Salads That Go With Roast Chicken: Delicious Side Salads!

Green Salads to Pair with Roast Chicken

A classic kale Caesar salad makes for an excellent side dish with its crunchy texture and savoury flavours.

To make this delightful salad, toss fresh kale leaves in a homemade Caesar dressing, and add croutons and shaved Parmesan cheese.

The creamy dressing and sharp cheese will contrast nicely with the crisp kale and succulent roast chicken.

(If you love this idea, you’ll also want to check out what to serve with caesar salad for more inspiration!) 

Green beans almondine is another delicious option that pairs well with roast chicken.

The combination of tender-crisp green beans and crunchy toasted almonds is irresistible.

To prepare this dish, blanch the green beans and then sauté them with butter, adding seasonings such as garlic and lemon zest. Finish by tossing the beans with the toasted almonds. 

A simple yet flavourful spinach salad is always a good choice for a side dish.

To prepare, mix baby spinach leaves with ingredients like thinly sliced red onion, crumbled feta cheese, and toasted pine nuts. Serve with a tangy, homemade vinaigrette.

The fresh taste and crunchiness of the spinach will provide a satisfying contrast to the juicy roast chicken.

Finally, for a warm, delicious salad that screams luxury, consider pairing your roast chicken with a grilled asparagus and broccolini salad.

The earthy, smoky flavours from the grilled vegetables are sure to impress. Simply grill the asparagus and broccolini and toss with a generous drizzle of olive oil, lemon zest, and a sprinkling of coarse sea salt. 

Each of these green salads offers something unique and delicious to pair with your roast chicken.

Whether you opt for a classic kale Caesar salad or a more luxurious grilled asparagus and broccolini dish, you’ll add an enticing variety of flavour profiles, textures, and colours to your meal. 

Colourful Vegetable Salads

When it comes to creating the perfect salad to accompany your roast chicken, a colourful vegetable salad is a wonderful option.

Vibrant and full of flavour, these salads are not only visually appealing but also provide a healthy and delicious side dish for your meal.

Roasted Vegetable Options

A great place to start when constructing your colourful salad is choosing your roasted vegetables. You can experiment with different combinations to discover what best suits your palate. Some popular choices include:

• Carrots: Adding a sweet and earthy flavour, carrots roast beautifully and lend a burst of colour to your salad.
• Potatoes: Ensuring substance and texture, potatoes are a mainstay for many salads. Opt for mini potatoes or chop them into small pieces for the best result.
• Tomatoes: Roasted until slightly charred, tomatoes add a tangy and rich flavour to your salad.
• Red Onion: For a touch of sharpness, red onions make a perfect addition to your salad. They become slightly sweet when roasted, making a lovely contrast to the other flavours.
• Red Cabbage: Boost the colour palette and add a satisfying crunch with chopped red cabbage. Lightly roast them to maintain their crunch and vibrant colour.
• Collard Greens: These slightly bitter and earthy greens add a healthy and delicious component to your colourful salad.
• Mushrooms: Meaty and savoury, mushrooms are a fantastic complement to your roast chicken. Remember to roast them in clusters, as they have a tendency to shrink during cooking.

In addition to these fantastic roasted vegetable options, you can also include components such as Brussels sprouts and a broccoli cheese casserole for added depth of flavour.

Remember to balance out your roasted vegetables with some fresh and crisp elements, such as mixed greens or baby spinach.

For more mealtime inspiration, you might also want to check out what to serve with chicken wraps! 

Fruit Salads and Roast Chicken

Roast chicken is an all-time favourite meal, but you might be wondering how to spruce it up a little with something different.

The answer is a refreshing, tangy fruit salad. These salads add a burst of flavour that contrasts beautifully with the rich, savoury taste of the chicken.

In this section, we will discuss some delicious fruit salads that pair perfectly with roast chicken.

A great choice for a fruit salad to accompany your roast chicken is a mix of apples, cranberries, and pomegranate seeds.

Apples provide a delightful crunch, while the cranberries bring a touch of tartness. Pomegranate seeds add a pop of colour and their unique texture creates an interesting contrast.

To make this salad, combine chopped apples, fresh or dried cranberries, and pomegranate seeds in a bowl.

Add a simple dressing of lemon juice, honey, and a dash of salt, and you’ve got a tasty, colourful side dish.

For a leafy twist, consider adding collard greens to your fruit salad.

Collard greens are not only nutritious but also provide a robust, earthy taste that complements the fruit.

To prepare this salad, chop collard greens into thin ribbons and massage them with a small amount of olive oil to soften.

Then, toss the greens with sliced apples, cranberries, pomegranate seeds, and your dressing of choice. This combination provides a beautiful balance of flavours and textures.

And remember, a fruit salad doesn’t have to be limited to these ingredients – feel free to experiment and use whatever fruits are in season, suits your taste, or can be easily found in your local market.

Pairing these vibrant, refreshing fruit salads with your roast chicken is sure to elevate the meal and impress your dinner guests.

