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It’s Chicken Tonight! (Remember that old commercial?) Time to think about what to serve with chicken, and we have the list you’ve been looking for!
Bok bok!
Americans eat more poultry than any other meat, and economical cuts of chicken are on the menu more often than not.
And for a good reason.
The “blank slate” nature, value, and easy cook-ability of chicken that marries well with a slew of flavors.
I love chicken (mostly white meat) and I’m always looking for ideal cooking methods and recipes that are mostly quick and easy!
But chicken often falls flat without any delicious sides.
Except for fried chicken.
I can eat fried chicken all day without having anything with it, but I think I’m alone in that.
And so the journey to search for the best side dishes begins here.
Perhaps the good thing that comes from this is that there’s just about a side dish for everyone.
Whether you’re on the lookout for anything that’s hearty, light, mild or craving a little more zesty-zesty, these knockout side dishes can complete any chicken entrée you dish out.
From a classic salad turned Greek and simple Buttered Noodles, down to Oven-Roasted Radishes (radishes taste nothing like when eaten raw, I SWEAR) and a tasteful Polenta, here are the best side dishes for chicken!
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One of the best and easiest side dish recipes to make to go with chicken is buttered noodles.
Simply a fantastic dish, you can also use any noodle that you have on hand to create buttered noodles!
But you just can’t go wrong with the wonders of egg noodles.
Plus, shake on your favorite seasoning blend and you’re done.
And how do you level up your game on making buttered noodles?
Another roasted dish that will surely double the excitement in your chicken-backed meal is the Oven-Roasted Radishes.
While uncommon, these Roasted Radishes are sweet and have a peppery bite in them.
Roasted radishes are best when they are almost thinly-sliced, with a bit of salt and lime sprinkled on them!
And let’s face it: Oven-Roasted Radishes are quite a visual spectacle to behold.
If you’ve ever been to a picnic, you know that potato salad can be a bit of a game-changer.
It’s made with tender red potatoes mixed with fresh herbs and Greek yogurt for a light and fluffy texture.
The flavors are bold, but the cool creaminess of the yogurt balances them.
You can serve it as a side dish for chicken or grilled meat, but it’s also great as an appetizer or just on its own for lunch or dinner.
Indeed, a dash of balsamic vinegar and thyme can turn a simple side dish into something special.
It’s the perfect way to add sweetness, depth, and a little bit of tartness to your Roasted Carrots.
And it’s great paired with chicken or as a side dish for any meat or fish entrée!
Roasted Parmesan Green Beans are veggie treats that are crispy and tender yet still have just enough crunch on them.
Plus, the flavor is simply fantastic.
It has that delectable salty and cheesy flavor from the garlic and parmesan.
What’s more, the recipe is incredibly easy to make.
You’ll never believe how simple it is!
Creamed Spinach is one of those sides for chicken that’s hard to pass up.
It’s creamy, cheesy, and made with fresh sauteed spinach, parmesan cheese, and some garlic and onions.
And it’s a tasty side dish that goes well with chicken or any other meat for that matter!
Garlic Cauliflower Mash is a great place to start when you’re looking to add flavor to your chicken entrée
This garlic-loaded, creamy dish is a perfect side for chicken because it’s easy to make, it goes well with chicken, and you can use the leftovers as a topping for pizza or breadsticks.
But what exactly is garlic cauliflower mash?
Well, it’s simply mashed cauliflower mixed with garlic and butter. That’s all!
Maybe you’re feeling more cauliflower ricey than potatoey but still want those lower carbs.
Or roasted cauliflower steaky? Even better.
There are a lot of adjectives to throw at this dish, but they’re all true, and they all apply.
Well, first of all, it’s loaded with sharp cheddar cheese, sour cream, and salty bacon bits.
Aside from that, they’re buttery, creamy mashed potatoes that take an average potato casserole to a new level with just a few ingredients.
Serve them with chicken, steak, or even grilled sausage for the lovely side dish on any night of the week!
Creamy Pasta Salad is a great way to jazz up your lunch and break out of your pasta-and-sauce rut.
Its sauce includes sour cream and mayonnaise—two ingredients that you probably already have in your fridge.
The sour cream packs a nice tang to the sauce, which pairs well with the sweetness of the peas and carrots.
And the bacon adds some saltiness to balance out all that sweetness, while the cheese gives you that classic creamy texture when mixed with pasta.
I’m a fan of Roasted Butternut Squash.
It is incredibly versatile, and you can use it in everything from soups to salads to sides.
The best part?
It’s easy to roast at home!
Also, roasted butternut squash has a slightly sweet taste with richness to it.
And it’s similar to mild butterscotch, in a way.
Plus, it’s nutty, slightly sweet, richly textured, and just makes me think about a cooler time of year.
Sweet potatoes are a lovely side dish for almost chicken or almost anything, and they’re even better when you bake them in your air fryer.
Besides, sweet potatoes have a slightly sweet taste and richness.
They are also satisfying and filling, so you’ll be able to enjoy smaller portions of meat with them.
And you’ll have to worry no more about that greasy feeling in your belly!
I think this recipe sprang up from Thanksgiving recipes of yore, but I will serve this year round.
It goes with all kinds of poultry dishes and it always surprises people who have never had it.
It makes regular old cornbread look like a dry, tasteless chump.
(No offense, cornbread.)
The Jiffy Cornbread boxed mix makes this an easy recipe and you just dump in everything else.
And it has the balanced amount of sweetness that you’d expect in a classic corn casserole.
It’s also made with canned corn, sour cream, and butter, so it’s super easy to make at home!
How to Make Mashed Potatoes
When it comes to making the perfect side dish for meat dishes like steak or pork chops, there is one dish that stands above all the rest: mashed potatoes. A bowl of light, fluffy, and perfectly seasoned mashed potatoes will catapult any good meat dish into “amazing territory”.
Baked Sweet Potato Fries
Cooking and serving sweet potato fries always feels like such a treat. The best part is that they cook up nicely in the oven.
Steamed Green Beans with Lemon
Green beans make an easy and delicious healthy side dish. These steamed green beans only require 5 ingredients.
How to saute green beans (easy recipe)
We saute green beans at our house so often that in truth it is probably every 10 days or so. They are such a simple dish to prepare and we love them.
Texas Roadhouse Green Beans Recipe (Copycat)
If you have ever been to Texas Roadhouse you know how divine their green beans are. This recipe starts with cans of cut green beans with a handful of additional ingredients, like cooked bacon, onion, garlic, and a bit of sugar, so it’s just enough cooking time for the flavors to meld.
Blackened Broccoli
If you’re looking for a quick and delicious veggie side dish, this charred broccoli recipe is perfect for you! If you want to add a bit more flavor, squeeze some lemon juice on the broccoli florets just before serving.
How to Saute Mushrooms
The beauty of sauteed mushrooms is that they are tasty all on their own but there are endless options on how to serve them. Minced garlic and sauteed mushrooms were born to go together.
How To Saute Zucchini
This quick and easy recipe for how to saute zucchini is perfect for busy evenings when you need a simple yet delicious side dish. Sauteing vegetables is so easy because you only need a few ingredients to have a delicious meal.
Glazed Carrots in the Microwave
For a quick weeknight side dish, this recipe works great. This recipe provides the glaze after cooking, so they will not get too “sticky” from a dry heat like they might in the oven or stovetop.
Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus
Every now and again, you might get a hankering for a fancy appetizer and this Easy Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus is just the ticket. This amazing and quick appetizer brings together the salty flavors of prosciutto perfectly with the subtle sweetness of roasted asparagus, and puts them in little snackable bundles that ticks all the boxes for “perfect finger food”.
Easy Arugula Salad Recipe
We can’t get enough of this easy arugula salad recipe. A great feature about this salad is how insanely easy it is to create.
Cucumber Tomato Salad
This cucumber salad with tomatoes and red onion is so simple to make. It’s a fresh and light side salad that’s perfect alongside many dishes.
No-mayo Carolina coleslaw recipe (super yummy!)
What I like about this coleslaw recipe is that it’s very different from classic slaw with a homestyle mayonnaise dressing. It’s sweet, tangy, and of course, yummy!
Apple Carrot Slaw
This sweet apple carrot coleslaw recipe is just such a recipe: the right balance of sweet and tangy crunch. A great tip to keep apples from turning brown in your coleslaw is to first mix them with apple cider vinegar or lemon juice.
Cheesy Garlic Biscuits Copycat Recipe
The problem is, I can’t justify a whole restaurant trip every time I want those cheesy, garlicky little bites of heaven. Just don’t skip the garlic-butter dabbed on all the warm biscuit tops at the end; it’s where the magic happens!
Butter Dip Biscuits
These butter dip biscuits offer the comfort of homemade baking with minimal effort. Made from a few pantry ingredients, they come together quickly, with no kneading required.
Mexican Street Corn
Elote is a Mexican corn dish that is made with sweet corn, spices, mayo, lime, and cotija cheese. Mexican street corn, also known as Elote, is generally served in one of two ways.
The bottom line
As you see, chicken can go well with tons of side dishes, whether it’s fresh or savory.
I hope that this epic compilation has been helpful in your search for the perfect side dish to serve with chicken in the future.
So now what do you serve with your chicken?
