Chicken is probably the meat I cook most often at home. My kids like it, there are dozens of ways to prepare it, and I usually have some chicken in the fridge or freezer. The harder question is often what to put next to it.
Potatoes are an obvious choice, but I don’t want to serve potatoes every single time we have chicken. So I put together some of my favorite side dishes for chicken, including salads, vegetables, bread, beans, and a few more substantial sides.
Most of them work with several different chicken recipes, whether you’re making chicken breasts, thighs, grilled chicken, or a whole roast chicken.
Crispy Garlic Smashed Potatoes
Crispy potatoes are hard to beat next to roasted, grilled, or pan-fried chicken.
These baby potatoes are boiled until tender, smashed, then roasted with herbs before being finished with garlic butter. I especially like them with chicken thighs or a simple chicken breast.
Cheesy Broccoli Casserole
Broccoli gets a lot easier to serve with dinner once cheese is involved.
This casserole works well alongside roasted chicken and gives you both the vegetable and cheesy side in one dish. It’s also a nice choice for a bigger Sunday dinner.
Blueberry and Grape Green Salad
For creamy or buttery chicken dishes, I like adding something fresh to the plate.
This salad combines blueberries and grapes with greens and a balsamic glaze, giving you a sweet and tangy contrast to richer chicken recipes.
Butternut Squash Risotto
Butternut squash risotto makes a simple chicken dinner feel a little more special.
The creamy rice and slightly sweet squash pair particularly well with roasted chicken, and it’s a great combination during the colder months.
Rustic No-Yeast Bread Rolls
Fresh bread is always useful when chicken comes with plenty of sauce.
These little rolls don’t require yeast and take around 30 minutes to make, so you don’t have to start preparing them hours before dinner.
Use them for soaking up everything from creamy chicken sauce to gravy.
Pepperoni and Cheese Pasta Salad
A cold pasta salad works especially well with grilled or baked chicken when you don’t want another hot dish on the table.
This one has pepperoni and cheese mixed with pasta, so it’s a little more substantial than a basic green salad. It’s also easy to prepare earlier and keep in the fridge.
Tzatziki
Tzatziki is a great match for Greek-style chicken, grilled chicken breasts, or chicken served in wraps and pita bread.
The combination of yogurt, cucumber, garlic, and herbs adds a cool, fresh side to chicken that’s heavily seasoned or straight off the grill.
One-Skillet Pizza Beans
Beans aren’t the first side that comes to mind for chicken, but these work particularly well with a simple roasted chicken breast.
They’re cooked with tomatoes and topped with melted cheese, making them substantial enough that you don’t need potatoes or rice as well.
Blueberry Goat Cheese Flatbread
Cut this flatbread into smaller pieces and serve it alongside grilled chicken for a slightly different summer dinner.
Blueberries and goat cheese give it a mix of sweet and savory flavors that works particularly well with simply seasoned chicken.
Homemade Cranberry Sauce
Cranberry sauce doesn’t have to be saved for turkey. Its sweet and tart flavor works just as well with roast chicken, particularly for a fall or holiday dinner.
It’s also an easy way to add something different to the plate without making another heavy side dish.
Vegan Tuscan Butter Beans
These creamy butter beans can turn a simple piece of grilled or roasted chicken into a much more substantial dinner.
Tomatoes, herbs, and beans bring plenty of flavor, and they’re especially good with chicken that hasn’t been covered in a heavy sauce.
Crispy Pan-Fried Chickpeas
These seasoned chickpeas take about 25 minutes on the stovetop and add a crispy element to a chicken dinner.
They’re particularly good alongside Mediterranean or Greek-style chicken with a salad or tzatziki on the plate.
Stuffed Baked Potatoes
A baked potato is already a natural side for chicken, and your stuffed version takes it a little further with a creamy mashed filling, carrots, and prosciutto.
Pair it with a simple chicken breast or roasted chicken and you really don’t need much else for dinner.