Name: 35+ BEST Sides for Chicken Tenders
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 4 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 1 pound macaroni; 4 cups water; 2 teaspoons prepared yellow mustard; 1 teaspoon salt; 12 ounce can evaporated milk; 8 ounces Tillamook medium cheddar cheese (grated); ¾ cup parmesan cheese (grated); 2 Tablespoons butter; ¼ teaspoon nutmeg; Salt and pepper (to taste)

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Looking for some simple sides for chicken tenders? I’ve got you covered with this handy guide. From mac and cheese, to sauteed greens & more!

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What to Serve with Chicken Tenders

Whether making my air fryer chicken tenders, or these sous vide chicken tenders, I’m always on the hunt for the perfect sides to complete the meal. That’s why I’ve compiled this list of 35+ simple sides!

These are some of my favorite chicken tender side dishes:

But the list goes on! Keep reading to find even more delicious recipes…

PS – Be sure to check out these 20+ Tasty Dipping Sauces for Chicken Tenders too!

Simple Sides for Chicken Tenders

Overhead close up of combined vinegar slaw in large white mixing bowl.

Red Cabbage Slaw is a super simple side dish recipe made without mayo. It’s tangy, delicious and crunchy.

Red Cabbage Slaw

This is the BEST Instant Pot Mac and Cheese! Made extra creamy with a secret ingredient plus delicious cheddar & parmesan cheese. It can be made in just 4 minutes with your electric pressure cooker.

Instant Pot Mac and Cheese

Overhead shot of smashed potatoes on baking sheet topped with blue cheese, hot sauce, jalapenos and chives.

Crispy Smashed Buffalo Potatoes are crazy good! Crispy smashed potatoes are topped with vinegary, spicy buffalo sauce and creamy blue cheese dressing.

Buffalo Smashed Potatoes

Overhead shot of Mexican street corn salad in serving bowl.

This Couscous Corn Salad puts a salad twist on Mexican Street Corn. Smoky grilled corn, a creamy cumin-lime dressing, and pearl couscous combine to create this delicious salad.

Couscous Corn Salad

Overhead shot of bowl of mashed potatoes topped with a pat of butter, next to bowl of sour cream.

These Easy Mashed Potatoes with Sour Cream are the most delicious mashed potatoes you will ever have. They're light, creamy, buttery and tangy and easy to make with the help of your stand mixer – No hand mashing required!

Mashed Potatoes with Sour Cream

This Tomato Cucumber Salad features fresh cucumbers, juicy tomatoes, and crisp red onion. Dressed in a tangy homemade red wine vinaigrette, every bite is bursting with refreshing Mediterranean flavors!

Tomato Cucumber Salad

Bowl of cooked pinto beans flecked with cilantro.

Instant Pot pinto beans are easy to make and taste so much better than the canned version! Perfect for meal prep or as a side dish to your favorite tacos, salads, or protein bowls, these beans can be ready in under an hour with no soaking required.

Instant Pot Pinto Beans

This delicious warm German Potato Salad combines tender potatoes with a warm bacon-mustard vinaigrette dressing. It’s tangy, creamy and the perfect side dish for the summer grilling season.

German Potato Salad

Ears of corn on the cob in a grey serving dish with a pat of butter and sprinkling of parsley.

Learn how to make the BEST Instant Pot Corn on the Cob. This pressure cooker corn on the cob recipe uses a simple, secret ingredient to guarantee that your corn is sweet, tender and delicious!

Instant Pot Corn on the Cob

Hasselback potatoes on grey plate dolloped with sour cream.

These easy air fryer Hasselback potatoes are drenched in garlic herb butter, giving you an almost addictive crispy-on-the-outside, pillowy-on-inside snack or side dish in no time.

Air Fryer Hasselback Potatoes

These Blistered Shishito Peppers are the perfect finger food. They’re so easy to make too. Lightly seasoned and slightly smoky, you’ll find that most are mild… one out of every ten might surprise you.

Blistered Shishito Peppers

Overhead close up of zucchini fries on platter.

Air Fryer Zucchini Fries with Lemon Tarragon Aioli are perfect for snacking. Strips of zucchini, coated in panko cook up perfectly crispy in the air fryer. Dip them in an easy-to-prepare creamy aioli flavored with tarragon and lemon.

Air Fryer Zucchini Fries

This Thai Cucumber Salad with Peanuts is crunchy, sweet & tangy. It's a refreshing salad that can be made ahead of time and is perfect for the warm summer months.

Thai Cucumber Salad

Hawaiian Coleslaw with pineapple, cabbage, carrots, sesame seeds and a ginger-soy lime vinaigrette brings a tropical taste to traditional slaw.

Hawaiian Coleslaw

These Air Fryer Frozen Shoestring Fries come out exactly like your favorite fast food fries! They’re crispy, golden on the outside and perfectly fluffy inside. SO much better than deep frying or baking! Plus, you can cook different types of fries – waffle fries, steak fries and more!

