Are you tired of serving the same old boring sides with your chicken spaghetti? I totally get it! I’ve been there too, staring at my delicious chicken spaghetti casserole wondering what else I could add to make dinner more exciting.
Well, guess what? I’ve done the hard work for you and rounded up the absolute best side dishes that go good with chicken spaghetti. These pairings will transform your simple pasta dinner into a memorable feast that’ll have everyone asking for seconds!
Chicken spaghetti, with its creamy, cheesy goodness and tender chunks of chicken, is already pretty amazing on its own. But the right side dish can take this comfort food classic to a whole new level by adding contrasting textures, complementary flavors, and a pop of color to your plate.
Why Side Dishes Matter with Chicken Spaghetti
Before diving into our list, let’s talk about why choosing the right sides matters:
- Texture contrast – Chicken spaghetti has a creamy, soft texture, so adding crunchy or crisp sides creates a more interesting meal
- Color balance – Let’s be honest, chicken spaghetti is kinda beige! Colorful sides make your plate more appetizing
- Flavor complementation – The right sides can enhance or balance the rich, savory flavors of your main dish
Veggie Sides That Pair Perfectly with Chicken Spaghetti
1. Roasted Vegetables
Nothing beats the simplicity and flavor of perfectly roasted veggies. I especially love these options
- Roasted Asparagus – Toss with olive oil, salt, and pepper, then roast until slightly charred for an earthy contrast to creamy pasta
- Blistered Tomatoes – Cherry tomatoes roasted until they burst become sweet and slightly smoky
- Brussels Sprouts – Roasting transforms these into caramelized, crispy bites that kids might actually eat!
2. Fresh Salads
A crisp salad is the perfect counterpoint to rich, hearty chicken spaghetti. Here are my favorites:
- Caesar Salad – The classic combo of crisp romaine, tangy dressing, and crunchy croutons provides refreshing balance
- Wedge Salad – Iceberg lettuce, crispy bacon, blue cheese, and ranch dressing make for a satisfying side
- Caprese Salad – Fresh tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil with a drizzle of balsamic glaze brings Italian flair
- Greek Salad – Crisp cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, feta, and kalamata olives dressed in vinaigrette adds Mediterranean flavor
3. Sautéed Greens
Quick-cooked greens add nutrition and color without much fuss:
- Sautéed Spinach – A quick sauté with garlic and olive oil is all you need
- Sliced Zucchini – Simple but effective, especially when sautéed with a bit of garlic
- Green Beans Almondine – The nutty crunch of almonds elevates basic green beans
Bread Sides That Complete Your Chicken Spaghetti
No pasta meal feels complete without some bread to soak up that delicious sauce!
1. Garlic Bread Variations
- Classic Garlic Bread – Buttery, aromatic, and impossible to resist
- Garlic Parmesan Knots – These twisted delights add fun and flavor to the table
- Italian Breadsticks – Perfect for dipping or nibbling alongside your pasta
2. Other Bread Options
- Dinner Rolls – Warm, buttery rolls are perfect for soaking up extra sauce
- Cornbread – A southern twist that works surprisingly well with chicken spaghetti
- Easy Drop Biscuits – When you’re short on time but still want homemade bread
Fun and Unexpected Sides for Chicken Spaghetti
Want to think outside the box? Try these unique sides:
1. Crispy Options
- Sweet Potato Fries – The natural sweetness offers a nice contrast to savory pasta
- Fried Pickles – Tangy and crunchy, these cut through the richness of the sauce
- Buffalo Cauliflower Bites – For those who like a spicy kick with their meal
2. Creative Veggie Sides
- Stuffed Mushrooms – These little flavor bombs are perfect appetizer-style sides
- Marinated Artichokes – Tangy and savory, they offer a sophisticated complement
- Cauliflower Pizza Bowl – For when you want Italian flavors without carb overload
What NOT to Serve with Chicken Spaghetti
Let’s be real – not everything goes good with chicken spaghetti. Avoid these pairings:
- Dishes with creamy sauces (too similar in texture)
- Other pasta or rice dishes (carb overload!)
