21 Side Dishes for Baked Chicken – Easy Recipes

1. Sautééd Mushroom With Butter And Garlic

What’s Special?

• Total time: 15 minutes
• Vegetarian lover’s recipe with bold flavors
• It can be served with pasta or herbed lemon quinoa
• Quick and easy to prepare

Mushrooms, when cooked in garlic, give a nice bold flavor. That is why the dish pairs well with less spicy baked chicken, kinds of pasta, and rib eye steaks. The side tastes great with either white or brown mushrooms and Italian seasoning. Use unsalted butter to enhance more of the veggie flavor. Add bell peppers for color and taste enhancement. Pair it up with orzo, quinoa, or plain white rice. Check out these Tasty Side Dishes for Quinoa

2. Honey Glazed Carrots

What’s Special?

• Total time: 25 minutes
• Mildly sweet flavor
• Easy and inexpensive side dish
• It pairs well with any main entree

Get on some fresh baby carrots to make this easy peasy side dish. All the additive ingredients are so simple that they will already be in your pantry. The cooked Honey Glazed Carrots have a mildly sweet flavor, which children especially enjoy. It is also an exclusively vegetarian dish. So if you can’t think of anything else, pull off this amazing recipe for the next festive dinner.

Related: 20 Tasty Side Dishes for Salmon Patties

3. Tangy Spinach and Quinoa Salad

What’s Special?

• Total time: 35 minutes
• Gluten-free, low calories meal
• You can add your favorite veggies, corn, or mushroom as well
• Healthy side to pair with fried foods

Green leafy vegetables, especially spinach, are rich in calcium and many other nutrients. So why not Incorporate this power food in your salads or sides to make your meal nutritious?

And if you have some leftover plain quinoa in your fridge, this is the best recipe to use it. Introduce a zesty flavor by preparing a lemon vinaigrette and tossing up spinach and quinoa. Of course, you can throw in some corn, olives, or mushrooms. Chop some fresh cilantro and garnish before serving. View full recipe.

4. Creamy Pasta Salad

What’s Special?

• Total time: 35 minutes
• Nutritious, Flavorful, and healthy
• A delight for pasta lovers
• The best side with Barbecues, grilled and baked chicken

What is better than a silky, creamy mayo and cream cheese sauce with a blend of fresh, crunchy vegetables and your favorite pasta? Mouthwatering, isn’t it? The best part of this salad is that you can prepare it ahead of time. This salad goes so well at any outdoor party, a festive dinner, or an intimate family celebration. It is a high-carb meal that keeps you full and balances your meal alongside a protein-based entree.

Related: Best side dishes for cabbage

5. Roasted Veggie Mix

When it’s springtime and greengrocers have lots of veggies, pick the freshest and finest ones for this side. This dish is best with the flavors of asparagus, carrots, potatoes, radishes, etc. But you can also add green peas, tomatoes, parsnips, or broccoli for a different taste. And the preparation is so simple. Slice all of them and spread them on a baking sheet. Mix in some seasonings and bake. Viola! Your roasted veggie mix is ready. View full recipe.

6. Herbed Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes give the best flavors when flavored with herbs and oven-roasted. It not only gives them a nice, crisp coating but also makes them lovely and tender from the inside. One bit and these indulging sweet potatoes melt in your mouth. Pair them with your favorite protein meal and watch how the tastes blend. You can also serve them with a tangy dipping sauce. Grate some fresh parsley and heat just before serving. View full recipe

7. Fettuccine Alfredo

When it’s your favorite comfort food, you might forget the baked chicken and devour the entire serving in a while. Fettuccine Alfredo is easy to make, and you can add your favorite mushrooms, chicken, and olives along with pasta and cheese. You can also use an alternative to regular milk to make it lactose friendly. View full recipe

8. Roasted Korean Eggplant

Be it a classic hummus, south-Asian eggplant with yogurt, or these Roasted Korean eggplants; we love them all! The reason? Eggplant’s versatile flavor and ability to set in any cooking method with any ingredients. This recipe requires just the eggplant and the Korean special Gochujang sauce. Scallions are optional but highly recommended. Bring these eggplants to a perfect, chargrilled texture before glazing them with Gochujang.

9. Traditional Spaetzle

Get rid of simple noodles, chow mein, or dumplings recipes. Pull off this contemporary style Spaetzle, which is part noodles and dumplings, but fully delicious and irresistible. To serve on a cold winter night, use some chicken or vegetable broth and turn this side into a soupy one. This side blends Eastern and European Cuisines and presents a heartwarming, nice, and tempting side for chicken recipes.

10. Creamy Mushroom Polenta

When you have prepared baked chicken and rice pilaf, and your menu still feels incomplete, it calls for some creamy mushroom polenta. Hearty, rich, and satisfying mushroom meal makes a perfect side to serve with any protein entree. It is a less spicy version, so flavor it using only herbs or a bit of fresh ground black pepper. Parmesan in the final touches enhances the overall taste and gives the dish a beautiful texture.

