• About
  • Work with Me
    • Contact
  • Food Photography
  • Newsletter

Chef Janet

So good, they'll never know it's gluten-free.

  • Gluten-Free Recipes
    • Appetizers and Snacks
    • Baked Goods
    • Breakfast
    • Dessert
    • Main Course
    • Salads
    • Sauces and Dressings
    • Side Dishes
    • Soup
    • Vegan
    • Vegetarian
  • Cooking Basics
  • Gluten-Free Diet Tips
Home Β» Sauces and Dressings Β» 5 Minute, Homemade Chicken Wing Dipping Sauce

January 3, 2022 (last updated August 18, 2023)

5 Minute, Homemade Chicken Wing Dipping Sauce

4.9 from 7 reviews
Janet Harlow
Leave a Comment Jump to Recipe

This chicken wing dipping sauce is super simple but the perfect cooling dip with spicy buffalo wings. It has a sour cream base, plus four simple ingredients and mixes up in 5 minutes.

Be sure to check out my recipe for crispy, oven-baked, gluten-free chicken wings and crispy toaster oven chicken wings. There’s no added oil, no flour and no baking soda in either one. Just a cooking method that makes the skin paper thin and crispy.

Buffalo Wing Dip

Traditionally buffalo wings are served with blue cheese dressing or ranch dressing for dipping. Why are these dressings so popular with wings? The cooling effect of the dairy in those dressings makes them the perfect pairing with hot, spicy buffalo sauce.

Personally, I am not a huge fan of the mayo in ranch dressing nor do I like blue cheese. And both of these dressings usually contain preservatives, which will send my husband straight to bed with a migraine.

So a simple homemade sauce is my favorite option. I use tangy sour cream as the base and give it hints of ranch dressing flavor. Even better, this sauce can be made lactose-free if needed!

close up of oven baked gluten-free chicken wing dipping into sauce. Wood bowl with wings in back. Red and white napkin underneath.

Ingredients

Sour cream is such a good base for this sauce because it’s a little tangy and super thick and creamy. Even a low-fat sour cream will work.

Use a dairy-free sour cream if you are lactose-free. Follow Your Heart and Kite Hill both make excellent dairy-free/vegan sour creams.

Just a little bit of vinegar adds some extra tang to this sauce. It also thins it out enough to be the right consistency for dipping. I use apple cider vinegar, but white wine vinegar, rice vinegar or plain white vinegar will work too. I do not recommend using balsamic vinegar unless it is white balsamic.

Fresh chopped chives add a slight bitterness which may not sound appetizing but with some sweetness, a little salt and tang it makes the perfect flavor combination.

A small amount of sweetener balances the tang of the sour cream and bitterness of the chives. I use agave since it incorporates easily into the sauce. Maple syrup is another good option.

And finally just a little bit of salt brings it all together and balances all the other flavors.

Metal cups with chicken wing dipping sauce and hot sauce. Wood bowl with baked buffalo chicken wings behind.

Balancing Flavors

The flavors in this recipe are balanced just to my taste. But I have never been the type of chef that is rigid about a recipe. If you prefer the dipping sauce a little sweeter, a little saltier or a little more tangy feel free to make it to your preference.

  • Want it a little saltier? Add salt a couple of pinches at a time and taste. Be sure to just add a little bit at a time, you can always add more but taking it out . . . well that doesn’t work!
  • Prefer it a little sweeter? Add agave or maple syrup starting with 1/4 teaspoon. Taste again and add more if necessary.
  • Want a little more tang? Add more vinegar 1/4 teaspoon at a time tasting as you go.

close up of 2 metal cups with chicken wing dipping sauce on wood board. Fresh chives and knife in background.
Close up of chicken win drumette dipping in chicken wing dipping sauce in metal cup. Plate with wings on left and white napkin on right. Toaster oven in background.

