32 Crowd-Pleasing Side Dishes for Chicken Wings
06 February 2025

Chicken wings are the ultimate dish to enjoy as a game day snack or as the main dish in a meal. Whether you prefer a classic wing or a bold flavor, there are plenty of side options to pair with your wings. Check out these 32 side dishes for chicken wings that will impress anyone who joins you at your table.
What's the best way to serve chicken wings?
Chicken wings can be served in various ways, depending on your flavor and cooking preference. While oven-baked wings are a common method, there are other ways you can prepare them, from an air fryer to a crockpot, or even on the grill. Below are some ideas on the best way to serve your wings:
Buffalo: A hot wing with a hint of sweetness is the perfect choice.
Barbecue: A barbeque wing is a classic, sweeter option that you can enjoy year-round at picnics, barbeques, or for a nice family dinner.
Teriyaki: With ingredients like soy sauce, pineapple juice, and fresh ginger, these wings are juicy and flavorful.
Dry rub: A sports bar classic, dry rub wings require a variety of seasonings, including paprika, garlic powder, cumin, and cayenne. These are a good choice to serve at family gatherings, allowing individuals to pair them with the sauce of their choice.
The best condiments to pair with chicken wings
Below are some of the best sauces to pair with chicken wings. Many of these you can buy at the store, or you can create your own if you're feeling up to it.
Ranch: A creamy dip that will tone down the spice of any wing.
Bleu cheese: This tangy option also perfectly balances any hot wing heat.
Garlic parmesan: Garlicky yet velvety, this sauce will elevate any wing platter.
Honey mustard: A sweet sauce that pairs well with a hot wing or a dry rub.
Sriracha mayo: If you want to add a bit more spice, opt for a light kick with a Sriracha mayo dipping sauce.
32 side dishes for chicken wings to wow your guests
1. French fries
French fries are a classic pairing with wings, and are easy to make at home. All you need is potatoes, oil, and seasoning. Then add them into the oven or air fryer to crisp.
2. Broccoli cheddar tots
Give classic tater tots a twist with this broccoli cheddar tots recipe. This dish combines finely chopped broccoli with cheese to create a healthier version of the classic side.
3. Twice baked potatoes
Enjoy a crowd-pleasing, cheesy, and filling side dish. Plus, they're highly customizable. Fill the potatoes with butter and sour cream, then once baked add your favorite toppings, like bacon, chives, or chili.
4. Sweet potato fries
Add a bit of sweetness to your chicken wing dish with sweet potato fries. They're just as easy to make as regular fries and add a unique flavor to your meal.
5. Onion rings
If fries aren't your favorite, onion rings are another great pairing for wings. You can also air fry these if you want to create a healthier version of this well-loved side dish.
6. Air fryer fried pickles
Recreate this classic festival food right at home using just a few ingredients. These fried pickles are juicy and tangy with a crisp outer shell - plus they're a bit healthier when you air fry.
7. Pretzel bites
Buttery soft pretzel bites are a great way to soak up the heat from a spicy chicken wing. However, these are a little bit of a labor of love, especially if you make your own dough, so be sure to prep ahead of time.
8. Chex mix
Creating a homemade chex mix provides a fresh twist to your favorite packaged snack. Unlike opening a standard bag of chips, this mix offers variety with cereal, crisp pretzels, and bagel chips.
9. Garlic bread
If you're in the mood for a quick, easy, and delicious side, try garlic bread. Its buttery, garlicky flavors go excellent with chicken wings.
10. Cornbread
Light and sweet cornbread can calm any heat on your taste buds from your chicken wings. Plus, this recipe only takes about 30 minutes to make.
11. Simple biscuits
With just five ingredients, you can create a biscuit recipe that'll steer you away from store bought for the rest of time. All you need is flour, baking powder, milk, butter, and salt to create light, fluffy biscuits.
12. Grilled corn
If you decide to grill your chicken wings, you can also add a few ears of corn to the spread. Grilled corn on the cob adds a unique char flavor to the buttery and salty starch - and it doesn't require any extra prep or dishes.
13. Zucchini bites
Transform your summer vegetable into a delicious bite by coating shredded zucchini in eggs, flour, parmesan, and seasonings. Fry them in oil for less than five minutes or bake in the oven. If you're on a gluten free diet, alternative options like chickpea flour work great for this side dish as well.
