When it comes to an exciting meal, chicken tenders are hard to beat. It’s one of those foods that you feel like a kid again after you eat it. But the greatest side dishes are what can take your meal to the next level. These top 20 side dishes for chicken tenders will take your meals to a whole new level.
What Are Chicken Tenders?
Chicken tenders, also known as chicken fingers or chicken goujons, are strips of boneless chicken breast that have been battered and deep-fried. They’re usually made from chicken breasts that have been cut into 3-inch long strips, but the term “tender” can also refer to cuts of meat from the leg or thigh.
The meat is typically breaded with flour and spices before being dipped in an egg wash and coated in breadcrumbs or cornmeal. The breaded meat is then fried until it’s golden brown and crispy on the outside while remaining moist on the inside.
How Many Calories in Chicken Tenders?
A 4-ounce serving of fried chicken tenders contains about 240 calories, while grilled chicken tenders contain about 160 calories. If you’re making your own chicken tenders at home, you can use our calorie calculator to find out how many calories are in each serving of your recipe.
How Much Protein Is in Chicken Tenders?
Chicken tenders contain between 12 and 13 grams of protein per serving (about 4 ounces). This is equivalent to about 25% of the daily value (DV) for protein on a 2,000-calorie diet.
Why Consider Serving Side Dishes for Chicken Tenders?
Chicken tenders are a bit of a staple for many people. They’re easy to make and serve, as well as being a great way to introduce kids (or even adults) to new flavors. However, chicken tenders can get old quickly if you don’t do something different with them.
Consider serving side dishes with your chicken tenders to make your meal more interesting. Here are some ideas:
1) Serve a vegetable or two with the chicken tenders, such as peas or carrots. This is an easy way to add nutrients and vitamins like Vitamin C without adding extra calories and fat from frying in oil or butter.
2) Serve breaded zucchini slices alongside the chicken tenders. Zucchini has a mild flavor that will go well with the chicken while also adding some extra vitamins and minerals to your meal.
3) Serve some fruit alongside the meal for dessert or snacking later on in the day if you have leftovers from dinner!
What to Serve with Chicken Tenders? 20 BEST Side Dishes
1. Rice
Rice is a great side dish for chicken tenders because it’s easy to prepare and pairs well with many different types of meat. Rice is also a good option if you’re looking to cut back on carbs and calories, but still want something filling. You can cook rice in a rice cooker or on the stovetop, depending on what you have available.
2. Macaroni and cheese
Macaroni and cheese is definitely not a healthy side dish for chicken tenders, but it’s so delicious that it doesn’t matter! This cheesy pasta dish is one of those comfort foods that everyone loves, which means it’s perfect for dinner parties and potlucks. If you’re trying to eat healthier foods or avoid junk food, skip the boxed macaroni and cheese mixes. Instead, try making your own from scratch using whole wheat pasta and low-fat milk products.
3. Baked potato wedges
Potatoes are a staple side dish for many meals, and they’re the perfect pairing for chicken tenders. All you need to do is bake your potatoes and then cut them into wedges before serving. You can also add some spices or seasonings to make them more flavorful.
4. Mashed potatoes with gravy
Mashed potatoes are another classic side dish, but it’s important that you don’t overcook them so that they’re too mushy. A few minutes in the microwave should do the trick! Then just add a little bit of milk and butter before mashing them up with a fork until they reach your desired consistency.
5. French fries
French fries are the perfect side dish for fried chicken tenders! They go great with ranch dressing or ketchup, but there are lots of other fun sauces you can try too. Try making your own seasoned salt mix or using homemade ketchup instead of store-bought varieties.
6. Baked sweet potato fries
These are a delicious alternative to sweet potato fries. They’re easy to make, healthy, and kid-friendly. You can also use frozen sweet potato fries if you don’t have time to bake them from scratch.
7. Corn on the cob
Corn on the cob is a classic go-to side dish. Corn is naturally sweet and delicious, and it pairs perfectly with savory chicken tenders. The best part about corn on the cob is that it can be served right off the cob or sliced off and served as a whole kernel. To cut down on prep time, look for pre-sliced frozen corn at your local grocery store or farmer’s market. You can also make your own fresh corn by parboiling it before cooking it in an air fryer or oven!
