The Tangy Dipping Sauce You'll Find At The Best Chicken Shops In Chicago

While there are many foods and cuisines that the general public associates with the city of Chicago, there are even more "Second City" staples that remain known only to its residents. We're only now getting to the point where people are aware that there is more than one type of Chicago-style pizza, but mild sauce — a sweet and tangy dip that many in the Chicagoland area use for chicken wings — rarely gets its flowers.

Mild sauce is one of Chicago's most under-the-radar delicacies, but it seems that some locals (including me) only truly appreciate it after realizing it's not readily available elsewhere in the country. Chicago-area shops like Uncle Remus Saucy Fried Chicken, Harold's Chicken Shack, and Shark's Fish & Chicken are known for carrying versions of the sauce, each one bursting with flavor that makes food all the more enjoyable.

As for its origin,the modern popular use of mild sauce is said to have begun in the 1960s at Uncle Remus. However, some believe that Mumbo Sauce also ties into the invention of the dip. One origin story claims that Mumbo Sauce — which is also known as Mambo Sauce, and is recognized nationwide due to McDonald's version of the sauce, which dropped back in 2023 — was created by Chicago's Mumbo Bar-B-Q  in the 1950s before it was later adopted by restaurants in Washington, D.C. This has led some to believe that the two regional sauces evolved from the same starting point to arrive at where they are today.

Because mild sauce is more of a catch-all term for many different sauces of a similar style, there isn't one agreed-upon recipe for the dip. However, the core tenets of the sauce — tang, sweetness, and only a subtle spiciness — give folks a good idea of where to start. Some recommend sticking to basics, like the original Uncle Remus recipe, and utilizing a mixture of ketchup, hot sauce, and barbecue sauce as its base. However, others say making a mild sauce on par with the great Chicago chicken shops requires a more intricate combination of ingredients; some online copycat recipes include such unexpected choices as yellow mustard and even orange juice.

Growing up, I always compared mild sauce to a thicker, sweeter version of popular North Carolina BBQ sauces (such as the Lillie's Q Carolina sauce you can find in stores), with the vinegar-centric tang being the key to the sauce. As such, balancing that tartness without overpowering it with sugary sauces and ingredients is always the hardest part of the equation. Nevertheless, if you're someone like me who has tried and failed to emulate the delicious sauce at home, buying a bottle from either Uncle Remus or Harold's Chicken is likely your best bet for success. If you do, I recommend that you go beyond using it for chicken wings; the sauce is notoriously great with fried seafood, rib tips, and French fries, and is also one of my personal favorite cheeseburger toppings of all time.