Enhance Meal: 8 BEST Side Dishes for Grilled Chicken

If you have ever been to a summer camp, you might have come across this dish.

Grilled chicken (and grilled meat) is one of the most common BBQ dishes worldwide.

Not only does it have a unique flavor, but it is also convenient to cook on an open fire or your barbecue.

The first thing that comes to mind when talking about grilled chicken is the smoky flavor that fills your mouth.

If you close your eyes while eating it, you can imagine yourself in a summer camp surrounded by the sweet smell of firewood.

If you ever decide to cook this dish at home, it’s important to remember that there are two ways to go around grilling chicken.

You can either put chicken pieces on a stick and put them over the open flame or, if you have a barbecue grill, use that instead of sticks.

When cooking this dish at home, it is very important to remember not to have the heat too high.

This way, even if you leave it on the grill for too long, it won’t burn, and you will be able to enjoy a perfectly cooked piece of chicken.

If you are serving grilled chicken at home, there are plenty of side dishes that you can have with it.

Grilled vegetables, in particular, go well with this dish, giving your meal a nice touch of color.

In this article, we will list the eight best side dishes to serve with grilled chicken so you can have the meal of a lifetime every time you go camping.

Why Consider Serving Side Dishes for Grilled Chicken?

Grilled chicken is a unique food to cook with.

When cooking chicken on the grill, it’s common to serve it without any side dish or condiment because grilling itself can produce a flavor that compliments your main course.

However, there are many reasons why you should consider serving side dishes along with grilled chicken:

• A variety of flavors adds more to your meal.
• It can change the way you perceive the dish.
• Create a memorable experience for your guests and family.
• Simple condiments can make a big difference in taste.

When considering side dishes for grilled chicken, it’s important to find a balance of flavor.

Grilled chicken is very versatile in its way, and you can add many different flavors that reflect this.

It’s important to note that not all side dishes have to be incredibly overpowering or spicy.

Sometimes the difference between a good dish and a great dish can be small, simple condiments.

In addition to flavor, you should consider how this side dish will change how you perceive your meal.

This will be an opportunity for you to introduce your guests to new flavors.

If you want to expand how your family perceives grilled chicken, consider putting together a memorable meal that reflects more who they are as individuals.

A good side dish can help share the storytelling of what led to this meal being served on this day.

What to Serve with Grilled Chicken? 8 BEST Side Dishes

Here we will look at eight great side dishes to serve with grilled chicken and why or how each of these complements the main event.

1 – Baked-Potato Salad

This classic side dish provides just the right amount of starch to complement your grilled chicken.

You can serve this with any BBQ or grilled meat.

It’s one of those side dishes that have universal appeal and never disappoint.

To make a baked potato salad, you’ll need to boil russet potatoes.

Once they are fork-tender, drain them and set them aside to cool.

While the potatoes are cooling, make a simple dressing by combining mayonnaise with chopped chives, salt, pepper, and vinegar.

Pour the dressing over the cooled potatoes.

Once you have that done, you can add chopped olives or any other veggies you might want to include.

You can use canned olives, but if you have the time and energy to chop up a few kalamata olives in your kitchen, you’re going to be rewarded with a much better dish.

If you want a “wow” factor, add thin slices of red onion.

2 – Honey Mustard Coleslaw

Another easy side dish that can be made quickly is pretty much a requirement for summer cookouts.

It goes well with just about every meal you can grill, from steak to chicken to fish.

The ingredients are similar here as they would be for making any other type of slaw, but there is one key difference: honey instead of white sugar.

You may want to adjust the vinegar and mustard ratios in the recipe to match your preferences.

It’s one of those dishes that you have to play around with a little bit, but once you get it just right, it will be one of your favorites.

3 – Grilled Corn on the Cob

This is another side dish that you can easily make while your meat of choice is grilling.

You’ll need to shuck corn or ask someone at the store to do it for you if you don’t have time before you go shopping.

Once it’s shucked, toss a few ears of corn on the grill.

Make sure you don’t throw them directly onto the grate, though – that will seriously damage your barbecue.