14. Air fryer cauliflower
If you're looking for a healthier, allergen-friendly side dish, try air fryer cauliflower. This dish only contains a few ingredients, yet is packed with flavor. You can also add buffalo or barbecue sauce to create a vegetarian 'wing' option.
15.Hot honey Brussels sprouts
Crispy, charred, sweet, and spicy - these hot honey Brussels sprouts give your tastebuds a whirl. This side dish is sure to be a hit, especially if you're hosting a fall game day bash.
16.Coleslaw
Add a bit of color to your spread. To make your own coleslaw, you'll need roughly 15 minutes to combine cabbage, carrots, onion, and coleslaw dressing. You can buy pre-made dressing or make it from scratch.
17.Cowboy caviar
This Tex-Mex dip is packed with fresh ingredients like corn, black beans, and tomatoes. You can savor this dish on its own or with crunchy tortilla chips. Best of all, there's no cooking involved. Just combine your ingredients, then serve to your guests.
18.Macaroni salad
Macaroni salad is an easily adaptable dish that you can make using whatever veggies you have on hand. Include celery, peas, olives, carrots - you name it.
19.Potato salad
If you're gluten-free, or pasta salad simply isn't your thing, substitute the noodles for diced potatoes. You can stick to a classic recipe with parsley, onions, and celery, or customize it with bacon, eggs, or bleu cheese if you're feeling bold.
20.Caesar salad
Create your own Caesar salad using just four ingredients. All you need is romaine, parmesan, Caesar dressing, and croutons. You can also make your own Caesar dressing with fewer than 10 ingredients.
21.Caprese skewers
Caprese skewers are an elegant yet effortless dish you can quickly prepare before any family dinner or event. All you need is mozzarella balls, cherry tomatoes, basil leaves, olive oil, and balsamic reduction. Thread the tomatoes, cheese, and basil onto skewers, then drizzle with the reduction and oil and you're ready to serve. `
22.Garden salad
A fresh salad with seasonal veggies complements bold, flavorful chicken wings. All you need is spring mix, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers, and any other garden vegetables you want to add.
23.Veggies and dip
Veggies and dip are an easy to serve, foolproof side that pair perfectly with any flavor of wings. Typically, you'll want to include celery and carrots into the mix, but you can also add radishes, peppers, or broccoli.
24.Fruit salad
A light, colorful fruit salad may just be the perfect dish to offset some spicy chicken wings. Simply combine fruits such as berries, oranges, grapes, apples, pineapple, and melon in a bowl and top with a lemony dressing to keep the fruit fresh.
25.Charcuterie board
You can't go wrong with serving cheese and crackers at your next gathering. When creating a charcuterie board, try to provide a variety of cheeses, meats, and crackers to your guests. Then, if you want to go above and beyond, add in a jam, berries, or vegetables to provide some extra variety to your board.
26.Mac and cheese
You can't go wrong with a side of mac and cheese. It's delicious, cheesy, and only takes roughly 30 minutes to make.
27.Baked beans
If you want an easy recipe that you can quickly throw into a crockpot, try baked beans. They're sweet yet savory, and packed with fiber.
28.Spinach artichoke dip
Spinach artichoke dip is a popular appetizer that's creamy, cheesy, and tangy. All you need is about 10 ingredients, including artichoke hearts, spinach, garlic, cream cheese, and sour cream, to create this iconic side.
29.Seven-layer dip
Guacamole, refried beans, salsa, and more - a seven-layer dip combines all the best party dips into one delicious dish. Although the name may make it sound time consuming, this delicious dip only takes about 10 minutes to create.
30.Guacamole
Guacamole is also just fine on its own. This classic, easy-to-make dip is perfect for any occasion. You can add more spice by mixing in hot sauce and jalapenos, or pineapple and mango for a sweet bite.
31.Mango salsa
If you're looking for a party dip that's sweet, spicy, and refreshing, try making a homemade mango salsa. The recipe combines ripe mangoes with bell peppers, red onion, jalapenos, cilantro, and fresh lime juice. Although it's very few ingredients, this dish is bursting with flavor.
32.Sheet pan nachos
Simply layer cheese over tortilla chips and bake, then add jalapenos, lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, and guacamole. You can even add buffalo or barbeque chicken and bleu cheese dip to make it on theme with your entree.
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