5 Minute, Homemade Chicken Wing Dipping Sauce

Author: Janet Harlow
Course: Appetizers and Snacks, Sauces and Dressings
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4
This dipping sauce for buffalo chicken wings is super simple but the perfect cooling dip. It has a sour cream base, just four more simple ingredients and mixes up in 5 minutes.
4.86 from 7 reviews
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Ingredients
  

  • Β½ c sour cream (low-fat or dairy-free options ok)
  • 4 tsp vinegar – apple cider, white, white wine, white balsamic or rice vinegars will work
  • 1 tsp agave, maple syrup or other liquid sweetener agave syrup substitute
  • ΒΌ tsp granulated onion (or β…› tsp onion powder)1
  • ΒΌ tsp granulated garlic (or β…› tsp powder)1
  • β…› tsp salt
  • 2 pinches finely ground black pepper
  • 1 heaping Tbsp finely chopped chive

Instructions
 

  • Place the sour cream, vinegar, agave, onion and garlic granules, salt and pepper into a small mixing bowl.
    Overhead view of glass bowl with wing dipping sauce ingredients.
  • Stir well with a wire whisk or fork until the sauce is smooth.
    Overhead view of wing dipping sauce being stirred with a wire whisk.
  • Stir in the chopped chive.
    Overhead view of chopped chives being stirred into wing dipping sauce.
  • Taste. This is the flavor balance that I prefer, but if you want it a little more salty add a couple of pinches of salt. More sweet? Add a ΒΌ tsp or more of sweetener. More sour? Add another ΒΌ teaspoon or more of vinegar.
    Overhead view of wing dipping sauce in glass bowl with wood spoon.
  • This sauce should be refrigerated and will last at least one week.
  • Be sure to check out my recipe for crispy, oven-baked, gluten-free chicken wings.

Notes

  1. Some spice makers make a distinction between onion and garlic powders vs granules or granulated. Others use the terms interchangeably. If yours are more powdery like cinnamon, use 1/8 teaspoon. If they are more granulated like fine salt, use 1/4 tsp.
Did you make this recipe?Let me know how it was! Tag @chefjanetk on Instagram.
  • Share
  • Tweet
  • Email

Posted In: Appetizers and Snacks, Sauces and Dressings · Tagged: chicken

Comments

  1. Leslie says

    September 30, 2022 at 8:26 pm

    5 stars
    Made this tonight. Was very good! Started with the recipe as written (except did not have chives) and then increased sweetness a little at a time till I got the flavor balance MY family would like. Very simple recipe to keep on hand! Thanks, Janet!

    Reply
    • Janet Harlow says

      September 30, 2022 at 9:18 pm

      I’m so glad you enjoyed it. And great to see that you took the time to play with the flavor and make it to your preference! Love it!

      Reply
  2. Tanisha Foster says

    November 24, 2022 at 1:59 pm

    Great alternative to a traditional ranch dip for chicken wings.
    I was looking for a dip on Thanksgiving for some chicken wings I made and came across this recipe. I had most of the ingredients, besides The cloves but sub w/green onions. Simple and delicious
    Will make again! Thanks

    Reply
    • Janet Harlow says

      November 26, 2022 at 12:15 pm

      Thanks so much for letting me know Tanisha. So glad you enjoyed it.

      Reply
  3. Brieona Cochran says

    January 20, 2023 at 1:13 pm

    5 stars
    Ran out of ranch and found this recipe! Followed exact minus the chives and it was amazing! Thank you for this life saver!

    Reply
    • Janet Harlow says

      January 20, 2023 at 7:03 pm

      Yay! So happy to hear this.

      Reply
  4. Vakerue says

    August 12, 2023 at 11:47 am

    4 stars
    I began with your recipe but found I had to add more sour cream. Increased spices but not apple cider vinegar. When I finally got the taste to what I like I added a few shakes of cayenne pepper. Pretty darn good!

    Reply
  5. Kristine Johann Tingcang says

    August 18, 2023 at 4:55 am

    5 stars
    How to store this? how long will it last?

    Reply
    • Janet Harlow says

      August 18, 2023 at 11:53 am

      This sauce should be refrigerated and will last at least one week.

      Reply

Leave a Comment & Rate this Recipe Cancel reply

If you love this recipe, please consider leaving a star rating and review when you post a comment. Star ratings help people discover my recipes online. Your support means a great deal to me.

Thank you!
Janet

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

About Me
Hi, Welcome! I'm Chef Janet and I create gluten-free recipes that everyone will love, gluten-free or not.

Set up a customized lesson with me to learn basic cooking techniques, gluten-free, menu planning and kitchen tips to make your life easier. Follow me on instagram to keep up with my latest and let me know how I can help.

