While we once endlessly craved perfect sweet and salty duos—like salted caramel or chocolate-covered popcorn—there’s a new flavor pairing taking the internet by storm, and we can’t get enough of it. Swicy, meaning any food with the flavor profile of sweet and spicy, is everywhere, and it’s a combination you just have to try this summer.
This flavor blend isn’t really new; we’ve cooked with Thai chili sauce and snacked on cinnamon candies for years. But the last two summers are proof that swicy is only getting more popular and more accessible. Your local pizza shop may have hot honey pizza on regular rotation, you may see sweet and spicy-flavored chips on your store shelves, or even a little kick of heat in your favorite drinks at the coffee shop. And this summer, the trend is officially taking off and is here to stay.
The blend makes perfect sense: mixing a sugary ingredient with something hot creates a perfect balance of flavor and an ultra-craveable combination. Want to try your own sweet and spicy dish this summer? Here are some of our favorites.
Baby Back Ribs with Pepper Jelly Glaze
Red pepper jelly is naturally a sweet and spicy ingredient that is beloved, but brushing it onto barbecue and brown sugar-rubbed baby back ribs is out-of-this-world delicious. This recipe has the ribs falling off the bone tender, all while staying caramelized and bold in flavor. It’s a celebration-worthy main that brings the heat and the sweet.
Get the recipe: Baby Back Ribs with Pepper Jelly Glaze
Sweet-and-Spicy Grilled Chicken Drumsticks
Gochujang is the Korean hot sauce you need to stock in your kitchen. It’s a thick, spicy-sweet chili paste made from red chili pepper, sticky rice, and fermented soybeans, bringing a depth of flavor to recipes with just one scoop. Mix it with soy sauce, honey, sesame oil, and garlic, slather it onto grilled chicken drumsticks, and you have a craveable sweet and spicy sauce you’ll want to add to everything.
Get the recipe: Sweet-and-Spicy Grilled Chicken Drumsticks
Spicy Mango Dirty Soda
If you’ve had a hankering to join the dirty soda trend, now is your chance—with a sweet and spicy twist. The fruity mango syrup pairs beautifully with the spicy and tart chili-lime Tajin rim, keeping this historically ultra-sweet treat a little more balanced.
Get the recipe: Spicy Mango Dirty Soda
Hot Honey Garlic Shrimp with Pasta
One of the most classic forms of swicy is hot honey, and you only need 15 minutes to make this sweet and spicy weeknight meal. Here, we combine butter, garlic, honey, and cayenne for a glossy, spicy, and sweet sauce that coats pasta and shrimp perfectly.
Get the recipe: Hot Honey Garlic Shrimp with Pasta
Skillet Hot Honey-Glazed Chicken with Greens
Transform a package of chicken drumsticks with a sweet and spicy sauce of honey, apple cider vinegar, and crushed red pepper. Serve it alongside some bagged salad greens for a dinner that comes together in just 30 minutes, or meal prep a batch for versatile lunches and dinners throughout the week.
Get the recipe: Skillet Hot Honey-Glazed Chicken with Greens
Air Fryer Hot Honey Chicken Sliders
From game day to a crowd-pleasing appetizer to an average weeknight, these hot honey chicken sliders are oh-so good and come together quickly. Frozen chicken strips crisp up in the oven and are slathered in a sweet and spicy sauce of honey, hot sauce, and paprika. Build them on sweet Hawaiian rolls with pickles for a pop of flavor and crisp green lettuce.
Get the recipe: Air Fryer Hot Honey Chicken Sliders
Hot Honey Roasted Carrots
Naturally sweet carrots get ultra caramelized when roasted in the oven, and there’s no better way to help those flavors really pop than a sweet and spicy sauce and bright herbs. Here, we use honey mixed with crushed red pepper and a dash of vinegar-based hot sauce for a balance of sweet, spicy, and tangy.
Get the recipe: Hot Honey Roasted Carrots
Sweet and Spicy Glazed Brussels Sprouts
Drizzle oven-roasted crispy Brussels sprouts with a sweet and spicy mixture of Thai sweet chili sauce, soy sauce, and lime juice for a truly craveable veggie side. A sprinkle of fresh mint at the end helps everything shine.
Get the recipe: Sweet and Spicy Glazed Brussels Sprouts
Slow Cooker Thai Sweet Meatballs
This back-pocket recipe is great for cocktail parties, as an appetizer, or the main protein of a Thai-inspired dinner. Thai chili sauce blends beautifully with teriyaki marinade for a sweet and spicy addition to a bag of frozen meatballs. Add everything to the slow cooker for a hands-off dish everyone will love.
Get the recipe: Slow Cooker Thai Meatballs
Sheet Pan Chicken and Waffles with Spicy Maple Syrup
Chicken and waffles are a classic Southern breakfast duo that you can also enjoy at dinnertime—just make it swicy. A simple mix of maple syrup and cayenne pepper makes an exceptional sweet and spicy sauce for quick-cooking breaded chicken breast strips and whole-grain waffles from the freezer.
Get the recipe: Sheet Pan Chicken and Waffles with Spicy Maple Syrup
Chicken with Spicy Mango Sauce
This recipe is the perfect balance of sweet, spicy, and salty. Frozen mango chunks make an ultra-luscious sauce, while Thai chili sauce amps up the heat. Some fish sauce is non-negotiable for the ultimate salty addition. Serve these chicken thighs with rice noodles for a 30-minute dinner.
Get the recipe: Chicken with Spicy Mango Sauce
Spicy Peach Margaritas
You’re just five ingredients away from this sweet-spicy adult-only beverage. When peaches are in season, this is exceptional, but out of season, we love to blend in frozen peaches for a frozen margarita. Adjust the spiciness of your glass by using more or less jalapeno.
Get the recipe: Spicy Peach Margaritas
