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Here are my very best Asian-inspired sauces for grilled chicken that my family and I have been using for summer BBQs! There’s a great list of sauces for chicken you can pick and choose – from Chinese to Thai, Korean to Japanese, and more! These homemade sauces are healthy and easy, and they are not only great for barbeque but also as a dipping sauce
Let’s spice up your grill with my Asian-inspired sauces to make your grilled chicken recipe sizzle!
You’ll love these terrific Asian-inspired sauces to bring your bbq to the next level!
If you are looking for a list of delicious chicken sauce ideas beyond Peruvian chicken sauce, these homemade sauces will wow your taste buds! They are simple sauces to make for chicken with a blend of soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and a touch of chili pepper. You can use these sauces for grilled chicken breasts and thighs or brush them on when grilling.
1
Garlic chili sauce
4.98 from 36 votes
This homemade chili garlic sauce is loaded with flavor and made with avocado oil so you know it's healtheir for you! Inspired by huy fong garlic chili sauce but more fresh, garlicky, and a touch of sweet and savory! This is the best sauce to put on chicken!
Also known as Taiwanese barbeque sauce, this umami-rich bbq sauce is used for hot pot and grilling! Great for both chicken breasts or chicken thighs. I recommend lightly season the chicken and serve this sauce on the side as a dipping sauce.
Taiwanese thick soy sauce (soy paste) is sweet, savory, and easy to make at home. Use it for drizzling, dipping, or braising—gluten-free option included! (Makes 2/3 cup)
A must-have sauce for chicken. This homemade hoisin sauce tastes savory, sweet and tangy. Made with dates, tahini, garlic, and five spice powder. Simply blend the ingredients. Use it as a marinade or dipping sauce, or brush it on when grilling.
5 different hot pot sauces to choose! They are meant for hot pot dipping sauces but you can absolutely use them for grilled chicken, too! From savory to little spicy, and from creamy to light and refreshing!
This homemade oyster sauce is vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free. Made with Chinese dried shiitake mushrooms and with 5-ingredients only. Use it as a marinade, dipping sauce, and for grilling.
This Asian peanut sauces tastes perfectly balanced between sweet and savory. It's creamy smooth and nutty delicious. For those of you who are allergic to peanuts, use creamy almond butter to make the sauce.
You might be associate bang bang sauce with seafood and fried food dishes but let me tell you good sauce is great for everything! My homemade sauce is creamy, tangy, a little spicy, and ready in under 5 minutes! Use it as a dipping sauce for grilled chicken!
Growing up in Taiwan, Japanese cuisine is always close to my heart. 🙂 Here are some of my favorite Japanese-inspired easy sauces for chicken. Use them for dipping sauce on the side of your grilled chicken or brush it on when you grill.
10
Roasted sesame dressing (kewpie-inspired!)
5 from 13 votes
This is my go-to Japanese dressing for everything! It's great for noodles, salads, tofu, and of course – grilled chicken! You can use it for chicken breasts, thighs, and drumsticks, too!
Probably one of the most popular recipes on the blog, this teriyaki sauce is not only homemade but also loaded with flavor! Use it as a marinade or brush the sauce on when you grill!
If you love the dressing used at Japanese sushi restaurants, you'll love my homemade version! This dressing is light and gingery! Best sauce to go with chicken breasts.
These Thai-inspired sauces are a real gem when it comes to sauce recipes for chicken. You can whip up a simple sauce for chicken using fish sauce, lime juice, coconut sugar, and a touch of red chili pepper. Add some crushed and toasted peanuts and tamarind paste (if you have a jar at home), these grilled chicken sauces will tenderize the meat and give them a tangy kick.
15
Thai chili sauce – Nam Jim Jaew
5 from 4 votes
This is one of my favorite Thai dipping sauces. It's a little funky, salty, acidic, and a little sweet and spicy. Use it as a marinade and dipping sauce. Great for chicken breasts or thighs.
Thai Sweet Chili Lime Dressing ready in minutes with lime juice, fish sauce, chili, and coconut sugar for a bright, balanced dressing for slaws and bowls. Makes 1 cup.
