20 Perfect Side Dishes for Chicken and Dumplings
Discover the best side dishes to go with chicken and dumplings. Make veggies, salads, breads and more to complement the flavors and textures of chicken and dumplings.
It’s a meal in itself so these southern chicken and dumplings sides will perfectly complement your favorite chicken and dumplings recipe without feeling heavy.
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Chicken and dumplings are perfect for rainy days, cold winter nights and anytime you need a comforting meal.
They’ve been a regular staple meal in heavy rotation in my house for as long as I can remember.
My Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings with Grands Biscuits cook low and slow all day while my Cracker Barrel Copycat Instant Pot Dumplings are ready in a flash.
Old-Fashioned Southern Chicken and Dumplings just like Grandma would make are the perfect nod to the past, while Easy Chicken and Dumplings with Tortillas are a simple shortcut twist on a classic dish.
No matter how you make them, the best chicken and dumplings recipes have a flavorful broth that’s rich, creamy and packed with goodness.
Loaded with chicken, vegetables and some variety of dumplings, chicken and dumplings is practically a meal in itself.
But I’m often asked about what types of side dishes to serve with chicken and dumplings, particularly if you’re hosting company or want to have some options available for guests.
While you want to avoid sides that overwhelm the star of the meal, adding a few of your favorite side dishes can transform a basic comfort food into a full meal that’s filling, nourishing and satisfying.
Side Dishes to Go with Chicken and Dumplings
Make your meal something healthy, delicious and satisfying with these flavorful side dishes.
Salads, colorful vegetables, fruit, and even homemade breads can be perfect additions to your table.
Here are a few great choices to consider serving alongside the main attraction.
Side Dishes to Serve with Chicken and Dumplings
Wondering what to serve with chicken and dumplings? We're sharing some of the best side dishes to pair with this classic comfort food!
With just a few basic tweaks, you can enjoy soft and tender, perfectly moist cornbread with doctored-up Jiffy Cornbread mix!
These fluffy, buttery biscuits are perfection! Enjoy them for breakfast or as a side dish with dinner.
Instant Pot dinner rolls are easy to make when you can proof dough in the Instant Pot! Using the Instant Pot to rise the dough yields soft and fluffy rolls!
Roasting broccoli and cauliflower in the air fryer is a cinch, making an easy side dish for the whole family.
These southern style pressure cooker green beans taste like they've simmered for hours. Tender, flavorful green beans cooked in the Instant Pot make a quick and easy side!
This crisp-tender Instant Pot corn on the cob is the delight of summer! Slather with butter, then sprinkle with salt and pepper for a simple side dish.
This Instant Pot acorn squash is such a simple pressure cooker side dish, made with butter, brown sugar and warm spices!
These cinnamon apples cook up in the Instant Pot for an easy homestyle treat--perfect for an easy side dish with a hint of sweetness.
Cooking potatoes and carrots in your Instant Pot results in a quick, easy, and savory side dish everyone will love!
This fruit salad is tossed with a refreshing honey lime dressing, for a bright and sweet side dish!
Many people enjoy serving chicken and dumplings over mashed potatoes, and these Instant Pot mashed potatoes are an easy option.
Roasted frozen brussels sprouts are crispy and delicious. Not only that, frozen brussels sprouts are budget-friendly and so easy to make, and add some color to your plate.
You can quickly whip up this comforting side of easy Smothered Green Beans for dinner tonight and any holiday meal in less than 25 minutes.
Fresh corn and tomato salad brings plenty of fresh flavor as a lighter side dish for chicken and dumplings.
This Autumn Pear Salad is so flavorful and super easy to put together. It's made with some mixed salad greens, delicious pears and blueberries, and topped with some candied pecans and feta cheese.
Cherry Jello Salad with fruit is a delightful, light, and fruity dessert after a heavy meal. It is so delicious and can be modified to create a dessert your family will love.
Delicious Roasted Asparagus with the perfect easy seasoning blend and grated Parmesan cheese. Add a little crunch to your roasted asparagus with panko and/or breadcrumbs!
Oven Roasted Carrots are easy to make and need just minutes of prep! Fresh carrots are tossed with olive oil, salt and pepper and roasted until tender and golden for a family favorite side dish!
These zucchini fritters are crispy on the outside and light and tender in the middle. Lemon zest makes them nice and bright, while scallions, garlic, and dill give them a kick of savory flavor.
Cool and refreshing, homemade applesauce can be the perfect comforting addition to chicken and dumplings, without feeling too heavy.
What To Avoid When Choosing Side Dishes for Chicken and Dumplings
Chicken and dumplings are rich and, depending on your recipe, can sometimes feel heavy.
You want to avoid sides that clash with the flavors and you certainly don’t want to serve anything that adds to that heavy feeling.
In general, I steer away from:
- Meat/Seafood – Chicken and dumplings is loaded with chicken so there is no need to serve it with additional meat.
- Pasta – Depending on your recipe, the dumplings are sometimes similar to pasta. For this reason, I typically avoid pasta or mac and cheese, as it’s just too heavy.
- Bold Flavors – The flavor of chicken and dumplings is homey and herbaceous. While a little contrast in flavor can brighten the overall feel of the meal, avoid overly bold flavors like ginger, curry or other commonly strong flavors.
More Delicious Side Dish Ideas:
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