Instead, put them near the top of the grill right over the flame; this is where they cook best.

For extra flavor and some color, try using the grill with the lid closed.

That will give you some char on your corn that’s just perfect for summertime, and it has a sweeter flavor than standard corn.

4 – Grilled Corn Salad

This is a pretty unusual side dish, but it’s also one that people are quickly coming to love.

It has the same great taste as corn on the cob, but it’s mixed with other goods like avocados or tomatoes.

You’ll need to cook your corn just like you normally would – either boil it over the stove if you’re in a hurry or grill it if you have more time.

Once your corn is cooked and cooled, cut it off the cob and put it into a large bowl.

Add whatever veggies you’d like – fresh tomatoes are especially nice here.

Then make a dressing by combining mayonnaise with vinegar, salt; pepper; cumin; cilantro, or parsley, if you have it on hand.

Pour the dressing over the salad, toss it gently to combine, and enjoy your creation.

5 – Fruit Salsa

This is a new, healthy side dish option that goes along with just about anything grilled.

It’s ideal if you’re having fish or poultry with lots of different flavors.

For the fruit salsa, you will need to dice up your choice of fruit – pears and apples are especially nice here – then combine them in a bowl.

Next, stir in more traditional salsa ingredients like diced red onions, minced garlic, cilantro, parsley, chopped jalapenos for spice, and lime juice.

Stir it all together so that you have a bright mix of flavors to go along with your grilled chicken.

People will love this combination because the sweet fruit goes perfectly with the savory chicken you’ve grilled.

6 – Fried Rice

You don’t have to use leftover rice for this side dish.

It works just as well if you start with raw rice, so consider making a big pot when you have the time so that you’ll have some leftover in case you want to whip up fried rice later in the week.

The secret to good fried rice is in the seasoning.

You can use whatever type of oil you like, but sesame oil will give it an especially great taste.

For the garlic and ginger, you’ll want to mince them up well so that there are no big pieces in your finished dish.

Then heat some oil or butter in a large skillet before adding your veggies – onions, carrots, peas.

Cook them a little bit before adding the rice and stirring everything together well.

After that, add your soy sauce to taste other seasonings like salt, pepper, red pepper flakes if you want it spicy.

7 – Roasted Parsnips

This is a good side dish for people who like to try something a little bit out of the ordinary.

Parsnips are related to carrots, but they have a much more complex flavor thanks to their subtle sweetness.

Cooking them can be a bit tricky, however.

They need pretty high heat to get crispy and delicious, so you will want to grill your chicken over a fire that’s at least 600 degrees Fahrenheit.

Once you have the right temperature, just put the parsnips on a plate and coat them with some olive oil, so they don’t stick.

Sprinkle salt, pepper, garlic powder on top for more depth of flavor.

Then place them directly on the grill grate.

After 8 minutes, turn them over and give them the same treatment on their other side.

Once both sides are golden brown, your parsnips are ready to serve with your grilled chicken.

8 – Corn Fritters

Corn fritters are a little high maintenance, but they’re worth it because they taste delicious.

If you can’t get your hands on fresh corn, feel free to use frozen instead.

For the batter, mix flour, baking powder, salt, pepper in a large bowl.

Then add some milk and eggs for binding purposes before stirring in the corn.

If you’d like, you can also add some diced onion and red pepper for an extra kick of flavor.

Once the batter is ready, drop it in spoonfuls onto a pre-heated skillet over medium heat.

While the bottom side finishes cooking, you can flip them to make sure both sides are golden brown.

Then plate your fritters and serve alongside your grilled chicken for a perfect meal.

Conclusion

In conclusion, grilled chicken goes great with all of these side dishes.

The fruit salsa is perfect for people who want to add a special touch to their meal.

For good fried rice, try making it simultaneously as your chicken so that you can keep warm any leftovers in foil while your guest enjoys their dinner.

Finally, check out parsnips if you want to try something a little bit unique.

If you can’t find fresh parsnips, frozen will work just as well.

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