Unlike the sweeter version of Chinese peanut sauce, this is an authentic Thai version. It tastes fruity, tangy, and tart. This is a creamy sauce that's great for dipping and put it on the chicken when you grill.
Easy Honey Sriracha Sauce with a perfect balance of sweet, tangy, and spicy. Ready in 5 minutes, no cooking required. Versatile for any dish. Makes 1/2 cup.
Probably the best sauce chicken marinade Thai style! My readers love this chicken dish and there's a reason why. Easy to assemble and tastes amazing! I recommend using chicken thighs either bone-in or boneless and marinate the chicken overnight before you grill!
If you love fresh and zesty flavors, these Vietnamese-inspired sauces for grilled chicken are written for you! Nuoc Cham is a classic dipping sauce for chicken and my Vietnamese sweet chili sauce isn’t just a good sauce for chicken, it’s great with pretty much everything!
20
Vietnamese dipping sauce – nuoc cham
5 from 17 votes
Love Vietnamese spring rolls and that delicious condiment sauce served on the side? This homemade version will satisfy your craving! It's perfect for grilled chicken skewers with perfectly charred chicken!
Grilled chicken drumsticks with sweet chili bbq sauce are jam-packed with flavor! The chicken is perfectly tender and pair it with the sweet chili sauce on the side!
Meant to pair the Nuoc Cham sauce on the side, this marinated Vietnamese lemongrass chicken sauce is perfect for charcoal grill! I recommend marinating the chicken overnight for the best flavor!
If you love a good sauce for chicken, these Korean-inspired sauces are moughwatering blend of spicy, sweet, and umami flavors. Gochujang paste is a must-have for Korean style barbeque chicken. My faux-gochujang is made without soy and fast to blend. It will have your taste buds dancing!
24
Gluten free gochujang paste
5 from 23 votes
My homemade gochujang paste is soy-free and gluten-free. You can use it for everything! From pasta sauce to salad dressing, and from kimchi marinade to Korean bbq sauce chicken grill!
If you think kalbi marinade is only for short ribs, think again! This delicious Korean-inspired sauce is great for chicken, too! With a blend of kiwi and pear, you know it's going to be DELICIOUS! I recommend marinate the chicken for at least 24 hours and up to 2 days.
Grilled chicken has a natural smokey flavor. If the chicken is not marinated and only lightly seasoned, a creamy sauce or a sauce balanced with sweet, saovry, and acidity will work best.
Do you put sauce on chicken before grilling?
It depends on the type of sauce. If the chicken is marinated in a thick sauce such as sweet barbecue sauce, lightly drench the chicken before grilling. Most often, marinated chicken will taste more flavorful before grilling.
How do you make the sauce stick to grilled chicken?
You want to marinate the chicken for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour before grilling. During cooking, dip or brush the bbq chicken with more sauce on all sides until the chicken is cooked through.
Pairing your sauce
Now you have different sauces for chicken, what’s next? I always like to think about what type of chicken I will pair them with. For example, a thicker and more robust gochujang paste would work well with grilled chicken thighs, while a light Vietnamese nuoc cham would be perfect for grilled chicken breast.
You can use these chicken sauces for marinating or dipping. I recommend marinating thick-cut chicken breasts in one of these sauces before grilling so that the chicken will be more flavorful. For thin-cut or chicken skewers like my yakitori skewers, you can lightly season them with some salt and black pepper and brush the sauce on as you grill.
For food safety from USDA, the internal temperature of cooked chicken should be cooked to 165F. And always separate the dipping sauce that you served on the side from the sauce you used for marinating. Discard the marinade after using it.
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Absolutely love these sauces for chicken! And thank you for sharing such a great variety of flavors they are new and refreshing! The Vietnamese sweet chili sauce is great. Love the grilled drumsticks, too!
Absolutely love these sauces for chicken! And thank you for sharing such a great variety of flavors they are new and refreshing! The Vietnamese sweet chili sauce is great. Love the grilled drumsticks, too!