Crunchy and crispy on the outside and deliciously juicy and tender on the inside — who doesn’t love chicken tenders? They also serve as a great canvas for a variety of seasonings and sauces. And you can further elevate their appeal by pairing them with some mouthwatering sides!
If you can’t decide what to serve with chicken tenders, here are 15 amazing ideas to try! They range from sauces that add depth of flavor to your chicken tenders to pilafs that round up your meal!
1. Bang Bang Sauce
This mayonnaise-based dipping sauce is perfect for serving with crisp chicken tenders. You only need five ingredients to make this creamy, spicy, and sweet sauce — honey, lemon juice, mayonnaise, Sriracha, and sweet chili sauce. The diverse flavor profiles of this addictive bang bang sauce complement one another and enhance the appeal of the crumbed, savory chicken.
2. Basil Pesto
Once you eat chicken tenders with basil pesto, you’ll be hooked. It offers a lot of flavor and brightness and is super easy to make, which certainly adds to its appeal. The toasted pine nuts add a lovely creaminess, while the fresh lemon juice and basil leaves create a vibrant flavor. You can also explore the variations in this recipe to alter its flavor!
3. Best Simple Tossed Green Salad
This light green salad is perfect for serving with greasy chicken tenders. It combines mixed greens, sunflower seeds, crumbled bacon, red onion, and cucumber with a delicious six-ingredient dressing to produce the ultimate side. Feel free to add more veggies to make it even more nutritious!
4. Broccoli Rice Casserole from Scratch
If you need to turn chicken tenders into a filling, satisfying meal, serve them with a hearty rice casserole. In this recipe, crisp-tender broccoli (plus any other veggies you like) and fluffy rice are smothered with a creamy, velvety cheese sauce. Bake it until bubbly to enjoy this family favorite!
5. Coleslaw {Only 4 Ingredients!}
This easy coleslaw recipe provides a refreshing balance to the crispy tenders. It calls for smothering a pre-shredded cabbage blend with a simple dressing made with mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, and honey to produce a creamy, cooling, and summery treat. You can also add apples, dried cheddar cheese, or poppy seeds to spice it up.
6. Crispy Baked Potato Wedges
These crispy Parmesan potato wedges come out perfect every time and are great to enjoy with chicken tenders. The recipe includes a homemade seasoning blend that infuses the wedges with exquisite flavors. While they’re delicious on their own, you can also serve the golden-brown treats with burger sauce to take them to the next level.
7. Crispy Onion Rings
These crispy onion rings are restaurant-quality. Sweet onion slices are coated with panko breading flavored with garlic powder, parmesan cheese, and paprika. They are then baked or fried until they’re warm and crispy. Serve these sweet and bright onion rings alongside chicken tenders with your favorite dipping sauce for extra flavor!
8. Cucumber Salad
This fresh cucumber salad will add so much freshness to your chicken tenders! It’s made with chickpeas, feta cheese, Persian cucumbers, red onions, and tomatoes, all seasoned with fresh herbs, lemon, and olive oil that impart a refreshing aroma and flavor. It has a lovely crunch with a hint of tanginess you’ll savor with every bite!
9. Easy Ultra Creamy Mac and Cheese
When you want something familiar and comforting, you simply can’t go wrong with mac and cheese! This ultra-creamy mac and cheese will complement the crispiness of chicken tenders, giving you a meal to remember. The best thing is that it uses just a handful of ingredients and needs only 30 minutes to come together!
10. Grilled Vegetables
Pair the indulgent chicken tenders with nutritious grilled veggies for a healthier meal. Take your choice of vegetables and smother them all in a garlic and herb marinade, adding earthy and savory flavors to the vegetables. You can then cook them on a grill until you see some char marks. Serve hot!
11. How to Make a Simple Rice Pilaf
Rice pilaf served with chicken tenders is a filling and delicious meal that both kids and adults will enjoy. Make the simple pilaf by simmering rice in a flavorful broth, and add veggies to make it more nutritious. The recipe is versatile, so you can add your favorite spices to pack heat and make it more palatable for your taste buds.
12. Popeye’s French Fries
French fries are a classic side dish everybody loves, so it’s only natural that they’ll go exceptionally well with some chicken tenders. This Popeye’s copycat is packed with bold flavors — credit to the herbs, spices, and Cajun seasoning used to flavor the russet potatoes. It’s also a healthy option as the potato slices are baked and not fried.
13. Roasted Carrots
The earthy, slightly sweet flavor of roasted carrots complements nearly any protein, including chicken tenders. To make, drizzle carrots with oil and honey, sprinkle the flavorings, toss to combine, and roast in the oven until the carrots are caramelized. You can serve them sprinkled with parsley for extra flavor and color.
14. The Best Homemade Cornbread
Featuring a crisp, golden crust and a moist center, homemade cornbread pairs nicely with crispy chicken tenders. It also fills your home with the most wonderful aromas as it cooks! You can make it with all-purpose flour, baking powder, egg, milk, oil, salt, sugar, and yellow cornmeal. Bake until the top turns beautifully golden brown, and serve warm.
15. 20-Minute Honey Butter Peas
These 20-minute honey butter peas will be a game-changer for your roster of side dishes! And they’re super easy to make! Just sauté fresh peas with onion and butter, and then mix in cream cheese and honey to give it a sweet flavor and a creamy texture. You can also add a sprinkle of Parmesan if you want them extra creamy and cheesy.