8. Toss salad
Toss salad is another easy, no-fuss option for serving with chicken tenders. Choose crisp greens and fresh veggies and dress them lightly with oil and vinegar or ranch dressing. This way, your guests can choose how much dressing they want on their salads, which means nobody has to eat too much or too little of this delicious side dish.
9. Garlic Bread
This is an easy side dish that adds some flavor and texture to your meal. It’s also easy to prepare and will add moisture to your chicken tenders if you want to make sure they don’t dry out while cooking.
10. Green beans with almonds
Green beans go great with almost any meal, especially chicken tenders. This recipe calls for green beans, but you can substitute other veggies like asparagus or broccoli florets if you prefer. You can also add a little bit of parmesan cheese on top if you like!
11. Potato Salad
A potato salad is another good side dish for chicken tenders because it pairs well with any kind of meat you want to serve. This recipe contains mayonnaise, which gives it an extra creamy texture that goes well with fried foods like chicken tenders or even fried fish if you want to try something different!
12. Fresh Vegetables and Dip
Fresh fruit salads are delicious and healthy. They can be made with almost any type of fruit, including apples, bananas and grapes. If desired, you can add nuts or other dried fruits to give it more texture and flavor.
13. Fresh Fruit Salad
Fresh fruit salads are delicious and healthy. They can be made with almost any type of fruit, including apples, bananas and grapes. If desired, you can add nuts or other dried fruits to give it more texture and flavor.
14. Roasted New Potatoes
New potatoes have a great texture and flavor that goes especially well with chicken tenders. Roast new potatoes in the oven until they’re tender on the inside, crispy on the outside, and golden brown in color. Top them with salt and pepper before serving them with your chicken tenders.
15. Cole Slaw or Cucumber Salad
These two salads are also delicious ways to serve your chicken tenders! Both of them taste great when paired with this simple meal but you’ll want to make sure that you don’t overdo it when it comes to preparation time because you don’t want your food getting cold before you eat it.
16. Baked Potato Wedges
Potatoes are another healthy option for those who want something other than just plain chicken tenders. Baked potato wedges are easy to prepare in the oven and can be served with any number of sauces or toppings on top. This dish pairs well with steamed vegetables such as broccoli or green beans.
17. Macaroni Salad with Herbs and Lemon Vinaigrette
This macaroni salad is a favorite at our house. It’s satisfyingly rich, but not too heavy. The lemon vinaigrette is bright and summery, with just the right amount of tanginess. I love that it uses fresh herbs instead of dried ones because they add so much more flavor. If you’re making this ahead of time, be sure to prep the dressing first so that it has time to chill in the fridge before serving.
18. Sliced Tomato Salad with Sweet Basil Dressing
This salad is easy to make and it tastes great. It is also very nutritious, so you will be getting all the vitamins and minerals that a healthy meal needs. The ingredients that you need are tomatoes, onions and cucumbers along with basil leaves, olive oil and vinegar. You can use any kind of vinegar that you want or even lemon juice if you do not like vinegar at all.
19. Roasted Potatoes with Rosemary Butter
These potatoes are really easy to make and they taste great too! You can add whatever herbs or spices that you want into them, but I think rosemary butter goes well with everything! You can also add onions if you want to make it more flavorful!
20. Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Bacon
Brussels sprouts have been around for centuries, but they’ve really taken off in popularity in recent years due to their incredible nutritional profile. These little green balls of goodness contain phytochemicals called glucosinolates that have been shown to have anti-cancer properties! Roasting them gives them a slightly caramelized flavor while keeping them crispy on the outside so they’re perfect for dipping into ranch dressing or even just eating straight up with a few cherry tomatoes on the side.
Conclusion
With these side dishes, you have a wealth of healthy options to choose from when building your next chicken tender meal. Add a few different options to come up with a complete meal for your whole family. Your entire family will be asking for seconds and asking for the recipes once they’ve sampled any one of these dishes. Get started on assembling the best chicken tender dinner of all time!
