These side dishes for fried chicken are the perfect complement to everyone's favorite crispy, crunchy main. We've got recipes that will transform tired sides into fresh additions to your dinner plate.
30 Side Dishes to Serve with Fried Chicken
Updated on Sep. 13, 2024
Cool Beans Salad
This hearty, flavorful recipe combines two types of beans with corn, fresh peppers and spices. Beans and rice are a classic picnic side dish that tastes great cold, hot or anything in between. Feel free to play with spices or toss in extra herbs from the garden.
1/30
2/30
Roasted Fresh Okra
Total Time
25 min
Servings
4 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
If you have picky eaters who worry about texture, roasted okra is marvelous. It's OK to crowd the pan. Okra shrinks as it cooks. —Anna Katsoulis, Greenville, North Carolina
If you cook okra properly, it’s a flavorful vegetable that can be meltingly tender or wonderfully crunchy. This roasted okra is a great place to start if you’ve never cooked it before. It’s quick to prep and ends up crisp every time.
3/30
Creamy Coleslaw
Total Time
10 min
Servings
6 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
For me, this is the best coleslaw recipe because a package of shredded cabbage and carrots really cuts down on prep time. This coleslaw recipe is great for potlucks or to serve to your family on a busy weeknight. —Renee Endress, Galva, Illinois
Want to know the secret to making homemade coleslaw quick? Pick up a bag of pre-shredded cabbage and carrots (or, almost as fast, use a food processor). The creamy, tangy dressing is the perfect balance to savory fried chicken.
4/30
Cherry Tomato Salad
Total Time
15 min
Servings
6 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This recipe evolved from a need to use the bumper crops of delicious cherry tomatoes we grow. It's one of my favorite cherry tomato recipes, especially at cookouts. —Sally Sibley, St. Augustine, Florida
Sweet-tart cherry tomatoes are delicious fresh from the vine in the summer, but they’re also pretty reliable from the store all year round. This bright, herby recipe is a great way to liven up a fried chicken dinner.
5/30
Creamy Macaroni and Cheese
Total Time
55 min
Servings
6 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This is the ultimate creamy mac and cheese. It's saucy, thick and very rich, with a wonderful cheddar flavor. Once you taste it, you'll be hooked. —Cindy Hartley, Chesapeake, Virginia
Serve up a restaurant-worthy meal by pairing delicious fried chicken with creamy mac and cheese. The cheesy, saucy side dish is a nice textural contrast to the crunchy chicken.
6/30
Mexican Street Corn Bake
Total Time
45 min
Servings
6 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
We discovered Mexican street corn at a festival. This easy one-pan version saves on prep and cleanup. Every August I freeze a lot of our own fresh sweet corn and then I use that in this recipe, but store-bought corn works just as well. —Erin Wright, Wallace, Kansas
Since fried chicken is usually lightly spiced, it pairs well with all kinds of cuisines. Give it a Southwestern slant by serving this Mexican street food-inspired corn. Though the flavors are complex, the corn comes together easily in one pan.
7/30
Vibrant Black-Eyed Pea Salad
Total Time
25 min
Servings
10 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
My black-eyed pea salad reminds me of a Southern cooking class my husband and I took while visiting Savannah, Georgia. People go nuts for it at picnics and potlucks. —Danielle Lee, Charleston, South Carolina
Planning a picnic? Don’t skip this beloved southern side dish! Make it ahead of time so the flavors have time to develop.
8/30
Asian Coleslaw
Total Time
15 min
Servings
6 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Here's an Asian slaw recipe without all the greasy mayonnaise. It's well-liked by the people who've tried it. A bit of sugar mellows the tangy Asian coleslaw dressing. —Alta Goodman, Canton, South Dakota
Fried chicken is a staple in many Asian cuisines, and the savory main dish tastes delicious with an Asian-spiced side dish. This recipe results in a mild, sweet, sesame-scented slaw, but you could spice it up by adding a dash of Sriracha or by sprinkling a bit of cayenne pepper into fried chicken breading.
9/30
Garlic-Herb Pattypan Squash
Total Time
25 min
Servings
4 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
The first time I grew a garden, I harvested summer squash and cooked it with garlic and herbs. Using pattypan squash is a creative twist. —Kaycee Mason, Siloam Springs, Arkansas
Round, knubby little pattypan squash is a fun summer veggie that cooks up quickly. If you can’t find any, swap in small zucchini or another summer squash.
