Growing up, my family loved cooking homemade dishes, especially tandoori chicken. Over the years, I've experimented to find the perfect side dishes to complement its bold flavors.

So, I've put together a list of my top 20 favorite sides, ranging from classic Indian accompaniments to fusion-inspired options, to satisfy every palate. Join me in exploring these delicious side dishes that will elevate your next tandoori chicken feast and leave everyone craving for more.

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The best side dishes to serve with tandoori chicken are greek yogurt, lentil salad, couscous, blooming onion, Calrose rice, yellow rice, biryani, rosemary bread, gluten-free bread, enchilada pasta, mint chutney, tomato cucumber chili salad, grilled potatoes, naan bread, chana chaat, moong daal, aloo samosas, beetroot salad, plum chutney, and vegetable fritters.

Each dish brings a new flavor and texture to the table

Tandoori Chicken Sides

1. Greek Yogurt

Tandoori chicken can be spicy at times. So, instead of crying while you eat it, serve it with homemade Greek yogurt and enjoy every bite.

Greek yogurt is also healthy and keeps you full for a long duration. Besides, it helps with digesting your food. Try the tagged recipe and make every spoonful worth it.

2. Lentil Salad

A refreshing salad with tandoori chicken works as a delight. It helps balance all the flavors and lets you enjoy the chicken to the fullest.

We recommend making lentil salad with your main dish. It is a budget-friendly side option and gets ready within a few minutes.

You can make it a refreshing dressing using lemon juice to dilute the spicy flavor of the chicken.

3. Couscous

It is always great to have couscous with Indian dishes. This is because this side option is pretty fulfilling. In addition, it is effortless to make it, saving you time in the kitchen.

Couscous can be customized according to your preference by adding or eliminating the ingredients. You can also make Israeli couscous with beef to enjoy a new version of this dish.

4. Blooming Onion

This side dish is beautiful, crispy, and very delicious. You can make blooming onion using your air fryer and impress your guests with its taste and shape.

Make sure you use oregano, garlic powder, salt, pepper, onion powder, chili powder, and dried parsley, as mentioned in the recipe card. These primary ingredients help give this dish its unique flavor.

5. Calrose Rice

Calrose rice is plain rice to complement your tandoori chicken. This dish helps balance the spicy flavors of your chicken and gives a complete meal to enjoy. You can sprinkle some salt and pepper on top for the taste.

6. Yellow Rice

Next, we have yellow rice as a side dish. This is a healthy rice dish and contains turmeric. Turmeric gives the dish its unique yellow color and also adds many benefits to this recipe.

Yellow rice has a mild flavor, hence goes great with tandoori chicken.

7. Biryani

Raise your hand if you love biryani and find it very tempting. This is a flavorful Indian rice dish and tastes incredible with tandoori chicken. Biryani is a little spicy, so have it only if you can tolerate the spices.

Cooking biryani is an art. Therefore, follow all the instructions in the tagged recipe card as you cook this dish.

8. Rosemary Bread

If you want a light side dish with tandoori chicken, rosemary bread may serve the purpose. It is prepared using just a few ingredients. Besides, you can use your instant pot to make it quickly.

Enjoy the bread while it's freshly baked, warm, and soft.

9. Gluten-free Bread

Gluten-free bread is always a good option for people on a diet. Tandoori chicken works as a great food option for people keeping a check on their calories. If you are among them, serve it with gluten-free bread and enjoy each dish on every bite.

Use the tagged recipe to make this instant bread and enjoy its amazing texture.

10. Enchilada Pasta

We love this pasta, especially for its taste and quick cooking method. This one-pot recipe features beef, pasta, chili powder, cumin, enchilada sauce, and other flavorful ingredients.

Lay your tandoori chicken on this pasta and enjoy it as a weeknight dinner.

11. Mint Chutney

Mint chutney is a treat for your eyes and taste buds. It is a refreshing chutney with mint, yogurt, green chilies, cilantro, and a few other ingredients to give a refreshing touch to your tandoori chicken.

This chutney can also be made and frozen for later use.

12. Cucumber Tomato Chili Salad

Tandoori chicken pairs well with this salad. As the name suggests, the salad contains tomatoes, cucumbers, apples, pineapples, chili sauce, tomato ketchup, sugar, and lime. This salad is a treat for anyone who likes spicy food with a little bit of sweetness.

13. Grilled Potatoes

If you want a cozy dinner or lunchtime, there is nothing better than serving grilled potatoes with tandoori chicken. Grilled potatoes are perfectly seasoned and then cooked to give you a taste of a crispy side dish to enjoy with your chicken.

Read the shared recipe and learn to make the dish.

14. Naan Bread

Indian food such as tandoori chicken is incomplete without naan bread. This soft bread adds an interesting taste and texture to your food experience. Besides, it makes your entire meal fulfilling and satisfying.

You can get naan bread from the store and simply heat it before eating. However, it is always good to make the bread from scratch at home and enjoy the process with the results.

15. Chana Chat

Chana chat is a flavorful side dish featuring chickpeas, onions, tomatoes, and spices. It also contains herbs and is one of the easiest dishes to assemble.

In simple words, the chat is a salad that tastes divine with tandoori chicken. Try the tagged recipe and share your views with us.

16. Moong Daal

This light and appetizing daal recipe is a treat for anyone wanting to eat something enriching yet healthy. Pair the daal with your tandoori chicken and experience a taste like no other.

You can make this daal using your instant pot. Alternatively, it can be made in a pan using the traditional method.

17. Aloo Samosas

These samosas are triangular-shaped treats with peas and spiced potatoes as stuffing. They are crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. Besides, these samosas are flavorful and can be enjoyed as a side dish with your chicken.

You can also freeze the samosas and eat them as a snack.

18. Beetroot Salad and Feta Cheese

This sweet, healthy, and cheesy salad is perfect for complementing your tandoori chicken. A simple bowl of this salad contains beetroot, feta cheese, parsley, and lemon vinaigrette.

All the ingredients gel well together, giving you a complete dish.

19. Spiced Plum Chutney

Elevate the flavor of your tandoori chicken by serving it with beautifully spiced plum chutney. This chutney uses warm spices and tastes tart and sweet at the same time.

We have shared an easy recipe for you to try.

20. Vegetable Fritters

Our final recommendation for an interesting and satisfying side dish is vegetable fritters. They are quick, crispy, and can be served with a sour cream sauce. The vegetables used are carrots and cucumbers, but you can also add zucchini and onions to the recipe.

Now that you know all the best side options to serve with tandoori chicken, don't delay making it. Whether you have a dinner planned with friends or are spending a lonely weeknight at home, this dish will definitely boost your mind and give you a satisfying food experience.

Side Dishes For Tandoori Chicken

Greek yogurt
Lentil salad
Couscous
Blooming onion
Calrose rice
Yellow rice
Biryani
Rosemary bread
Gluten-free bread
Enchilada pasta
Mint chutney
Cucumber Tomato chili salad
Grilled potatoes
Naan bread
Chana chaat
Moong daal
Aloo samosas
Beetroot salad and feta cheese
Spiced Plum Chutney
Vegetable fritters