What To Serve With Chinese Chicken Curry: 10 Tempting Sides
These side dishes are the perfect choice when you’re trying to decide what to serve with Chinese chicken curry.
A good curry will always be the star of the show, but taking care of some interesting and varied accompaniments will make a midweek meal into something really special.
Some of these sides are super quick and easy, and you can have them on the table in a matter of minutes.
Other take a lot more care and attention, and you might have to prepare stocks or marinades in advance – it’ll always be worth it though!
Just choose what to serve with Chinese chicken curry based on the time you have available, and what you know your dinners will love.
1. Vegetable fried rice with cashew nuts
A rice based dish is a must when you’re planning what to serve with Chinese chicken curry!
Remember though that rice doesn’t have to be boring, and you can add extra ingredients to bring it to life and add some extra flavour and texture.
I highly recommend trying a vegetable fried rice. Just stir fry diced veggies such as carrots, peppers, and onions, and add some peas and sweetcorn.
Add cooked rice, mix well, and garnish with chopped salty cashews.
Super simple, but absolutely delicious!
Egg fried rice is another tasty side dish for Chinese chicken curry, and again you can add lots of vegetables for crunch and nutrition.
Make sure you add a good glug of soy sauce before serving.
2. Mandarin pancakes
Mandarin pancakes are light and thin pancakes with a chewy texture, similar to crepes.
If you’ve ever ordered shredded duck in a Chinese restaurant, it’s likely that you’ve had these served alongside hoisin sauce and sticks of cucumber.
It’s always a good idea to have some kind of bread to mop up a Chinese curry sauce, and Mandarin pancakes are authentic whilst also being completely delicious and not too filling or stodgy.
Want to have a go at making your own?
This Mandarin pancakes recipe is easy to follow.
Make sure that you plan ahead so they’re served whilst they’re still warm!
3. Chinese roast potatoes
Roast potatoes are delicious in any language!
Though they’re not quite as popular as side dishes like rice and noodles, Chinese roast potatoes are the perfect partner for a curry.
These are parboiled in a master stock so take a little extra time to prepare, but they’re definitely worth it.
Just imagine crispy chunks of potato, fluffy on the inside and flavoured with authentic Asian spices… Completely delicious!
Of course, you’d be right to suggest that potatoes aren’t particularly popular in Chinese cuisine, and this side dish is not one that you’d serve if you wanted to keep things traditional.
Interestingly, China is the world’s largest potato producer, though most of the produce is exported to other countries, and it’s nowhere near being the culinary staple as it’s considered to be in many Western parts of the world.
Still though, if you don’t mind deviating away from tradition a little, this is a side dish that’s worth trying.
4. Prawn crackers with dipping sauces
A Chinese chicken curry can be quite substantial and rich, so you might decide that you want to keep your sides strictly to lighter nibbles and bitesized portions.
If that’s the case, go for some prawn crackers with a variety of dips for the table, like sweet chilli, hoisin, and soy.
5. Oven baked crispy kale
Kale is packed full of nutritional goodness, and when baked in the oven, it tastes just like crispy seaweed!
My oven baked crispy kale recipe really couldn’t be any easier to prepare, and it’s one of my go-to side dishes whenever I’m making Chinese cuisine at home.
6. Singapore noodles
Singapore noodles consist of rice vermicelli, vegetables, scrambled eggs, and usually some kind of meat.
Their yellow colour comes from curry powder, which also gives this dish its earthy warmth.
When serving with a Chinese chicken curry, I like to add prawns to this dish.
It’s a satisfying side dish, though it could also be considered as another main course in its own right.
This makes it a good option if you’re entertaining guests, or it’s a special occasion.
An interesting fact about prawns is that they represent liveliness, happiness, and good fortune, according to Chinese tradition!
(If you love experimenting with Asian cuisine, take a browse through what to serve with bao buns too).
7. Crispy water chestnuts
You can pick up a tin of water chestnuts in most supermarkets, and transform them into a beautiful side dish for Chinese chicken curry.
Deep fry them until crispy, and prepare a sweet chilli sauce to pour over.
8. Spare ribs with hoisin sauce
If you’re a meat lover and you want to add some more variety to your plate, a portion of spare ribs with hoisin sauce could be a good choice for what to serve with Chinese chicken curry.
Take note that these should be marinated overnight, so whilst they’re fairly simple to make, they do require a little bit of forward thinking and planning!
9. Mixed vegetable stir fry
It’s always a good idea to add a side dish of vegetables to your meal!
Stir fried mixed veggies are super easy to prepare, and you can throw in anything that you might happen to have in your crisper drawer – cabbage, bean sprouts, broccoli, courgette, carrots, onions, and more.
When serving with a Chinese chicken curry, avoid any sauces that could overpower your main meal.
Instead, cook simply with a dash of soy sauce and some chopped chilli and garlic.
(For more takeaway style inspiration, be sure to also check out what to serve with orange chicken).
10. Crab puffs
Crab puffs – sometimes also known as crab rangoons – are a Chinese appetiser that can make for an interesting side dish when you’re planning what to serve with Chinese chicken curry.
The sweet flavour of crab deserves to shine without having to compete with any dips or dressings, so don’t worry about adding any extra sauces to the table.
Do you have any of your own favourites for what to serve with Chinese chicken curry?
Leave a comment below and share your best recipes for side dishes for Chinese chicken curry.
You can also pin the image below to Pinterest, so you can easily find this post again when you’re next planning a Chinese style banquet at home!
Before you go, take a look at what to serve with scallion pancakes for more Chinese inspired meals.
