30 Classic & Creative Sides For Chili That Might Just Surprise You
Chili is one of our favorite year-round foods—from being a main player at summer BBQs to something to cozy up to during a particularly cold winter season, we return to all our favorite recipes for it again and again. Though it’s a full meal on its own, the only thing that can make it even better is pairing a bowl with one of these 30 sides. And we’re not just talking cornbread, either (though that is pretty tops)!
First things first, let’s make sure you’ve got a killer pot of chili before we move onto sides. Our classic beef chili is pretty great, but it doesn’t have to stop there: check out our turkey chili, our vegetarian chili, our white chicken chili, or our sweet potato chili for even more options.
Then onto the sides! There are a few camps you can fall into when it comes to the perfect thing to serve alongside your chili—true sides, like a spinach salad, scalloped potatoes, or mac & cheese; something to dip into your chili, like sweet potato fries, biscuits, or cinnamon rolls (IYKYK!); or something to pair on top, like queso, pickled red onions, or guacamole. Pretty much anything goes, so feel free to mix and match.
We’ve also included a few recipes here that are great ways to turn your chili into a full meal, like our tamale pie, our Cincinnati chili (featuring spaghetti!), or our Frito pies. Simply swap the chili from each recipe, and use your favorite instead!
Perfect Baked Potato
If you've been searching for the foolproof way to make perfect baked potatoes, rejoice! We're here to give you all the tips and tricks you need. Want something even easier? Try our microwaved baked potatoes next.
Get the Perfect Baked Potato recipe.
Spinach Salad
A spinach salad may sound simple, but with our favorite mix-ins, this salad turns into an incredible combination of flavors and textures. This salad is not only perfect as-is, but is ripe for variations and additions, so get creative with it.
Get the Spinach Salad recipe.
Homemade Cornbread
What defines the perfect slice of cornbread is a little different for everybody. Here at Delish, we want it to be thick, tender, just a little bit sweet, and not at all dry. This tried-and-tested recipe checks off ALL those boxes.
Get the Homemade Cornbread recipe.
Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
IYKYK! The school cafeteria lunch combo of cinnamon rolls served with chili is famous in the Midwest, and we say, don't knock it till you've tried it! There's something about the sweet and savory combo that just works.
Get the Homemade Cinnamon Rolls recipe.
Parmesan Roasted Green Beans
This side is like if green beans dressed up as cheesy garlic bread. 😍 Tossed in garlic and black pepper and showered with cheese, this simple, yet irresistible side will steal the spotlight at every holiday table.
Get the Parmesan Roasted Green Beans recipe.
Pimiento Cheese Corn Muffins
These cheesy corn muffins take their cues from classic Southern pimento cheese dip. Packed with shredded cheddar, diced pimiento peppers, garlic powder, and a generous amount of cayenne, the result is a savory delight.
Get the Pimiento Cheese Corn Muffins recipe.
Pickled Red Onions
Pickled red onions are one of our favorite condiments here at Delish, so we felt compelled to share this super-simple, super-delicious treat with everyone. Besides being incredibly crunchy, its beautiful pink color adds a visual pop to any bowl it graces (which brown-red chili can often desperately use!).
Get the Pickled Red Onions recipe.
Grilled Corn On The Cob
This is our simplest, easiest recipe, but the flavor combo options are endless—check out the rest of our grilled corn ideas too.
Get the Grilled Corn On The Cob recipe.
Frito Pies
Frito pies are easy, comfort food perfection. If you’re unfamiliar with this classic snack, let us set the record straight: these are more like a portable loaded chili (or taco) than a pie. We load ours up with homemade chili (use your favorite recipe!) cheese, sour cream, and plenty of toppings, but feel free to mix it up.
Get the Frito Pies recipe.
Best Guacamole
For this guacamole recipe, we kept things simple to really let the star of the show—avocados—shine. Make this as-is for a simple, staple dip you can return to again and again, or use it as a jumping-off point for adding in all your favorite guac must-haves (tomatoes? garlic? pickles?!).
Get the Best Guacamole recipe.
Herb Roasted Potatoes
Golden and crispy, these roasted potatoes a perfect base for any and every flavor combo, making them an ideal side dish. For herbs, we suggest parsley, rosemary, and thyme as a classic and simple way to season the potatoes, but really, any herbs or spices are welcome here.
Get the Herb Roasted Potatoes recipe.
Challah Rolls
These challah rolls are a great alternative to serving regular rolls with chili. This dough is a bit on the sweeter side, so it lends beautifully for a pre-dinner roll or for pulling apart and eating on its own too. These rolls also taste phenomenal when toasted!
Get the Challah Rolls recipe.
Homemade Mac & Cheese
Here at Delish, our best-ever mac and cheese is perfect for any occasion, from family weeknight dinners to holiday spreads. In our book, the perfect macaroni and cheese recipe has to nail three things: be extra creamy, plenty cheesy, and paired with a golden, crunchy topping.
