Barbecue chicken is a classic summertime favorite. The smoky, saucy chicken is so versatile and pairs well with many different side dishes. Planning the perfect barbecue chicken meal can seem daunting with so many options to choose from. This guide will explore everything you can serve alongside juicy bbq chicken straight off the grill.
Introduction
Barbecue chicken is always a crowd-pleaser. The tender, fall-off-the-bone meat coated in sticky-sweet barbecue sauce is an American favorite during the warm summer months. But what sides should you serve to complement the saucy chicken?
You’ll want sides that add color, crunch, creaminess, acidity, and even more flavor. By pairing the right accompaniments with bbq chicken, you can take your meal from basic to spectacular. Read on for pairing suggestions that will have everyone going back for seconds.
Best Starches to Serve with BBQ Chicken
Barbecue chicken is rich, saucy, and packs some heat. You’ll want a hearty base to soak up all that finger-lickin’ flavor. Here are some of the best starchy sides to serve with bbq chicken:
Cornbread
A wedge of sweet cornbread is the perfect vehicle for swiping up extra sauce. The hint of sweetness balances the tangy barbecue flavor. Bake it fresh or heat up store-bought cornbread in the oven.
Baked Beans
These saucy, smokey beans are a classic complement to barbecue chicken. Choose your favorite variety – baked beans in molasses, bourbon baked beans, or five bean baked beans. The creaminess pairs perfectly.
Macaroni and Cheese
For the ultimate comfort food meal, you can’t go wrong with macaroni and cheese alongside barbecue chicken. The cheesy pasta bakes up creamy on the inside with a crispy breadcrumb topping.
Coleslaw
Cool, crisp coleslaw adds freshness and crunch to balance the saucy chicken. Make it creamy or vinegar-based – either one makes a tasty match. Toss shredded cabbage with carrots, onion, and a zesty dressing.
Potato Salad
Like coleslaw, potato salad offers a cool, creamy counterpoint to smoky barbecue chicken straight off the grill. Potatoes soak up all the delicious flavors when tossed in a dressing with eggs, onion, celery, and a dash of mustard.
Corn on the Cob
For a classic barbecue side, look no further than corn on the cob. The sweet kernels pair perfectly with saucy chicken. Serve with butter, sprinkle with chili powder and lime, or slather with a creamy barbecue sauce.
Mashed Potatoes
What better to soak up extra barbecue sauce than fluffy mashed potatoes? Mix in cheese, garlic, or scallions to compliment the flavors even more. Or keep them creamy and simple – either way, mashed potatoes make a winning match.
Dinner Rolls
Warm from the oven, fluffy dinner rolls are another excellent side for serving with barbecue chicken. They can soak up sauce and provide the perfect bite along with juicy chicken. Serve them on the side or use them to make barbecue chicken sliders.
Best Veggies to Serve with BBQ Chicken
Beyond starchy sides, you’ll want something green on your barbecue chicken dinner plate. Here are some vegetable options that pair perfectly:
Corn on the Cob
As mentioned above, corn on the cob can act as either a starch or a vegetable. The sweet kernels provide nutrition and color to your bbq chicken plate.
Coleslaw
Cabbage and carrot-based coleslaw counts as a veggie! Enjoy it as a crisp, refreshing choice alongside your saucy barbecue chicken and starchy sides.
Grilled Vegetables
Fire up some veggie skewers along with the chicken to enjoy grilled zucchini, squash, bell peppers, mushrooms, and onions. Grilling adds great flavor and char. Toss with olive oil and seasoning before grilling to perfection.
Greens Salad
A fresh greens salad is always a smart choice with barbecue chicken. The lighter fare balances the rich meat and sauces. Make a classic green salad, spinach salad, kale salad, or any other leafy mix you love.
Baked Beans
Beans offer protein and a dose of veggies too. Baked beans – especially loaded with onions, peppers, and molasses – make for a sweet, saucy barbecue side.
Coleslaw
In addition to cabbage, classic coleslaw recipes often contain grated carrot. The crunchy veggie mixes perfectly with the crisp cabbage. Toss with a creamy or vinaigrette dressing.
Creamed Corn
For another way to enjoy corn with barbecue chicken, make creamed corn. Simmer corn kernels in cream or milk with onions, garlic, and seasoning for an ultra creamy side.
Collard Greens
Slow-cooked collard greens meld well with smoky barbecue chicken. Cook the greens low and slow with smoked ham hocks or bacon for deep flavor.
