These wholesome and straightforward aspect dishes for hen make protein into dinner, from crispy roasted greens to creamy pastas and contemporary salads. Discover the proper pairing for each season!
After I’m planning dinner, I consider hen as a clean canvas and the aspect dishes as the colours that convey the meal to life. The fitting pairing actually could make a fundamental weeknight dinner into one thing fabulous!
After recipe testing a great deal of combos on my precise household, I’ve created a grasp checklist of my greatest aspect dishes for hen! There are colourful roasted and sauteed greens, fluffy rice and quinoa, creamy mashed potatoes, savory focaccia bread, and plenty of crisp salad recipes. There’s one thing for almost each season and event, from easy baked hen to fancy hen paillard!
My high aspect dishes for hen
My high aspect dish for hen is these easy inexperienced beans with butter, garlic, and toasted almonds! Prepared in simply quarter-hour, it is my go-to once I wish to impress. It pairs properly with all the pieces from hen piccata to easy air fryer hen breast.
This is not your common salad: it is a taste explosion with crisp greens, tangy selfmade Italian dressing, and beneficiant Parmesan shavings. It is the perfect contemporary distinction for hen dishes – I find it irresistible with my one pot hen and rice recipe.
Sauteed broccolini It is without doubt one of the quickest, tastiest aspect dishes for hen. The tender stalks get a fast sauté with garlic and lemon, making a aspect dish that is each easy and complicated. That is one in all my private favorites as a result of it seems so lovely on the plate.
After I want a fluffy aspect in minutes, this lemony couscous saves the day each time. The tiny pasta pearls absorb flavors properly, making them a super base for absorbing any pan sauces out of your hen dishes (like this Creamy Lemon Hen).
These aren’t your grandma’s mushy Brussels sprouts—I roast them till they’re deeply caramelized and crispy, then toss with a tangy-sweet balsamic glaze. They’re nice with my simple hen thighs recipe.
This from-scratch creamed corn brings richness to your dinner desk with a creamy texture and candy corn pops. It is significantly nice alongside Tuscan hen or any herb-roasted hen.
These 20-minute garlic butter noodles are an excellent aspect dish for hen should you’re within the temper for pasta! The silky pasta tossed with aromatic garlic butter creates the last word consolation meals aspect.
These crispy-outside, fluffy-inside potato wedges with crunchy Parmesan bits have grow to be legendary in our home. They make even fundamental baked hen thighs really feel particular.
This crisp romaine salad is straightforward and gorgeous! It pairs the refreshing lettuce with creamy Inexperienced Goddess dressing and crunchy breadcrumbs, a refreshing distinction to any hen dinner.
Brilliant, citrusy, and fluffy, this lemon rice provides on the spot sunshine to any plate. It is a super aspect dish for hen that feels fancy with out a lot further effort.
These completely sautéed mushrooms convey umami depth to any hen dish. The secret is getting that golden-brown sear and ending with lemon and contemporary herbs.
Caramelized edges make these oven-roasted candy potatoes irresistible. I season them merely to let their pure sweetness shine, making a aspect dish for hen that is wholesome and tastes indulgent.
Right here’s cook dinner orzo as a easy aspect dish for hen! This rice-shaped pasta comes collectively in minutes, flavored merely with butter and lemon.
This is our go-to aspect dish for after we do not know what to make! Merely gown child arugula with lemon juice and olive oil, then add Parmesan shavings and sliced shallot. It is so scrumptious and superb for pairing with hen!
These honey glazed carrots are crisp-tender and lined in a silky candy sauce! This simple aspect dish will wow everybody.
Desire a cozy aspect dish for hen? These cozy greens make a wholesome aspect dish that tastes prefer it’s been roasting all day!
This straightforward and vibrant kale salad will grow to be your go-to aspect dish! Juicy lemon, salty Parmesan, and a contact of garlic cowl the tender leaves for a refreshing, flavor-packed chew.
