Discover the Perfect Partners: Sides for Your Roast Chicken Dinner
- Feb 16, 2026
One of the greatest comforts in culinary life is a well-roasted chicken, flaunting its crisp skin and succulent meaty core. While a roast chicken is a complete meal in itself, the addition of the right side can elevate this humble dish to soaring culinary heights. Feast your senses on this compilation of side dishes that harmoniously link with the roast chicken's richness, providing a delightful gastronomic balance. From charred root vegetables and earthy greens to fresh salads and gooey gratins, there's certainly more to a roast chicken meal than meets the eye.
Looking to save and organize your favorite recipes? MyRecipes is your ideal solution. Chef Andres Barrera's roasted florets with caramel-brown and citrus twist are simply irresistible regardless of their simplicity on the cooking process.
Ann Taylor Pittman from Food & Wine shares her cold-weather salad recipe featuring crisp fennel, tart Granny Smith apple, and toasted hazelnuts, surrounded by tender lettuce leaves for a feast of textures.
Consider serving sweet roasted carrots with chopped dates, zesty preserved lemon, a sprinkle of za’atar and a bouquet of herbs, creating a bright, aromatic, and dynamic compliment to your main course.
Potato lovers will swoon over a unique recipe of smashed potatoes, flaunting a coating of roasted garlic, Parmesan cheese, and rosemary, crisped to perfection as it cools.
At Francie, a Brooklyn brasserie, Chef Christopher Cipollone presents a silky, mashed potato-like parsnip puree with a topping of chopped green apple and a drizzle of brown butter.
Another top dish is the baked asparagus, prepped with olive oil, lemon zest and juice, garlic and coated with Parmesan butter in its final cooking stages, creating a truly indulgent sauce.
Why not consider shredded Brussels sprouts roasted to a light char, finished with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese for a crispy twist?
Melanie Hansche from Food & Wine shares her mother's potato salad recipe that assures maximum flavor absorption.
Broccolini and chickpeas Caesar-style salad brings a hearty touch to the table. The dish's wow factor lies in combining different textures from Little Gem lettuces, hearty kale, and crisp broccolini.
Andrea Slonecker shares a beet salad recipe that bathes the root vegetable in fruity red wine with sumac, green cardamom, and peppercorns, served over turmeric-tinted tahini yogurt.
Fancy turning to an all-time classic Greek horiatiki salad with tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, oregano, and briny feta, all coated in red-wine vinaigrette?
If you're in a mood for some sautéed green beans, Katie Workman's recipe is a stellar choice. Cooked in butter and garlic, simmered in chicken broth and finished with fresh herbs plus citrus zest and juice, the beans make an impressive highlight in your dinner.
In summary, these dishes manifest a brilliant array of flavors and textures that enhance, rather than overpower, your main course's essence. So, the next time you plan a roast chicken meal, remember, there is a treasure trove of side options waiting to breathe new life into your homely dish.