Canadian Honey Dill Sauce is Manitoba’s iconic dipping sauce, known for its creamy texture, sweet-and-tangy flavor, and fresh herbaceous notes from dill. It’s the perfect companion for chicken fingers, chicken nuggets, wings, chicken sandwiches, wraps, fries, fish sticks, and even salmon. It’s a mayo-based sauce without being overly mayonnaise forward. The sweetness is perfectly balanced by acidity. While lemon pepper adds a bright citrus flavor without thinning the sauce with extra lemon juice. A touch of Dijon mustard brings just the right amount of twang, creating an irresistible creamy dipping sauce that’s surprisingly addictive.
This is my own take on the classic Manitoba favorite, inspired by the famous honey dill sauce served at Mitzi’s Restaurant (which is now closed). After many attempts at trying to figure out the sauce, I later wondered if it began as a simple Dijonnaise with honey and fresh dill stirred in. That idea is what helped me solidify on my very own version of a honey dill sauce I am confident in. It’s just downright delicious!
Origins of Canadian Honey Dill Sauce
The original Canadian Honey Dill Sauce is credited to Peter Eng, a restaurateur and co-owner of Mitzi’s Chicken Finger Restaurant in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The sauce became so popular that it spread throughout Manitoba and is now considered a regional specialty. Greetalia Foods Ltd., also based in Winnipeg, later began bottling and selling the sauce, helping it reach a broader market. While they helped popularize it further, Peter Eng is the recognized inventor. The chicken fingers are Mitzi’s secret recipe. The two together created an iconic Canadian food right out of the province of Manitoba.
Mitzi’s Chicken Fingers Restaurant
The restaurant version is much whiter or creamier than that of Greetalia’s. Which suggests less honey in it, and it is less sweet than Greetalia’s version. It is sweet & tangy or zesty & creamy.
The chicken fingers are served with coleslaw and a choice of crinkle-cut fries or fried rice for a chicken finger platter. They also serve the chicken fingers with a Caesar or tossed salad and another combo of chicken fingers, stir-fried broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, and a choice of fries or fried rice.
Greetalia Honey Dill Sauce
The Greetalia version builds on the base sauce of mayo, honey, and dill with spices added. Obviously dried dill and mustard, as stated in their ingredient listing as an allergen, and much more honey. This is evident by the color of Greetalia sauce compared to Mitzi’s restaurant. Greetalia has much more honey in it, which causes the mayo to lose its color, and you get that almost transparent look to the sauce.
Greetalia Honey Dill Sauce Ingredients
MAYONNAISE (CANOLA OIL, PASTEURIZED LIQUID EGG YOLK, WHITE VINEGAR, WATER, SUGAR, SALT, SPICES, CONCENTRATED LEMON JUICE, CALCIUM DISODIUM EDTA, NATURAL FLAVOUR), PASTEURIZED HONEY, SPICES, SODIUM BENZOATE. CONTAINS MUSTARD, EGG
Mary Brown’s Honey Dill Sauce
Mary Brown’s Fried Chicken has a version of honey dill sauce that resembles Greetalia. Sort of halfway between Mitzi’s and Greetalia.
Canadian Honey Dill Sauce Ingredients
Hellmann’s Mayonnaise, Dijon Mustard, Bee Maid Liquid Honey (pasteurized), Lemon Juice, Dried Dill, and Lemon Pepper.
Hellmann’s Mayonnaise
The ingredient listing most closely matches the Hellmann’s mayonnaise. There is no mention of lemon juice, citric acid, or any other acidity outside the acidity included in the mayonnaise. Hellmann’s mayo is not overly acidic, although Kraft Miracle Whip is. Some will mix 50/50 more or less Hellmann’s & Kraft Miracle Whip to derive a tangier taste, rather than using lemon juice, which does thin the sauce. Another plausible ingredient is English creamy dressing, which is very tangy.
Honey
The mayo loses its color when honey is added, making it go to a translucent color. The more honey, the more the sauce goes transparent. Honey can also reduce the perception of tang. BeeMaid is a very popular Canadian brand. But any liquid honey will work.
Dill
This is the dominant herb used in the Canadian Honey Dill Sauce and brings that herbaceous note to the sauce. Use dried dill, as fresh tends to clump up.