Follow along on Instagram

Cookie season is here and I've got you covered wit Cookie season is here and I've got you covered with gluten-free cookie recipes from traditional spritz cookies to cookies with unconventional ingredients like peanut butter whiskey, teff and mesquite flour. Recipes at chefjanetk.com (link in profile)

β›„β„οΈπŸŒ²πŸͺ

Cover: Buttery Spritz Cookies
1. Mesquite Flour Cookies
2. Danish Butter Cookies
3. Pumpkin Teff Cookies
4. Marbled Tahini Cookies
5. Buttery Spritz Cookies
6. Peanut Butter Whiskey Cookies
7. Peanut Butter Tahini Cookies
8. Snowball Cookies (aka Mexican Wedding Cookies)

πŸͺπŸŒ²β„οΈβ›„
This gluten-free blueberry crisp is made with fres This gluten-free blueberry crisp is made with fresh blueberries and topped with a cinnamon brown sugar topping with no oats. Oats can be tricky when you're gluten-free, so I prefer my crisp without them. Link to the recipe in my profile.
🫐🫐🫐
These buttery cookies are gluten-free and melt in These buttery cookies are gluten-free and melt in your mouth. Link to the recipe in my profile.
🧈πŸͺ🧈
#glutenfreecookies #glutenfreebuttercookies #danishbuttercookies #losangeleschef #glutenfreeblog #buttercookieshomemade #glutenfreelosangeles #glutenfreehomemade #cookiesfromscratch
This gluten-free strawberry sheet cake is filled w This gluten-free strawberry sheet cake is filled with fresh strawberries in a strawberry swirl. It's the perfect dessert for a crowd on a spring or summer day. Link to the recipe in my profile.
πŸ“πŸŽ‚πŸ“
Simply take some fresh strawberries and whirl them in the food processor until they're finely chopped. Mix some into the batter and spread the rest between layers of batter to create a pretty swirl when you cut into the cake. 
πŸŽ‚πŸ“πŸŽ‚
#glutenfreecake #strawberrycake #freshstrawberries #sheetcake #glutenfreedessert #berrydessert #strawberrydessert #glutenfreeblog #glutenfreelosangeles #strawberrydesserts #bbqdessert #memorialdaydessert
This Gluten-Free Lemon Bundt Cake is a dreamy good This Gluten-Free Lemon Bundt Cake is a dreamy good, sunny treat. Link to the recipe in my profile.
πŸ‹πŸŽ‚πŸ‹
#glutenfreebundtcake #glutenfreelemoncake #lemonbundtcake #losangeleschef #glutenfreelosangeles #glutenfreecake #lemondessert #glutenfreeblog #glutenfreedessert
This Gluten-Free Carrot Cake is fluffy, moist and This Gluten-Free Carrot Cake is fluffy, moist and packed with cinnamon spice goodness. Link to the recipe in my profile.
πŸ₯•πŸŽ‚πŸ₯•
I prefer my carrot cake with no crushed pineapple or nuts or raisins. I use a little applesauce to give it some fruity flavor but that's it. So if you're on team nut-free, raisin-free, this is the cake for you.
πŸ₯•πŸŽ‚πŸ₯•
#glutenfreecarrotcake #glutenfreecakes #glutenfreeeaster #losangeleschef #glutenfreelosangeles #glutenfreeblog #glutenfreedesserts #glutenfreebaking #glutenfreedessertrecipes #easterdesserts
Whether it's summer peach season or not you can ma Whether it's summer peach season or not you can make this gluten-free peach cobbler. The recipe includes instructions for fresh, frozen or canned peaches. Link to the recipe in my profile.
πŸ‘πŸ‘πŸ‘
#glutenfreepeachcobbler #glutenfreecobbler #peachdessert #peachcobbler #losangeleschef #glutenfreeblog #glutenfreechef #glutenfreelosangeles #summerdesserts #glutenfreedesserts
This gluten-free chocolate mug cake is ready in ju This gluten-free chocolate mug cake is ready in just 5 minutes. When you want a cake just for yourself, it's the perfect recipe. Link to the recipe in my profile.
πŸŽ‚πŸ«πŸŽ‚πŸ«
#glutenfreecakes #chocolatemugcake #glutenfreemugcake #singleservedessert #glutenfreechocolatecake #glutenfreeblog #losangeleschef #glutenfreelosangeles #dessertforone #glutenfreedesserts #fastdessert

Copyright © 2023 Chef Janet · Support by Foodie Digital · Privacy Policy · Accessibility Policy · Web Stories