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What to Serve with BBQ Chicken

Grilling season is upon us and chicken is a popular option for cooking on the grill. Matching the perfect side dish to your chicken makes BBQ chicken a full meal.

This collection of recipes will help you answer the question of what to serve with BBQ chicken!

Grilled lemon chicken breast on a plate with baby potatoes and a green salad.
Table of Contents
BBQ Chicken
Side Dishes Made on the Grill
Side Dishes Made Ahead of Time
Side Dishes Cooked in the Kitchen
Tips for a successful BBQ chicken dinner

BBQ Chicken

Grilled chicken has so many different variations. Some of my favorites include Honey Lemon Chicken, Beer Basted Chicken, Rosemary Chicken and Grilled Chicken Sandwich.

And there's also BBQ chicken that's not actually cooked on the grill. These Baked BBQ Chicken Legs and this Crockpot BBQ Chicken are delicious examples!

Once you've selected the perfect BBQ Chicken dish, you'll want to pick out perfect side dishes.

You can choose all side dishes cooked on the grill along with the chicken, side dishes that are made ahead of time, or side dishes cooked indoors on the stovetop and oven.

You can also do a combination of grilled, make ahead and make inside. Pick your favorites and whatever works best for you!

Side Dishes Made on the Grill

If you have plenty of space on your grill, cooking your side dishes on the grill just makes good sense.

Grilled baby potatoes skewered on a stick.
Skewered grilled cherry tomatoes on a white plate.
A bowl filled with grilled pineapple chunks with a whole pineapple in the background.
Grilled Baby Potatoes
Baby potatoes finished on the grill gives them a delicious bite and a delicious smoky charred flavor.
Grilled Potatoes
Grilled baby potatoes skewered on a stick.
Grilled Cherry Tomatoes
Cherry tomatoes just need a few quick minutes on the grill to bring out the very best tomato flavor.
Grilled Tomatoes
Skewered grilled cherry tomatoes on a white plate.
Grilled Pineapple
Grilling brings out the natural sweetness in pineapple. Eat as a side or a light dessert.
Grilled Pineapple
A white bowl filled with chunks of cooked pineapple.
Grilled Flatbread
Make delicious bread cooked right on the grill!
Flatbread
Flatbread rounds on a brown paper bag.

Side Dishes Made Ahead of Time

Select a cool and refreshing side salad to serve with BBQ chicken or a dish that just needs a last minute finish on the stove.

Whenever you can make dishes ahead of time, it just takes the stress off of dinner time.

A glass bowl filled with cucumbers and onions.
A couscous salad with tomatoes and spinach.
A white bowl filled with a bean salad with tomatoes.
Cucumber Salad
Delicious marinated cucumbers and onions makes a light and refreshing salad.
Cucumber Salad
A glass bowl filled with cucumbers and onions.
Israeli Couscous Salad
Large couscous mixed with a fresh orange vinaigrette, spinach and tomatoes.
Couscous Salad
A couscous salad with tomatoes and spinach.
Three Bean Salad
Three types of beans mixed with tomatoes, green onions, fresh herbs and a light homemade dressing.
Bean Salad
A white bowl filled with a bean salad with tomatoes.
Tomato Salad
Marinated heirloom tomatoes is a simple salad using the very best tomatoes.
Tomato Salad
A white bowl filled with colored tomatoes.
Asparagus Pasta Salad
Orzo pasta with fresh asparagus and tomatoes. This pasta salad is delicious and the vibrant colors make an impressive presentation.
Orzo Salad
Orzo pasta with asparagus and tomatoes in a white bowl.
Avocado Corn Salad
A delicious salad made with corn, tomatoes and avocados.
Corn Salad
Corn, tomatoes and avocados in a white bowl.
Pasta Salad
A delicious and easy to make pasta salad.
Check out this recipe
Pasta salad with tomatoes and cubes of cheese.

It's okay to serve a hot side dish with your grilled chicken too.

Mashed potatoes topped with a pat of butter.
Green beans with almonds on a platter.
A round shaped dinner roll on a white plate.
Mashed Potatoes
These creamy and buttery mashed potatoes can be made ahead of time and kept warm in a crockpot.
Mashed Potatoes
Mashed potatoes topped with a pat of butter.
Green Bean Almomdine
Delicious green beans with butter, garlic, lemon juice and almonds. You will need to finish this on the stove at the last minute, but you can prepare everything ahead of time and just finish at the end.
Beans
Green beans with almonds on a platter.
Oatmeal Dinner Rolls
Soft and delicious with a bit of bite from the oatmeal.
Rolls
A round shaped dinner roll on a white plate.
Twice Baked Potatoes
Twice baked potatoes filled with a creamy potato filling. Make ahead of time and heat in the oven before serving.
Baked Potatoes
Double stuffed baked potatoes topped with melted cheese and green onions.
Baked Beans
Delicious slow cooked baked beans are full of flavor.
Baked Beans
A large pot filled with baked beans.

Side Dishes Cooked in the Kitchen

Not everything needs to be cooked on the grill or cooked ahead of time. Bring your meal together with these fabulous side dishes you prepare right before the chicken comes off the grill.

Honey ginger carrots with little green stems.
Sliced cheesy pesto bread on a wooden board.
A dish filled with orzo topped with cheese.
Honey Ginger Carrots
Carrots cooked on the stovetop and finished with a honey ginger glaze.
Carrots
Carrots with green tops on a platter.
Pesto Garlic Bread
French bread slathered with garlic butter, pesto and parmesan cheese.
Garlic Bread
Sliced cheesy pesto bread on a wooden board.
Orzo Pasta
Simple and delicious orzo pasta with butter, garlic, herbs and parmesan cheese. This dish goes with just about anything.
Orzo Pasta
A dish filled with orzo topped with cheese.
Roasted Zucchini
Zucchini stuffed and roasted in the oven. A perfectly delicious vegetable side dish.
Zucchini
Roasted zucchini with browned parmesan cheese and bread crumbs on top.

Tips for a successful BBQ chicken dinner

  • Plan ahead - pick your menu for chicken and all the side dishes. Don't forget to include a dessert too!
  • Preheat your grill before cooking your chicken
  • Coordinate the timing of each dish. Know how long your chicken will take to grill and plan out the timing for each side dish.
  • Be flexible - Sometimes BBQ chicken dishes can take longer than anticipated. The weather (temperature and wind) can affect the amount of time it takes to fully cook chicken.
  • Use a meat thermometer - Make certain your chicken is fully cooked!
  • Let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving

If you make make a BBQ chicken dinner with side dishes, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop

Be certain to check out all my delicious side dishes!

More Grilling

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. David @ Spiced says

    What a great lineup of recipes here, Kathy! Just thinking about and looking at all of this summer food is making me want to invite friends over and make all of it! 🙂 Yum!!

    Reply

    • Kathy says

      Get ready to BBQ! Summertime is almost here!

      Reply

  2. Valentina says

    Kathy, this is such a fantastic collection of recipes to keep in my back pocket as summer barbecues approach. They all look and sound delicious. 🙂 ~Valentina

    Reply

    • Kathy says

      Thanks and enjoy! 🙂

      Reply

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