You’ve probably been sifting through hundreds of recipes for a spicy homemade sauce to combine with chicken and have come up empty-handed. Well, I’m here to ease your mind and satisfy your cravings, as I have several spicy chicken sauce recipes lined up just for you.
There are some new and age-old spicy chicken sauce recipes that’ll be the perfect match for whatever the day may bring. With these recipes, you’ll have your own ticket to crafting spicy chicken sauce recipes that are both simple to make and ideal for batch cooking. So, without further ado, let’s get started!
Glazes
Buffalo Sauced Chicken
Buffalo sauce is a timeless classic spicy chicken sauce that’s the best option for anyone looking for a tangy and spicy punch. This sauce delivers the familiar flavor and heat you crave using just butter, hot sauce, and some seasonings and spices. Using it simply takes preparing your glaze and tossing your chicken wings, lollies, filets, or popcorn in the sauce once crisp.
A classic restaurant-style Buffalo wings recipe.
Yang Nyeom Korean Fried Chicken
Yangnyeom is probably one of the best Korean fried chicken glaze recipes out there. This fried chicken glaze is a mix of fiery gochujang (Korean red pepper paste), the sweet, sour, savory-umami flavor of soy sauce and vinegar, and the sweetness and beautiful shine that ketchup and rice syrup bring.
If you want to make this recipe, prepare the spicy chicken sauce, then make sure you have some ultra-crispy fried chicken. Reheat the sauce, add and reheat the chicken, then mix it well with tongs, and there you have it.
Here’s that recipe for that Korean Fried Chicken with Yang Nyeom Glaze.
Honey-Sriracha Glazed Chicken
You can turn your chicken into a delicious masterpiece with a simple blend of sweet, spicy sriracha and honey. Compared to chili garlic sauce, this finger-licking glaze has just the right amount of fire and sweetness, making it a crowd-pleaser for any social gathering.
Wanna make this deliciously sweet, spicy glazed chicken? Just prepare your glaze in a bowl, then brown the chicken in a pan, making sure to get a nice char. Then, transfer it to a baking sheet and drizzle the sriracha glaze over the chicken, ensuring that you’ve covered all of it.
Afterwards, bake in the oven or sir fryer for another 5 minutes to create an enticing, sweet, spicy chicken dish that’s tender and perfectly sticky. Check out this recipe for a healthier Honey Sriracha Sauce for chicken or vegetables.
Firecracker Sauced Chicken Meatballs
Firecracker chicken is another sweet, savory, and spicy fried chicken glazed recipe. This fiery sauce begins with a sticky glaze – a combination of hot sauce and red pepper flakes that are then added to meatballs.
To make this recipe, bake the meatballs first, then dip or brush the firecracker sauce you made over the chicken meatballs. The hot glaze will make you sweat, but it’s balanced out by the mild, juicy chicken meatball, so you get the full flavor without being overpowered.
A Firecracker Chicken Meatballs recipe you’ll surely enjoy.
Marinades
Blackened Chicken (Dry Marinade)
Blackened chicken is a very popular Cajun and Creole dish. It doesn’t actually mean burnt chicken, but it does look slightly charred. This results from the searing of the blackening spice that coats the chicken.
This blackening spice blend is a dry marinade that’s typically made of dried herbs like paprika, cumin and thyme, oregano, onion powder, and garlic powder. Red chili flakes and cayenne pepper are also used to amp up the heat.
It’s a simple enough recipe to make, as chicken breasts or thighs (skinless or skin-on) are rubbed with this blackening spice and seared. But to take on a very dark brown, almost black color, it’s cooked in a skillet, on a grill, or in an oven in very high heat.
Grab this recipe for a Keto Blackened Chicken.
Habanero Pineapple Marinade
Pairing the intense heat of habanero peppers with the tropical sweetness of pineapple is a match made in culinary heaven. The sweet and spicy sauce in this recipe acts as a marinade for the chicken to create an unforgettable flavor combination.
Frozen pineapples, crushed tomatoes, habanero peppers, seasoning, and spices with chicken breast are all added to the slow cooker to make this scrumptious meal.
The slow-cooker habanero pineapple pulled chicken recipe you’ll be wanting.
Chipotle Lime Marinade
The smokiness of chipotle chili paste/ peppers in adobo sauce meets the zesty freshness of lime in this robust and delightful spicy chicken sauce to make a marinated grilled chicken bursting with flavors.
To start, marinate your chicken in this mixture for at least two hours up to overnight for great flavors. Even if you use the full can of chipotle peppers and adobo sauce, a marinade will always take the same amount of time to impart the flavors on your meat.
When it’s ready, grill it over medium-high fire while basting both sides continuously to lock in the juices and add more flavor.
Have a peep at this recipe for Grilled Chicken with Chipotle-Lime Marinade.
Jamaican Jerk Dry Marinade
You can unleash the flavors of the Caribbean with this Jamaican jerk marinade. The spicy and intensely flavorful marinade is made with scotch bonnet peppers, spices, and herbs zapped in the food processor, which is rubbed and massaged onto the chicken and then left to marinade overnight.
