Juicy, crunchy, smoky, sweet, sour, and spicy.
These are the flavors and textures that come to mind when thinking of BBQ chicken, the tastiest meat dish ever.
Not all may agree, but it's true for many like us.
No matter whichever part of the chicken you prefer, it's enough to make us smile.
We believe it does the same to you too.
It's a stand-alone dish, but when paired with other dishes, BBQ chicken turns even more flavorful.
But what to serve with BBQ chicken? What tastes best? Salads, dips, veggies, soups, or seafood? If you're curious as we are, don't go elsewhere.
Today, we'll learn what to have with the juicy chicken.
Why Consider Serving Side Dishes with BBQ Chicken?
BBQ chicken, made of parts of entire chickens is the most popular food at outdoor events.
As stated earlier, they can be an entire meal, but everyone likes to enjoy food with a few extra dishes.
Of course, how can you eat only one item if you make BBQ chicken at an event? It will be odd and unsatisfactory.
You'll enjoy it but won't stay full because you can't consume the meat in large portions.
We also say it's fun to have food when you have several things to enjoy simultaneously.
What to Serve with BBQ Chicken? 10 BEST Side Dishes
BBQ chicken may be delicious, but it's also versatile, so here are the following dishes you can serve with it.
1 - Fried Green Tomatoes
The slightly tangy and crunchy tomatoes make a lovely side dish for BBQ chicken.
It balances the flavors and tones down the richness of the juicy chicken.
Fried green tomatoes are made of unripe tomatoes coated in cornmeal-breadcrumb and fried.
Though a Southern US dish, it's gained popularity across the country and is a regular feature at cookouts and other events.
The tomatoes become extra flavorful when fried, and therefore everyone loves them.
Serve a plate, and you'll see how fast they disappear.
Since they cook fast, you can make several portions depending on the number of people.
2 - Mixed Fruit Salad
A bowl of fresh salad will also make a suitable side dish to serve with BBQ chicken.
The sweet, sour, and crunchy fruits will add a nice touch and enhance the chicken's flavors.
Mixed fruit salad is also a good side dish because it allows you to work with multiple ingredients.
No fast rule says you have to use only certain fruits, so include them in your menu.
So, what fruits can you add to the salad? Pineapples, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, kiwi, grapes, oranges, and bananas are popular ingredients.
Add a lovely dressing and have the perfect summer salad to enjoy with BBQ chicken.
3 - Spicy Cornbread
When you have the most delicious chicken dish, a simple but tasty item like cornbread makes the right partner.
Invented by Native Americans, cornbread has become a staple Southern side dish, and you can see it served on many occasions.
Cornbread has many variations, and it can be sweet or savory.
For this list, we include the savory version with jalapenos for s slight kick.
Besides the peppers, you can use the other ingredients as usual.
Cornbread is everyone's favorite, from the youngest to the oldest.
So, if you're going to have a big event, see that you make a significant quantity to suffice everybody.
4 - Grilled Corn on the Cob
If your grill is already fired up for the chicken, corn on the cob is a suitable dish to serve with BBQ chicken.
Corn is also one of the most popular foods, so you won't regret serving it.
What makes it more exciting is that you don't have to do much when making grilled corn.
Even the minimum number of ingredients can make corn delicious.
You can slather some butter, salt, and butter, and your corn will taste excellent.
You have to keep in mind that fresh corn tastes best.
So choose wisely and avoid those with silk that is brown or black, dried out or matted.
5 - Baked Beans
BBQ chicken and baked beans; what a combo.
Baked beans are the answer if you're thinking about a filling dish.
The dish is incredibly delicious, heavy, and compatible with many items, and you'll stay full for a long time.
Making baked beans isn't tricky, but it takes more time to cook than other dishes.
But it's worthwhile, and you'll be happy with the results.
White beans such as haricot or cannellini are typically the preferred choice for making baked beans.
But you can use others also.
You can also use canned beans if you don't have much time, but rinse and drain them before cooking.
6 - Fried Okra
You can add okra as a side dish with BBQ chicken.
When you make okra fries, they become bite-sized snacks that you want to pop into your mouth continuously.
Okra is naturally slimy and makes a primary ingredient in gumbo.
But you can coat them in egg and cornmeal seasoning and make yummy fries.
What you finally get are crunchy and delicious okras.
As always, it's essential to use fresh okras for making the fries.
When looking for veggies, choose those with brightly colored pods devoid of bruising.
7 - Greek Pasta Salad
When hosting an event, it's best to serve different types of food, as mix and match always work.
How about some Greek pasta salad? It combines pretty nicely with BBQ chicken, and it tastes incredible.
Greek pasta salad contains multiple ingredients making it perfect to have with BBQ chicken as it brings a new aspect and completes the meal.
You have veggies, cheese, and spices on one hand and meat on the other.
Hence everything you need in a meal is present.
The dish's flavor rests entirely on the pasta being cooked to perfection.
It must be al dente, or you'll have mushy or undercooked pasta, which is unpleasant to eat.
8 - Coleslaw
Since BBQ chicken is rich and heavy, you can have as many salads as you like.
All will taste lovely with the chicken.
Coleslaw is a popular salad that everyone loves.
It's a regular feature on most occasions because it adds freshness and cleanses your palate nicely.
Coleslaw is also versatile and light, making an excellent side dish with meat dishes.
Moreover, making coleslaw is easy as you can buy prepared slaw from the store.
All you have to do is mix the ingredients, rest them, or refrigerate and serve.
However, you can also make coleslaw from scratch with fresh cabbage and other ingredients.
Food looks more appetizing when you have a variety of colors.
So, add different cabbages to make it bright and colorful.
9 - Roasted Spring Vegetables
Besides rice, veggies taste incredibly good with chicken.
Hence, adding a dish made of spring vegetables is a must.
While there are different ways to cook the dish, roasting makes the veggies unique.
There are several options when choosing vegetables, and you can make your creation.
If you're confused, you can cook the dish with potatoes, carrots, asparagus, parsnips, radishes, spring onions, and snap peas.
Simply add garlic, olive oil, and simple seasoning with salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar, and soy sauce.
Once done, enjoy your BBQ chicken and see your guests doing the same.
10 - Sweet Potato Fries
Who says you can't have chicken and fries? Well, you can because they make a fine combo.
But for this occasion, make the fries with sweet potatoes instead of regular spuds.
You'll have crunchy and slightly sweet fries, perfect with BBQ chicken.
Since sweet potatoes are flavorful naturally, you don't have to go over the top with ingredients.
But see that you use fresh sweet potatoes for the best results.
Buy fresh veggies that slightly give in to pressure.
You will only need sweet potatoes, salt, pepper, and olive oil to make the fries.
Bake them in the oven to have them crispy on the outside and tender on the inside fries.
