If you’re wondering what to serve with your bourbon chicken, you’ve come to the right place.
In this article, I list 11 of the most popular and tasty side dishes for bourbon chicken.
In a rush? Here’s the short answer.
The best dishes to serve with bourbon chicken include coconut rice, green beans and bacon, spring rolls, and Asian broccoli. Easy-to-cook sides include creamed spinach, baked sweet potatoes, and sesame noodles. If you want something light and refreshing, go for a Thai mango salad or coleslaw.
Ready? Let’s jump right in.
Asian broccolini
Broccolini lives in the shadow of its cousin broccoli, but it’s SO much better.
The long stalks offers more crunch which works perfectly with a tender bourbon chicken.
It’s jam-packed with good-for-you stuff too (especially if you pop some bok choy in the pan).
Still not convinced?
The recipe from Foodiecrush combines soy with ginger to make the broccolini pop.
Vegetable spring rolls
Pop one or two spring rolls on the plate next to bourbon chicken and you’ll have your guests licking their lips!
What you stuff the spring rolls with is up to you.
But I like a mix of carrots, beans, cabbage, and capsicum. I’ll also throw in some shitake mushrooms if I have them for the umami flavor.
Keep some of the bourbon sauce back to use as a dipping sauce and enjoy!
These vegetable spring rolls are extra crunchy.
Coconut rice
You can flavor rice in so many ways, but coconut has to be one of my favorites.
It gives the rice a creamy texture that marries so well with the sweet and sticky sauce of bourbon chicken.
This coconut rice recipe uses lime juice to liven it up.
Tip: plain rice also works really well with bourbon chicken.
Bacon and green beans
If you’re cooking a Southern main course, a quintessential Southern side like bacon and green beans is a must-have.
Green beans are at risk of being boring, but wrapping them with bacon transforms them into something special.
Serving these smokey green beans next to your Bourbon chicken will add a pop of color to people’s plates.
Use thin-cut bacon for these green bean bundles so they come out super crispy.
Sesame noodles
Bourbon chicken is a fusion of Chinese and Southern flavors, and what’s the first thing you think of when someone says Chinese food?
Noodles!
So it’s no surprise these sesame noodles have made my list.
The addition of garlic and tahini takes them a step above plain noodles.
And don’t forget to spice it up a little by adding some Sriracha – yum.
These garlic sesame noodles can be on the table in less than 15 minutes (now that’s fast).
Mango salad
Want to impress at a summer party or potluck?
This unique mango salad will do the trick.
The sharp acidic nature of the mango will brighten up your bourbon chicken and keep it from getting too heavy.
Can’t find unripe mangos? Use apples instead – it’s just as tasty!
This Thai mango salad is just the right balance of tart, salty, and a little sweet.
Creamed spinach
Bourbon chicken is sweet and sticky, sometimes a bit too sweet… but this creamy side dish is just what you need to tone down the flavors.
And it only takes 15 minutes to get onto the table!
I like my creamed spinach to be less cream and more spinach, but you can easily add more cream to this recipe from Delish.
Fried okra
Another Southern side you can pair with bourbon chicken is fried okra, a summer favorite!
You can saute, grill, or roast okra but I prefer to dredge it in cornmeal and flour, then fry it.
No need to worry about the slime!
You can cook these crispy fried okra in oil or an air fryer.
Creamy coleslaw
I’m not sure there’s a dish or occasion where coleslaw wouldn’t be a good side option.
A spoonful of coleslaw will help brighten up your bourbon chicken and the cool temperature will give a nice contrast to the hot sauce.
I also like the idea of adding in some shredded apples to complement the fruity notes in the bourbon chicken.
You can’t get much easier than this coleslaw recipe.
Baked sweet potatoes
The glaze is the star of the show with bourbon chicken.
So if you’re after a supporting side to help fill your guests up, go for baked sweet potatoes.
The fluffy insides will soak up all the leftover sauce and make sure all the plates are wiped clean.
Lisa from downshiftology suggests sprinkling a dash of cinnamon over your baked sweet potatoes, which I think sounds amazing!
Cauliflower fried rice
Want a rice dish but don’t want all the carbs?
Why not try cauliflower fried rice?
The ‘grains’ will still soak up all the sauce from your bourbon chicken but you won’t feel over-full.
Tip: I like to use fresh bean sprouts in my fried rice to add some crunch.
Lisa Lin prefers to cook her easy cauliflower rice with baby bok choy.
Best side dishes for bourbon chicken
- Asian broccolini
- Vegetable spring rolls
- Coconut rice
- Bacon and green beans
- Sesame noodles
- Mango salad
- Creamed spinach
- Fried okra
- Creamy coleslaw
- Baked sweet potatoes
- Cauliflower fried rice

What To Serve With Bourbon Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 portion bourbon chicken
Instructions
- Prepare your bourbon chicken according to your favorite recipe.
- In the meantime, choose one of the following sides to serve alongside it.
- Side dishes include: asian broccolini, vegetable spring rolls, coconut rice, bacon and green beans, sesame noodles, mango salad, creamed spinach, fried okra, creamy coleslaw, baked sweet potatoes, and cauliflower fried rice.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!