Side Dishes for Orange Chicken: A Simple (But Complete) Guide

kiki Karunwi Writes
7 min readSep 6, 2023

There’s nothing quite as mouth-watering as a plate of orange chicken. The recipe is delicious, satisfying, and surprisingly easy to prepare.

But if you think that’s all orange chicken has to offer, you’re in for a treat.

You can complement this main course meal with fantastic side dishes. In fact, orange chicken is so versatile you can serve it with sweet, tangy, or sour side dishes, and it’ll still come out yummy!

But what do you serve with orange chicken?

If you’re still having trouble finding a partner for this popular Chinese dish, you’re in luck.

You’ll be happy to know that you can create a perfect side dish with a few ingredients.

We’re here to give you inspiration on creative orange chicken side dishes that’ll taste great with your entrée.

Looking for orange chicken side dishes that’ll steal the show?

The best orange side dishes are white rice, chicken salad, chicken noodles, potato salad, french fries, instant pot hot and sour soup, and instant pot macaroni salad.

If you’re looking for a healthy side dish, you’ll enjoy the green salad, instant pot zucchini alfredo and stir-fried veggies.

Contents

  1. White Rice
  2. Stir-Fry Veggies
  3. Chicken noodles
  4. Potato salad
  5. French Fries
  6. Instant pot Hot and Sour soup
  7. Green Salad
  8. Instant pot macaroni salad
  9. Beef and Broccoli
  10. Chicken Salad
  11. Instant Pot Zucchini Alfredo
  12. Instant pot Moo Goo Gai Pan

Ready to cook? Let’s dig right in!

White rice served with orange chicken is a classic. White rice is an excellent match for orange chicken because its mild flavor balances the spicy orange chicken. What’s more? Rice is an incredibly versatile dish, so there’s room for creativity.

Whether you want to enjoy warm or cold, white rice and orange chicken is a must-have.

Top tip: If you’re feeling adventurous, I recommend you serve it along with fresh salad leaves.

You can also try the Instant Pot Yellow Rice, Instant Pot Fried Rice, or Instant Pot Brown Rice.

Stir-Fry Veggies are a healthy way to enjoy your orange chicken. You can enjoy the colorful blend of vegetables mixed with orange chicken’s sweet and savory sauce. Stir fries make a perfect side dish. Stir-fried veggies have light flavors, which complement orange chicken’s intense taste.

Another reason we love this side dish is that it’s super easy to make. You can prepare this family favorite in less than 20 minutes.

For your veggies, I recommend green peppers, carrots, broccoli, or cauliflower. You can garnish with soy sauce, garlic powder, and ginger.

Chicken noodles are super-fast side dishes for orange chicken — and the best part is how versatile they can be. You’d love this orange side dish if you prefer noodles to rice. Chicken noodles are absolutely addictive and only take about 10 minutes to make.

The simplicity of this dish makes it an excellent orange side dish. You can keep it plain or add a variety of condiments like chopped veggies, red chili, and garlic.

Potatoes reign supreme when it comes to any chicken dish. Whether you decide to roast, fry, mash, or bake your potatoes, they are an excellent side dish to orange chicken. One reason we love potato salad as a side dish is that it is hearty, delicious, and goes well with almost any entrée.

Potato salad is one of the orange chicken side dishes that are sure to please you if you’re looking for something healthy and flavorful.

Some meals just go together — peanut butter and jelly, spaghetti and meatballs, and fries and orange chicken. Fries are a staple food in many homes and for good reason. They are easy to make, enjoyable, and incredibly filling.

You can enjoy these comforting foods as an orange chicken side dish!

Besides, fries come in varieties. You can even top it up with melted cheese, yum!

Soup and orange chicken are an exciting combo, especially if you enjoy hot dishes.

You can enjoy this winner with orange chicken.

The hot and sour soup is the perfect side dish to match the exquisite taste of orange chicken.

The soup is simple, tasty, and comforting.

P.S: It tastes just like the soup at your favorite Chinese restaurant — Just more budget-friendly.

Green salad recipes are so versatile they complement almost any main dish. Their light, fresh, and crunchy nature makes them a great side dish to orange chicken.

Besides, green salad is incredibly low in fat, so it’s the perfect healthy side dish to serve with orange chicken.

The best green salads you can serve as a side dish with orange chicken are lentils, tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, and carrots. Green salads are by far one of the best orange chicken side dishes.

Macaroni salad is the dream side dish for orange chicken. This coleslaw comes in different flavors and colors that would satisfy the worst food critic.

When it is served as a side dish to orange chicken, the two partners up to make a meal you’ll relish.

As an orange side dish, macaroni salad is an excellent option if you’re looking for something fresh and packed with many health benefits.

Beef and broccoli as an orange side dish will make your day. One reason why we love this recipe is because it’s loaded with tons of healthy green vegetables, sweet beef, and the best stir fry sauce.

Beef and broccoli should be your go-to side dish for orange chicken.

Although Chicken salad makes a great snack on its own, its appealing power triples when you add orange chicken. The unique taste of the salad pairs beautifully with the flavor of orange chicken and creates a wow factor!

You can serve this classic recipe alongside orange chicken if you’re looking for something nutritious and delicious to munch on.

Alfredo’s are anything but boring. In fact, the instant Pot Zucchini Alfredo is the perfect companion for orange chicken.

The creamy delight recipe is a fun way to add vegetables to your diet while enjoying the familiar taste of chicken. The zucchini and orange chicken will make a cozy meal everyone will love.

Moo Goo Gai Pan is one food that enhances the flavor of orange chicken.

The Chinese side dish is super easy to make, yet it has a burst of mouthwatering flavor.

If you’re looking for a tasty orange chicken side dish, you’ll enjoy the satisfying texture and flavorful taste of your savory meal.

Wrap Up!

Orange chicken has achieved legendary status in the food world. So, if you want to add a side dish to orange chicken, you need to find a meal worthy of its status. After all, no main dish is complete without an appetizing side dish.

You can discover the best orange side dishes that’ll support your remarkable entrée. To recap, the best side dishes for orange chicken are;

  1. White Rice
  2. Stir-Fry Veggies
  3. Chicken noodles
  4. Potato salad
  5. French Fries
  6. Instant pot Hot and Sour soup
  7. Green Salad
  8. Instant pot macaroni salad
  9. Beef and Broccoli
  10. Chicken Salad
  11. Instant Pot Zucchini Alfredo
  12. Instant pot Moo Goo Gai Pan

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kiki Karunwi Writes

Wordsmith with a passion for crafting engaging content across various niches, possessing a unique storytelling ability that transports readers to new worlds.