Not a week seems to go by without a new chicken-and-sauce combo hitting chain menus, and this week, both Popeyes and KFC are celebrating the coupling.
On Monday, Popeyes announced the launch of its first-ever Signature Sauce, a creamy blend of bell pepper, celery and onion—reflecting the “holy trinity” of Louisiana’s Cajun culinary roots—along with garlic and a dash of hot sauce.
The sauce’s debut is timed to coincide with the introduction of Popeyes’ limited-time Chicken Dippers, thin strips of breast meat hand-battered in the chain’s Louisiana garlic and spice coating ($4.99). The Signature Sauce comes in a new round cup for easier dipping of the chicken strips as well as fries, wings and wraps.
“Popeyes Signature Sauce is one of a kind with its creamy, irresistible flavor designed to be the perfect companion to every Popeyes menu item,” said Amy Alarcon, VP of culinary innovation, in a statement. “We took our time developing it over the last five years, ensuring we landed on something undeniably Popeyes. Creating a signature sauce is a monumental moment for our brand, and one we approached with care, knowing it had the potential to become an iconic part of our menu.”
That’s not to say Popeyes menu has been lacking sauces. When the Atlanta-based chicken chain introduced wings in 2023, they came with five sauce options, with a sixth, Sweet ‘n Smokey Chipotle Sauce, added last year. And earlier this year, two of Popeyes’ most popular sauces, Blackened Ranch and Sweet Heat, were introduced in 18-ounce bottles to sell at retail outlets including Walmart, Kroger and Amazon. But this is the first sauce to be called Signature with a capital “S.”
Meanwhile, Saucy by KFC rolled out two new sauce flavors for the chicken tenders wrapped inside its Chick’itos. There’s Kimchi, described as “fermented funk meets crunchy heat,” and Ranchero, smoky ranch with a Southwestern kick. They join the original BBQ Chick’itos, Saucy’s snack wrap launched earlier this year at its one Orlando, Florida location.
It seems crispy-chicken-and-sauce combos are getting more play after McDonald’s returned its Snack Wrap to the menu last week. The $2.99 item features a crispy chicken strip, lettuce, shredded cheese and a choice of two sauces—ranch or spicy pepper—wrapped in a flour tortilla.
And Taco Bell’s Crispy Chicken Nuggets, a best seller introduced at the end of last year, come with three dipping sauces: Hidden Valley Fire Ranch Sauce, a blend of ranch dressing and Taco Bell’s most popular hot sauce; Bell Sauce, a creamy, tangy blend of tomatoes, red chilies and garlic; and Jalapeño Honey Mustard.
Crispy chicken and sauce—it’s a match made in heaven for restaurants and consumers.
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