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If you’re wondering what to serve with your mesquite chicken, you’ve come to the right place.

In this article, I list 11 of the most popular side dishes for mesquite chicken.

In a rush? Here’s the short answer.

The best sides for mesquite chicken are Mexican rice, potato salad, creamy coleslaw, and BBQ baked beans. If you want a salad, I recommend a green bean salad or a tex-mex pasta salad. And for more filling sides, I recommend a mac and cheese or some grilled wedges.

Ready? Let’s jump right in.

Mexican rice

This rice is a healthy, colorful dish that’s hearty enough to be a meal on its own, but also makes a great side.

The zesty flavors of the rice complement the mesquite chicken’s smoky flavor perfectly.

You have sweetness from tomatoes, spiciness from cumin, and some acidity from lemon which helps bring everything together.

Get the recipe for this restaurant-style Mexican rice here.

Southwest potato salad

A tasty variation of the classic potato salad is this southwest potato salad.

The salad features red-skinned russet potatoes for extra color, and it’s filled with crunchy vegetables and tender beans.

There’s no creamy dressing on this salad. Cilantro and Mexican seasonings are used instead to give a burst of flavor.

Coleslaw

Coleslaw is an all-time favorite BBQ side.

It’s versatile and can be made extra creamy or more on the tangy side if that’s what you prefer.

For mesquite chicken, I think a creamy southern coleslaw is best to help mellow out the strongly flavored chicken.

My pro tip: don’t dress the coleslaw until just before serving to keep it crunchy.

Tex-Mex pasta salad

This creamy pasta salad is chock-full of classic Tex-Mex ingredients and flavors, perfect for a summer party.

But what really takes this pasta salad up a notch is the zesty cilantro dressing.

It’s made of low-fat sour cream, so it’s lighter and healthier than your traditional mayo dressing.

Enjoy every bite of this tasty and refreshing creamy Tex-Mex pasta salad.

Grilled potato wedges

Chicken and chips are a classic combo.

But mesquite chicken and grilled potato wedges elevates things.

These potato wedges are seasoned with paprika, two types of herbs, and garlic. And grilling them gives them some charred notes.

They’re robust enough in flavor to pair with mesquite chicken but won’t overpower it.

Pair these grilled potato wedges with your favorite dipping sauce (mines sriracha mayo).

Baked beans

Kick-off your mesquite chicken dinner by serving some BBQ-baked beans on the side.

These baked beans are smokey, fiery, and a little bit sweet. Not to mention very saucy.

Use the mesquite chicken to mop up all the bean juice and send your tastebuds wild!

Follow Ambitious Kitchen’s recipe to make these irresistibly good slow cooker baked beans.

Avocado and green bean salad

There’s not a lettuce leaf in sight with this avocado and green bean salad.

Avocado is a healthy way to incorporate creaminess into a dish, and the green beans bring the crunch.

The whole thing is brought together by a light vinaigrette.

This salad is perfect for those summer evenings when you don’t want to be slaving over a hot oven.

Brown butter mashed sweet potatoes

Give your basic sweet potato mash a massive flavor boost with some brown butter.

The nutty taste of brown butter pairs really well with the starchy-sweet flavors of the potatoes.

Prop your mesquite chicken over a helping of brown butter mashed sweet potatoes for the ultimate comfort meal.

Creamed corn

Sweetcorn has to be up there with one of my favorite vegetables, especially when it’s creamed.

The sweet, velvety sauce is next-level tasty!

And the sweetness will balance out all the smokey, spicy flavors of your mesquite chicken.

Or maybe you want to up the spice level – simply add some cayenne pepper to the corn.

Check out damn delicious’s recipe. She bakes the corn to give it an irresistibly crunchy top.

Green mac and cheese

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Mac and cheese is a crowd-pleasing side dish that everyone loves.

So why not take advantage of that and sneak some extra veggies in?

This green goddess mac and cheese uses pureed baby spinach and parsley in its sauce to give it a vibrant color – but, to be honest, it doesn’t affect the taste that much!

So picky eaters should still like it.

Cornbread

Baked with the right recipe, your cornbread will be fluffy enough to absorb the hot kick of an earthy mesquite chicken.

This honey cornbread recipe turns out extra crisp when baked in an iron skillet.

But whichever version you choose, don’t skip the honey butter topping for good measure.

The best side dishes for chicken mesquite

Mexican rice
Southwest potato salad
Coleslaw
Tex-Mex pasta salad
Grilled potato wedges
Baked beans
Avocado and green bean salad
Brown butter mashed sweet potatoes
Creamed corn
Green mac and cheese
Cornbread