Whether you’re cooking for the family or arranging a relaxed get-together with your mates, adding chicken wings to your menu is always guaranteed to go down a storm. Gloriously succulent and packed with flavour, chicken wings can be served as your main dish or part of a buffet – but what do you accompany them with?
At our sports bars and restaurants in Solihull and other locations, our chefs lovingly prepare a whole host of tasty dishes to complement our signature wings. So, if you’re wondering what to serve with chicken wings, take a look at our top eight mouthwatering ideas.
Sides For Chicken Wings: What To Serve With Chicken Wings
From melty, rich mac and cheese goodness to crunchy yet fluffy seasoned fries, you’ll never be short on options when deciding on the perfect side dishes to enjoy alongside your chicken wings. All of our ideas can easily be tailored to suit your vegan, gluten-free or dairy-free guests, meaning everyone can satisfy their savoury cravings. So, without further ado, let’s get those stomachs rumbling with our tasty side dish suggestions:
- Mac and Cheese
- Onion Rings
- Loaded Potato Skins
- Mozzarella Sticks
- Jalapeño Poppers
- Creamy Coleslaw
- Seasoned Fries
- Garlic Bread
- Matching Your Wings To Your Side
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1. Mac and Cheese
First up is a fan favourite at our sports bar in Canterbury and our other locations, mac and cheese. Nothing gives heart eyes quite like the ultimate cheese pull, so perfecting your sauce will be first on the agenda. The secret is to mix your cheese – a combination of gruyere and mozzarella is our go-to, but cheddar also works beautifully.
Start by melting butter over medium heat in a large saucepan before adding flour and stirring. Slowly add milk until the butter and flour paste has dissolved, then add your seasonings (we love garlic powder, onion powder and mustard powder for a subtle kick).
The consistency you are looking for is just enough to coat the back of your spoon. Once you reach this, it’s time to take your pan off the heat and add your cheese while stirring consistently.
And there you have it, the tastiest mac and cheese sauce on the internet. For more recipes, including a vegan alternative, take a look at our previous article!
2. Onion Rings
We have found that there’s one dish that even the pickiest of eaters cannot say no to, and that’s onion rings. So, if you’re looking for a side that’ll please everyone’s tastebuds, this is your winner.
Super straightforward to prepare and even easier to cook, onion rings can be made with just a handful of cupboard ingredients. Start by slicing an onion into rings around a quarter of an inch thick.
For your batter, in one bowl, combine flour, cornfour, baking powder, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, salt and pepper. In another, whisk eggs with milk and salt. You’ll need to coat your onion rings in the flour mixture and then in the egg mix. Shake away any excess, coat your onion rings in breadcrumbs, and then fry in oil.
Head over to My Latina Table for more handy tips on perfecting this recipe.
3. Loaded Potato Skins
Able to be effortlessly tailored to any dietary requirements, stuffed potato skins are one of the most versatile side dishes you could choose. Fill your potato skin with the flavour combinations of your choice, from the classic cheese and crispy bacon to chilli con carne. You can even swap your potatoes for sweet potatoes for a super tasty alternative!
Preparing your potatoes couldn’t be easier. Simply prick your potatoes with a fork and lightly coat them in olive oil. Pop them into the oven for around an hour at 220°C (200°C fan or gas mark 7) until they are gorgeously golden and fluffy in the middle. Always leave them to cool for about 15 minutes before beginning your filling. Take a look at The Spruce Eats for a host of great filling recipes!
4. Mozzarella Sticks
It’s safe to say that we’ve found no one who can turn down the crispy-coated, cheesy goodness of mozzarella sticks – there are even vegan alternatives that are just as mouthwatering! Taking just 15 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook, you can even make your mozzarella sticks the day before and freeze them ready to pop in the oven when your guests arrive. We love the easy-to-follow recipe over on BBC Good Food!
Now, when it comes to mozzarella sticks, it would be rude to serve them without an indulgent dipping sauce. Marinara is always a go-to, a rich tomato-based sauce complete with garlic, basil and oregano. But if you’re looking for something with a little more of a kick, you cannot go wrong with sweet chilli sauce. We’d serve both if we were you!
5. Jalapeño Poppers
Speaking of heat, this brings us smoothly to our next side, the bite-sized sensations that are jalapeño poppers. Warm, spicy, and not forgetting cheesy, jalapeño poppers are a staple alongside wings.
You’ll be pleased to know that jalapeño poppers are just as simple to make as they are to eat. Depending on how big you want your sides to be, you’ll start by slicing your jalapeños into halves or quarters. These are then filled with cream cheese (and bacon bits, too, if you want some extra crunch) and deep-fried in a breadcrumb coating.
For full instructions on how to make jalapeño poppers, along with a handy tutorial video, take a look at All Recipes!
6. Creamy Coleslaw
If you’re looking for a wing side that can also double up as a dip, then deliciously creamy coleslaw is a must-have. Much like loaded potato skins, you can easily put your own twist on your coleslaw recipe, whether you add sultanas for some subtle sweetness or add a pinch of spice for an unexpected but most definitely relished kick. Regardless of your secret ingredients, here’s how to make a super simple creamy coleslaw.