Macaroni Salad
Chill out with macaroni salad alongside hot barbecue chicken. The pasta and chopped veggie salad offers a cooling crunch. Stir in shredded carrot, celery, onion, bell pepper, and dill pickle.
Baked Potatoes
Load up baked potatoes with barbecue chicken, sauce, cheese, bacon, and scallions for a fully satisfying meal. Large potatoes bake up with a crispy skin and fluffy interior.
Best Fruit Sides for BBQ Chicken
Fruit makes for a sweet contrast to savory barbecue chicken. Here are some refreshing, healthy fruit salads and sides to consider:
Watermelon Salad
Dice up juicy watermelon and toss with feta cheese and fresh mint. The sweet melon pairs perfectly with smoky chicken.
Berry Salad
A mixed berry salad is a vibrant choice for your barbecue plate. Toss blueberries, strawberries, and blackberries with a honey-lime dressing.
Pineapple Salsa
For kick, make a chunky pineapple salsa with onion, cilantro, jalapeño, and lime juice. Scoop it up with barbecue chicken for a tropical twist.
Fruit Skewers
Alternate bites of saucy chicken with colorful skewers of fruit. Try pineapple, peaches, bananas, grapes, berries, kiwi, and mango.
Apple Slaw
For a twist on coleslaw, use tart green apples along with shredded cabbage. Toss with lemon juice and poppy seeds for tangy crunch.
Baked Apples
For an easy baked fruit, core apples, fill with cinnamon butter, and bake until tender. The warmth complements the grilled chicken.
Grilled Peaches
If you’re firing up the grill, take advantage by grilling peach halves or slices too. Grilled peaches become caramelized and pair perfectly.
Watermelon Wedges
Chilled watermelon wedges make for a refreshing, juicy side to enjoy between bites of sauced-up barbecue chicken at a summer cookout.
Fruit Salad
Chop up a mix of whatever fresh, in-season fruits look best. Toss with lime juice and mint. Melons, berries, stone fruits all make tasty additions.
Best Sauces and Dips for Chicken
What’s barbecue without sauces and condiments? Serve these flavor-packed dips alongside your chicken:
Barbecue Sauces
Offer multiple barbecue sauce options so guests can take their pick. Sweet, tangy, spicy – provide a variety of flavors. Provide sauce both for dipping and drizzling.
Ranch Dressing
Cool and creamy ranch makes the perfect dip for juicy barbecue chicken. Serve alongside crunchy raw veggies or bread for dipping.
Blue Cheese Dressing
Along with ranch, serve chunky blue cheese dressing for another classic chicken pairer. Use it as a veggie dip too.
Honey Mustard
Sweet honey mustard can act as both a salad dressing and a sauce for chicken. The tang complements the barbecue flavor beautifully.
Hummus
For a vegetarian dip option, set out creamy hummus. Chickpeas pair excellently with chicken. Hummus also goes well with raw veggie sides.
Guacamole
Cool, fresh guacamole provides a creamy green pairing for smoked barbecue chicken. Mash up avocados, onion, tomato, cilantro, and lime.
Salsa
A chunky tomato salsa adds a hit of garden freshness. The vinegar and onion cuts through the rich chicken. Serve as a dip or spoon it on top.
Buttermilk Dressing
Buttermilk ranch or blue cheese dressing can pull double duty as a salad topper and barbecue chicken sauce. Cool and creamy complements smoky.
Aioli
Whip up an easy blender aioli with mayo, lemon, and garlic. Use it as a sandwich spread or serve it alongside for dipping bites of saucy chicken.
Tzatziki
Greek yogurt-based tzatziki sauce pairs excellently with barbecue chicken. Mix yogurt, cucumber, dill, garlic, lemon, and olive oil. Cool and creamy.
Best Ways to Cook BBQ Chicken
Before getting to the sides, you have to make the barbecue chicken itself! Here are some classic cooking methods:
Grill It
During summer, the best way to prepare barbecue chicken is to grill it outdoors. The smoky flavor takes it to the next level. Barbecue chicken cooked over charcoal or gas gains depth.
Roast It
To oven-roast barbecue chicken, coat it with your favorite bbq sauce and cook it in the oven at 400°F until cooked through and caramelized. Roast whole chickens or bone-in chicken legs and thighs.
Slow Cook It
Let your slow cooker do the work for fall-off-the-bone barbecue chicken. Place chicken pieces in the slow cooker and pour barbecue sauce over the top. Cook on low for 5-6 hours.