- Green bean casserole or similar dishes that compete with, rather than complement, your main dish
- Sides high in dairy (the meal will become too heavy)
Quick Side Dish Selection Guide
Still not sure what to choose? Use this handy guide:
| If your chicken spaghetti is… | Try serving it with… |
|---|---|
| Extra cheesy | Fresh salad or roasted vegetables for balance |
| Spicy (with RoTel) | Cooling sides like cucumber salad or sweet potato fries |
| Mild and creamy | Garlic bread and Caesar salad for a classic pairing |
| For a special occasion | Stuffed mushrooms and asparagus for an elegant touch |
Putting It All Together: Sample Menus
Here are some sample menu combinations I’ve tried and loved:
Weeknight Quick Meal:
- Chicken Spaghetti
- Caesar Salad (from a kit if you’re really busy!)
- Garlic bread (store-bought, just heated up)
Weekend Family Dinner:
- Chicken Spaghetti
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- Homemade Garlic Parmesan Knots
- Sweet tea or lemonade
Dinner Party Menu:
- Chicken Spaghetti
- Caprese Skewers
- Grilled Asparagus
- Warm Dinner Rolls
- Peach Cobbler for dessert
- Chardonnay or Pinot Gris
Desserts to Follow Chicken Spaghetti
Don’t forget dessert! After a satisfying chicken spaghetti meal, try:
- Southern Peach Cobbler
- Lemon Icebox Pie
- Buttermilk Pound Cake
- Simple fresh fruit in summer
Final Thoughts
The beauty of chicken spaghetti is its versatility. While it’s delicious on its own, pairing it with the right sides elevates the entire meal. Whether you go with classic combos like garlic bread and Caesar salad or get creative with stuffed mushrooms and buffalo cauliflower, the key is balance—contrasting textures, complementary flavors, and pops of color.
What’s your favorite side to serve with chicken spaghetti? I’d love to hear about your combos in the comments below!
Oh, and if you’re looking for more side dish inspiration, be sure to check out my posts on sides for other pasta dishes like chicken alfredo or taco spaghetti. There’s a whole world of delicious pairings waiting to be discovered!
Now excuse me while I go make some chicken spaghetti and roasted asparagus for dinner tonight… writing this post has made me hungry!
What is a Good Side Dish for Spaghetti?
There are so many! Any one of these side dishes makes a great pairing for chicken spaghetti.
These Cheddar Bay Biscuits are the perfect comforting side dish to serve alongside the perfect comforting entree!
They start with Bisquick mix that’s mixed with milk and cheddar cheese, formed into biscuits, then baked until golden, soft and fluffy, with crispy edges.
These perfect biscuits are made even more perfect with a flavorful garlic butter topping! They’re ready to enjoy in a total of 20 minutes.
This broccoli bacon salad is a fresh and flavorful side dish that’s loaded up with the best flavors and textures.
It’s made with just 6 ingredients tossed in a simple homemade dressing.
This recipe features fresh broccoli florets, salty bacon crumbles, walnuts, dried cranberries, purple onion, and sunflower seeds.
It’s crunchy, chewy, salty, smoky, tangy, a little sweet, and ready in just 25 minutes!
This carrot souffle recipe sounds a whole lot fancier than it is to make! But it tastes divine!
It takes just 10 minutes to prep and is made with just 8 simple ingredients.
Carrot souffle is made with soft boiled carrots that are blended together with eggs, butter, vanilla, sugar, baking powder, flour, and cinnamon.
This mixture is spread into a baking dish, then baked until golden-brown on top.
This creamy corn casserole is a comforting side dish that will have you filling your whole plate up before you even get to the entree.
It’s made with simple, inexpensive ingredients and can be served alongside so many different mains.
This casserole features corn muffin mix, creamed corn and onion baked with eggs, a little bit of sugar, salt, and butter.
The result is a soft, fluffy, creamy, sweet, and oh-so-flavorful side dish. You won’t be able to get enough!
This recipe for air fryer asparagus is my favorite way to cook up asparagus.
It’s quick and simple to come together and is made with ingredients you likely already have around…especially if you already have the asparagus!
This recipe features fresh asparagus that’s coated in olive oil, seasoned with salt, black pepper, and garlic powder, then air fried for just a few minutes until deliciously crisp-tender.
Cucumber tomato salad is a fresh, healthy Southern staple! It’s one of our summertime side dish favorites.
I mean, what’s not to love about juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumbers, and tangy purple onions smothered in a creamy lemon dill sauce?
This recipe is ready to enjoy in a quick 20 minutes and goes perfectly with chicken spaghetti or any of your favorite summer meals!
Green pea salad is a sweet burst of flavor you’re going to love!
It contains everything you could want in a salad including, of course, green peas along with bacon, cheese, and onion in a creamy, tangy dressing.
