What to Serve with Popcorn Chicken? 7 BEST Side Dishes

If you love to eat bite-sized meat pieces regularly, popcorn chicken should satisfy your cravings.

It’s become a popular snack worldwide now, but it’s been a favorite delicacy in the Southern US region for at least a few centuries.

It’s chicken that’s breaded and fried in small pieces, which you can eat as a snack, appetizer or even main meal.

Popcorn chicken has a crispy exterior and juicy interior, and you can stand on its own as a dish.

But it is versatile, and you can enjoy it with many other dishes.

Now that you know, look below and see what to serve with popcorn chicken.

Why Consider Serving Side Dishes with Popcorn Chicken?

A meat dish as good as popcorn chicken is sufficient to satiate your hunger and cravings for delicacies, but it can get heavy sometimes and make you feel overwhelmed.

Side dishes with light and fresh flavors can tone down the richness and level the flavors, and make the chicken even better.

Apart from the richness, it can also be boring to eat only one dish even though it’s something as yummy as popcorn chicken.

But with side dishes as accompaniment, the chicken will taste even more flavorful and make you want to eat more.

What to Serve with Popcorn Chicken? 7 BEST Side Dishes

If you don’t have much idea about what to serve with popcorn chicken, stress no more and read on.

1 – Sweet and Sour Sauce

It may seem odd, but the sweet and sour sauce is a common item in Asian cuisine.

But believe it or not, it can be perfect with popcorn chicken too.

The sweet and sour sauce taste complements the crunchy and juicy meat pieces perfectly.

It’s also pretty simple to concoct it, and you can do it with only a handful of ingredients.

It usually has soy sauce, but to make it less Asian, you can omit this ingredient.

Make the sweet and tangy dip with ketchup, water, cornstarch, red wine vinegar and granulated sugar.

Stir all together till sugar and the cornstarch dissolve.

Next, heat it and continue to whisk on a medium flame till it arrives at a thick consistency and it’s ready for serving.

2 – Mango Salsa

It’s another sweet and tangy option but trust us; it won’t disappoint you.

Fruits and vegetables add freshness and take down the richness making the chicken even more delectable.

Mango salsa is also a dish that you can make with only a few items.

It’s often eaten during hot summers but is good at any time.

You can create the salsa with mangoes, chopped red peppers, red onions and cilantro.

To bring out the tanginess, mix in fresh lemon juice.

If you want a spicier version, add Anaheim or green chiles instead.

It’s a guarantee that you won’t want to stop once you combine the chicken and salsa and start eating.

3 – Lemon Orzo

Orzo means barley in Italian, but culinary wise, it refers to rice-shaped pasta.

Hence, it also serves as a substitute for rice in many dishes.

Lemon orzo can also work as a side dish with popcorn chicken as both complements each other.

You also get to enjoy multiple flavors and textures and experience both bliss satisfaction.

At the same time, this dish is pretty simple to make, and it tastes lovely even with few ingredients.

Usual ingredients include orzo, butter, lemon zest, oregano, broth, lemon juice, parsley or mint, salt and pepper.

You may also sprinkle parmesan cheese and add sliced green onions, but these are optional.

4 – French Fries

One of the most popular comfort foods often eaten as a snack, you can definitely serve French fries with popcorn chicken.

French fries are pleasant to eat and also the perfect combo with popcorn chicken.

It doesn’t matter if both are snacks or appetizers because you can’t get enough of them.

You can buy ready-made fries from a good place or make them yourself because it’s a simple dish.

If you’re worried about the fat content, you can bake the fries or use an air fryer.

Either will produce yummy fries but less fatty.

Sprinkle some spicy paprika or chili powder if you like it hot, along with some herbs (optional).

You can include a suitable dip for both chicken and the fries.

5 – Creamy and Tangy Coleslaw

Nothing tastes better than a fresh salad, and coleslaw is just that.

So, you can add it as a side dish with popcorn chicken.

But unlike the typical flavor, you can add a tangy dressing and mayonnaise to make it sour and creamy.

The fresh and crunchy texture of the cabbage will blend with the chicken’s juicy and crispy feel and bring a lightness to your palate.

Before starting, always make it a point to choose a firm, fresh head of cabbage.

You also need white wine vinegar, salt, pepper, mayonnaise, carrots, red onion, herbs (optional), paprika, yogurt, soured cream or more mayo and Dijon mustard.

6 – Roasted Root Vegetables

Meat and veggies are a fantastic combo, and your popcorn chicken will therefore blend nicely when you serve roasted toot vegetables alongside it.

Making a vegetable dish is easy, and you have many options depending on availability.

If you want to cook the side dish for a family meal, make it with whatever you have.

However, if you want to include the roasted veggies in a party or barbeque menu, you can buy some more items.

Choose the right veggies, and you will have a low-fat, superhealthy and high in fiber dish.

Use carrots, parsnips, celeriac, swede, garlic, olive oil and honey.

7 – Rice Pilaf

Rice plus chicken is a classic combo, no matter how you make the dishes.

It’s the last item on this fantastic list, but rice pilaf can compete with any side dish.

When you have fluffy, seasoned well-cooked rice to eat with popcorn chicken, nothing can go wrong at all.

Use veggies instead of meat so as not to feel overloaded.

Veggie pilaf can make the meal wholesome and let you enjoy it without making you feel guilty.

Make the pilaf with brown rice as it’s a whole grain and a healthier choice than white rice.

But use a long-grain variety to get a fluffy rice dish.

Conclusion

It could be game day, barbeque, picnic or an ordinary dinner with popcorn chicken as one of the items on the menu and a side dish to boot.

Whatever the occasion, you will enjoy the meal and different flavors which the foods provide.

If you want to serve the chicken to guests, make sure to come up with large batches of whichever side dishes you cook.

Everyone will have a lovely time and enjoy the delicious items you lay out on the table.

When making the chicken for the family, rotate the side dishes to keep away the sameness.