What to Serve with Tempura Chicken? 7 BEST Side Dishes

Choosing the right side for your tempura chicken shouldn’t be a puzzle.

Yes, this crispy delight demands a partner that complements its texture and flavor without overshadowing it.

We’ve got the scoop on seven unbeatable sides that will elevate your tempura experience from good to unforgettable.

From refreshing salads to cozy soups, each option promises to balance the meal’s taste and add that extra zing to your plate.

Ready to find out which side dishes have made it to our top list?

Why Consider Serving Side Dishes with Tempura Chicken?

The concept behind a side dish is fairly simple to understand.

A side dish will complement a dish and enhance its flavors or annihilate some of its negative effects.

When it comes to meat – whether it is tempura chicken, chicken tikka, or other varieties, having meat alone is a bit sketchy.

Sure, a perfectly done piece is great and can be eaten straight away.

But then, having too much meat by itself will make you feel nauseous.

A side dish will enhance your meal and reduce the negative aspect.

At the same time, a side dish is even more important if you are expecting some guests – you want to make a good impression, so you need a proper meal.

What to Serve with Tempura Chicken? 7 BEST Side Dishes

Here are some of your best options when not sure what to serve with tempura chicken.

1 – Cool Beans Salad

Believe it or not, this side dish is actually super fulfilling and will take your meal to another level.

The cool beans salad is not all about mixing different types of beans together, but also about using rice – ideally, stick to basmati rice.

A bit of corn is also needed, not to mention onions and red pepper.

The difference is in spices and condiments, though – sugar, garlic, salt, cumin, chili, and pepper.

2 – Roasted Fresh Okra

Whether you cook for a picky audience or you truly want everything to be perfect, you cannot go wrong with okra.

Get about a pound of fresh okra – trim it, then cut it in half lengthwise.

You also need a few tablespoons of olive oil, as well as salt and pepper.

Bake everything in the oven for up to 15 minutes or until everything is tender and slightly brown.

Prepare more okra than what you need because it tends to shrink as it cooks.

On the same note, you can also overcrowd the pan with no issues at all.

3 – Creamy Coleslaw

This is not the type of fresh and crunchy coleslaw, but the creamy one that must be eaten in moderate amounts.

You need coleslaw mix leaves, a bit of mayo, some sour cream, sugar, salt, and pepper – ideally, you should use a few different types of salt.

Mix everything together and refrigerate the result.

Do not serve it straight away – you want the creamy profile to cover the whole salad.

Give your coleslaw a few good hours before serving it.

It works well with the chicken because it has a different texture and it annihilates some of its oily and greasy profile.

4 – Black Eyed Pea Salad

This black eyed pea salad will stand out if you are into the southern cuisine – and not only.

It takes less than half an hour to prepare – a few hours to refrigerate, though.

The recipe requires black eyed peas, grape tomatoes, red peppers, onions, and celery ribs.

Everything must be chopped at the same size.

You want to maintain consistency.

Since you will not chop peas, everything else should go in a similar size.

Spices, dressings, and condiments are just as important.

Throw in some basil, balsamic vinegar, mustard, oregano, salt, pepper, and olive oil.

5 – Garlic Herb Squash

You simply cannot go wrong with this recipe if you have less than half an hour on your hands.

Get some squash – ideally, look for pattypan squash, yet the standard one is also good.

You also need some olive oil, a couple of minced garlic cloves, salt, parsley, pepper, oregano, and thyme.

The mix must be baked for up to 20 minutes.

Simply keep an eye on the dish and make sure you stir occasionally.

The final result will pleasantly surprise you – this is the type of dish that even squash haters will appreciate.

6 – Barley Corn Salad

Give this quick salad about 15 minutes to prepare and a few good hours to refrigerate.

The preparation and cooking will cost you nothing – but you do have to wait before serving the salad.

You will need some corn, barley, red and green peppers – chopped, as well as a few onions.

Chop everything down – apart from the actual corn – and give the mix a bit of time to refrigerate.

Use extras like cilantro, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and thyme to give the salad a bit of extra flavor.

Do not exaggerate with spices and condiments, as they could take over.

7 – Crispy Smashed Herbed Potatoes

Altogether, this recipe will take less than an hour, and it has a few major benefits.

First, you have a crispy texture that works well with the soft chicken.

Second, it is based on veggies – especially on potatoes, which work wonders with any type of meat.

You just cannot go wrong with it – get some small red potatoes, olive oil, melted better, salt, pepper, parsley, and chives.

You need to roast the mix for about 20 to 25 minutes – parsley and chives are sprinkled on top once everything is done.

These are practically the fresh ingredients in the process.

Conclusion

In the end, figuring out what to serve with tempura chicken is not as difficult as it may seem.

Sure, this type of chicken has Asian origins and will not work with every random dish out there.

But at the end of the day, what works for most types of chicken will also work for it.

The goal is to complement the chicken, but also make it more enjoyable by contrasting its aroma, taste, and flavor.

Moreover, your personal preferences are just as important.