44 Best Fried Chicken Side Dishes

Over 40 recipes to serve with fried chicken including veggies, salads, potatoes, and grains that round out your fried chicken dinner. Nutritious side dishes for fried chicken that taste great!

plate with mashed potatoes, squash casserole, sauteed green beans, and fried chicken with a casserole of squash casserole in background.

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About Fried Chicken Side Dishes
Veggie Sides for Fried Chicken
Grain-Based Sides for Fried Chicken
Potato Side Dish Recipes
44 Best Side Dishes for Fried Chicken

About Fried Chicken Side Dishes

Are you feeling a bit stuck not knowing what to serve with fried chicken? I've got 40+ ideas that you'll want to try for the best fried chicken sides.

While fried chicken is often a meal saved for special occasions (it takes effort to fry chicken!), you can always add nutritious sides to help boost the flavors and nutrients of your meal.

To make it easy, I've separated the recipes out in sections, including veggies sides, grain sides (like bread or lentils), and potatoes.

(Don't forget you can also add salad, but I left those out of this list.)

As you'll see in the picture above, I love pairing fried chicken with multiple sides like Sauteed Green Beans, Squash Casserole, and Mashed Potatoes! That being said, pick your favorites out of this massive list of side dishes for fried chicken, and enjoy!

Here are over 40 recipes to enjoy with your fried chicken:

Veggie Sides for Fried Chicken

This collection of vibrant veggie sides, from simple sautéed greens to decadent roasted dishes, offers the perfect balance of fresh flavors and textures to pair with your fried chicken.

Plus, you get added nutrients, fiber, and antioxidants when you add some extra veggies to your meal.

Sauteed Green Beans

Crisp-tender green beans are quickly sautéed with garlic in olive oil and butter for a simple side dish that never fails to please.

It's a classic side dish that lets the fresh flavor of this dish shine without overpowering your fried chicken. Make it year-round with fresh or frozen green beans.

Squash Casserole

A comforting Southern classic, this hearty side dish features tender squash in a homemade, rich, creamy sauce. It's the ultimate comfort food, which makes it a perfect side dish for any southern meal. And it's especially great for holidays, too.

Vegan Creamed Spinach

Creamy, savory, and entirely plant-based, this is a nutrient-rich option that delivers all the indulgent cheesy flavor of the classic thanks to the use of nutritional yeast.

Creamed spinach is a delicious side dish that you'll want for your fried chicken dinner, and you'll love it even if you don't follow a strictly plant-based diet.

Vegan Cheezy Broccoli Salad

This popular side dish gets a vegan makeover with a creamy, cashew cheese sauce. It’s a tasty side dish and a great way to enjoy a different type of broccoli salad with your crispy chicken.

Honey Sriracha Brussels Sprouts

Roasted brussels sprouts are tossed in a glaze for a perfect balance of sweet honey and spicy sriracha. They're a delicious side dish with garlicky depth and pecan crunch that will wake up your taste buds.

Air Fryer Bell Peppers

Sweet bell peppers are cooked in the air fryer with olive oil until tender and slightly blistered. This is an easy recipe for a healthy, colorful simple side dish.

clear bowl of roasted veggies next to rosemary sprigs, sweet potato, onion, garlic, and blue napkin

Thanksgiving Roasted Vegetables

A medley of fresh vegetables roasted to caramelized perfection with fresh herbs. This versatile recipe is one of the best side dishes for a holiday chicken feast.

Cream Cheese Stuffed Mini Peppers

Sweet mini peppers are filled with a rich, jalapeno and walnut cream cheese filling. These elegant bites are perfect sides for a juicy fried chicken main course.

Garlic Rosemary Carrots

Sweet and buttery stovetop carrots are infused with the earthy fragrance of rosemary and garlic. This easy recipe is a great side dish that complements chicken recipes beautifully.

Buffalo Brussels Sprouts

All the spicy, tangy flavor of Buffalo wings is applied to roasted brussels sprouts. It's the perfect way to transform ordinary roasted brussels sprouts into the ultimate side dish for fried chicken.

Roasted Vegetable Salad

Roasted vegetables are tossed with fresh greens and a hummus dressing that is both hearty and refreshing. It's a great idea way to complete a meal.

Cauliflower Tater Tots

A fun, healthier option and a better way to enjoy a French fries-like side. These crispy chicken-adjacent tots are perfect for dipping into spicy harissa ketchup.

Roasted Zucchini Hearts And Goat Cheese

Zucchini is shaped into adorable heart-shapes, roasted, and topped with creamy goat cheese. It's an elegant, flavorful simple side dish for your fried chicken or any main meal.

Creamy Cajun Cucumber Salad

Crisp, cool cucumber slices are coated in a spicy, creamy Cajun-inspired dressing. This unique cucumber salad offers a refreshing contrast to a rich fried chicken meal.

Five Spice Baby Bok Choy

Tender baby bok choy is quickly sautéed with aromatic Chinese five-spice powder. It’s a light, flavorful side that brings an additional flavor to your main dish.

Sautéed Broccolini

This sauteed broccolini only calls for 5 ingredients, ready to be served in just 20 minutes. With a hint of garlic, it's a sophisticated green side for your midweek dinner.

Summer Veggie Casserole

A celebration of summer's bounty, this casserole is packed with fresh vegetables like zucchini and yellow squash in a creamy, cheesy sauce.

Carrot Fries

Sweet carrots are cut into fries, seasoned, and baked. They're a healthier option and a great alternative to sweet potato fries or onion rings.

