Dipping sauce is an essential part of enjoying chicken nuggets. You can stick with the usuals, such as ranch or honey mustard, but for a sweet, zesty twist, try pairing two classic condiments next time you stop in for an order of those silly-shaped McDonald’s McNuggets: ketchup and honey. This blend results in a sweet-but-tangy flavor contrast, offering a nice balance with a little bite.
McNuggets weren’t introduced to the mainstream McDonald’s menu until 1983 — nearly 40 years after the chain got its start. But all these years later, people are still finding new ways to enjoy them. If you think the ketchup and honey combination sounds bizarre, just consider the role each flavor plays in other sauces. In honey mustard sauce, honey offers a sweet contrast to mustard’s tang, while ketchup is the base of almost every barbecue sauce recipe. Let’s not forget that iconic Chick-fil-A sauce is essentially just an easy blend of honey mustard and barbecue sauce. So, in a six-degrees-of-separation way, honey and ketchup were practically made for each other. McDonald’s offers both of these sauces on the side, so simply ask for a packet of each, and blend them into the dipping sauce of your dreams.
How to properly combine honey and ketchup
Both condiments bring a lot to the table, and how much you combine them depends on which flavor you want to stand out. For a zestier dipping sauce with a hint of sweetness, add just a dollop of honey to the ketchup and mix until well combined. But for a little more sweetness, do the opposite. Both come in dunk-able containers, so you can just add either one straight to the other container for eating those McNuggets on the go.
While it’s a perfect pairing for McNuggets, you can make this sauce at home and serve it with virtually anything you want. Enjoy it spread on a savory grilled cheese or even use it in place of the traditional ketchup topping on your meatloaf. It’s perfect to brush over chicken before tossing it on the grill, too, because the sugars in the honey and ketchup will caramelize nicely.