11. Nuts and Spinach Rice

Anything with rice and some nuts will win all hearts and guts. Spinach is always a winner because of its color appeal and nutrient content. Together, these ingredients with rice make a satisfying side to pair with the lovely, crusty golden baked chicken. Lemon zest adds a tangy flavor. Keep it less spicy so that children can enjoy it as well. View full recipe.

12. Purple Cranberry Sauce

If your main course is something not too saucy or gravied, this purple Cranberry sauce is just the side you need. It is colorful, flavorful, and tangy. Not only savory, but this sauce also goes well with pancakes, waffles, or meat-based sandwiches. So if you are hosting a potluck dinner or a 4th of July party, prepare this sauce a day before the occasion, and see it spread magic on your dinner table.

Related: 20 Best Side Dishes for 4th of July

13. Sichuan Stir Fry Eggplant

Do you love to go experimental with your recipes and try different cuisines? Then this is just the recipe for you to try out. The Sichuan-style Eggplant is stir-fried with a specific blend of herbs and spices, which give it a special flavor. Eggplant has its own rich, creamy taste and is also a nutritious vegetable. The resulting dish is somewhat saucy, spicy, and drool-worthy. Serve it with your baked chicken and some rice, orzo, or quinoa to make it a complete meal. View full recipe.

14. Cheesy Broccoli Pasta

Treat those pasta lovers at your home with this exciting new recipe for Cheesy Broccoli Pasta. Even if your children despise the greens, they won’t be able to resist this one because it is one of the most creamy comfort foods. Plus, you can prepare this one-pot recipe in no time. Usually, the parmesan sits on the top at the end, but you can also add some cheddar during cooking to make it more creamy and cheesy. Serve it when you have a meat-based meal in the main course. View full recipe.

15. Cheesy Asparagus

Being a vegetarian does not mean you can’t eat delicious cheesy recipes. Incorporate vegetables like asparagus in your menu, and mix some cooking techniques, creativity, and oh yes! A lot of cheese. Cheesy asparagus gives a nice golden, casserole-like appearance when baked. This recipe includes heavy cream, but you can skip it if you want it low in calories. Top it up with some garlic powder and creamy mayo. View full recipe.

16. Indian Rice ilaf

Indian-style pilaf is the classic rice flavored with spices, curry powder, turmeric, saffron, and herbs. It is a simple recipe that you can customize up to your preferences. Add crunchy red onion, roasted cashews or almonds, chopped cilantro, fried shrimps, or any other flavor-bursting ingredient you love when the rice is ready to serve. This kind of rice blends well with the flavors of gravied dishes, but you can also do this with baked chicken.

17. Smoky Corn Salad

Do something unusual with your usual corn salad and try adding chargrilled corn instead of Boiled ones. This will give it a smoky flavor and aroma. Add as many veggies, tropical fruit, beans, and herbs as possible. Just customize it according to your family preferences. It is a great quick cook side to pull off for any festivity or potluck party. This colorful salad will not only boost the appetite but will also blend well with the main dish’s flavor. Check out the best potluck side dishes for a party.

18. Herbed Beans Soup

White beans not only have a rich flavor and protein content but also offer a blank canvas for many recipes and customizations. Make a soup-like broth with some lemon and natural herbs, and add boiled beans to it. It is a fulfilling and comforting food that will disappear from your dinner table in no time. If somehow you do not have white beans, replace them with red ones or a blend of lentils.

Related: 20 Tasty Side Dishes for Tilapia

19. Classic Garlic Bread

Don’t have a loaf of french bread in your pantry? No problem. Just take a slice of your regular bread and spread some garlic butter. Add cheese to make a nice golden top when baked. That’s it. Easy peasy. It is a versatile side dish that goes well along with any main entree. You can use olive oil instead of regular butter to make it less fatty. Garlic bread is a side to be served with dry entrees, gravy main course, meat-based meals, or vegetable dishes. Yup, it is this versatile.

20. Creamy Red Tomato Soup

What’s Special?

• Total time: 45 minutes
• Nutritious and healthy with color appeal
• Best for cold weather
• Its flavors combine with any chicken or meat dish

When nothing else works, the Creamy Red tomato Soup can come to the rescue. Any beginner-level chef can ace this and flavor it with herbs and spices. It is delicious, flavorful, and tantalizes your taste buds. It will give a great flavor if you have a somewhat bland or less spicy entree with it.

21. Sauteed Garlic Green Beans

The green bean recipe is one of the most incredible side dishes. Beans are sprinkled with little golden crispy garlic bits, which makes them yummier and more worth eating. The main interesting thing about this dish is that it is very neutral and easy to throw; it goes well with anything, especially with all Asian foods. It is an excellent combination of Juicy steak and fish with white wine sauce. It can also be served as Asian food by adding a little bit of minced ginger. Sauteed Garlic Green beans are perfect to quick with all types of foods.

View full recipe

22. Street-Style Corn on the Cob

Who does not love the classic corn on the cob? I sure do! So I decided to introduce this as a side to my many protein meals. It is not regularly charred, and oven roasting gives it a classic charcoal burnt texture. Keep it as it is, or make it spicy by glazing it with a mixture of lemon, red pepper powder, and whole allspice mix. But for our more creative culinary artists, I recommend homemade garlic and parsley butter to flavor the corn. View full recipe.