Zax Sauce |Cooking With Amanda

You're actually getting a bit of a "twofer" with this post… you know, a two-for-one. Why? In addition to a ridiculously simple and quick copycat recipe for Zax Sauce, I'm going to give you a killer recipe for the BEST baked sweet potato chips. Thus, you will get two recipes here in one post. Score.

The baked sweet potato chips are also easy and amazing, like the Zax Sauce, but healthy too. And the chips are my favorite thing ever to dip in Zax Sauce!

Lots to cover, so let's get started.

I have to be honest with you – I had never been to a Zaxby's in my life until a few months ago. They are a southern restaurant chain, and while I live in the south now, I didn't grow up here. I really wasn't all that familiar with it.

However, I had heard all about Zax Sauce, their famous dipping sauce for chicken tenders and French fries, and I was skeptical that it could be as good as its reputation. It gets rave reviews, and I felt like it wasn't possible to measure up to my expectations.

I stand corrected. That stuff is GOOD. Like, reaaally good. I definitely wanted all my chicken tenders and French fries slathered in that sauce. It's creamy, zesty, and has a heck of a lot of garlic and spiciness going on. It's really unique and delicious.

Turns out though, for all the flavor complexity it offers, Zax Sauce is incredibly simple to make. The ingredient list is very short, and you probably already have everything in your pantry. Are you getting excited??? You should be.

After experiencing Zax Sauce for the first time, I set out to make a copycat version. I wanted to enjoy it on my every whim. Guess what – you can prepare it at home in 5 minutes, and it tastes just like the real deal.

My favorite way to enjoy Zax Sauce is with my recipe for baked sweet potato chips. It's excellent with regular fries and with chicken, but I am a sucker for sweet potatoes, and something about the sauce just marries perfectly.

All I do is thinly slice (about 1/8-inch thick) two large unpeeled sweet potatoes, scatter them on a baking sheet sprayed with butter spray, sprinkle them with salt, pepper, and LOTS of paprika, and bake them at 425°F for about 20 minutes, flipping them halfway through. That's it.

When you dip the chips into the Zax Sauce, all the pepperiness, tang, and creaminess of the sauce is perfect with the bit of sweetness, saltiness, and paprika from the chips. It's the perfect snack, and so easy to prepare!