Dijon Mustard
There is a yellow tinge to the Greetalia Honey Dill Sauce, and I believe this comes from mustard, which contributes both the color and tang to the sauce.
The mustard is key to the yellow tinge, color, and tang of the sauce for a Greetalia version. It’s not lemon juice, as this is not stated outside the mayo ingredients. Not to say you can’t add it either; if more tang is desired, then by all means add the lemon juice. I am pretty sure Mitzi’s restaurant did add lemon juice. While yellow mustard does work, the best results are with Dijon mustard.
This is actually what set me in the direction of creating this sauce. The idea of a Dijonnaise, which is an incredible sauce by itself. Then add in honey and dill and adjust that tang to get the Manitoba Winnipeg honey dill sauce.
Lemon Juice
Lemon juice is what I believe Mitzi’s restaurant is using, and quite a bit, to get that tangy or zesty note. It also dilutes the mayo & honey into a sauce that adheres to the chicken fingers and slightly reverses what the honey does to the mayo. Resulting in a creamier and whiter color with a tinge of yellow in the dipping sauce.
Lemon Pepper
Lemon pepper is something I considered may be used in small amounts. When viewing the Greetalia Honey Dill Sauce up close, there appear to be almost translucent bits speckled throughout the sauce and black specs as well. This has me suspecting the lemon rinds are used in it with black pepper; hence, lemon pepper. This would also bolster up the tang. The ingredients also state spices, and lemon pepper would fit this description and enhance the flavor. Although I am not completely sure about this.
Honey Dill Sauce Adjustments
Commonly added by various restaurants are lemon juice, mustard, onion & garlic powder. Greetalia does state there is mustard, and it does appear to have a yellow tinge to it. So enough added to create the same effect. For this, I find Dijon mustard works better than yellow mustard or dry mustard and adds the tang too. With dry mustard, you would need a lot to affect the color and the flavor.
You can of course adjust to your taste. Add more honey for sweeter or less honey for creamier results. You can increase the dill and even add in lemon juice for tangier flavor. A pinch of onion & garlic powder can also be added. Entirely up to you how you want to adjust the flavor.
How to make Canadian Honey Dill Sauce
It’s super easy to make. Just use a bowl & whisk or spoon to mix all the ingredients together. Cover and refrigerate to allow the flavors to meld. Optionally, place inside a glass jar to cover and refrigerate. Easily double up on the recipe if you need more.
Chicken Finger Sauce
This sauce in Manitoba, Winnipeg, is always expected and served with chicken fingers. It is also served with a bunch of other foods, practically on anything. For chicken fingers, it is absolutely delicious! This by itself is good for lunch or a late-night snack. The sauce can be made up while you cook the store-bought chicken fingers.
Chicken Finger Platter with Caesar Salad
Chicken fingers served with a side of honey dill dipping sauce can be served with many side dishes to create a chicken finger platter. The below is served with a Caesar salad for a full course, chicken finger platter as a main meal.
Chicken Finger Platter with Crinkle Cut Fries
Chicken fingers served with a side of honey dill dip and crinkle-cut fries for a full course, chicken finger platter as a main meal.
Canadian Honey Dill Wings
The honey dill sauce can be served on the side or used to toss the wings in when coming out of the fryer. This sauce is so good with either boneless chicken wings or pork wings, including your regular bone-in breaded wings.
Breaded wings tossed in honey dill sauce.
Boneless pork wings served with a dipping bowl of both buffalo sauce and honey dill sauce.
Honey Dill Dipping Sauce
Once the sauce is made up, portion it out into small dipping bowls to serve.
It’s the perfect companion for chicken fingers (homemade or store-bought), chicken nuggets, boneless chicken wings or boneless pork wings, chicken sandwiches, wraps, fries, fish sticks, and even salmon.
Ingredients
- 1/4 C Hellmann's Mayo
- 2 tsp Dijon Mustard & Honey
- 1 tsp Dill & Lemon Juice
- 1/8 tsp Lemon Pepper - or more
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients together and mix well. Cover with a lid and refrigerate to let the flavors meld. When ready to serve, place the honey dill sauce in small dipping bowls.
Notes
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