Jul 2, 2025
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40 Side Dishes For Chicken The Whole Family Will Love

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Chicken is the ultimate weeknight dinner component. It’s budget-friendly, healthy, and easy to cook. Plus, you can prepare it dozens of ways. Because plain chicken doesn’t have a ton of flavor on its own, you can get really creative with your side dishes. There’s truly a chicken side dish for everyone on this list.

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Morgan Hunt Glaze; Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless; Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf


Sweet and spicy, these carrot coins are a retro recipe that has stood the test of time. Apple cider vinegar adds a brightness to the veggie side and helps tame some of the heat of the jalapeño.

Credit:

Greg Dupree; Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle; Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer


This side dish is the definition of rich: Thinly sliced potatoes are submerged in a rich cream sauce and baked with plenty of cheese. The result is a hardy dish perfect for roast chicken, baked cutlets, and more.

Credit:

Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox


This potluck staple is a wonderful chicken dinner side on a weeknight too. We’ve updated the classic by peeling the carrots into delicate ribbons, which happens to be less work than shredding.

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Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Torie Cox


Fluffy and spicy, this cornbread is a perfect match for fried chicken. Pro tip: Remove the seeds from the peppers before adding them to the batter for a milder cornbread.

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Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox


We’re pretty sure you could put ranch seasoning on a shoe and folks would eat it. This recipe, luckily, only uses it on green beans, but the way it transforms the humble vegetable into something everyone in the family will love is magical.

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Jen Causey; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Lydia Purcell


Sometimes you need a fresh, crunchy side dish to cut through the rich flavor of your main dish, enter this salad. Loaded with collards, fennel, fresh orange segments, and tart dried cherries, it hits all the right notes.

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Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling; Prop Stylist: Christina Daley


These potatoes earn their name for their incredibly creamy, almost melt-in-your-mouth texture. They’re well worth setting aside 45 minutes to make.

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Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling; Prop Stylist: Prissy Lee Montiel


Homemade Caesar dressing might feel like too much for a weeknight chicken side, but this easy recipe takes all the hard work out of the dressing (and there’s no raw egg or anchovies included). Mayonnaise makes for an easy base, while olive brine adds the salty, depth of flavor that tinned fish normally would.

Credit:

Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox


Though it takes a little bit of extra time, make sure not to skip placing the Brussels on the sheet pan with the cut side down. This step will ensure that the whole surface becomes crispy.

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Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox


You’ll find both cheddar cheese and smoked Gouda cheese on the ingredient list for this old-fashioned casserole. We must warn you, this side dish just may outshine the chicken when served on the same plate.

Credit: Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Transform broccoli into a flavorful (and healthy!) side dish with just the addition of salt, pepper, and olive oil. You can also add a little bit of lemon juice or Parmesan cheese just before serving for an extra punch of flavor.

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Stacy K. Allen; Food Stylist: Melissa Gray; Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle


Let your slow cooker handle the side dish while you focus on the main course. The flavors of these green beans will develop as they cook with the bacon and onion.

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Greg Dupree; Food Stylist: Micah Morton; Prop Stylist: Ginny Branch


This impressive side dish is much easier to pull together than it looks, and takes just 25 minutes from start to finish. Plus, in addition to the broccolini you’ll need just a handful of ingredients.

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Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox


Using a convection setting, if available, will ensure that these slender potatoes are tender and golden brown when you take them out of the oven. You can also use whatever fresh or dried herbs you have on hand for an extra dose of flavor.

Credit:

Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox


Wrap prosciutto around anything and it’s guaranteed to be a hit (including chicken). These asparagus bundles are no exception. We recommend using thicker spears for this recipe, as they won’t overcook under the broiler while the prosciutto crisps. Just be sure to trim off any woody ends.

Credit:

Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox


Enjoy the richness of a loaded baked potato in casserole form with this easy recipe. According to readers, this side dish is even better when you add garlic to the mashed potato mixture.

Credit: Photographer: Isaac Nunn, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn

Garlic, parmesan, and bacon are the ideal trio to turn green beans into an exciting and flavorful side dish. Together, they pack plenty of flavor into every bite of this easy recipe.

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Robby Lozano; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall


This salad will have every flavor imaginable bursting in your mouth, from juicy grapes to crunchy broccoli and pecans. The farfalle pasta and sweet, tangy, creamy dressing ties all those ingredients together into a crowd-pleasing combination.

Credit: Greg Dupree; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

In just 25 minutes, transform asparagus into a cheesy dish that both kids and adults will want to eat. Just make sure to serve it immediately.

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Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox


Name nearly any chicken dish, and these smashed potatoes are the perfect side for them. Use them as a canvas to sop up pan sauces, or let them be on their own, crispy on the outside and buttery-creamy on the inside.

