25 Side Dishes to Serve with Fried Chicken

Roasted Fresh Okra

If you have picky eaters who worry about texture, roasted okra is marvelous. It's OK to crowd the pan. Okra shrinks as it cooks. —Anna Katsoulis, Greenville, North Carolina

Learn how to perfect cooking okra right here.

Creamy Coleslaw

For me, this is the best coleslaw recipe because a package of shredded cabbage and carrots really cuts down on prep time. This creamy coleslaw recipe is great for potlucks or to serve to your family on a busy weeknight. —Renee Endress, Galva, Illinois

Cherry Tomato Salad

This recipe evolved from a need to use the bumper crops of delicious cherry tomatoes we grow. It's one of my favorite cherry tomato recipes, especially at cookouts. —Sally Sibley, St. Augustine, Florida

Vibrant Black-Eyed Pea Salad

My black-eyed pea salad reminds me of a Southern cooking class my husband and I took while visiting Savannah, Georgia. People go nuts for it at picnics and potlucks. —Danielle Lee, Sewickley, Pennsylvania

Garlic-Herb Pattypan Squash

The first time I grew a garden, I harvested summer squash and cooked it with garlic and herbs. Using pattypan squash is a creative twist. —Kaycee Mason, Siloam Springs, Arkansas

Barley Corn Salad

A terrific alternative to pasta salad, this colorful side dish adds refreshing herb flavor to corn, barley, and red and green peppers. Bring it to your next get-together and see how fast it disappears! —Mary Ann Kieffer of Lawrence, Kansas

Crispy Smashed Herbed Potatoes

Golden brown and buttery, these spuds live up to their tantalizing name. A sprinkle of fresh herbs when they’re hot out of the oven maximizes the flavor…and the pretty. —Althea Dye, Howard, Ohio

Bacon Collard Greens

Collard greens are a staple vegetable of southern cuisine. This side dish is often eaten alongside smoked or salt-cured meats, such as ham hocks, pork or fatback. —Marsha Ankeney, Niceville, Florida

Thymed Zucchini Saute

Simple and flavorful, this recipe is a tasty and healthy way to use up all those zucchini that are taking over your garden. It's ready in hardly any time! —Bobby Taylor, Ulster Park, New York

Farmers Market Orzo Salad

Orzo is a tiny pasta shaped like rice. We use it as a base for veggies, lemony vinaigrette and cheeses such as mozzarella, feta or smoked Gouda. —Heather Dezzutto, Raleigh, North Carolina

Mom’s Buttermilk Biscuits

These fluffy biscuits are so tasty slathered with butter or used to mop up every last drop of gravy off your plate. I can still see Mom pulling these tender gems out of the oven. —Vera Reid, Laramie, Wyoming

Cleo's Potato Salad

My mom, Cleo Lightfoot, loved cooking all kinds of different recipes, but her favorite meal was one she made when hosting backyard barbecues in the summer. She would make her famous ribs, baked beans and this delicious potato salad. —Joan Hallford, North Richland Hills, Texas

Parmesan Potato Wedges

I recommend serving these Parmesan potato wedges alongside a salad for a light lunch or serving them as a side dish with a chicken or beef entree. —Beth Ask, Ulster, Pennsylvania

Heirloom Tomato Salad

This is a simple yet elegant dish that always pleases my guests. Not only is it tasty, but it is healthy, too. The more varied the colors of the tomatoes you choose, the prettier the salad will be. —Jess Apfe, Berkeley, California

Macaroni Coleslaw

My friend Peggy brought this coleslaw to one of our picnics, and everyone liked it so much, we all had to have the recipe. —Sandra Matteson, Westhope, North Dakota

Three-Bean Baked Beans

I got this recipe from an aunt and made a couple of changes to suit our tastes. With ground beef and bacon mixed in, these satisfying beans are a big hit at backyard barbecues and church picnics. I'm always asked to bring my special beans. —Julie Currington, Gahanna, Ohio

Honey Cornbread

It's a pleasure to serve this moist cornbread to family and guests. Honey gives it a slightly sweet taste. Most people find it's difficult to eat just one piece. —Adeline Piscitelli, Sayreville, New Jersey

Black-Eyed Peas with Collard Greens

Time to gather round the table, y'all! This dish has special meaning on New Year's Day, when Southerners eat greens for future wealth and black-eyed peas for prosperity. —Athena Russell, Greenville, South Carolina

Honey Mustard Red Potato Salad

This summer cookout star is crunchy-delicious with a brilliant zesty dressing. —Brittany Allyn, Mesa, Arizona

Fresh Cucumber Salad

Crisp, garden-fresh cukes are always in season when we hold our family reunion, and they really shine in this simple salad. The recipe can easily be expanded to make large quantities, too. —Betsy Carlson, Rockford, Illinois

Veggie-Stuffed Tomatoes

This recipe is my wife's favorite, she loves when I cook it for her. The tasty, meatless stuffing is perfect for a side dish, but it's also filling enough for a whole meal. — Scott Szekretar, Islip, New York

Crunchy Lemon-Pesto Garden Salad

I love using vegetables straight from the garden in preparing this salad. If I pick the squash and cucumbers early enough, their skins are so tender that there's no need to remove them! Best of all, it's easily adaptable—any fresh veggie from the garden can be swapped in with delicious results! —Carmell Childs, Clawson, Utah

Hasselback Sweet Potatoes

Treat your sweet-salty tooth! Sweet potatoes dressed with buttery, herby, garlicky goodness make for a stunning, delicious side dish. —Lauren Knoelke, Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Lemony Green Beans

You can throw together this dish in minutes using ingredients you probably already have on hand. That’s the beauty of it. —Jennifer Tarantino, Rutherford, New Jersey