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16 Outstanding Side Dishes For Chicken Tenders To Improve Flavor

One of the best go-to dishes to eat has to be chicken tenders. Whether you call them chicken tenders or chicken strips, you cannot go wrong when eating them.

They are so tasty and full of flavor, almost everyone loves them. The only problem with chicken tenders is sometimes they don’t quite get rid of the hunger. Especially when eating them on their own. 

16 Best Side Dishes For Chicken Tenders

If you have ever felt this way then don’t worry, we have a solution for you. To have chicken tenders as a meal, they need a side dish. A dish that complements the flavors in a chicken tender.

There are so many side dishes out there, that choosing the right ones for your chicken tenders can seem a little overwhelming. 

Well, we have put together a list of the 16 best side dishes for chicken tenders, to turn them into a full meal you can enjoy.

We have found the best side dishes that will enhance the flavor and your experience of eating chicken tenders. We have also answered a few chicken-tender-related questions, so you can enjoy them as a meal with no worries. 

Quick Table: 16 Best Side Dishes For Chicken Tenders

RecipesCalories Per ServingPreparation Time
Fries31220 Min
Potato Wedges12330 Min
Sweet Potato Fries14025 Min
Potato Salad14320 Min
Macaroni And Cheese16430 Min
Cornbread 33015 Min
Waffles29130 Min
Collard Greens3225 Min
Candied Sweet Potatoes15120 Min
Corn On The Cob10635 Min
Green Bean Casserole11540 Min
Coleslaw15220 Min
Mashed Potato8835 Min
Pan-Fried Asparagus5830 Min
Whole Roasted Carrots14620 Min
Biscuits35345 Min

1. Fries

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Almost everyone loves french fries. They are the perfect side dish for almost any meal. That is exactly why they had to be at the top of this list. French fries are crispy but soft so they complement the texture of chicken tenders.

We love that fries have a subtle flavor so they do not overpower the flavor of chicken tenders.  

Calories Per Serving: 312

Preparation Time: 20 Min

2. Potato Wedges

Whilst french fries are amazing, if you want a potato that is a little thicker, then potato wedges are your friend.

Potato wedges aren’t as simple as fries are in terms of flavor, as they are often seasoned with herbs and spices like garlic. These herbs and spices don’t overpower the chicken tenders, they enhance their flavor. 

Calories Per Serving: 123

Preparation Time: 30 Min

3. Sweet Potato Fries

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Sweet potato fries can be controversial to some people, but we love them. The sweetness of these sweet potato fries goes perfectly with the saltiness of chicken tenders.

They are best served with a cool dip, like mayonnaise. Sweet and salty has always been a fabulous combination. 

Calories Per Serving: 140

Preparation Time: 25 Min

RELATED: 15 Southern Side Dishes For Fried Chicken

4. Potato Salad

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Whilst some might not enjoy having warm food with cold food, we don’t mind it. Potato salad is a good side dish for any meal, but especially with chicken tenders.

The creaminess of potato salad enhances the juiciness of chicken tenders. Plus that cool potato salad will cut away at any heat that might come from spicy chicken tenders. 

Calories Per Serving: 143

Preparation Time: 20 Min

5. Macaroni And Cheese

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If you want a side dish that is guaranteed to satisfy your hunger, then you need to cook macaroni and cheese with your chicken tenders.

The rich and creamy macaroni and cheese pairs perfectly with the saltiness of chicken tenders. These two foods together produce the ultimate comfort meal

Calories Per Serving: 164

Preparation Time: 30 Min

6. Cornbread 

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Cornbread is a truly loved Southern side dish. You can never go wrong with the combination of cornbread and chicken. Cornbread is sweet, fluffy, and light.

This is the perfect contrast with chicken tenders. You could even make it into a sweet treat for after the chicken tenders as well!

Calories Per Serving: 330

Preparation Time: 15 Min

RELATED: 12 Delicious Side Dishes To Serve With Chicken Cordon Bleu

7. Waffles

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We have all heard of the famous comfort food chicken and waffles. So of course, waffles were going to be on this list. Waffles and chicken tenders are great together as they balance out each other.

Adding waffles to your chicken tenders will make that hunger go away. To really amplify the flavors from the waffles and chicken tenders, it is best to serve with maple syrup

Calories Per Serving: 291

Preparation Time: 30 Min

8. Collard Greens

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We had a lot of foods that are high in carbohydrates on this list so far. It is time to bring in the greens. Collard greens are the perfect way to add some green vegetables quickly to your meal.

They are garlicky and lemony, which are the perfect flavors to go with chicken tenders. The best part is they are quick and simple to make. 

Calories Per Serving: 32

Preparation Time: 25 Min

9. Candied Sweet Potatoes

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Candied sweet potatoes are another mouth-watering southern comfort dish. You might usually see this side dish served at Thanksgiving, but that is how you know it pairs well with chicken tenders.

The sweetness of this side dish makes having chicken tenders all that more soothing. Sometimes this dish is served with roasted marshmallows on top.

Calories Per Serving: 151

Preparation Time: 20 Min

RELATED: 11 Delicious Chicken Spinach Noodle Casserole Recipes

10. Corn On The Cob

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We are bringing it back to the vegetables! If you are looking for a simple and easy side dish for chicken tenders, then corn on the cob is the side dish for you.