Start by thinly slicing or grating white cabbage, carrots and onions (if you have a mandoline slicer, this would also be perfect) into a large bowl. Add mayonnaise, sour cream, and white wine vinegar before seasoning it with salt, mustard powder, and white pepper. Thorough mix and voilà, it’s really as easy as that!
This recipe can be served immediately or stored in the fridge for up to three days, and if you have extra, you absolutely must try this coleslaw on a chicken burger – you won’t regret it!
7. Seasoned Fries
Chicken wings and fries go together like Wing Kingz and sports. It’s a match made in food heaven, so of course, they have had to land a place on our list of must-try sides. But you know us, we don’t do plain, so it’s only right to add a little seasoning.
Whether you visit us in-store or order our fries to takeaway in Coventry and other locations, you’ll have two flavours to choose from – our cajun or truffle fries. But if you’re looking to get your chef’s hat on and try your hand at a recipe from home, you cannot go wrong with a classic French fry seasoning.
The secret is all in your timing. The moment you take your fries out of the oven or fryer, coat them straight in your seasoning while they are still hot. So, how do you make the seasoning? All you’ll need to do is mix the following ingredients:
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Paprika
- Oregano
- Basil
- Parsley
- Black pepper
- Cayenne pepper
- Salt
And even better, once your seasoning is made, it can be stored for up six months in an airtight spice jar, ready to use whenever you’re looking to turn your chips up a notch.
8. Garlic Bread
And now, we move on to what is the pièce de résistance for many – it’s got to be garlic bread. Whether you love pizza or ciabatta, with cheese or without, garlic bread is always going to be a guilty pleasure that we cannot help but tuck into. But did you know that you can prepare, cook and serve up your very own homemade garlic bread in less than half an hour? Don’t believe us – try this recipe:
In a bowl, combine softened butter with crushed garlic cloves (the more cloves, the stronger taste) and finely chopped parsley. This is then ready to spread over the bread of your choice – Italian bread is the most popular choice, but you could even make a tear-and-share dish like this recipe by Jamie Oliver.
Once your bread is lovingly dressed in garlic butter, sprinkle over a little parmesan, then cook until toasty and lightly golden. We promise this side will go down a storm!
Matching Your Wings To Your Side
While all of these sides are delicious in their own right, it’s important to select one that partners perfectly with your wings of choice. Below, we’ve broken down the best sides for a few of our best-selling wings. Check out our suggestions to create a mouthwatering combo.
What To Eat With Buffalo Wings
Buffalo sauce is tangy and sharp, so your side needs to work with these powerful flavours, not against them. For this reason, we think Mac and cheese is the ideal partner for your buffalo wings. The creamy cheese helps cool down the spice and mellow out the sour kick.
What To Eat With Hot Wings
When it comes to choosing the side for your hot wings, you need something that’s going to temper the spice. No matter how much heat you think you can handle, it never hurts to have a cooling companion alongside your spicy wings. That’s why creamy coleslaw is our side of choice to partner with hot wings. The mayonnaise and sour cream combine perfectly to cool down the spiciest foods.
What To Eat With Korean Chicken Wings And BBQ Wings
Korean and BBQ wings are sweet, spicy, and sticky, so your side dish needs to work alongside the wings to cut through these sharp flavours. We think crispy onion rings are the perfect side dish for sweet BBQ chicken wings because they act as a palette cleanser between each wing, ensuring the sweetness doesn’t become overwhelming.
What To Eat With Lemon Pepper Wings
Lemon pepper wings are more subtle in their flavour, so it’s important not to overpower them with your side dish. That’s why we think you can’t go wrong with some well-seasoned fries. Whether you add cajun seasoning or truffles on top, you’re on to a winner.
What To Eat With Garlic Parmesan Wings
The best way to enjoy garlic parmesan wings is by doubling down on the garlic. We recommend our cheesy garlic bread to partner your wings; just don’t expect any compliments on your breath after finishing your meal! Why not wash it down with one of our famous Mojitos to get back that minty, fresh feeling?
What To Eat With Reggae Sizzla Wings
Just like reggae, mac and cheese is a staple in the Caribbean, so it’s an excellent partner for these sweet and smokey wings. If you’re looking for the ultimate comfort food, try dipping your wings in the mac and cheese- don’t knock it ’til you try it!
What To Eat With Mango Habanero Wings
Similarly to hot wings, mango habanero packs a spicy punch. That’s why we’ve also chosen creamy coleslaw as the ideal partner for these sweet and fiery wings.
Side note: These wings taste even better alongside some draught beer!
Side Dishes That Are Impossible To Turn Down!
Chicken wings are guaranteed to win the hearts of your guests, but when you combine them with these tasty sides, we’re confident they’ll be pestering you to cook for them all over again. And as always, all of our recipes can be altered to make them dairy-free, gluten-free or vegan-friendlyhciekcn by swapping out a few ingredients.
If you’re looking for chicken restaurants in Milton Keynes or our other locations with an atmosphere that matches the food, Wing Kingz is the place to be. You can walk in or book your table in advance to enjoy our signature wings, freshly cooked sides, and burgers while watching the biggest sporting events.
