Chicken and turkey, we know well, have plenty of friends. We are not only talking about couscous couscous, rice or soft sauces, but also exquisite side dishes that can enrich every main course with colourful notes. Today we want to tell you a something more about the importance of these preparations, discovering which are the best seven side dishes for chicken too.
What do we mean by side dish?
When we talk about a side dish, we mean a dish of raw or cooked vegetables, potatoes or mushrooms that goes together with a main course of meat, fish or eggs. In restaurants they are sometimes served in the same plate as the dish they go with, other times they go on a separate, smaller plate. Side dishes have an important function in our diets: as they are mostly vegetable-based, they help to balance nutrients in the case of carbohydrate-rich first courses or main courses where proteins prevail. It is important to remember, however, that in order to fill up on fibres, vitamins and minerals, it is advisable to eat vegetables raw. By cooking them, in fact, they will lose part of their nutrients. So green light for carrots, salad, fennel, celery together with a drizzle of oil and salt and pepper to taste. But what if you wanted a warm side dish instead? In that case, we've discovered seven of them that can be just right for you.
The best side dishes for chicken (hot) Chicken and... potatoes. Well yes, the most classic amongst side dishes is undoubtedly the tastiest. Whether roasted, fried or steamed potatoes, the important thing is to celebrate this friendship with a nice dinner. From potatoes we move on to spinach, an ingredient made famous by Popeye the Sailor man. This very green preparation contains, in addition to iron, vitamins and minerals. Which makes it an excellent side dish to choose, even in its raw version! Always green, always tasty: green beans are another side dish that goes well with white meat. You can prepare them steamed (super light choice) or with a little butter and the soft part of bread (foodie choice). Another very good and nutrient rich side dish is represented by mushrooms. Just pan-fry some with oil and parsley and the dish will already be rich in flavour. And what to say about a steamed vegetable bouquet? In this case, you will not only get your fill of vitamins and minerals, you will also get your fill of colour. A pairing idea? Carrots, celery, potatoes, red and yellow peppers. And you’re done.
And if these ideas are not enough for you, here are two more signed by our chefs. In the first case we have asparagus and scallion that go together with a succulent foil packet chicken, in the second an excellent side dish where savoy cabbage is enriched by the flavour of citrus fruits.