Smoke It
For authentic barbecue flavor, smoke the chicken either in a smoker or on your grill with smoking wood chips. Maintain a low temperature and let it smoke for hours until tender.
Air Fry It
An air fryer lets you simulate deep-fried chicken with less oil. Coat chicken pieces with sauce, cook at 400°F for 15-20 minutes, brushing with more sauce as it cooks.
Stovetop It
Pan fry chicken pieces in a skillet on the stovetop to get a quick barbecue chicken dinner any night of the week. Cook through then toss with sauce.
Top 10 Recipes to Serve with BBQ Chicken:
Here are 10 of the most popular and delicious side dish recipes to pair with your barbecue chicken:
1. Creamy Coleslaw
- Shredded cabbage and carrots tossed in a creamy mayo-based dressing
2. Cornbread
- Sweet and crumbly cornbread, serve it warm right out of the oven
3. Baked Beans
- Smokey, saucy beans baked up sweet and tangy
4. Potato Salad
- Chunky potato salad with hard boiled eggs, onion, mustard, mayo
5. Macaroni and Cheese
- Ooey, gooey mac and cheese, crispy on top
6. Corn on the Cob
- Grilled corn slathered with butter and spices
7. Fruit Salad
- Colorful mix of juicy summer fruits
8. Greens Salad
- Leafy greens, tomato, cucumber, onion, carrots
9. Mashed Potatoes
- Creamy, buttery mashed potatoes – enough said!
10. Dinner Rolls
- Warm, fluffy rolls for soaking up sauce
With so many amazing options, you could serve a different side every day of the week! Try out new flavor combinations and find your favorites.
FAQs About BBQ Chicken Sides
What are the best classic sides to serve with barbecue chicken?
Some classic sides that pair perfectly include baked beans, cornbread, coleslaw, potato salad, and corn on the cob. These traditional picnic options complement smoked chicken.
What are some healthier side dish options?
For lighter sides, fill your plate with fresh greens salads, grilled veggies like zucchini and bell peppers, fruit salads packed with melon and berries, and corn on the cob.
What are easy vegetable sides to make for a barbecue?
You can simply grill vegetable skewers or roast veggies like potatoes, carrots, onions, and peppers alongside the chicken with just olive oil, salt, and pepper. Baked beans and cooked greens also add veggies.
What are the best dipping sauces for chicken?
Provide a variety of sauces for dipping like barbecue sauce, ranch dressing, blue cheese dressing, honey mustard, and salsa. You can also make quick blender sauces like aioli and tzatziki.
Can you make all the sides ahead of time?
Many sides like baked beans, macaroni salad, fruit salad, coleslaw, and potato salad taste even better after sitting overnight, so make them 1-2 days ahead. Bake cornbread the morning of and grill corn right before serving.
What fruit salad combinations go well with barbecue?
Some tasty fruit salads include mixes of watermelon, berries, pineapple, mango, peaches, apples, grapes, orange segments, and kiwi. Toss the fruit with lime and mint.
How do you grill corn on the cob?
Husk the corn, brush with oil, and grill over medium high heat, rotating occasionally for 10-15 minutes until charred in spots. Top with salt, pepper, butter, chili powder, cotija cheese, or barbecue seasoning.
Can you barbecue chicken in the oven?
Absolutely! Roast chicken coated in barbecue sauce at 400°F on a sheet pan or roasting rack. Baste frequently with extra sauce for crispy, caramelized chicken without firing up the grill.
What goes good with bbq chicken sandwiches?
Delicious toppings for barbecue chicken sandwiches include coleslaw, pickles, sautéed peppers and onions, cheese, lettuce, tomato, and condiments like mayo, mustard, and barbecue sauce.
What side dishes can I make on the grill along with chicken?
Take advantage of the hot grill by adding grilled corn, vegetable skewers, fruit slices like pineapple and peaches, potatoes wrapped in foil, and even bread slices for quick grilled garlic bread.
Conclusion
Barbecue chicken deserves accompaniments as flavorful as the chicken itself. With so many options like fresh salads, cornbread, baked beans, mac and cheese, grilled vegetables, dinner rolls, and fruit, the possibilities for incredible barbecue plates are endless.
Matching smoky, saucy chicken with bright, crunchy, creamy, and tangy sides results in a memorable spread. Serve some classic cookout sides along with new flavor combinations to discover favorite pairings your family and friends will request again and again.
So fire up the barbecue, prep some sensational sides, and get ready for a downhome feast! Dig into tender barbecue chicken matched with delicious sides all summer long.