Get the Homemade Mac & Cheese recipe.
Cincinnati Chili
From the classic Texas red to the New Mexican chile verde, there are nearly infinite varieties of the American classic, but few are as unique as Cincinnati chili. With a tweaked sauce, spaghetti, and beans (on TOP of the chili), this recipe is anything but boring.
Get the Cincinnati Chili recipe.
Sweet Potato Casserole
This recipe is for everyone who hates marshmallows atop their sweet potato casserole—in their place is a buttery, brown sugar pecan topping that is still perfectly sweet and BBQ spread worthy.
Get the Sweet Potato Casserole recipe.
Tamale Pie
Okay, so this isn't a side, per se, but bare with us: baking your favorite chili atop a skillet full of cornbread instead of the enchilada-sauced ground beef here is one of our favorite hacks.
Get the Tamale Pie recipe.
Homemade Biscuits
Can anything beat a warm, flaky biscuit straight out of the oven (or air fryer, if you want to keep your oven free)? We don't think so! Our ideal biscuit should have tender, flaky layers and an extra buttery taste, and this soft and pillowy recipe does just that.
Get the Homemade Biscuits recipe.
Queso Dip
Whether you're mixing your chili into your queso (mmm, chili cheese dip) or just drizzling it on top, we can all agree these two are a match made in heaven.
Get the Queso Dip recipe.
Classic Coleslaw
Everyone needs a go-to chili recipe, and this is the one you should reach for. With its mix of purple and green cabbage, it’s a winner on looks alone, but the kicker is the dressing, which is lighter and punchier thanks to a generous amount of apple cider vinegar and Dijon mustard.
Get the Classic Coleslaw recipe.
Sweet Potato Fries
Sweet potato fries can sometimes have a bad reputation—especially the oven-baked ones—but it doesn’t have to be that way! There’s a way to get crisp and savory sweet potato fries fresh out of the oven, and we’ve got a few tips and tricks to get you there.
Get the Sweet Potato Fries recipe.
Scalloped Potatoes
Unlike potatoes au gratin, which typically contain cheese, traditional scalloped potatoes are very simple: just thinly sliced potatoes cooked in a mixture of milk and heavy cream that’s infused with aromatics, such as shallots, garlic, and herbs. Our only add-on? A bit of finely shredded Parmesan.
Get the Scalloped Potatoes recipe.
Pico De Gallo
Bright and acidic with just a kick of heat, this just might be the easiest dip to prepare (and devour). All it takes to make is chopping your ingredients and tossing them together—that's it! In 15 minutes, you'll have an easy, satisfying topper for your chili.
Get the Pico De Gallo recipe.
Skillet Cornbread
Not only does this cornbread involve less cleanup, but it promotes the ideal texture of crackly crust around moist, decadent corn cake. Pouring the batter into a preheated cast-iron creates a sear to the batter (nothing like that sizzling sound when it’s poured in) and speeds up the bake time. Wins ALL around.
Get the Skillet Cornbread recipe.
Perfect Baked Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are totally versatile, but baking them whole in the oven (yep, just like a regular baked potato) is arguably the simplest way to prepare them, and they will be the perfect base for all types of toppings.
Get the Perfect Baked Sweet Potatoes recipe.
Mashed Potatoes
Quick: Name one thing better than creamy, buttery, steamy, perfect mashed potatoes! See? You can't! So, put down the instant potatoes, grab your favorite spuds, a large pot, a masher, and ready for comfort in a bowl.
Get the Perfect Mashed Potatoes recipe.
Pigs In A Blanket
We know what you may be thinking: I've had pigs in a blanket a million times before. While this party appetizer might seem straight forward, our recipe truly nails it. Dip 'em in your chili for the perfect tailgate meal.
Get the Pigs In A Blanket recipe.
Southern Collard Greens
We have to agree with chef Millie Peartree: There’s nothing quite like Southern collard greens. All you need are a couple of hours, a handful of staple ingredients, smoked turkey, and your collard greens, of course, for an easy side (or meal on its own!) you can serve all year long.
Get the Southern Collard Greens recipe.
Steak Fries
For the true potato lover, what’s not to like? A solid layer of crispy, seasoned coating shattering and giving way to fluffy creaminess not unlike mashed potatoes, perfect for scooping up ketchup with. They’re substantial enough to be a whole meal on their own, but they also go great alongside chili.
Get the Steak Fries recipe.
How To Cook Rice
Feeling like your chili could use a little more heft? Serve it over rice! We've featured white rice here, but wild rice, brown rice, or even rice pilaf would be great too.
Get our best tips for How To Cook Rice here.
Chili Hot Dogs
We've done chili dogs every which way at Delish. From chili cheese dog enchiladas to chili cheese dog egg rolls, there's no cuisine we won't corrupt with hot dogs and chili. This is the OG way, but really, you can go wild with it.
Get the Chili Hot Dogs recipe.
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