The Best Sides To Accompany Those Chicken Dinners

Everyone knows it's really the sides that shine.

Smashed Baby Red Potatoes
Photo: Iain Bagwell

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. Chicken will go with just about anything, so we picked out some of our favorite chicken dinner sides that are packed with flavor. We've got a few different preparations of potatoes—baked, mashed, and smashed—and lots of refreshing ways to prepare vegetables, like our Field Pea, Corn, and Bacon Salad.

Whether you want to go healthy with a fresh veggie side or heavy with a classic macaroni and cheese recipe, you'll love these side dishes for chicken. You've probably got a rotisserie chicken in the fridge or some chicken breasts in the freezer, so it's time to get them out and pair them with these sides. From picky kids to health-nut parents, there's truly a chicken side dish for everyone on this list.

01 of 26

Roasted Broccoli Macaroni and Cheese

Roasted Broccoli Macaroni and Cheese
Victor Protasio; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch Stelling; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall

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.

02 of 26

Honey-Glazed Spiced Carrots

Honey-Glazed Spiced Carrots
Iain Bagwell

These flavorful carrots are pretty enough for a company-is-coming spread and equally as delicious.

03 of 26

Lisa Cericola's Herbed Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes

Lisa's Herbed Brown Butter Mashed Potatoes
Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Margaret Monroe Dickey; Prop Styling: Audrey Davis

There's not much that a warm serving of mashed potatoes doesn't taste good with, especially when that serving has brown butter in it.

04 of 26

Skillet-Toasted Gnocchi with Peas

Skillet-Toasted Gnocchi with Peas
Victor Protasio

Pasta night meets chicken dinner. Instead of cooking up another box of pasta, try this quick gnocchi recipe topped with grilled chicken for new flavor and a complete meal.

05 of 26

Grilled Baby Zucchini-and-Tomato Salad

Grilled Baby Zucchini-and-Tomato Salad
Greg Dupree; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch; Food Styling: Anna Hampton

Instead of walking back and forth between the grill and stovetop, cook your chicken and side dish on the grill together. This simple, fresh recipe is perfect for summer.

06 of 26

Field Pea, Corn and Bacon Salad

Field Pea, Corn, and Bacon Salad
Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Cat Steele

This fresh salad would make for a filling summer dinner over a bed of greens with grilled shrimp, chicken, or steak on top.

07 of 26

Pasta with Burst Tomatoes and Mascarpone

Pasta with Burst Tomatoes and Mascarpone
Hector Sanchez

You'll want to make extra burst tomatoes to add to sandwiches and omelets all week.

08 of 26

Herbed Cucumber-and-Tomato Salad

Herbed Cucumber-and-Tomato Salad
Greg DuPree

This refreshing salad is one of our best ways to cool off on hot summer days and pairs well with steak and chicken alike.

09 of 26

Spicy Pineapple Slaw

Spicy Pineapple Slaw
Victor Protasio; Food Styling: Kellie Kelley; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke

This sweet and spicy slaw is a healthy, flavorful option for any summer picnic or potluck. It would specifically go great with barbecue chicken.

10 of 26

Arugula Salad with Bacony Croutons and Sherry Vinaigrette

Arugula Salad with Bacony Croutons and Sherry Vinaigrette
Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke

If you want a salad that's anything but boring, allow us to introduce you to this pretty little arugula number.

11 of 26

Balsamic Green Beans with Pearl Onions

Balsamic Green Beans with Pearl Onions Recipe
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.

12 of 26

Black-Eyed Pea and Grain Salad

Black-Eyed Pea and Grain Salad
Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Kaye E. Clarke; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Southern favorite Texas Caviar inspired this colorful salad, so you know it will be a crowd-pleaser.

13 of 26

Harvest Salad

Harvest Salad
Greg Dupree; Food Styling: Chelsea Zimmer; Prop Styling: Ginny Branch

This stunning green salad is the best way to show off fall's bounty.

14 of 26

Baked Potatoes

Perfect Baked Potatoes
Jennifer Causey

There aren't many dishes that a perfect baked potato won't complement. This no-fail, no-fuss recipe will win every time.

15 of 26

Cuban Black Bean-and-Yellow Rice Bowls

Cuban Black Bean-and-Yellow Rice Bowls
Greg DuPree; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Top this hearty, colorful bowl off with some grilled or roasted chicken, and your family will be stuffed (with the good-for-you stuff).

16 of 26

Maple-Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Bacon

Maple-Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Bacon
Caitlin Bensel; Food Styling: Torie Cox

Brussels sprouts recipes are everywhere these days, but we bet you haven't had one like this yet.

17 of 26

Smashed Baby Red Potatoes

Smashed Baby Red Potatoes
Iain Bagwell

Instead of roasting or mashing your potatoes, you should be smashing them. Let this recipe prove it to you.

18 of 26

Southern Cobb Salad with Cornbread Croutons

Southern Cobb Salad with Cornbread Croutons
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.

19 of 26

Creamed Spinach

Creamed Spinach
Antonis Achilleos

It's a whole lot easier to convince your children to eat their greens when there's parmesan, butter, and cream involved. Bonus, this four-ingredient dish is ready in under 30 minutes.

20 of 26

Best-Ever Succotash

a skillet of best-ever succotash
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.

21 of 26

Collard Green Creole Dirty Rice

Collard Green Creole Dirty Rice
Alison Miksch; Prop Styling: Kay E. Clarke; Food Styling: Mary-Claire Britton

A generous scoop of this flavorful and leafy-filled rice is the perfect accompaniment to be served with roasted chicken breast on top.

22 of 26

Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus

Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus
Jennifer Causey

Wrap bacon around anything and it's guaranteed to be a hit. These asparagus bundles are no exception.

23 of 26

Air Fryer Smashed Potatoes

Smashed Potatoes on a blue tray
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.

24 of 26

Arroz Verde (Mexican Green Rice)

Arroz Verde (Mexican Green Rice)
Antonis Achilleos; Prop Styling: Mindi Shapiro Levine; Food Styling: Tina Stamos

This Southwestern-style rice will take your next chicken fajita or taco night to the next level. You'll have this colorful side on the table in just 15 minutes.

25 of 26

Pan-Fried Okra with Cornmeal Recipe

Pan-Fried Okra with Cornmeal Recipe
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.

26 of 26

Garden Potato Salad

Garden Potato Salad
Helen Norman; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas

And of course, we can't forget about potato salad, but we're saving the traditional version for the backyard barbecues and opting for this fresh spin when it comes to weeknights.

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