What to Serve with Citrus Chicken? 10 BEST Side Dishes

In a broad sense, citrus chicken can refer to lemon chicken, orange chicken (Chinese) or citrus chicken with an orange flavor.

But here, we’ll talk about the last one which usually features orange, orange juice and zest.

Citrus chicken is a delicious dish that offers citrusy flavors.

It’s a versatile dish, so you don’t have to worry much when considering what to serve with citrus chicken.

Grilled veggies, mixed green salad, ricotta pasta sauce and kale avocado salad are some dishes to enjoy with citrus chicken.

Why Consider Serving Side Dishes with Citrus Chicken?

Citrus chicken is an incredibly flavorsome dish and you might end up eating a large portion which isn’t healthy at all.

So side dishes will be helpful as they will balance the meal and prevent you from overeating.

The sweet and tangy chicken pairs well with many items so you can experience multiple flavors in one meal.

Eating also becomes more exciting when you have several dishes.

When serving citrus chicken at a gathering, you’ll need more dishes or everyone will be disappointed because a party is mostly about food and everybody expects it.

What to Serve with Citrus Chicken? 10 BEST Side Dishes

1 – Lemony Orzo

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Serving two heavy or complex dishes can create a problem and bring disharmony to your meal.

Hence, it’s always a good idea to add a simpler dish when your main item is rich.

Lemony orzo is simple but flavorful and it complements citrus chicken.

Also called risoni, orzo is a type of Italian short-cut pasta, shaped like a large grain of rice.

It’s versatile and you can cook different dishes with it.

Since the chicken is already flavorful, there’s no need to add too many ingredients to the dish.

But you must cook the orzo perfectly “al dente,” or the pasta will be ruined and even citrus chicken won’t save it.

2 – Fresh Mixed Green Salad

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A big green salad will also make a suitable side dish with citrus chicken.

The veggies will add a fresh element, balance and complete the meal.

Eating fresh veggies is also healthy as they have plenty of nutrients.

Mixed green salad can have different greens and veggies as no rule says you must use only specific ingredients.

Lettuce, spinach, arugula, beet greens, watercress, kale, cabbage and Swiss chard are some greens you can incorporate into salads.

You must, however, use the freshest greens.

For instance, check the sell-by date when buying prebagged greens.

3 – Roasted Potatoes with Garlic and Butter

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This list will be incomplete if there’s no potato dish.

First, potatoes and chicken make the perfect match and second; spuds taste good with everything.

Potatoes are also versatile and delicious no matter how you cook them.

Roasted potatoes taste lovely and you will feel full when you have them with chicken.

Plus, the garlic and butter garnish adds extra aromatic flavor to the potatoes.

It’s also an easy dish for two reasons.

First, you only have to follow a few steps and second, you need a few everyday ingredients for the dish.

4 – Crisp Garlic Bread

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Bread also makes a delightful pairing with citrus chicken.

Any crusty bread will work, but you can enhance it by making garlic bread.

It’s incredible and everyone will love it.

Garlic bread looks elegant and appealing and it seems like it’s challenging to make it.

But on the contrary, making garlic bread is easy and you’ll need only a handful of ingredients.

Melted butter, garlic and fresh parsley and bread make up the ingredients.

French bread also called baguette is the popular choice for making garlic bread, so you might want to grab some.

5 – Fluffy Coconut Rice

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It’s not only potatoes but also rice that makes an excellent pairing with citrus chicken.

Rice is a versatile grain with a neutral flavor that tastes good with most foods.

You can make rice in different ways for different occasions and menus.

Citrus chicken is flavorsome and rich so you don’t have to go over the top with rice.

Simple fluffy rice or coconut rice will be perfect for serving with citrus chicken.

You can make coconut rice which requires you to soak the rice in coconut milk before cooking.

Basmati and jasmine rice are most popular for making coconut rice as they offer a fluffy texture and lovely fragrance.

6 – Kale Avocado Salad

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Salads are popular because they’re healthy and taste good with everything.

So it’ll be a good idea to have two or three but with different veggies and fruits.

Kale and avocado salad are delicious, fresh, slightly tangy and hot.

It has a different flavor than the chicken, but they make the perfect match when paired together.

Kale can be somewhat bitter but massaging them nicely with a vinaigrette can tone it down.

You have to make the salad with fresh kale and perfectly ripe avocado.

Purchase kale that has been refrigerated or picked most recently, as it spoils fast.

7 – Pasta with Ricotta Cheese Sauce

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Chicken pairs with various dishes so we’ve tried to add different items.

They’ll add more variety to your menu.

Ricotta pasta sauce is also a dish often served with citrus chicken.

The dish’s name sounds fancy but it’s just pasta with ricotta cheese sauce.

But the flavor is incredible; you may want to eat it more than the chicken.

You can also add some parmesan cheese for extra flavor.

Short-cut pasta is more favorable for this dish as it can absorb the sauce better.

Orecchiette, farfalle, penne and rigatoni are some varieties you can use to make the dish.

8 – Grilled Veggies in Balsamic Vinegar

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Who can say no to grilled veggies with citrus chicken? They make an excellent pair and the vegetables balance your meal.

You can also work with different veggies for the dish.

Any roasted or grilled veggie tastes fantastic so feel free to add as much as you like.

Zucchini, yellow squash, carrot, turnips cabbage, sweet potato bell pepper, onion and eggplant taste great when grilled.

A simple seasoning of salt, pepper, balsamic vinegar and olive oil with a fresh herb will bring out the veggies’ flavors.

If you want a little heat, add some red pepper flakes.

9 – Oven Baked French Fries

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If you want to add a light, easy-to-make and tasty side dish for citrus chicken, French fries are the way to go.

Everyone loves fries and you can make large portions in a short time.

Finger chips are one of the most versatile snacks and you can pair them with most foods.

That’s why you’ll see them at most events.

It’s only because they taste good with everything but also because potatoes are available all year round.

The best way to get the perfect chips is to cook the fries twice using the right potatoes (Russet, Idaho) and oil (refined peanut oil, canola or safflower).

Yukon Gold potato is another option if Russet or Idaho isn’t available.

10 – Watermelon Salad with Feta

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We’ll end the list with another salad made of juicy watermelon and salty/tangy feta cheese.

It complements citrus chicken and adds a fresh element.

Salads are always delicious but this one is extraordinary.

It’s crunchy, juicy, sweet and sour so you have multiple things happening in your mouth.

Besides watermelon and feta cheese, you’ll need red onion, cucumber, avocado and a simple lime dressing (olive oil, lime juice, sea salt and garlic).

Add jalapeno or serrano pepper for a slight kick but that’s optional.

You can finish it up with fresh herbs like basil or mint.

Conclusion

If you’re in the mood to serve citrus chicken, the ten dishes on the list will be used because each one is ideal for the chicken.

The list has a variety, so your menu will look quite interesting.

But repeating dishes isn’t a good idea so never serve the same dish at the following event.

You must also stick with various dishes because everyone has a different favorite.

For example, serve kale avocado salad, fluffy rice and grilled veggies in one event and ricotta pasta, mixed green salad and French fries in another.