Credit: Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Brussels sprouts recipes are everywhere these days, but we bet you haven’t had one like this yet. This simply delicious oven-roasted recipe will entice the sprout-haters to give it a try, and requires just four ingredients plus salt and pepper.

Credit: Antonis Achilleos

It’s a whole lot easier to convince your children to eat their greens when there’s parmesan, butter, and cream involved. Serve it as a standalone side or over grits or cornbread. Bonus: This five-ingredient dish is ready in under 30 minutes.

Credit: Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Rishon Hanners; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis

With black-eyed peas and cornbread croutons, this salad is just about as Southern as it gets. The croutons are a great way to use up stale, leftover cornbread. This salad can play a supporting role alongside a platter of fried chicken.

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Victor Protasio; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Ginny Branch


This veggie version of a classic macaroni and cheese can be made up to one day in advance to help you out the night you’re serving. Not a fan of broccoli? We have tons of macaroni and cheese recipes that will go with chicken just as well.

Credit: Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

We’re breaking out the trusty air fryer for these irresistibly crispy on the outside, soft on the inside taters. Watch out because these will be your new favorite, go-to potato side, especially once you whip up our Everything But the Kitchen Sink Sauce.

Credit: Photographer: Jen Causey, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn

For summer nights, this classic succotash brings together all of the season’s veggies into one flavorful pot. The additions of crumbled bacon and fresh basil bring it to new heights, which is why we call it the “Best-Ever.”

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Greg Dupree, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen


There aren’t many dishes that a perfect baked potato won’t complement. This no-fail, no-fuss recipe will win every time, and can be customized with endless toppings. Keep it basic with olive oil, salt, and butter or set up an extensive topping bar.

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These carrots are pretty enough for a company-is-coming spread and equally as delicious. A touch of cinnamon, nutmeg, and black pepper give them more spark than the typical glazed carrots. Choose young, slender carrots for the best flavor.

Credit: Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Kellie Kelley; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke

This sweet and spicy slaw featuring a rainbow of fruits and vegetables is a healthy, flavorful option for any summer picnic or potluck. It would specifically go great with barbecue chicken and would also be a hit on taco night.

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Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer


This colorful salad tastes as good as it looks.Canned black-eyed peas are certainly the quickest and easiest option to use in this recipe, but frozen black-eyed peas are another good option.

Credit: Greg Dupree; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch

This stunning green salad is the best way to show off fall’s bounty. The bold flavor of cruciferous vegetables, apples, and squash will add excitement to any chicken dish you serve, especially a simple roasted bird.

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Emily Laurae / Southern Living


Instead of roasting or mashing your potatoes, you should be smashing them. Let this recipe prove it to you. If you can’t find baby red potatoes, any new potatoes or small creamy potatoes will work great.

Credit: Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox

In our version of this coastal classic from Georgia, the pilaf gets baked in the oven so it can develop a mix of tender and crispy textures. Tomatoes, onion, celery, and green pepper load this hearty rice dish up with flavor. Use a little hot sauce if you like it spicy.

Credit: Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox

While okra is a seasonal summer favorite, you can just as well grab a bag of the frozen stuff to curb those out-of-season cravings. This recipe is delightfully easy to prepare, thanks to a few tricks that let you avoid any dipping and dredging.

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Fred Hardy II; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Christina Brockman


No fried chicken dinner is complete without a helping of baked beans, so good thing we’re here to help you out. This recipe elevates canned beans with extra baked bean flavor. You’ll love how easy it is to stir the ingredients together and stick your casserole dish in the oven.

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Morgan Hunt Glaze; Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey; Prop Stylist: Christina Daley


You can’t beat fresh, grilled corn at your summer barbecue. This simple method involves pulling back the husks to use as a handle. After they’re lightly charred, wrap the ears in foil with butter and any seasonings you choose.

Credit: Caitlin Bensel

No peeling is necessary to serve up these crispy potatoes. Boiling the potatoes before browning them in a skillet will ensure that they’re both tender and crispy.

Credit:

Caitlin Bensel, Food Stylist: Torie Cox


This popular summer recipe would be very refreshing alongside barbecued chicken or kabobs. Red wine vinegar, feta cheese, and fresh herbs make for an exciting mix of sweet, tangy, and salty. Add the dressing just before serving.

Credit: Victor Protasio

Pasta night meets chicken dinner. Instead of cooking up another box of pasta, try this quick gnocchi recipe with pillowy dumplings browned in butter and simmered with peas, parsley, and lemon. Add in some grilled chicken, and you’ve got the complete package.

Credit: Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez; Prop Styling: Buffy Hargett Miller; Food Styling: William Smith

Guests will have no idea that this beautiful side dish only took 10 minutes of hands-on time. Caramelized pearl onions and a sweet balsamic syrup glaze the beans, which cook very quickly if you use slender haricots verts.



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