31 Delicious Side Dishes for Your Chicken Dinner
We’re not here to do the math, but we’re pretty sure there are more great side dishes for chicken than there are chicken recipes to start with—and there are a lot of those. The best sides for chicken may depend on the way you’re cooking the bird—a burnished roast chicken in the fall or winter goes wonderfully with butternut squash or cauliflower, while grilled chicken in the summer makes more sense with high-season salads and veggies charred over the coals. Below, you’ll find a wide selection of the tried-and-true recipes we recommend for rounding out your chicken dinner.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich1/31Air Fryer Green Beans
If you’re focused on keeping an eye on the internal temperature of the bird, you need side dishes for chicken that practically make themselves. Green beans get crisp-tender and gently browned in the air fryer, and all they need for seasoning is extra-virgin olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Anne Eastman, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich2/31Roast “Chrysanthemum” Onions
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Food Styling by Jennifer Ophir3/31Autumn Kale Salad
A simple dinner doesn’t really require both a salad and a cooked vegetable side, especially if your fresh greens are tossed with sweet slices of caramelized squash, toasted nuts, and shavings of cheese.
Photo by Elizabeth Coetzee, Food Styling by Mira Evnine4/31Lyonnaise Potatoes
We will absolutely never say no to a big scoop of potatoes, but when we’re trying to figure out what to serve with chicken, we want to make sure there’s a bit of brightness on the plate too. This classic French dish gets its balance thanks to a few tablespoons of tangy vinegar that keep the richness of the buttery potatoes and the sweetness of jammy cooked onions in check.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Ali Nardi5/31Cheesy Potato and Kale Gratin With Rye Croutons
Some gratin recipes require a bit of fiddling before everything goes in the oven, but this dish doesn’t ask you to simmer the cream or pre-cook your kale. Just layer and bake.
Johnny Miller7/31Cucumber Salad With Red Onion and Dill
If you’re a freak for pickles, you need to try this crunchy, tangy salad. Pile it on a plate next to grilled chicken breasts, or bring it to the table with crispy air-fried chicken thighs.
Photo by Elizabeth Coetzee, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton8/31Maple-Roasted Delicata Squash
Delicata squash is blissfully easy to prep. Roast it with sliced red onions and a touch of maple syrup at the same oven temperature as Jacques Pépin’s cognac-sauced chicken for an elegant chicken dinner.
Photo by Waterbury Publications, Inc.9/31Blissed-Out Crispy Cheesy Broccoli Gratin
Simple roasted broccoli is a revelation if you’re used to eating the steamed or boiled stuff. Cheesy sheet-pan roasted broccoli with crunchy breadcrumbs? Even more mind-blowing.
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton11/31Glazed Carrots
Learning to glaze vegetables means that you can make a fancy-feeling side dish at the drop of a hat.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Judy Haubert12/31Yellow Squash Casserole
This version of the classic Southern side dish skips the cheddar cheese, Ritz crackers, and eggs and lets the sweet summer squash really shine. Roasting rather than sautéing the yellow squash before baking the dish makes sure the flavor is concentrated, not watery.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell13/31Green Beans Amandine
Photo by Elizabeth Coetzee, Food Styling by Sean Dooley14/31Hasselback Potatoes
These splayed-out potatoes offer fabulous texture. The key to prepping them without slicing all the way through: using chopsticks as a guide.
Photo by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Yekaterina Boystova16/31Greek-Style Lemon Potatoes With Garlic and Oregano
Photo by Johnny Miller17/31Farro Salad With Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Red Onion, and Goat Cheese
Grain salads add loads of texture to a plate of chicken; you can consider this one a flexible formula and riff from here.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Prop Styling by Anne Eastman, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich18/31Steamed Savoy Cabbage and Mustard Greens With Bacon
Sweet cabbage is lightly steamed and paired with tender mustard greens, garlicky butter, and crisp bacon.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne19/31Roasted Carrots and Parsnips With Honey
Throw these root veggies in the oven before you start browning these lemony chicken thighs. Everything can cook together in a 400° oven; if the carrots and parsnips finish before you’re done prepping the chicken, they can sit at room temp, tented with foil.
Photograph by Chris Simpson, Food Styling by Taneka Morris, Prop Styling by Gözde Eker20/31Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Maple-Soy Caramel
We love simply roasted brussels sprouts and brussels sprouts paired with pancetta, but this sweet and savory, softly spicy version from Hetty McKinnon has become an all-time favorite.
Photo by Elizabeth Coetzee, Food Styling by Mira Evnine22/31Twice-Baked-Potato Casserole
Individual twice-baked potatoes feel a little fussy for all but a special occasion meal, but this large-format casserole gives you all those flavors and textures with less fiddly prep.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Judy Haubert23/31Creamy Coleslaw
The best side dish for grilled chicken with barbecue sauce? This crunchy slaw, which cuts the richness of mayo and sour cream with a few tablespoons of apple cider vinegar.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Judy Haubert25/31Roasted Sweet Potatoes With Spiced Maple Glaze
Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Rebecca Jurkevich26/31Air Fryer Cauliflower
Cauliflower can take a long time to roast; speed things up with the hot air currents of your air fryer.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne27/31Roasted Asparagus With Garlic
When asparagus is in season, it’s particularly sweet and snappy, requiring minimal seasoning and just a quick roast.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Micah Morton, prop styling by JoJo Li28/31Charred Cabbage With Kimchi Dressing
If you only use cabbage to make slaw recipes, you’re missing out on so much of this vegetable’s multifaceted personality. Roasting it hot gives you tender pieces with bits of char and a sweetness that welcomes a spicy, tart dressing.
Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton29/31Easy Pasta Salad
Invited to a potluck and need to bring along bbq sides that’ll go with the chicken on the grill? A big batch of this fresh, tangy pasta salad can be prepped a few hours in advance.