10/30
Barley Corn Salad
Total Time
15 min
Servings
6 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
A terrific alternative to pasta salad, this colorful side dish adds refreshing herb flavor to corn, barley, and red and green peppers. Bring it to your next get-together and see how fast it disappears! —Mary Ann Kieffer of Lawrence, Kansas
Love pasta salad but not the soggy noodles? Try this delightful, versatile salad, where whole grain barley takes the place of pasta. If you’re eating gluten-free, try whole buckwheat, sorghum or brown rice.
11/30
Crispy Smashed Potatoes
Total Time
45 min
Servings
4 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Golden brown and buttery, these crispy smashed potatoes live up to their tantalizing name. A sprinkle of fresh herbs when they’re hot out of the oven maximizes the flavor…and the pretty. —Althea Dye, Howard, Ohio
Both crispy and crunchy, these potatoes match perfectly with fried chicken. After a quick boil to tenderize the taters, they roast in the oven, making them a fairly hands-free side.
12/30
Bacon Collard Greens
Total Time
1 hour 20 min
Servings
9 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Collard greens are a staple vegetable of southern cuisine. This side dish is often made with smoked or salt-cured meats, such as ham hocks, pork or fatback. —Marsha Ankeney, Niceville, Florida
Bitter, vitamin-rich collard greens transform into a silky side in this classic recipe. After sauteing onions and bacon until they’re taking on color, collard greens stew in broth till completely tender.
13/30
Traditional Mashed Potatoes
Total Time
30 min
Servings
6 servings (about 4-1/2 cups)
From the Recipe Creator:
Mashed potatoes make a wonderful accompaniment to most any meal, so keep this recipe handy.
Cozy, creamy mashed potatoes are a delicious counterbalance to crunchy fried chicken. This classic fried chicken side is especially comforting in the winter.
14/30
Sauteed Zucchini
Total Time
10 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
I plant many vegetables to use in cooking. Zucchini is among our favorites and usually grows in abundance. This zucchini stir-fry is always a hit at our house. —Deborah Elliot, Ridge Spring, South Carolina
15/30
Summer Orzo Salad
Total Time
30 min
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
I’m always looking for fun ways to use the fresh veggies that come in my Community Supported Agriculture box, and this summer orzo salad is one of my favorite creations. I like to improvise with whatever I have on hand, so feel free to do the same here! —Shayna Marmar, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Homemade biscuits are tough to beat. This top-rated recipe is packed with buttery flavor. You can also substitute store-bought biscuits for a speedy chicken side dish.
16/30
17/30
Cleo’s Potato Salad
Total Time
45 min
Servings
12 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
My mom, Cleo Lightfoot, loved cooking all kinds of recipes, but her favorite meal was one she made when hosting backyard barbecues in the summer. She would make her famous ribs, baked beans and this delicious potato salad. —Joan Hallford, North Richland Hills, Texas
Creamy potato salad might be our favorite hearty summer side ever! Stirring a dash of cider vinegar into the creamy potatoes makes the flavors pop.
18/30
Parmesan Potato Wedges
Total Time
40 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
I recommend serving these Parmesan potato wedges alongside a salad for a light lunch or serving them as a side dish with a chicken or beef entree. —Beth Ask, Ulster, Pennsylvania
One of our favorite potato recipes, these crunchy wedges are meant to be dipped in ketchup or ranch. If you don’t want to shred fresh Parmesan, you can use the sprinkle from the can—we won’t tell anyone!
19/30
Grilled Sweet Corn
Total Time
35 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Since we have plenty of fresh sweet corn available in our area, we use this recipe often in summer. Parsley, chili powder and cumin accent the corn's just-picked flavor. —Connie Lou Hollister, Lake Odessa, Michigan
Any kind of corn on the cob tastes great with fried chicken. Boiling corn is quick and easy, but there are lots of ways to cook corn: grilling, microwaving, and even slow-cooking.
20/30
Heirloom Tomato Salad
Total Time
20 min
Servings
6 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This is a simple yet elegant dish that always pleases my guests. Not only is it tasty, but it is healthy, too. The more varied the colors of the tomatoes you choose, the prettier the salad will be. —Jess Apfe, Berkeley, California
Rich, savory fried chicken is so tasty with juicy tomatoes. Though this recipe specifically uses heirlooms, any type of tomato—like cherry, grape or sweet orange tomatoes—will also work in a pinch.