This skillet cornbread recipe will grow to be your go-to! Bake it up in an oven-safe or forged iron skillet and put together to be amazed.
This endive salad recipe is a mixture of refreshing, tangy and candy! Mix this bitter inexperienced with orange, Parmesan and purple wine French dressing to make a sublime aspect to pair with absolutely anything.
Cornmeal, water and butter make a polenta that’s creamy, thick, and savory. High this creamy polenta recipe with roasted veggies, shrimp or ragout.
This pesto tortellini recipe makes a fast weeknight meal or aspect dish! Drape the tender pasta on this creamy, herby sauce.
This frisee salad is refreshing and complicated, superb for pairing with hen. This frilly leafy inexperienced is accentuated with orange, almonds and a zingy French dressing.
Roasted broccoli and cauliflower is an irresistibly simple aspect dish! Right here’s roast the 2 greens to perfection. Or, make them individually as Roasted Broccoli or Roasted Cauliflower.
There’s one thing in regards to the wedge salad that satisfies each time! This cabbage wedge with creamy dressing is a perfect aspect dish for hen.
Focaccia bread is a tasty aspect dish that works with nearly any meal! It’s tall and fluffy, crispy on the skin with pillowy air pockets on the within.
Fairly probably the best aspect dish for hen? Peas with lemon, prepared in simply 5 minutes! Cooking frozen peas with garlic and lemon makes a straightforward aspect dish everybody will love.
Farro is a complete grain that can be utilized as an alternative choice to rice, barley or different grains. There’s nothing higher than tossing this grain with butter, garlic and contemporary herbs as a easy aspect dish!
Whip up a pot of this flavorful pinto beans recipe, simmered with fragrant veggies and smoky spices. It’s good as a satisfying aspect dish for hen.
This versatile quinoa salad recipe pairs crunchy veggies with a zingy dressing! It’s superb as a aspect dish, and leftovers work for lunches, picnics, and extra.
Right here’s make one of the best sauteed greens: colourful, flavor-packed and crisp tender! They comes collectively shortly for an wholesome aspect.
Searching for a classy aspect dish? This shaved fennel salad is gentle and refreshing, pairing the uncooked vegetable with apple, lemon, and Parmesan cheese.
The fragile noodles of angel hair pasta pair with gentle sauces and contemporary flavors! Right here’s taste this pasta as a straightforward aspect dish.
Have you ever tried smashed Brussels sprouts? This recipe is really particular: they arrive out crispy on the skin and tender on the within.
This colourful couscous salad recipe tastes irresistibly contemporary with herbs, garlic, and lemon! It makes a colourful aspect dish for hen.
Right here’s the easiest sauteed spinach recipe, assured to make consuming your greens style wonderful! Even higher, it takes simply 10 minutes to whip up.
This crisp butter lettuce salad is straightforward and contemporary! Gown this delicate lettuce with Parmesan dressing, chives and breadcrumbs.
Haricot verts, aka French inexperienced beans, are skinny and deliciously tender sautéed with herbs and lemon. A quick and straightforward aspect dish!
Right here’s season quinoa so it tastes irresistible! Add herbs and garlic for a fluffy, irresistible aspect dish.
This chewy, herb crusted French model of focaccia bread is a enjoyable aspect for hen! Make it once you’re trying to impress, like for a cocktail party.
This roasted fingerling potatoes recipe makes a stellar aspect dish for hen! The spuds come out crispy on the skin and buttery tender on the within.
This tangy apple slaw recipe pairs cabbage with carrots, apples, and a creamy poppyseed dressing. The right contemporary, simple aspect dish!
This wild rice salad recipe is straightforward and bursting with taste, with crunchy veggies, pecans, cranberries, a zingy dressing, and feta cheese!
Sauteed kale is one of the simplest ways to eat this wholesome leafy inexperienced! Scented with garlic and cooked in olive oil till tender, you’ll wish to eat it every single day.
