweetness, along with egg yolks, paprika, and turmeric — all of which are also featured in Chick-fil-A Sauce. So while this hack may not be exact replica, the result of combining these condiments certainly features enough similarities to the flavor profile of the Chick-fil-A signature sauce to see why fans feel it's a solid solution in a pinch.
Once you mix these three toppings together, you can use it for your Big Mac or fries, or as an alternative to the McDonald's sauce you want to avoid dipping your nuggets in (That would be ranch). You can also work it into rotation for homemade dishes like chicken tenders or sandwiches. Regardless of what you're craving or where you plan to place your order, if you can get your hands on this triad of tasty toppings, you'll have the ingredients for a fast food supergroup and the dipping sauce of your dreams.