What to Serve with Chicken Chili: Best Side Dishes

Chicken with chili is rich and delicious, but have you ever wondered what kind of side dishes would pair best with it to make it even better? Today, let's take a look at which foods go best with chicken and chili, easily enhancing the taste on the dinner table!

What goes well with chicken chili?

Corn tortillas: Soft corn tortillas dipped in chili soup, super satisfying.

Sour cream: The spiciness with sour cream pairing can balance the taste quite well.

Avocado: Slice a few pieces of avocado and put them on top, the tender texture is a great match.

Cheddar cheese: Sprinkle some cheddar cheese, and after it melts, adding it in makes the flavor richer.

Lettuce salad: Pairing with a refreshing salad, it won’t be too greasy.

Garlic bread: If you don’t mind carbs, garlic bread is also a good choice.

How to make the simple sauce for chili chicken?

Ingredients:

Soy sauce (low-sugar version) 2 tablespoons

Chili sauce (or chili powder) 1-2 tablespoons (adjust according to the level of spiciness you can handle)

Vinegar 1 tablespoon (either rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar)

Honey or sugar substitute 1 teaspoon (if you like it a little sweet)

Garlic, minced 1 clove

Ginger, minced 1 teaspoon (you can add a little more)

Method:

1.Mix all the ingredients together and stir until the sugar completely dissolves.

2.Heat some oil in a pan, then sauté the minced garlic and ginger until fragrant.

3.Pour the prepared sauce into the pan, and cook on low heat for a while until it thickens.

4.Then pour the sauce over the chicken, stir well, and cook a little longer to let the chicken absorb the flavor.

Is chilli chicken a Chinese dish?

Chili chicken is not a traditional Chinese dish. It is actually an Indian dish with Chinese-style flavors, and can be considered a fusion of Indian cuisine and Chinese food.

Although the ingredients like chicken, chili, and soy sauce are similar to Chinese dishes, its cooking method and seasoning lean more towards Indian flavors, especially that spicy taste.

You can also find chili chicken in many Chinese restaurants, but it is more commonly seen in Indian restaurants or in some Indo-Chinese fusion restaurants. So, strictly speaking, chili chicken is not authentic Chinese cuisine.

How to make chicken chili spicier?

If you want to make chili chicken spicier, there are a few simple ways:

Increase the amount of chili sauce: You can add more chili sauce or just add some chili powder; the more you add, the spicier it gets.

Add fresh chilies: Slice some fresh red or green chilies and cook them with the stir-fry to increase the spiciness.

Use chili oil: Chili oil not only makes the dish spicier but also adds a fragrant flavor that enhances the overall taste.

Add dried chilies: If you like that numbing-spicy feeling, you can add some dried chilies and stir-fry them. Control the heat well, and the spiciness will be stronger.

Spicy seasonings: You can add some spicy sauce or chili paste to the sauce to boost the heat. For example, Sichuan's broad bean paste is pretty spicy.

Can I add cream to chicken chili?

Yes, you can add cream! In fact, cream can make the flavor of chili chicken richer, adding a smooth texture, balancing the spiciness, and making the overall taste more mellow.

You can add a bit of cream when stir-frying the chicken, or in the final stage of cooking the chili chicken. This way, the cream will blend with the chili and other seasonings, bringing out a unique aroma, while slightly reducing the sharpness of the spiciness.

However, be careful not to add too much cream, as it may overpower the spiciness. A small amount is enough, and after adding it, you can adjust the other seasonings to balance the taste.

If you like a richer flavor, cream is a great choice!

What is traditionally served with chili?

Garlic: Chili and garlic together are super classic. When stir-frying or making sauces, the spiciness of the chili and the aroma of the garlic complement each other, enhancing the flavor.

Ginger: Especially in Sichuan cuisine, ginger and chili peppers are often paired. The spiciness of ginger combined with the heat of chili peppers adds depth to the dish.

Meat: Chili peppers pair perfectly with chicken, beef, or pork. The spiciness brings out the aroma of the meat. For example, in Kung Pao Chicken, chili peppers are essential.

Onion: The sweetness of onions balances out the spiciness of the chili. Stir-fry or make a salad, and the stimulating heat of the chili is not so intense.

Tomato: When stir-frying chili and tomato together, the sourness of the tomato and the heat of the chili go really well. This combination is commonly seen in chili sauces or Mexican dishes.

Spices: Like cumin, pepper, and cilantro. Especially in Indian or Middle Eastern cuisine, chili peppers paired with these spices elevate the flavor to a whole new level.

Yogurt or cream: Sometimes, chili peppers are paired with yogurt or cream to reduce the sharpness of the heat. This is especially common in Indian dishes, where the pairing softens the spiciness.