Wondering what the best sides for fried chicken are? I’ve got you covered with this handy guide. From mac & cheese, to sauteed greens, and more!
From classics such as macaroni & cheese and baked beans to healthier options such as vinegar coleslaw (my personal favorite) and zucchini fries, there are so many side dishes for fried chicken.
So, let’s dig in!
Keep reading to discover 27+ easy recipe options!
Sides for Fried Chicken
These are some of my favorite fried chicken sides:
But the list goes on! Keep reading to find even more delicious recipes…
What to Serve with Fried Chicken
Red Cabbage Coleslaw (No Mayo)
Red Cabbage Slaw is a super simple side dish recipe made without mayo. It’s tangy, delicious and crunchy.
Red Cabbage Slaw
Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
This is the BEST Instant Pot Mac and Cheese! Made extra creamy with evaporated milk, plus delicious cheddar & parmesan cheese. It can be made in just 4 minutes with your electric pressure cooker.
Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
Sour Cream Mashed Potatoes
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
Mexican Street Corn Salad
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
Mediterranean Tomato Cucumber Salad
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
Air Fryer Shoestring Fries
These Air Fryer 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
Instant Pot Pinto Beans
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
German Potato Salad
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
Instant Pot Corn on the Cob
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
Blistered Shishito Peppers Recipe
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
Air Fryer Zucchini Fries
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
Sauteed Snap Peas
Make your meals pop with a side of Sauteed Sugar Snap Peas! In this easy recipe, you’ll learn how to cook fresh snap peas to crisp-tender perfection in a sizzling hot skillet with just olive oil, butter, salt, and pepper.
Sauteed Snap Peas
Thai Cucumber Salad with Peanuts
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
Hawaiian Coleslaw with pineapple, cabbage, carrots, sesame seeds and a ginger-soy lime vinaigrette brings a tropical taste to traditional slaw.
Hawaiian Coleslaw
The BEST Arugula Salad Dressing
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
Sous Vide Asparagus
How to cook perfect asparagus sous vide. Bright green, perfectly cooked spears. With three options for flavoring – garlic, parmesan or lemon.
Sous Vide Asparagus
The BEST Roasted Sweet Potatoes
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 Sprout Salad
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
Cherry Tomato Salad with Roasted Lemons
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 with Roasted Lemons
How to Cook Canned Corn
Learn how to instantly turn an ordinary vegetable into an extraordinary side dish with this easy canned corn recipe! It covers everything, from how to cook canned corn on the stovetop to how to dress it up with seasonings and flavor boosters to what to serve with it for a meal to remember.
Canned Corn
Zucchini Pasta Salad
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
Fried Green Beans with Dipping Sauce
Crispy Fried Green Beans 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
Crockpot Baked Potatoes
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
Fennel and Chickpea Salad
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`
Stovetop Glazed Carrots
These are the BEST Glazed Stovetop 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
Vegetarian Kale Caesar Salad
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
Israeli Couscous Tabbouleh Salad
This Israeli Couscous Tabbouleh Salad combines pearl couscous with tomatoes, cucumbers, fresh herbs and a light citrus dressing.
Israeli Couscous Tabbouleh Salad
Sauteed Zucchini and Squash
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
Shaved Fennel Salad
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
Grilled Potato 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
More Side Dish Recipes
Did you Make Any of These Fried Chicken Sides?
Please leave a comment and rating below, if you loved this round up of sides for fried chicken. 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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Full Recipe
27+ BEST Sides for Fried Chicken
Wondering what the best sides for fried chicken are? I've got you covered with this handy guide. From mac & cheese, to mashed potatoes & more! Try this 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.
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Serves 6 people
Equipment
- Pressure cooker
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)
Instructions
- Mix the macaroni, water, mustard, and salt in your Instant Pot.
- Close and lock the lid of the Instant Pot. Press “Manual” and adjust the timer to 4 minutes (or half the time on the macaroni cooking directions). Check that the cooking pressure is on “high” and that the release valve is set to “Sealing”.
- When time is up, open the Instant Pot using “Quick Pressure Release”.
- Stir the pasta to break it up. Add the evaporated milk, cheese, butter and nutmeg; stir until completely incorporated the and cheese has melted and coated the pasta.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper, then serve immediately.
Nutrition
Calories: 598kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 77mg | Sodium: 939mg | Potassium: 393mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 740IU | Vitamin C: 1.1mg | Calcium: 580mg | Iron: 1.5mg
Did you make this recipe?Mention @platingsandpairings or tag #platingsandpairings!
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