Corn on the cob is sweet and buttery, a perfect contrast to the crunchy and salty chicken tenders. Corn on the cob also requires minimal effort and is ready in minutes. 

Calories Per Serving: 106

Preparation Time: 35 Min

11. Green Bean Casserole

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If you want to make your chicken tenders a little more impressive, then this is the side dish to serve them with. This is a side dish that takes time but is worth the effort. This green bean casserole is rich in flavor.

It has bechamel sauce that is topped with parmesan cheese. There are sauteed mushrooms and crispy shallots to add texture. The best side dish to make your chicken tenders meal more amazing. 

Calories Per Serving: 115

Preparation Time: 40 Min

12. Coleslaw

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For the days where you want to keep your chicken tenders light, coleslaw is the side dish you should make. You could have coleslaw with multiple other side dishes to bulk up your chicken tender meal.

This coleslaw recipe will leave you with a sweet, tangy, and creamy coleslaw. The tang of this coleslaw balances the richness of fresh chicken tenders. 

Calories Per Serving: 152

Preparation Time: 20 Min

RELATED: The 20 Best Canned Chicken Recipes

13. Mashed Potato

We are bringing it to the beloved potato, this time in mashed form. Mashed potatoes are one of the best comfort foods. The creaminess of the potatoes is so soothing to eat.

So if you want to make your chicken tenders more soothing for the soul, then pairing them with mashed potatoes is the best way to go. Also, mashed potatoes don’t take away from the flavor of the chicken tenders.  

Calories Per Serving: 88

Preparation Time: 35 Min

14. Pan-Fried Asparagus

Asparagus is one of the most underrated vegetables. They have a rich, earthy taste to them that contrasts nicely with richly seasoned chicken tenders. Pan-fried asparagus stays lovely and hard, adding that extra crunch to the meal.

This is definitely the best side dish for those of you who love a good crunch. You can also season asparagus with anything that suits your taste. We love making them garlicky, to match the chicken tenders. 

Calories Per Serving: 58

Preparation Time: 30 Min

15. Whole Roasted Carrots

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Carrots might seem like a strange side dish for chicken tenders. Many of us are used to seeing them at roast dinners. However, whole roasted carrots are one of the most tantalizing side dishes.

The sweetness of the carrots gets amplified when you roast them, which is a delicious contrast to the savory batter of chicken tenders. 

Calories Per Serving: 146

Preparation Time: 20 Min

16. Biscuits

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Biscuits are a great savory side dish. You might think that having them with chicken tenders is odd, but the flavors work so well together.

The butteriness of these biscuits and the flakiness of them pair nicely with the crispy and crunch of chicken tenders. Biscuits are a great side dish for many meals and you can even enjoy them for breakfast.

Calories Per Serving: 353

Preparation Time: 45 Min

Final Thoughts

We have now finished this list and you should know all you need to know about these delicious 16 side dishes for chicken tenders.

These side dishes would be the perfect solution for turning chicken tenders into a meal. They also complement the flavors of all types of chicken tenders. 

The greatest part about these side dishes is you can make more than one to serve with your chicken tenders. You could have macaroni and cheese with waffles or have biscuits and green bean casserole.

These side dishes are so versatile that they go with more than chicken tenders. They go with each other as well! 

We hope we have helped you to find the perfect side dish to eat with your chicken tenders. Have a fantastic time eating these delectable dishes! 

Frequently Asked Questions

It can be very difficult to judge what are the most popular side dishes served with chicken tenders, as it varies largely from place to place. 

However, there are a few side dishes that you might see more frequently when served at a restaurant or at someone’s house. These side dishes include french fries, waffles, and mac and cheese. 

In all honesty, the most popular side dishes served with chicken tenders usually involve potatoes. There are also a bunch of dips that are served with chicken tenders, like BBQ sauce. 

What Is The Healthiest Side Dishes Served With Chicken Tenders? 

Judging the healthiest side dish served with chicken tenders is completely dependent on how you cook them. As a whole salad would usually be considered the most healthy.

Our healthiest options would be anything that involves vegetables. This would include collard greens, roasted carrots, and pan-fried asparagus. 

As we mentioned before, how healthy these foods are, depends on how you cook them. What we haven’t included on this list is a salad. If you are looking for an extremely healthy side dish then having some fresh vegetables will be the best option for you.

What Side Dishes Can I Serve With Chicken Tenders As A Quick Snack?

There are plenty of options for what you can serve with chicken tenders to make them a quick snack.

If you are looking for a light bite, then having your chicken tenders with a bit of potato salad would make a nice snack. 

If you want something quick and easy then having your chicken tenders with coleslaw is the best choice for you. 

Other options that are not included on this list would be to have your chicken tenders with a dip. This dip could be BBQ sauce, sour cream and chives dip, or even pesto. Yes, pesto. It might seem like an odd combination but the pesto adds a refreshing touch to the chicken tenders. 

16 Best Side Dishes For Chicken Tenders

Chicken tenders are a quick and easy meal, but they can get boring. These side dishes will add some variety to your chicken tender meals.

Directions

  • Pick a recipe from the list above
  • Click the recipe name and visit the website
  • Collect the ingredients and cook the food
  • Enjoy – don’t forget to leave a review

Recipe Video

Jess Smith
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Tuesday 3rd of December 2024

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Article Posting

Sunday 24th of July 2022

A great content on this topic, Thank for posting it