What to Serve with Chicken Puttanesca? 10 BEST Side Dishes

Puttanesca is an Italian sauce that originated in Naples.

So, chicken puttanesca is simply chicken cooked in that sauce.

The sauce has a strange history but we won't go there.

But we all agree that it's delicious and increases the flavor of any dish.

Chicken puttanesca is flavorsome, filling and versatile.

It can be a stand-alone dish but it tastes good with many items such as crusty bread, fettuccine alfredo, garden salad and creamed spinach.

So, there isn't any need to when it's about what to serve with chicken puttanesca.

The chicken and sauce complement several other dishes; we'll list them below so don't go elsewhere.

10 Side Dishes That Enhance Chicken Puttanesca

The list of dishes is ideal for serving with chicken puttanesca - and also pairs well with beer can chicken side ideas for grilling.

1 - Sautéed Garlic Green Beans

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We'll start the list with a simple but flavorsome veggie dish that complements chicken puttanesca nicely.

Green beans are common, but their taste is fantastic.

They're also versatile so you can cook them in different ways - for example, try garlic butter shrimp side ideas for garlic-forward meals to echo the flavors.

Sautéing is one of the methods which make green beans pleasant.

The legumes are naturally tasty so you don't have to use too many ingredients.

Beans, butter/olive oil, salt and pepper will do.

Any green bean variety will work for the dish but you can use French green beans or Haricot Verts as they're smaller, more tender and quicker to cook.

Sauté the beans only till crisp-tender to make n fabulous dish.

2 - Easy Roasted Cauliflower

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We all know that chicken tastes good with any veggie, so we took the liberty of adding different items with vegetables - see roasted carrots side ideas for sweet-roast contrast as another option.

Cauliflower roasted with simple ingredients can make a lovely partner with chicken puttanesca.

Roasted cauliflower is tender with slightly charred edges and aromatic.

Add a fresh herb like thyme, garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper for taste.

These will be enough to make the dish excellent.

Cauliflower can lose its flavor as it ages and it's an extremely perishable vegetable.

So, you have to purchase the freshest heads and store them properly.

You must wrap each head in a damp paper napkin, put it in a punctured plastic bag and place the bag in the bottom crisper drawer of your refrigerator.

3 - Quinoa Salad

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Quinoa has been in use since thousands of years ago, its popularity has only recently increased.

The term "quinoa" comes from the Quechua kinwa or kinuwa and it's grown for its edible seeds.

Quinoa is a healthy grain and blends nicely with different ingredients.

So, you can make the salad using different items - or explore quinoa salad side suggestions to round out the plate for pairing ideas.

It tastes good no matter what you use.

The salad will add a fresh aspect to your meal and balance not only the flavors but also the food.

So, you'll feel full but your palate will feel refreshed.

4 - Creamed Spinach

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When there isn't much time left to the event, a quick-to-whip-up dish like creamed spinach can come in handy.

It makes a superb pairing with chicken puttanesca and tones down the richness of the chicken.

Creamed spinach is one of those vegetables that look elegant but it's effortless to cook the dish - similar creamy options appear in creamed corn side ideas for rich pairings.

But you must use the right ingredients or it won't taste wonderfully good.

Cheese, whipping cream and butter are the items that provide the creamy texture to the dish.

Some variants include cream cheese, heavy cream, single cream and sour cream.

Parmesan cheese appears to be the most preferred variety.

5 - Fettuccine Alfredo

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There are many noodles dishes and many of them are complex.

But that's not the case when it's about fettuccine alfredo.

It's one of the simplest noodles dishes and makes a fine partner with chicken puttanesca - for more pairings see fettuccine alfredo side pairings for creamy pasta.

Two things make this dish excellent.

First, you have to cook the pasta perfectly and follow the instructions.

The noodles should be "al dente" or the dish will be a mess.

Second, it's the sauce that you make with parmesan, heavy cream and butter.

Salt and pepper complete the ingredients for the dish.

6 - Garlic Roasted Potatoes

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It will be an incomplete list if we don't add potato dishes.

Spuds are the most commonly used veggies for side and main dishes.

They taste good with almost everything and they're easily obtainable.

Potatoes roasted with a few seasoning ingredients including salt, pepper, garlic and olive oil are pleasant and make an ideal pairing with chicken puttanesca - similarly, lemon garlic shrimp side ideas for bright garlic notes work well alongside.

But not all potatoes are suitable for roasting, so you have to be careful.

Red potatoes, also called Red Bliss are suitable for roasting along with fingerling and baby potatoes.

So, you can use any of them.

7 - Cauliflower Rice

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Chicken and rice make another great pairing, but if you don't want to add rice to your menu, cauliflower rice can stand in as a substitute.

It goes nicely with chicken puttanesca and is easy to make.

Cauliflower is a healthy veggie and can replace high carb foods in several recipes - see cauliflower cheese side ideas for a comforting swap that still feels indulgent.

Hence, adding this dish to the list is a good idea.

It will boost the chicken's flavor and also balance the meal.

You can make plain cauliflower rice only with the veggie and water or season it with a few ingredients like scallions, lime juice, salt and pepper, and olive oil.

Make sure to use fresh heads for the best outcome and look.

8 - Fresh Garden Salad

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You must smile a little when you see this dish for many reasons.

The fresh garden salad is compatible with chicken puttanesca and has many options for veggies.

Most vegetables are edible raw so you can use what you have or add as many as you want.

They'll all provide fantastic flavors.

If some veggies aren't available, you can substitute them too.

For example, if a recipe says romaine lettuce but you don't have it, you can also use spinach, arugula or kale.

The same goes for cabbage.

You can use white or green if it asks for purple and it isn't available.

9 - Balsamic Mushrooms

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The list has plenty of variety so it's looking terrific.

Let's increase the stakes by adding a dish like sautéed mushrooms with balsamic vinegar.

It looks incredible, tastes even better, and clicks nicely with chicken puttanesca.

Mushrooms with balsamic vinegar don't need too many items except for salt, pepper, garlic and olive oil for sautéing.

You can include a little white wine for added flavor.

You can make the dish with cremini, portobello or button mushrooms.

All will be flavorsome. If the mushrooms are large, you can slice them but keep them whole if they're small.

10 - Crusty Bread

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We're finally at the end of the list with one of the most widely eaten foods in the world.

It's bread and it also makes a superb pairing with chicken puttanesca.

While any bread will taste good, opt for a crusty variety.

Crusty bread is more suitable to dip into the puttanesca sauce as it absorbs the maximum flavor.

Crusty bread is available in different shapes and sizes so the options are limitless.

Baguette, boule, ciabatta, sourdough and multigrain bread are some examples of crusty bread.

You can make these at home and serve fresh bread but if you can't make them perfectly, they're available in most stores.

The same sides suit different chicken preparations. rotisserie chicken side pairings for whole-bird meals and chicken fried rice side suggestions for Asian-inspired menus offer further complementary ideas.