Air Fryer Shoestring Fries

This Arugula Salad recipe with red wine vinaigrette is my go-to green salad. The arugula has a peppery bite to it which pairs wonderfully with the acid in the vinaigrette. It’s the perfect salad for pairing with rich dishes.

Arugula Salad

Overhead close up of prepared pickles in weck jar with dill sprigs and red pepper slices.

These Quick Pickled Cucumbers are ready to eat in 1 hour! There’s no canning required and they stay crisp for months.

Quick Pickled Cucumbers

Spears of asparagus cooked sous vide topped with parmesan shavings.

How to cook perfect asparagus sous vide. Bright green, perfectly cooked spears. With three options for flavoring – garlic, parmesan or lemon.

Sous Vide Asparagus

Roasted Sweet Potatoes are a salty, crispy, savory, and slightly sweet side dish you can pair with almost anything! Lightly spiced and so simple, this easy recipe is a total crowd pleaser and a must-have for weeknight dinners.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Shaved brussels sprouts salad in large bowl with serving spoon.

This Shaved Brussel Sprout Salad with Mustard and Parmesan is tossed in a light red wine vinaigrette and makes a delicious, crunchy side dish.

Shaved Brussel Sprout Salad

This Cherry Tomato Salad with Roasted Lemons is the perfect side dish. Sweet tomatoes combine with a tangy vinaigrette and delicious roasted lemons.

Cherry Tomato Salad

Pasta salad in bowl on wooden cutting board next to bowl of pepper flakes.

This Zucchini Pasta Salad recipe may be the best I've tried to date! Packed with sauteed zucchini, loads of parmesan cheese, fresh dill and crunchy walnuts.

Zucchini Pasta Salad

Crispy parmesan Green Bean Fries are baked in the oven for a healthy, delicious treat. Served up with three dipping sauces – green goddess, honey mustard & creamy sriracha. A secret ingredient makes them extra delicious! Air Fryer directions included.

Green Bean Fries

Close up of baked potato with sour cream, cheese and bacon.

Learn how to make perfect slow cooker baked potatoes with minimal effort. Just season the potatoes with a bit of olive oil and salt, wrap in foil, and cook in the crockpot. Serve them with your favorite toppings like cheese and sour cream, or chili. Or, host a Baked Potato Bar.

Slow Cooker Baked Potatoes

This copycat Din Tai Fung Cucumber Salad is bursting with flavor. Beautifully marinated cucumbers drizzled in chili oil is an outstanding vegetarian appetizer you can enjoy for any special occasion!

Din Tai Fung Cucumber Salad

Fennel salad with chickpeas in white bowl.

This Fennel and Chickpea Salad is tossed in a light citrus vinaigrette & topped with parmesan. It’s the perfect make-ahead salad for potlucks or lunches.

Fennel and Chickpea Salad

These are the BEST Glazed Carrots – Lightly sweetened, delicately seasoned, and perfectly glazed. These carrots make an amazing side dish that both kids and adults can’t get enough of!

Glazed Carrots

This Kale Caesar Salad is topped with crispy homemade croutons and parmesan cheese. Massaging the creamy garlic dressing into the kale makes it extra tender and delicious.

Kale Caesar Salad

This Israeli Couscous Tabbouleh Salad combines pearl couscous with tomatoes, cucumbers, fresh herbs and a light citrus dressing.

Tabbouleh Salad

You can serve Sauteed Zucchini and Squash with practically anything! It’s a simple side dish that showcases sliced and seared summer squash and savory Italian flavors.

Sauteed Zucchini and Squash

Overhead shot of shaved fennel salad in green serving bowl on pink table.

This Fennel Celery Salad comes together quickly and has such a delicious light lemon-parmesan vinaigrette and wonderful crunch. It's the perfect side salad for rich and hearty dishes like pasta or braised short ribs.

Fennel Celery Salad

Say bye bye to basic potato salad. This Grilled Potato Salad combines smoky grilled potatoes with a delicious tangy mustard dressing that’s loaded with fresh herbs and salty capers. It’s delicious!

Grilled Potato Salad

Apple Celery Root Slaw is an exciting twist on your basic coleslaw. Crisp apples and celery root combine with jalapeno, cilantro & pickled onions. It's sure to be a stand out side dish!

Apple Celery Root Slaw

This simple Italian Chopped Salad dresses fresh veggies, salami, mozzarella & chickpeas in a delicious homemade Italian dressing.

Italian Chopped Salad

Learn how to make perfectly tender + blistered Air Fryer Peppers! It’s one of the best and easiest side dishes you can make in the air fryer.

Air Fryer Peppers

These copycat Din Tai Fung Green Beans are deliciously crispy and coated with lots of savory garlic and a spicy chili crisp. It’s the best umami-forward side dish to pair with all of your takeout-inspired favorites!

Din Tai Fung Green Beans

More Side Dish Recipes

Did you Make Any of These Chicken Tender Sides?

Please leave a comment and rating below, if you loved this round up of sides for chicken tenders. Also, be sure to snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #platingsandpairings and tagging me @platingsandpairings.

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PS – Be sure to check out these 20+ Tasty Dipping Sauces for Chicken Tenders too!