What Goes With BBQ Chicken

Tangy vinegar coleslaw is one of those classic side dishes to serve alongside your favorite barbecue chicken recipes, and you will love the flavor of the Carolina-style dressing.

Southern potato salad features fork-tender potatoes and hard-boiled eggs dressed in a creamy, well-seasoned sauce.

Enjoy gluten-free pasta salad brimming with greens and tossed in fresh pistachio pesto! The mouth-watering salad is perfect for a summer cookout or BBQ.

Healthy potato salad features creamy potatoes tossed in a protein-packed yogurt dressing.

Southern-style baked beans with hamburger are more than just a tasty side for a BBQ or potluck.

Baked beans, ground beef, and bacon make this the best baked beans recipe ever – all you need is a buttery side of cornbread!

If you’re looking for the creamiest, cheesiest side to pair with BBQ chicken, this one-pot Dutch oven mac and cheese is the way to go!

Fresh corn on the cob is a delicious side dish that provides a sweet and savory component to any meal.

Or you can add creamy sauce, cotija cheese, and chili powder to put the finishing touches on grilled corn to make elotes Mexicano (or Mexican street corn). 

Starchy sides are a great companion for barbecue chicken. Make seasoned and irresistibly crispy roasted potatoes in the oven; they’re so versatile you can pair them with anything.

Crispy air fryer hasselback potatoes are a delicious way to prepare potatoes and impress your guests. Drizzle the golden potatoes with homemade garlic butter sauce to finish the side.

Swap regular or wedge fries for sweet potato fries. Crispy sweet potato fries provide a delicious contrast to smoky chicken.

But don’t forget about the dip, dunk the fries and chicken into flavorful sauces like sos czosnkowy or ranch dressing.

 Find out why grilled sweet potatoes in foil are a tasty addition to any meal, from cozy dinners at home to backyard get-togethers.

Crispy air fryer sweet potato wedges are a healthy and easy side dish you can whip up in minutes.

Combine fresh herbs, juicy tomato, crisp cucumber, and creamy avocado to make this easy, light side dish. 

Pressgurka is a quick pickled salad you can pair with savory meals like meatballs, lamb roast, and BBQ chicken.

Combine classic egg salad ingredients with dill pickles to make this creamy side dish.

Fresh chickpea tahini salad with hearty garbanzo beans, tomatoes, and cucumbers is a great choice for a potluck or backyard BBQ.

Crumble feta cheese or goat cheese over the top for even more flavor.

Refreshing and tangy, this cucumber carrot salad is a perfect way to enjoy fresh vegetables; pair it with a savory entree like BBQ chicken legs.

Marinated sumac onions feature red onion slices tossed with lemon juice and tangy sumac. They are a fantastic addition to grilled meats, kebabs, salads, and wraps.

And if onions aren’t your thing, try sumac cucumbers.

Vibrant piyaz salad is an easy side dish to serve alongside any main entree, especially BBQ chicken.

Corn salad is one of the best side dishes for a BBQ. Combine buttery corn in a creamy, vinegar-based dressing for a side that tastes amazing with the smoky flavor of chicken. 

Mexican-inspired coleslaw is a refreshing alternative to traditional creamy coleslaw. The easy side dish contains chopped vegetables and fruit in a sweet and spicy dressing. 

Eating vegetables has never been easier than with this vegetable-chopped salad recipe! Finely chopped green and red cabbage, kale, carrots, and radishes are the base for this brightly colored salad. 

Toss peppery arugula and crispy quinoa in a large bowl with simple toppings to make a deliciously easy side dish.

If you’re craving a refreshing garden salad, try arugula spinach salad with homemade lemon vinaigrette.

Make this refreshing watermelon beet salad for a light lunch or a vibrant side dish—perfect for BBQs, potlucks, and get-togethers.

Macaroni salad is a delicious make-ahead side dish that serves a crowd. It’s a classic recipe for potlucks, picnics, and summer cookouts!

Whip up this flavorful pesto tortellini pasta salad in minutes using five ingredients— cheese tortellini, juicy cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, and ready-made pesto (I love the one from Costco).

Hawaiian macaroni salad (or mac salad) provides a delicious twist on the popular BBQ side.

Does rice go with BBQ chicken? I say, heck yes! Serve the crispy-skin chicken with white rice or brown rice to keep things simple. 

For even more flavor, make Persian Saffron rice that combines long-grain basmati rice, fragrant saffron threads, and butter for a side often paired with Persian chicken kabobs called joojeh kabob.

This easy chimichurri rice is a vibrant, flavorful side perfect for rice bowls or pairing with your favorite meat like BBQ chicken.

Instant Pot black-eyed peas are a smoky and delicious side brimming with a savory and slightly spicy flavor.

Chili-lime flavored pineapple spears grill to enhance the natural sweetness of the fruit, caramelizing them. The Indian spiced-tropical side is a perfect match for BBQ chicken.

If you enjoy roasted vegetables, you will love easy air fryer zucchini and squash that turns out tender and lightly golden. 

Try another easy vegetable side dish like air fryer broccoli and cauliflower.

Grilled zucchini cooks low and slow, making them a great side dish. Cook the vegetables on the warming rack with chicken grilling below for a complete meal in one go.

Arrange red onion, bell pepper, and zucchini onto metal skewers. The grilled vegetable skewers are charred to perfection and drizzled with tangy balsamic vinegar and a garlic herb sauce are an excellent side dish for BBQ chicken. 

Moist and slightly sweet, buttermilk cornbread is an excellent accompaniment to chicken entrees. You can serve the homemade cornbread as muffins or slice the it into squares.

For additional flavor, spread the fluffy bread with rich-tasting bone marrow butter. 

Make homestyle Brazilian French bread, pao de sal. The pillowy soft bread with a crunchy exterior is perfect with butter and BBQ chicken.

Savory bacon and cheddar cheese muffins are moist and flavorful. Serve them as a side dish with BBQ chicken for a guaranteed crowd-pleaser!

Loaded cornbread is bursting with mix-ins such as cheese, bacon, creamed corn, and spicy jalapeño peppers! It’s a perfect side dish for any meal.

Take your BBQ to the next level with homemade Carolina gold BBQ sauce! Slather the tangy sauce on BBQ dishes or use it as a dip or marinade.

Make sweet and spicy raspberry chipotle BBQ sauce! The fiery sauce is the best way to flavor BBQ recipes for parties and get-togethers.

Slather ribs, brisket, and BBQ chicken with a homemade Cheerwine BBQ sauce with sweet heat and a hint of cherry.

I usually serve creamy serrano crema with roasted Peruvian chicken, but the spicy green sauce is one of the best ways to enjoy BBQ chicken.

Transform burgers, sandwiches, wraps, and BBQ recipes with savory BBQ aioli – the smoky, creamy sauce enhances the flavor of whatever you pair it with.

Sweet, spicy, and easy to make – serve fresh mango pico de gallo as a dip or topping for chicken. Plus, you can include black beans for a little more protein. 

Spicy skhug or zhoug is a brightly flavored Middle Eastern hot sauce many liken to chimichurri with cilantro or salsa verde with tomatillo.

The sauce is an excellent way to add heat to any meal, or you can try one of my personal favorites, fermented shatta sauce.