This recipe comes together in a matter of minutes and is excellent paired with a healthy portion of chicken spaghetti.
Roasting broccoli in the oven is one of the quickest and easiest ways to make broccoli the best possible version of itself.
And this recipe is my favorite! It’s a simple and versatile side dish that yields perfect crisp-tender and flavorful broccoli.
This recipe features broccoli florets tossed with olive oil, salt, pepper, and walnuts for an extra crunchy bite.
It can be garnished to your tastes with parmesan, garlic, red pepper flakes, pecans or pine nuts, or even Panko breadcrumbs. This recipe is so customizable and so tasty.
This recipe for air fryer brussels sprouts will have everyone going for seconds.
They might even convince brussels sprouts haters that brussels sprouts actually can be good!
This recipe starts with fresh brussels sprouts that are coated in a perfect blend of oil, onion powder, salt, pepper, and parmesan.
They’re air fried until crisp-tender and caramelized, then finished with salty crumbles of bacon and a little bit of extra cheese. Side dishes don’t get simpler or tastier than this!
I knew mushrooms were good, but I sure didn’t know they could be this good!
I’ll never cook mushrooms another way after making these perfect sautéed mushrooms.
This recipe is made with fresh mushrooms that are cooked in butter and seasoned with dried thyme, salt, pepper, and fresh garlic.
The flavor is perfect and the finished mushrooms are absolutely bursting with flavor.
This mixed vegetable casserole is a total crowd pleaser.
It can be enjoyed as a side dish for an easy dinner at home or makes a great contribution to a party, potluck, or BBQ!
This recipe starts with frozen veggies for super simple prep. The veggies are cooked and drained, then tossed with sautéed onions, cream of chicken soup, water chestnuts, mayonnaise, seasonings, and cheddar cheese.
It’s then transferred to a baking dish, topped with crushed crackers, and baked until golden and crispy on top.
These baked sweet potatoes are the perfect alternative to your classic baked potato.
They’re like dessert and a side dish all in one. Except you can still have dessert after too!
The sweet potatoes are covered in olive oil, roasted until soft in the middle with crispy skin, then topped with a sweet homemade cinnamon butter. Just 10 minutes of prep needed!
Corn on the cob is a classic, and this recipe for grilled corn on the cob is perfect every time!
It’s an easy, 10-minute side dish that’s perfect paired with your chicken spaghetti dinner.
The fresh ears of corn are slathered in butter herbs and seasonings, wrapped in foil, then cooked at high heat on the grill until they’re bursting with sweet and savory flavor.
What is Chicken Spaghetti Made Of?
Chicken spaghetti is a cheesy spaghetti dish that features, of course, spaghetti, bell pepper, onion, canned tomatoes and green chiles, mushrooms, pimento peppers, and rotisserie chicken that’s smothered in a creamy cheese sauce.
How to Make Ree’s Chicken Spaghetti | Food Network
FAQ
What are good sides to go with chicken spaghetti?
- Caprese Salad Dressing Recipe. …
- Cucumber Tomato Salad. …
- Caesar Salad Recipe. …
- Brussels Sprouts Caesar Salad. …
- BLT Chopped Salad with Green Goddess Dressing. …
- Apple Pecan Salad. …
- Bacon Blue Cheese Chopped Salad. …
- Kale Salad with White Balsamic Dressing.
What is a good side dish that goes with spaghetti?
- 01 of 19. Kale Salad. …
- 02 of 19. Balsamic Bruschetta. …
- 03 of 19. Classic Restaurant Caesar Salad. …
- 04 of 19. Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus. …
- 05 of 19. Caprese Salad with Balsamic Reduction. …
- 06 of 19. Stuffed Eggplant Parmesan. …
- 07 of 19. Roasted Garlic Lemon Broccoli. …
- 08 of 19.
What do you eat with chicken pasta?
Chicken pasta goes well with a variety of side dishes, including salads (like Caesar or Caprese), vegetables (such as roasted broccoli, green beans, or spinach), and breads (such as garlic bread or focaccia). For a more hearty meal, consider adding a side of roasted potatoes or polenta, while a lighter option could be a simple green salad with a vinaigrette.
What all goes in chicken spaghetti?
- 1 (12 ounce) package angel hair pasta.
- 2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast.
- 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup.
- 1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes with green chile peppers.
- ¾ (8 ounce) package processed cheese, cubed.
- ½ (4 ounce) jar sliced mushrooms, drained.
- salt and pepper to taste.