What Goes with Chicken Wings? 45 Sides to Serve At Your Next BBQ
You’re craving chicken wings. (Same here, TBH.) But unless you eat, like, 30 of them, it’s not exactly a full meal. Luckily, they don’t need to be served solo—and you certainly don’t need to wait for game day to get your fix. If you’re wondering what goes with chicken wings, we have 45 side dishes to serve at your next BBQ, Super Bowl watch party or dinner gathering that transform them into a well-rounded meal. We’re talking Swedish cabbage slaw, Greek cauliflower rice, zucchini caprese salad, mac and cheese and everything in between.
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1. Kale and Brussels Sprout Caesar Slaw
Instead of traditional eggs, the vegan dressing leans on blanched almonds and sunflower seeds for creaminess. (Oh, and this is the easiest way to shred Brussels sprouts, BTW.)
2. Whole-Wheat Feta Tart with Caramelized Onions and Herbs
The bready tart crust, sweet onions and briny feta-cream cheese filling are just the foils for acidic, spicy hot wings.
3. Charcuterie Board Flatbread
Our favorite dishes are those that are elegant and delicious without requiring a moment of cooking. Consider this creamy, crunchy, burrata-topped delight our top choice.
4. Malibu Farm’s Vegan Chop Salad
We all know that the tastiest salads are those that are crowned with a million exciting toppings. This veggie-rich beauty stars butternut squash, roasted beets, kale, quinoa, cherry tomatoes, chickpeas and more.
5. Crockpot Corn Chowder
There's truly no better way to use up your farmers market haul of fresh summer corn. Finish your bowl with a few extra kernels, freshly cracked black pepper and a dollop of sour cream, if you're feeling decadent.
6. Avocado ‘Fries’
They're creamy, crunchy and straight-up life-changing. Dip them in ranch dressing and thank us later.
7. Greek Wedge Salad
The classic dish is wonderfully simple, but all that bacon and blue cheese...oof. This Greek-inspired rendition of the wedge salad is much lighter.
8. Spicy Corn Carbonara
Imagine a plate of pasta that’s lusciously creamy, but not heavy. Enter this summer star that's teeming with fresh corn and bacon.
9. Gluten-Free Cheese and Cauliflower ‘Breadsticks’
Unlimited breadsticks, very few carbs. Sounds like a dream, but we promise it's real. (That's the magic of cauliflower.)
10. Avocado Greek Salad
You totally have 15 minutes to spare for this versatile, refreshing salad.
11. Buffalo Chicken-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
A game day staple that's equal parts nutritious and easy. Use shredded rotisserie chicken in the filling to save time.
12. Vegan Avocado Caesar Salad
Let’s keep things somewhat healthy, shall we? Just wait until you try the zingy dressing made with capers, Dijon mustard and vegan mayo.
13. Delicata Squash Rings with Garlic-Lemon Sauce
No fall dinner party is complete without these stunners on the table. Did we mention that they're ready in 40 minutes or less?
14. Melon Caprese Skewers
Aren’t these little guys by Gaby Dalkin the cutest? Juicy watermelon, cantaloupe and honeydew are sure to cool you off between Buffalo wings.
15. Swedish ‘Pizzasallad’ Cabbage Slaw
Tangy, crunchy and delicious. The dressing doesn't have a drop of mayo; instead, it's made with lots of white wine vinegar and dry spices.
16. Keto Instant Pot Greek Cauliflower Rice
Plain cauliflower rice is just fine. But this Greek cauliflower rice loaded with veggies and cheese from Jen Fisch is even better.
17. Cacio e Pepe Cauliflower
Pasta? We never met her. This super cheesy cauli is all you need when carb cravings hit.
18. All-Green Crudités Basket
We give you full permission to polish off the whole spread yourself (with lots of ranch dressing or yogurt dip, of course).
19. Cauliflower ‘Potato’ Salad
Same taste as classic potato salad, only with fewer carbs. This picnic dish pairs beautifully with wings and barbecue meats alike.
20. Crispy Roasted Artichokes
Always roasted, never fried. A stint in the oven turns hard-and-fuzzy chokes crisp and golden. (BTW, this is the easiest way to prep fresh artichokes for cooking.)
21. Caprese Salad with Zucchini
You'll fall in love with this summery take on everyone's favorite salad. Smoky grilled zucchini brings mild mozz and in-season tomatoes to life.
