What Goes With Chili? 40 Sides To Serve With Your Favorite Cozy Dish

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About UsStyleFashionBeautyReviewsShoppingFoodFamilyWellnessEntertainmentNewsHomeRecipesTravelPetsHoroscopesGift GuidesWeddingsCulturesMoneyBooksTechNew YorkLos AngelesSUBSCRIBEfoodWhat Goes with Chili? 40 Sides to Serve with Your Favorite Cozy DishAuthor image: headshotBy Katherine Gillen•Published Jan 19, 2022

Chili season is in full force, friends. (Have you tried our turkey chili with avocado?) In our opinion, the meaty, spicy stew is hearty enough to serve on its own, but then again, no dinner is complete without a few tasty accompaniments to balance things out—think healthy side dishes like tangy cole slaw and guacamole salad, cornbread recipes and family favorites like mac and cheese bites. Still wondering what goes with chili? With these 40 side dishes, you can transform a humble dinner into an absolute feast.

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what goes with chili buttermilk skillet cornbread with tomatoes and scallions recipePhoto: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

1. Buttermilk Skillet Cornbread With Tomatoes And Scallions

It’s a little bit fancy, but still just as tasty (and easy to make) as the original.

Get the recipewhat goes with chili piminto cheese stuffed peppers recipePhoto: Jon Cospito/Styling: Erin McDowell

2. Pimento Cheese Stuffed Shishito Peppers

Only four ingredients to deliciousness. Swap the shishitos for jalapeños if you’re feeling…spicy.

Get the recipewhat goes with chili one pot mac and cheese recipeErin McDowell

3. One-pot Mac And Cheese

We’re not drooling, you’re drooling. Bonus: There are basically no dishes to worry about.

Get the recipewhat goes with chili chilaquiles with poached eggs and honey recipeNational Honey Board

4. Chilaquiles With Poached Eggs And Spicy Honey

A drizzle of spicy honey cuts the richness of the eggs and fried tortillas for a beautifully balanced dish. It’s filling, so serve your chili in smaller portions if you’d like.

Get the recipewhat goes with chili savory monkey bread recipePhoto: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

5. Savory Monkey Bread

The flavor is infinitely adaptable (mozzarella today, Swiss tomorrow). Plus, this pull-apart bread is perfect for dunking.

Get the recipewhat goes with chili kale brussels sprouts caesar slaw recipeAna Cuba/The Modern Cook's Year

6. Kale And Brussels Sprout Caesar Slaw

Our favorite cold-weather veggies strike again, this time in a crisp, refreshing take on slaw.

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what goes with chili microwave mashed potatoes recipePhoto: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

7. 15-minute Microwave Mashed Potatoes

Some people serve chili over baked potatoes, but we’re fans of spuds in all forms. And, when they’re ready in almost no time, how can you resist?

Get the recipewhat goes with chili cheesy cauliflower breadsticks recipePhoto: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

8. Gluten-free Cheese And Cauliflower ‘breadsticks’

Cauliflower is a regular guest star in our kitchen and it’ll forever hold a special place in our heart. It’s the healthy-ish side you never knew you needed.

Get the recipewhat goes with chili avocado rice recipePhoto: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

9. Avocado Rice

We’re in the mood for some Tex-Mex tonight. Don’t skimp on the freshly squeezed lime juice.

Get the recipewhat goes with chili veggie loaded stuffed bell peppers recipeAlexandra Stafford

10. Veggie-loaded Stuffed Bell Peppers

They’re colorful, bursting with flavor, vegetarian and totally customizable.

Get the recipewhat goes with chili rainbow vegetable skewers recipePhoto: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

11. Rainbow Vegetable Skewers

Throwing your vegetables on the grill to get them nice and charred is totally worth it for the boost of flavor. (Psst: Looks aside, sticking to one veggie per skewer results in each one cooking more evenly.)

Get the recipewhat goes with chili baked gorgonzola bites recipePhoto: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

12. Baked Gorgonzola Bites

All you need is five ingredients to make this melty, cheesy, pull-apart recipe.

Get the recipe what goes with chili smoky barbecued corn recipeKristin Perers/Round Ours

13. Smoky Barbecued Corn

Let’s keep grilling season going all year round (and top all our vegetables with grated Parm).

Get the recipewhat goes with chili sprightly biscuits recipeRobert S. Cooper/A Real Southern Cook

14. Sprightly Biscuits

Surprisingly, these flaky cuties get their light texture from citrus soda. No, there will not be leftovers for breakfast.

Get the recipewhat goes with chili vegan chop salad recipeERIN KUNKEL/MALIBU FARM SUNRISE TO SUNSET

15. Malibu Farm’s Vegan Chop Salad

There’s a reason this classic salad is still popular. Make it plant-based to balance out your meaty bowl of chili.

Get the recipewhat goes with chili chrissy teigen garlicky cauliflower rice recipeAubrie Pick/Cravings: Hungry for More

16. Garlicky Cauliflower ‘rice’

Five cloves of garlic sounds like a lot, but one bite and you’ll know it’s just the right amount.

Get the recipewhat goes with chili tater tot nachos recipePhoto: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

17. Tater Tot Nachos

Add your favorite salsa, sour cream, green onions and cilantro and you have yourself a spectacular side dish.