21/30
Macaroni Coleslaw
Total Time
25 min
Servings
16 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
My friend Peggy brought this coleslaw to one of our picnics, and everyone liked it so much that we all had to have the recipe. —Sandra Matteson, Westhope, North Dakota
This coleslaw is a celebration of creamy, crunchy textures. A tangy Miracle Whip dressing swirls through crunchy cabbage slaw, water chestnuts, celery, peppers and whichever fresh vegetables you choose to add.
22/30
Three-Bean Baked Beans
Total Time
1 hour 20 min
Servings
12 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
I got this recipe from my aunt and made a couple of changes to suit my taste. With ground beef and bacon mixed in, these satisfying beans are a big hit at backyard barbecues and church picnics. I'm always asked to bring my special beans. —Julie Currington, Gahanna, Ohio
Do you dip fried chicken in barbecue sauce? If so, these saucy baked beans are for you! The secret is, quite literally, in the sauce—bottled sauce is jazzed up with extra ingredients to maximize flavor.
23/30
Honey Cornbread
Total Time
30 min
Servings
9 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Serving this moist cornbread to family and guests is a pleasure. Honey gives the bread a slightly sweet taste, and most people find it difficult to eat just one piece. —Adeline Piscitelli, Sayreville, New Jersey
Tender, crumbly cornbread is a perfect treat alongside fried chicken. If you’re not a big baker, don’t worry, this is a simple baking recipe that couldn’t be easier to mix together and pop in the oven.
24/30
Black-Eyed Peas with Collard Greens
Total Time
25 min
Servings
6 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Time to gather round the table, y'all! This dish has special meaning on New Year's Day, when Southerners eat greens for future wealth and black-eyed peas for prosperity. —Athena Russell, Greenville, South Carolina
Black-eyed peas are traditionally eaten on New Year’s Day for good luck, but they’re too delicious not to eat all year round! Using canned beans makes this delicious side dish super speedy.
25/30
Red Potato Salad
Total Time
40 min
Servings
17 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This flavorful red potato salad recipe with egg is the perfect side for summer cookouts. The red potatoes really dress it up. —Margaret Blomquist, Newfield, New York
26/30
Fresh Cucumber Salad
Total Time
10 min
Servings
10 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Crisp garden-fresh cukes are always in season when we hold our family reunion, and they really shine in this simple salad. The recipe can easily be expanded to make large quantities too. —Betsy Carlson, Rockford, Illinois
These yummy, crunchy cucumbers are similar to pickles, but fresher and milder. Enjoy any leftover cucumber salad on burgers and sandwiches.
27/30
Veggie-Stuffed Tomatoes
Total Time
35 min
Servings
2 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
This recipe is my wife's favorite, she loves when I cook it for her. The tasty, meatless stuffing is perfect for a side dish, but it's also filling enough for a whole meal. — Scott Szekretar, Islip, New York
A delicious vegetarian side dish, veggie-stuffed tomatoes demand to be made at the peak of summer, when tomatoes are big and bursting with juice. Serving a hearty, healthy side dish alongside meaty mains is a great way to reduce meat portions without feeling stingy.
28/30
Crunchy Lemon-Pesto Garden Salad
Total Time
25 min
Servings
6 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
I love using fresh vegetables straight from the garden to prepare this salad. If I pick the squash and cucumbers early enough, their skins are so tender that there's no need to remove them! Best yet, the salad is easily adaptable—any fresh veggie from the garden can be put in with delicious results. —Carmell Childs, Orangeville, Utah
A dash of homemade pesto makes every vegetable taste great. This zesty, lemony salad is easy to adapt to any veggies you have on hand. It’s also hearty enough to make in advance without risking the dreaded soggy salad.
29/30
Hasselback Sweet Potatoes
Total Time
25 hours 45 min
Servings
8 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
Treat your sweet-salty tooth! Sweet potatoes dressed with buttery, herby, garlicky goodness make for a stunning, delicious side dish. —Lauren Knoelke, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
It’s time to pull your trusty cast-iron skillet out of the cupboard! Fried chicken is a welcoming cozy supper in the fall, when these sweet potatoes would be just perfect. For the tastiest skillet sweet potatoes, make sure you’ve reseasoned your cast-iron if it’s been awhile.
30/30
Lemony Green Beans
Total Time
20 min
Servings
6 servings
From the Recipe Creator:
You can throw together this dish in minutes using ingredients you probably already have on hand. That’s the beauty of it. —Jennifer Tarantino, Rutherford, New Jersey
Snappy green beans are delicious with fried chicken. As a bonus, etiquette guides give the green light to eat green beans with your fingers. Serve drumsticks and you can skip the silverware altogether!