Blue Cheese Spaghetti Squash

The mild strands of spaghetti squash are tossed with pungent blue cheese crumbles and parmesan cheese. It's a low-carb, gluten-free side full of robust savory flavor.

Broiled Parmesan Tomatoes

Juicy tomato halves are topped with a savory parmesan cheese and herb crust. This easy recipe is a delicious way to enjoy fresh tomatoes as a standalone side dish.

three pieces of fried chicken sprinkled with salt on a brown paper bag after frying.

Grain-Based Sides for Fried Chicken

Here are a few ideas for grain-based recipes that can be enjoyed side dishes for fried chicken.

Roasted Vegetable Lentil Salad

Hearty lentils and roasted vegetables combine forces in a nutritious lentil salad. It's protein-packed and a hearty side dish that could easily be enjoyed as a main dish too.

Cilantro Lime Rice And Beans

Fluffy rice and black beans are brightened with fresh cilantro and lime. It’s a simple, wholesome side dish with fresh flavors for you to pair with your main course. That being said, it's still tasty even if it's basic.

Fried Corn

Sweet corn kernels are pan-fried in butter and bacon grease until juicy and caramelized. An irresistible Southern side dish - perfect with fried chicken and so much more!

Skillet Cornbread

Baked in a cast-iron skillet for a crisp crust, this 100% whole grain cornbread is tender and wonderfully moist. It's a fundamental side dish in southern cuisine that you'll love with your fried chicken.

clear bowl with a silver spoon, cooked lentils, mozzarella, walnuts, tomatoes, and basil on a straw mat.

Caprese Lentil Tomato Salad

A nutritious twist on Caprese, featuring protein-rich lentils, cherry tomatoes, fresh basil, and mozzarella. It's a delicious dish and one of our favorite sides.

BLT Pasta Salad

All the beloved flavors of a BLT transform into a creamy, savory pasta salad. It's a popular side dish and a great idea for potlucks.

Greek Quinoa Salad

Fluffy quinoa mixes with classic Greek ingredients like cucumber, tomato, olives, and feta. It's a fresh, healthy green salad and a perfect side dish.

Mushroom Quinoa Risotto

Creamy, savory, and satisfying, this dish uses quinoa for a nutritious take on risotto. Earthy mushrooms and parmesan cheese make it deeply flavorful.

Cauliflower Mac And Cheese Bites

All the cheesy goodness of mac and cheese is baked into a fun, poppable bite. These bites make a great side dish for kids as well as adults.

Whole Wheat Rolls In Jars

These soft, wholesome whole wheat rolls are baked in mason jars. They're a perfect way to serve bread as a fun twist and ideal to pair with fried chicken for a casual family dinner. Furthermore, you can make these in advance.

Pumpkin Cornbread

A seasonal twist on classic cornbread, this version is moist and lightly spiced. It's a wonderful fall pairing for chicken recipes and other comfort food.

Roasted Vegetables And Blue Cheese Quinoa

Nutty quinoa is topped with savory roasted vegetables and crumbled blue cheese. This hearty side dish is full of savory flavor and texture.

Potato Side Dish Recipes

No fried chicken meal is complete without the perfect potato side. From ultra-crispy fries and creamy mashed potatoes to innovative salads and hearty casseroles, this list has a starchy, satisfying complement for every juicy piece of fried chicken.

I highly recommend adding one of the many different ways to enjoy potatoes as a side for fried chicken. (Potatoes are my favorite side dish, so I am partial to them)

Curry Roasted Potatoes

Crispy roasted potatoes are tossed with warm, aromatic curry powder. The bold spices create a wonderfully flavorful crust, making it a perfect side dish.

Twice-Baked Potatoes

Creamy, cheesy potato filling is stuffed back into crispy potato skins. This tasty side will certainly be enjoyed and is a perfect complement to juicy fried chicken.

Potato Salad

This classic side dish is a creamy, healthier option for a potato salad that is packed with flavor, using cottage cheese instead of mayonnaise. It's an especially great side for a picnic or barbeque.

Smashed Potatoes

Boiled red potatoes are smashed and roasted until incredibly crispy and fluffy. They're easy to make and a delicious alternative to traditional French fries. Plus, smashed potatoes are a total crowd pleaser.

Perfect Baked Fries

These oven-baked fries achieve a crispy exterior and a soft interior without deep frying. Baked fries are a more nutritious option than fried potatoes, and they're one of the perfect sides for crispy fried chicken.

Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes

Creamy, buttery, and perfectly smooth mashed potatoes made in a fraction of the time. You'll love this easy way to make a classic comfort food side dish, and you also get a bonus of veggies.

Miso Potato Salad

This unique potato salad gets a major flavor upgrade from umami-rich miso paste. Nevertheless, it's a creamy, savory twist on the traditional recipe your taste buds will love.

Sweet Potato Casserole

A holiday classic side dish featuring creamy mashed sweet potatoes topped with a crunchy, sweet pecan streusel. Though it might not seem conventional, it's a delicious pairing for crunchy fried chicken.

three twice baked potatoes on a plate with fresh baby lettuce mix next to a blue napkin

Air Fryer Twice Baked Potatoes

All the rich, cheesy goodness of twice-baked potatoes is even easier made in the air fryer. Plus, the air fryer gives the potato skins a wonderfully crispy texture for an irresistible contrast to the soft and fluffy stuffing. Unquestionably one of my favorite sides.

44 Best Side Dishes for Fried Chicken

Here is the list of 44 best side dish recipes for fried chicken:

Meme

plate with fried chicken, creamed spinach, and rice and gravy.

Please consult your doctor, health care provider, and resources like the American diabetes association before making any changes or updates to your diet.