Chicken wings are a staple of family dinners, backyard barbeques, and house parties, but it can be hard to know what to serve with them.

This article will go over how each of these items pair with chicken wings and the best way to serve them as a side dish with wings.

17 Side Dishes to Serve With Chicken Wings

The best side dish for chicken wings depends on the type of meal you are having, since a backyard party calls for different sides than a family meal. You also need to consider how you are serving the chicken wings such as if they are boned, seasoned, or covered in sauce, as this changes what flavors compliment the meat.

1. French Fries

French fries are one of the most common side dishes for chicken wings because they are delicious on their own and pair incredibly well with fried foods.

French fries are also very easy to make at home in large or small amounts, making them great for both big parties and smaller gatherings.

2. Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are another excellent option as a chicken wing side because the sweetness of the potato compliments the savory flavor of the fried meat.

Sweet potatoes are also versatile and easy to prepare since they can be baked, mashed, stuffed, or even turned into sweet french fries with ease.

3. Onion Rings

Onion rings are a classic side dish for a lot of fried or grilled foods like burgers, so they also work great with chicken wings as well.

Onion rings can be made in large amounts and with some variations in the recipe, but they are harder to prepare than other fried sides like potatoes.

4. Mac and Cheese

Mac and cheese is a very versatile side dish depending on what type of noodles, cheese, and topping you use to make the recipe, making it a great compliment to chicken wings.

As a general rule, bigger noodles, creamier cheeses, and crunchy coatings all take longer to prepare so you will need to plan ahead when cooking.

5. Coleslaw

Coleslaw is a great side dish for chicken wings because the cool, creaminess of the coleslaw is a great contrast for the hot, savory flavor of fried chicken.

Coleslaw is also incredibly easy to make and comes with a wide range of different recipes, since the main ingredients of coleslaw are just shredded cabbage and dressing.

6. Fried Pickle Chips

Fried pickle chips bring a nice combination of salty and savory flavors, not to mention the unique sensation of having a cool pickle slice in a hot, fried coating.

Pickle chips pair with chicken the same in the same way a lot of fried side dishes do, but frying pickles is a lot harder than frying more conventional foods like potatoes.

7. Roasted Cauliflower

If you enjoy the savory crunch of chip of french fries but want a healthier alternative, one food you can try is roasted cauliflower cuts.

You can roast cauliflower in stalks, cuts, or crumbs, and can coat them with a wide range of seasonings or crunchy toppings to add to the flavor.

8. Stuffed Baked Potatoes

Baked potatoes can be stuffed with all kinds of fillings from cheese to bacon bits to sauces, and can be either regular potatoes or sweet potatoes.

The trick with stuffed baked potatoes is that they are hard to make in large quantities, so they are a better side dish for small meals instead of big gatherings.

9. Fried Zucchini Sticks

If you are looking for a healthier alternative to classic french fries or chips you can cut zucchini and cucumbers into sticks and fry them.

Fried zucchini is a great way to incorporate some vegetables into a meal as sides, especially if you air fry them instead of cooking them in oil.

10. Corn on the Cob

A staple of cookouts and large get togethers, the sweet and buttery flavor of corn and the cob makes it a great side dish for fried chicken wings.

While you can eat corn off the cob with only a bit of cooking, you can also bake or grill the corn with seasonings for even more flavor.

11. Nachos

Nachos may not be as common a side dish as some of the other items on this list, but they actually go together nicely and are easy to make in large amounts.

Besides convenience and flavor, there are a lot of ways to customize homemade nachos, like making them spicier to pair with a plate of hot wings.

12. Vegetable Tray

Vegetable trays pair with chicken wings by offering some contrast to the hot, savory taste of the wings with a variety of cold, crisp vegetables and creamy dips.

In fact, ranch dressing is sometimes used as a dipping sauce for hot wings, so having some vegetables like carrots or celery to dip as well makes sense.

13. Potato Salad

Potato salad is a great side dish for chicken wings because of how the cool and smooth salad pairs with the hot, salty chicken wings.

Another benefit of potato salad is that you can make it in large batches easily and let people scoop out what they want so it is a great choice for big parties.

14. Pasta Salad

Pasta salad pairs with chicken wings in the same way potato salad does, it offers some cool and contrasting flavors for the chicken wings, which are hot and savory.

Pasta salads are not as cool and creamy as potato salad, but with the right dressing and ingredients it can pair nicely with chicken wings as part of a party spread.

15. Stuffed Peppers

Stuffed peppers are a great side dish for chicken wing meals because they combine the crispiness and spice of pepper with the creaminess of cheese.

You can also stuff mini peppers as finger food, similar to fries, or you can stuff larger peppers and use them like edible bowls for creamy sides.

16. Homemade Pretzels

Pretzels are always a popular snack and they can serve as a side dish as well, since they have the same softness and salty flavor as fries.

They also pair well with dipping sauces for chicken wings like mustard, so as long as you know how to make pretzels, they are a great side dish for fried wings.

17. Fried Rice

While it might seem like an odd choice, fried rice is a common side dish with fried chicken in some regions, especially if the rice has been seasoned.

You can even serve chicken wings on a bed of fried rice and season or spice both to create a particularly hot and flavorful meal.

Wrap Up

Chicken wings are a fantastic choice for a main dish and pair well with a lot of different types of food from homemade fries to pasta salad.

The key to creating a good side dish for chicken wings is knowing what you want to serve and the type of meal you are having.