This inexperienced bean salad recipe is full of taste, starring tomatoes, feta and a zingy dressing. Ideally suited as a aspect or for summer time potlucks!
What’s a greater aspect dish for hen than an excellent Caesar salad? This stunner has the proper steadiness of creamy selfmade dressing, crunchy croutons, and crisp lettuce.
Right here’s make one of the best sauteed cabbage! Tender and flavored with garlic and lemon, it’s the proper simple aspect dish to accent any meal.
When it is the season, delicata squash to the rescue! This simple roasted delicata squash comes out candy and tender each time.
Final up in our aspect dishes for hen, this go-to lentil salad! It is everybody’s favourite aspect dish, bursting with taste and texture contrasts.
Meal prep and make-ahead suggestions
One factor I’ve discovered from juggling household dinners with a busy schedule is that many of those sides really enhance with time. The quinoa salad, lentil salad, and couscous salad might be made 1 to 2 days forward (and are nice for lunches!).
For events, I prep greens for roasting earlier within the day, tossing them with oil and seasonings proper on the sheet pan, then protecting with foil till able to roast.
My favourite trick? Double no matter grain or pasta aspect you’re making and remodel the leftovers into tomorrow’s lunch by including leftover hen and contemporary veggies.
Particular dietary concerns
Gluten-free choices
Practically half of those sides are naturally gluten-free, together with my greens, rice dishes, quinoa dishes, and most salads.
For pasta lovers following a gluten-free food regimen, merely swap the noodles, couscous, or orzo to your favourite gluten-free pasta. Do not forget that
Vegetarian and vegan pleasant
Most of those sides are already vegetarian, and plenty of can simply grow to be vegan with easy swaps. Exchange butter with olive oil within the sautéed greens, use dietary yeast as an alternative of Parmesan in salads, and use plant-based butter for the garlic noodles.
Low-carb
For these watching carbohydrates, deal with my vegetable-forward sides like sautéed spinach, roasted Brussels sprouts, and sauteed inexperienced beans, in addition to all of the contemporary salad recipes.
Continuously requested questions
50 Aspect Dishes for Hen
These aspect dishes for hen make it a meal! Decide from high concepts like roasted and sauteed greens, rice, pasta, salads, and extra. See under for our Inexperienced Beans Almondine recipe.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Prepare dinner Time: 10 minutes
- Whole Time: quarter-hour
- Yield: 4 1x
- Class: Aspect dish
- Technique: Stovetop
- Delicacies: Greens
- Food regimen: Vegetarian
- 1 pound French inexperienced beans (Haricot verts)*
- 2 tablespoon salted butter (or olive oil or plant-based butter, for vegan)
- ¼ cup sliced almonds
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Trim the inexperienced beans. Carry a big pot of water to a boil. Put together a big bowl of ice water.
- Blanch the beans: Add the beans to the boiling water and cook dinner for 3 to 4 minutes (or 4 to five minutes for traditional inexperienced beans)*, till tender however nonetheless crisp. Proper when the beans are tender, take away them from the boiling water with tongs and switch them to the bowl of ice water. As soon as cool, drain and pat them dry on a clear dish fabric. (You possibly can blanch the beans as much as 3 days prematurely and refrigerate till finishing Step 3.)
- Prepare dinner the beans: In a medium skillet, warmth the butter over medium warmth. Add the sliced almonds and cook dinner for 30 seconds till aromatic however not but browned. Add the dried inexperienced beans and salt and cook dinner for two to three minutes till warmed by means of and almonds are frivolously browned. Add the garlic and cook dinner 1 minute extra, till the garlic is aromatic. Take away from the warmth and stir within the lemon zest. Style and add a number of extra pinches salt if obligatory.
Notes
*French inexperienced beans are thinner and extra tender than normal inexperienced beans, however normal beans additionally work. Blanch them 4 to five minutes till simply tender.
My favourite hen recipes
What hen recipe are you planning to cook dinner up? Listed below are a few of my high hen dinner concepts: