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These side dishes for chicken make it a meal! Pick from top ideas like roasted and sauteed vegetables, rice, pasta, salads, and more.
![Side dishes for chicken](https://www.acouplecooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Garlic-chicken-006.jpg)
Making chicken and want to make it into a meal? Here are our top 50 side dishes for chicken! We’ve combed our archives for ideas and we must say, this is one excellent list. There are colorful roasted and sauteed vegetables, fluffy rice and quinoa, creamy mashed potatoes, savory focaccia bread, and loads of crisp salads. There’s something for just about every season and occasion: ready to complete your meal and make you the culinary hero!
And now…50 top side dishes for chicken!
One of our top side dishes for chicken: green beans almondine! It's a simple and stunning side dish, pairing tender beans with butter, garlic, and toasted almonds.
This chopped salad will amaze everyone around the table! Homemade Italian dressing, crisp veggies and Parmesan cheese combine into one extraordinary salad.
Sauteed broccolini It is one of the fastest, tastiest side dishes there is! The perfect simple side dish for chicken, cook it up in 5 minutes with garlic and lemon.
This couscous recipe comes out fluffy and perfectly seasoned in minutes! Here are the tricks to how to cook couscous, a quick side for any meal.
Here’s the secret to the best crispy Brussels sprouts! They’re roasted until blackened and caramelized, then tossed with a tangy sweet balsamic sauce.
This creamed corn recipe has the best flavor from scratch! The creamy sweet pops of kernels makes a side to pair with anything, from chicken to fish to vegetarian dishes.
This garlic butter noodles recipe is fast, easy, and bursting with flavor! This crowd pleasing pasta comes together in 20 minutes, the ideal side dish for chicken.
This Parmesan potato wedges recipe will have your friends and family singing your praises. There's something about the crispy potato outside, the tender inside, and the savory pop of crunchy Parmesan bits.
This romaine salad is simple and stunning! It pairs the refreshing lettuce with creamy Green Goddess dressing and crunchy breadcrumbs.
This lemon rice recipe is a simple way to make a stand-out side dish for chicken! It’s easy to whip up and comes out zingy and citrusy.
Attention, mushroom lovers: here’s the perfect sauteed mushrooms recipe! It brings out the best savory flavor with lemon and fresh herbs.
This easy apple salad recipe is a side dish to impress! It stars the crisp fruit with greens, cheese crumbles, and a zingy maple vinaigrette.
This oven roasted sweet potatoes recipe is the only one you need! Season them to perfection, then bake in a hot oven until caramelized.
Here’s how to cook orzo as a simple side dish for chicken! This rice-shaped pasta comes together in minutes, flavored simply with butter and lemon.
Here's our go-to side dish for when we don't know what to make! Simply dress baby arugula with lemon juice and olive oil, then add Parmesan shavings and sliced shallot. It's so delicious and ideal for pairing with chicken!
These honey glazed carrots are crisp-tender and covered in a silky sweet sauce! This easy side dish will wow everyone.
Want a cozy side dish for chicken? These cozy vegetables make a healthy side dish that tastes like it’s been roasting all day!
This simple and vibrant kale salad will become your go-to side dish! Juicy lemon, salty Parmesan, and a touch of garlic cover the tender leaves for a refreshing, flavor-packed bite.
This is the best mashed potatoes recipe, hands down! Here’s how to make creamy, perfectly seasoned potatoes that everyone will love. Also try our favorite Horseradish Mashed Potatoes or Garlic Mashed Potatoes.
This skillet cornbread recipe will become your go-to! Bake it up in an oven-safe or cast iron skillet and prepare to be amazed.
This endive salad recipe is a mix of refreshing, tangy and sweet! Combine this bitter green with orange, Parmesan and red wine vinaigrette to make an elegant side to pair with just about anything.
Cornmeal, water and butter make a polenta that’s creamy, thick, and savory. Top this creamy polenta recipe with roasted veggies, shrimp or ragout.
This pesto tortellini recipe makes a quick weeknight meal or side dish! Drape the tender pasta in this creamy, herby sauce.
This frisee salad is refreshing and sophisticated, ideal for pairing with chicken. This frilly leafy green is accentuated with orange, almonds and a zingy vinaigrette.
Roasted broccoli and cauliflower is an irresistibly easy side dish! Here’s how to roast the two vegetables to perfection. Or, make them separately as Roasted Broccoli or Roasted Cauliflower.
There’s something about the wedge salad that satisfies every time! This cabbage wedge with creamy dressing is an ideal side dish for chicken.
Focaccia bread is a tasty side dish that works with almost any meal! It’s tall and fluffy, crispy on the outside with pillowy air pockets on the inside.
Quite possibly the easiest side dish for chicken? Peas with lemon, ready in just 5 minutes! Cooking frozen peas with garlic and lemon makes an easy side dish everyone will love.
Farro is a whole grain that can be used as an alternative to rice, barley or other grains. There’s nothing better than tossing this grain with butter, garlic and fresh herbs as a simple side dish!
Whip up a pot of this flavorful pinto beans recipe, simmered with aromatic veggies and smoky spices. It’s perfect as a satisfying side dish for chicken.
This versatile quinoa salad recipe pairs crunchy veggies with a zingy dressing! It’s ideal as a side dish, and leftovers work for lunches, picnics, and more.
Here’s how to make the best sauteed vegetables: colorful, flavor-packed and crisp tender! They comes together quickly for an healthy side.
Looking for a sophisticated side dish? This shaved fennel salad is light and refreshing, pairing the raw vegetable with apple, lemon, and Parmesan cheese.
The delicate noodles of angel hair pasta pair with light sauces and fresh flavors! Here’s how to flavor this pasta as an easy side dish.
Have you tried smashed Brussels sprouts? This recipe is truly special: they come out crispy on the outside and tender on the inside.
This colorful couscous salad recipe tastes irresistibly fresh with herbs, garlic, and lemon! It makes a colorful side dish for chicken.
Here’s the very best sauteed spinach recipe, guaranteed to make eating your greens taste amazing! Even better, it takes just 10 minutes to whip up.
This crisp butter lettuce salad is simple and fresh! Dress this delicate lettuce with Parmesan dressing, chives and breadcrumbs.
Haricot verts, aka French green beans, are thin and deliciously tender sautéed with herbs and lemon. A fast and easy side dish!
Here’s how to season quinoa so it tastes irresistible! Add herbs and garlic for a fluffy, irresistible side dish.
This roasted fingerling potatoes recipe makes a stellar side dish for chicken! The spuds come out crispy on the outside and buttery tender on the inside.
This tangy apple slaw recipe pairs cabbage with carrots, apples, and a creamy poppyseed dressing. The perfect fresh, easy side dish!
This wild rice salad recipe is simple and bursting with flavor, with crunchy veggies, pecans, cranberries, a zingy dressing, and feta cheese!
Sauteed kale is the best way to eat this healthy leafy green! Scented with garlic and cooked in olive oil until tender, you’ll want to eat it every day.
This green bean salad recipe is packed with flavor, starring tomatoes, feta and a zingy dressing. Ideal as a side or for summer potlucks!
Make your broccoli taste amazing in just 10 minutes! This easy sauteed broccoli highlights its fresh flavor and comes out perfectly crisp tender. See also: Boiled Broccoli and Steamed Broccoli in the Microwave.
What's a better side dish for chicken than a great Caesar salad? This stunner has the perfect balance of creamy homemade dressing, crunchy croutons, and crisp lettuce.
Here’s how to make the best sauteed cabbage! Tender and flavored with garlic and lemon, it’s the perfect easy side dish to accent any meal.
When it's the season, delicata squash to the rescue! This easy roasted delicata squash comes out sweet and tender every time.
Last up in our side dishes for chicken, this go-to lentil salad! It's everyone’s favorite side dish, bursting with flavor and texture contrasts.
More chicken recipes
What chicken recipe are you planning to cook up? (Tell us in the comments below.) If you’re looking for more with this tasty protein, we’ve got loads of ways to make it into a stunning meal. Here are a few of our top chicken dinner ideas:
- Try simple and classic Chicken Piccata or Tuscan Chicken
- Go for easy baked Greek Chicken
- Mix up Lemon Garlic Chicken or Creamy Garlic Chicken
- Make Pesto Chicken or Grilled Chicken
- Whip up Baked Chicken Thighs, Pan Fried Chicken Thighs or Grilled Chicken Thighs
- For Chicken Enchiladas, go to 10 Best Sides to Serve with Enchiladas
![Green Beans Almondine](https://www.acouplecooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Green-Bean-Almondine-005-368x368.jpg)
50 Side Dishes for Chicken
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
Description
These side dishes for chicken make it a meal! Pick from top ideas like roasted and sauteed vegetables, rice, pasta, salads, and more. See below for our Green Beans Almondine recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 pound French green beans (Haricot verts)*
- 2 tablespoon salted butter (or olive oil or plant-based butter, for vegan)
- ¼ cup sliced almonds
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- Zest of 1 lemon
Instructions
- Trim the green beans. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Prepare a large bowl of ice water.
- Blanch the beans: Add the beans to the boiling water and cook for 3 to 4 minutes (or 4 to 5 minutes for standard green beans)*, until tender but still crisp. Right when the beans are tender, remove them from the boiling water with tongs and transfer them to the bowl of ice water. Once cool, drain and pat them dry on a clean dish cloth. (You can blanch the beans up to 3 days in advance and refrigerate until completing Step 3.)
- Cook the beans: In a medium skillet, heat the butter over medium heat. Add the sliced almonds and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant but not yet browned. Add the dried green beans and salt and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until warmed through and almonds are lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more, until the garlic is fragrant. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon zest. Taste and add a few more pinches salt if necessary.
Notes
*French green beans are thinner and more tender than standard green beans, but standard beans also work. Blanch them 4 to 5 minutes until just tender.
- Category: Side dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Vegetables
- Diet: Vegetarian
Let us know if you have any questions!