Remember, this is a marinade, not a sauce or topping, so the flavor will only be as strong as how much of it is absorbed by (and coated onto) the meat. Grill it until well-browned for that spicy, smoky, fragrant, delicious chicken.
A tasty Jamaican Jerk Chicken recipe for you to enjoy.
Peri-Peri Sauce
Peri-peri sauce is a red chili-based spicy chicken marinade hailing from the heart of Portuguese-African cuisine. This copy-cat Nando’s recipe is a surefire way to get the best flavors you’ve been craving while being friendly on your wallet.
You might even already have the ingredients for the marinade at home – olive oil, lemon, paprika, garlic, salt, pepper, dried herbs, and red chili flakes (or bird’s eye chilies). If you wanna turn up the heat, simply add more chili flakes.
Mix all of the ingredients together, save for the chicken to form your marinade, and lather it onto your chicken. Pop in the fridge for 30 minutes or leave overnight to allow the chicken to absorb all those wonderful flavors. When you’re ready to cook, simply transfer them to a baking sheet and bake them in the oven.
Try Nando’s Peri-Peri Chicken recipe.
Sauces and Stews
Thai Red Chicken Curry
Thai red chicken curry is a well-balanced, deeply spicy dish with savory undertones from turmeric, coriander, cumin, bay leaf, cinnamon, red curry paste, and cloves. By simply adding more or less red chili and black peppers, you can adjust the heat as you please.
Best of all, it comes together in one pan. This smooth curry sauce delivers a punch with the heat of bird’s eye chilies, the depth of the curry balanced by a mildly acidic undertone, and finally, the richness and creaminess of coconut milk.
A delicious Thai Red Curry recipe.
Indian Buttered Chicken
Butter Chicken is one of the most popular Indian curries recognized worldwide. It’s a type of curry made from chicken with a spiced tomato and butter sauce. While the traditional recipe doesn’t typically include curry paste, some modern variations might incorporate it for an added kick and depth of flavor. This dish consists of marinating the chicken and then grilling it before being cooked in a flavorful sauce that’s all sorts of rich, savory, and sweet.
The butter and cream bring richness, the spices add a more classic curry flavor, and the tomato sauce balances everything out with a hint of sweetness. The red chili powder also provides heat, which I’ll mention can be increased for more heat.
This is that Indian Buttered Chicken recipe you’ll wanna try.
Mexican Chicken Chile Verde
Chicken Chile Verde is a tangy and spicy Mexican chicken stew that combines shredded chicken with roasted poblano peppers, tomatillos, jalapenos, cilantro, Mexican oregano, garlic, onions, and cumin in a savory and spicy stew. The heat comes from jalapeno peppers, so adding more jalapenos can make it spicier.
This is also a delicious make-ahead recipe that you can store in the fridge and reheat repeatedly. For the ultimate flaming Mexican feast, top with sour cream and avocado slices and serve with refried beans and warm tostada shells.
Grab the recipe for Green Chile Mexican Chicken.
Peanut Butter Chicken
This peanut butter chicken has amazing flavors coming from the spices and herbs. It’s a variation of the African suya sauce or an Indonesian satay with a sweet, spicy, savory sauce base made from peanut butter, garlic, soy sauce, and sambal oelek.
In this recipe, the chicken is dusted with cornstarch and then fried to retain its moisture. Then, it’s cooked in the sauce until bubbling. The nutty goodness combined with the sambal oelek creates a culinary masterpiece.
A tasty Spicy Peanut Butter Chicken recipe you’ll need to try.
Dipping Sauces
Aji Verde
This Peruvian Green Sauce (or Aji Verde) is a spicy and delicious condiment. Similar to a Mexican crema, it’s an amazing dipping sauce, spread, or dressing for chicken. This bright green sauce is rich and creamy, coming from whipped feta cheese, aji amarillo chilies, lots of green herbs, and huacatay paste.
If you’re looking at making this recipe, combine the mayo, aji amarillo paste, huacatay paste, garlic, vinegar, and lemon juice in a food processor or blender until smooth. Add the creamy elements – feta cheese and mayo and process until smooth and well combined. The finished product is a spicy, creamy, bright green sauce for any type of chicken dish.
A delicious Aji Verde sauce recipe you’ll need to try
Bang Bang Dipping Sauce
When the universe began, so did this delicious sauce. It can add a tangy, sweet, and spicy kick to your chicken, as it’s made from sriracha sauce, sweet chili sauce, mayonnaise, and rice wine vinegar. It pairs fantastically with fried chicken popcorn or grilled chicken filets.
Simply mix the ingredients in a bowl to make the fiery sauce, but make sure to scoop some out and save it in a container because you’d want to save some for a rainy day – that’s if there are gonna be any leftovers.
The Bang Bang dipping sauce recipe you’ll need to have.