Classic Potato and Rice Salads

Smashed potato salad is a fantastic complement to roast chicken.

Start by boiling your potatoes until they are tender, then gently smashing them with a fork or potato masher. Season them generously with salt, pepper and olive oil.

Add freshly chopped parsley for a burst of colour and freshness, and mix everything well. This simple yet flavourful salad brings out the best in a hearty roast.

When it comes to rice salads, you can’t go wrong with cranberry rice pilaf.

Begin by sautéing chopped onions and garlic in a pan, then add in your uncooked rice. Pour in chicken or vegetable stock and let it cook according to the package instructions.

Once the rice is cooked and fluffy, stir in dried cranberries, freshly chopped parsley, and some toasted almonds for a bit of crunch. 

If you’re looking for more bold flavours, consider experimenting with herbs and seasonings when making your potato and rice salads.

The key is to let your creativity run free, blending tastes and textures that will enhance your meal without overpowering your delicious roast chicken.

Cheese Topped Salads

Pairing a salad topped with cheese alongside roast chicken can be a delightful experience. Various types of cheese can be incorporated to suit different tastes and preferences.

Here, we take a look at a few salads featuring the likes of parmesan, feta, and more.

A Caesar salad complemented with freshly grated parmesan cheese would be an excellent choice.

The flavours of crisp Romaine lettuce, garlic croutons, and tangy Caesar dressing harmonise well with the roast chicken.

To prepare this salad, you’ll need the following:

• Romaine lettuce
• Grated parmesan cheese
• Garlic croutons
• Caesar dressing

Simply toss the lettuce with the dressing, top with croutons, and sprinkle a generous amount of parmesan cheese on top.

If you prefer more of a Mediterranean flair, a Greek salad adorned with feta cheese might hit the spot.

The combination of cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions, kalamata olives, and feta cheese creates a refreshing contrast with the roast chicken. To make this salad, you’ll need:

• Cucumbers
• Cherry tomatoes
• Red onions
• Kalamata olives
• Feta cheese
• Olive oil and vinegar dressing

Chop the vegetables and toss them with the dressing, then crumble the feta cheese over the top for a delicious accompaniment.

For something a little different, consider a spinach and pear salad with a liberal sprinkling of crumbled blue cheese. This sweet and savoury combination pairs nicely with roast chicken, offering a pleasant blend of textures and flavours. To prepare this salad, gather these ingredients:

• Spinach leaves
• Sliced pears
• Crumbled blue cheese
• Chopped walnuts
• Balsamic vinaigrette

Toss the spinach and pears with the vinaigrette and finish it off with crumbled blue cheese and walnuts, adding a touch of elegance to your dish.

When choosing a cheese-topped salad to accompany your roast chicken, remember you can always customise it to suit your taste preferences. Be sure to use a generous amount of cheese, enjoy the process, and most importantly, have fun making your delicious salad!

Salads with Dressings and Vinaigrettes

A great salad can elevate your roast chicken meal, and the key to that perfect accompaniment lies in the dressing or vinaigrette you choose.

Here are a few delectable options for you to experiment with and delight your dinner guests…

Lemon Tahini Sauce: This creamy, tangy dressing is an excellent match for the crisp greens in your salad. It’s simple to make – just whisk together tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and a splash of water.

You can even adjust the consistency by adding more water if needed. Lemon tahini sauce goes particularly well with mixed greens, cucumber, and cherry tomatoes.

Classic Vinaigrette: For a foolproof and versatile option, you can never go wrong with a classic vinaigrette.

Combine one part cider vinegar with three parts olive oil, add a touch of mustard, salt, and pepper to taste.

This vinaigrette is not only easy to make but also complements a wide variety of salad ingredients, from leafy greens to crunchy vegetables.

Balsamic Vinegar Dressing: A popular choice, balsamic vinegar dressing offers a delightful balance of flavours in your salad.

Mix together equal parts of balsamic vinegar and olive oil with a pinch of salt and pepper.

This dressing pairs beautifully with salads that include roasted vegetables, such as bell peppers or aubergine, and can be enriched with a sprinkle of crumbled feta cheese or toasted pine nuts.

Grains Based Salads

When looking for a salad to accompany your roast chicken, grains-based salads can be a fantastic choice.

Not only do they enhance the flavours of your dish, but they also offer a variety of textures and fills to suit everyone’s taste.

One idea for a grains-based salad is to create a bread salad.

This can be easily achieved using chunks of crusty bread, preferably a day old, as they will be more robust and able to withstand the moisture from a dressing.

You can also toss in some toasted croutons for added crunch.

Combine these with fresh vegetables, season with your favourite herbs, and drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice for a delightful and easy salad.

Another popular choice is couscous or quinoa salad.

Both grains provide a light yet satisfying base for your salad.

To create a flavourful and visually appealing dish, mix in a colourful array of roasted vegetables, nuts or seeds, fresh herbs, and crumbled feta cheese. Dress it with lemon juice and olive oil for a light and tangy finish.

To complete your spread, don’t forget to include some warm dinner rolls for your guests.