Get the recipewhat goes with chili green beans with garlicky pistachio vinaigrette recipeTaylor Peden and Jen Munk/Cook This Book

18. Green Beans With Garlicky Pistachio Vinaigrette

Gone are the days of mushy, lukewarm green beans. The garlicky dressing pairs surprisingly well with chili.

Get the recipewhat goes with chili spicy broccoli saute recipeEva Kolenko/Bread Toast Crumbs

19. Spicy Broccoli Sauté

It’s six ingredients including salt and olive oil, and it’s blanketed in garlicky breadcrumbs. Cool if we have seconds?

Get the recipewhat goes with chili corn and tomato salad recipePhoto: Tyler Mauk/Styling: Anne Mauk

20. Corn And Tomato Salad With Feta And Lime

Swap the feta for halloumi or cheddar, add jalapeño, go wild.

Get the recipewhat goes with chili hasselback cheese and bacon baked potatoes recipePhoto: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

21. Cheese And Bacon Baked Potatoes

Giving your spuds the Hasselback treatment means there’s extra surface area for toppings. Brilliant.

Get the recipewhat goes with chili mango guacamole recipePhoto: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

22. Mango Guacamole

Sweet and spicy, just the way we like it.

Get the recipewhat goes with chili spiralized winter vegetable gratin recipePhoto: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

23. Spiralized Winter Vegetable Gratin

Put that farmers market haul to good use.

Get the recipewhat goes with chili avocado quinoa salad recipePower Plates

24. Quick Guacamole Quinoa Salad

It happens to be vegan, but no one will suspect a thing.

Get the recipewhat goes with chili zucchini fries recipePhoto: Eric Moran/Styling: Erin McDowell

25. Zucchini ‘fries’

With these on our plate, we don’t miss potatoes. (Can you believe we said that?)

Get the recipewhat goes with chili cheesy polenta bites brussels sprouts pancetta recipePhoto: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

26. Cheesy Polenta Bites With Brussels Sprouts And Pancetta

It’s all about mixing highbrow with lowbrow, people.

Get the recipewhat goes with chili no knead peasant bread recipeEva Kolenko/Bread Toast Crumbs

27. No-knead Peasant Bread

Homemade bread sounds intimidating, but once you try this version, you’ll never go back to canned crescent rolls.

Get the recipewhat goes with chili baked mac and cheese bites recipePhoto: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

28. Baked Mac-and-cheese Bites

You take a total crowd-pleaser and make it mini, and suddenly everyone is giving you a round of applause.

Get the recipewhat goes with chili easy dinner rolls recipePhoto: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

29. Easy Dinner Rolls

You: 1. Bakery: 0.

Get the recipewhat goes with chili zucchini chips recipePhoto: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

30. Easy Zucchini Chips

They’re best eaten by the handful.

Get the recipewhat goes with chili baked sweet potato fries recipePhoto: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

31. Baked Sweet Potato Fries

Step away from the frozen onion rings. This side is great on its own, or smothered in chili (and a handful of shredded cheese).

Get the recipewhat goes with chili roasted sweet potatoes with sriracha and lime recipeAmanda Frederickson/Simple Beautiful Food

32. Roasted Sweet Potatoes With Sriracha And Lime

We almost don’t want to call this brilliance a side dish.

Get the recipewhat goes with chili everything bagel cauliflower rolls recipePhoto: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

33. ‘everything Bagel’ Cauliflower Rolls

They’re low carb so, yeah, we’re eating three.

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what goes with chili beer margarita recipePhoto: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

34. Beer Margarita

It’s as refreshing as it is potent, not to mention a cinch to make.

Get the recipewhat goes with chili cast iron cornbread recipeKatherine Gillen

35. Cast Iron Cornbread

Using a cast iron skillet is the key to crispy, golden-brown edges. We can’t recommend it highly enough.

Get the recipewhat goes with chili avocado and black bean pasta salad recipePhoto: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

36. Avocado And Black Bean Pasta Salad

Proof that pasta salad isn’t just for picnic potlucks (and doesn’t have to be made with mayo).

Get the recipewhat goes with chili mini nachos recipePhoto: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

37. Mini Nachos

Honey, we shrunk the nachos, and we’re actually pretty proud of ourself.

Get the recipewhat goes with chili savory frybread recipeErin McDowell

38. The Best Frybread

It’s crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside and the ideal thing to dip into a bowl of chili.

Get the recipewhat goes with chili light and tangy coleslaw recipePhoto: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

39. Light And Tangy Cole Slaw

Buy your cabbage pre-shredded (and thank us later).

Get the recipewhat goes with chili julia turshen skillet cornbread cheddar scallions recipeDavid Loftus/Now & Again

40. Julia Turshen’s Skillet Cornbread With Cheddar And Scallions

The ultimate chili side dish? Spicy, cheesy cornbread, of course.

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headshotKatherine Gillen

Former Senior Food Editor

  • Headed PureWow’s food vertical
  • Contributed original reporting, recipes and food styling
  • Studied English Literature at the University of Notre Dame and Culinary Arts at the Institute of Culinary Education
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