22. One-Pot Mac and Cheese
Have half an hour? Then the macaroni bowl is your oyster. The trick is boiling the pasta in milk, then stirring in the butter and cheese instead of cooking the pasta in its own pot of water.
23. Ketogenic Cherry Tomato Tulips
Like a salad, only way cuter. Since they're stuffed with creamy Boursin cheese, they're just the ticket if you have keto dieters at the barbecue.
24. Greens Mac and Cheese
It’s family-friendly and totally customizable. The kids won't even mind the spinach and broccolini, thanks to the Parmesan-cheddar sauce.
25. Grilled Corn with Spicy Aioli
Sriracha mayo > butter and salt. Don't @ us.
26. Julia Turshen’s Radicchio and Roasted Squash Salad
Melt the leftovers into a grilled cheese sandwich, pile them atop pulled pork or serve them alongside burgers.
27. Kale Salad with Persimmons, Crispy Chickpeas and Fried Shallots
Aka the salad for people who hate salad. Thanks for that, irresistibly crunchy roasted chickpeas.
28. Pimento Cheese Stuffed Shishito Peppers
Pairing these with hot wings is a spice lover's dream. Think of these handhelds as elevated jalapeño poppers.
29. Roasted Cauliflower Macaroni and Cheese
Picky eaters beware: You won't even notice the cauliflower florets swimming in white cheddar cheese sauce and gemelli pasta.
30. Slow Cooker Garlic Herb Mashed Cauliflower
In a word, yum. Believe it or not, you won't even miss the spuds.
31. Buttermilk Skillet Cornbread with Tomatoes and Green Onions
Great for sharing (or not). The tomato-scallion dressing on top is tossed in olive oil, salt and pepper before crowning the cornbread, but you could easily substitute zucchini, bell pepper or corn kernels.
32. Grilled Cauliflower Steaks with Avocado-Cilantro Sauce
Cauliflower is nothing if not endlessly versatile. Put it in a salad, roast it whole or slice it into steaks and serve.
33. Sugar Snap Pea Salad with Chèvre Ranch
Ready in 15 minutes. (Really.) Feel free to make a second batch of chèvre ranch dressing for the chicken wings, if you feel so inclined.
34. Quick Guacamole Quinoa Salad
It's basically a giant bowl of guac masquerading as a salad. Canned black beans also boost its protein content and nutrition.
35. Loaded Baked Potato ‘Chips’
Adios, potato skins. These little guys are so much easier to prepare (and a million times crispier).
36. Cold Lemon Zoodles
Crunchy, cooling and satisfying. Use a spiralizer or Y-shaped peeler to create your own zucchini noodles, or buy pre-spiralized zoodles to save time.
37. Light and Tangy Coleslaw
To balance the heat of the chicken wings (or barbecue ribs), of course.
38. Zucchini Rice
Oh, you’re still eating regular rice? All you need is a box grater to whip up this grain-free alternative.
39. Rodney Scott’s Pimento Cheese
Cut twice as many crudités, because celery and carrots taste just as good dunked in this Southern delicacy as they do in ranch dressing. Be sure to shred your own cheddar for a flawless silky consistency.
40. Caesar Pasta Salad
Refreshing veggies and creamy, cool Caesar dressing are just the match for spicy Buffalo wings. But adding pasta to the mix pushes this app into entrée territory.
41. Corn and Tomato Salad with Feta and Lime
When these two summer mainstays are in season, they don't need much help in the flavor department. Here, all the produce gets is a spritz of fresh citrus, a sprinkle of salt and pepper, fresh herbs and a generous dose of salty feta cheese.
42. Classic Guacamole
Whether you serve it with tortilla chips, pita chips or sliced vegetables, guacamole is always a hit. And soothing, buttery avocado will tame the heat of your hot wings like a charm.
43. Five-Minute Bean Salad
Canned beans are arguably the easiest, quickest way to make a meal more filling. These white beans are tossed in garlic, olive oil and herbs (and don't require a second of cooking).
44. Tomato and Yellow Zucchini Risotto
Can you believe this decadent side dish is vegan? You can thank cooked-down yellow zucchini for its creaminess instead of butter and cheese.
45. Baked Sweet Potato Fries
When in doubt, you can never go wrong with fries. Since sweet potatoes are higher in fiber than white potatoes, they'll make your chicken wing dinner way more satiating.
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For even more great recipes, check out our first cookbook, Only the Good Stuff.
