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20 Quick and Easy Side Dishes to Try with Rotisserie Chicken

A store-bought rotisserie chicken is the gift that keeps on giving. It’s cheap, tasty and, best of all, pre-cooked. Our favorite trick: Eat it a few days in a row, but swap out the accompanying sides to keep things interesting. With these 20 quick and easy side dishes, you can’t go wrong.

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1. Cabbage-Fennel Salad with Honeycrisp Apples

Katherine Gillen

  • Time Commitment: 15 minutes

  • Why We Love It: no cook, <15 minutes, <10 ingredients

We love transforming cabbage into a side dish for a few reasons: It’s heartier than lettuce, surprisingly versatile and adaptable to flavor profiles beyond the usual mayo-based slaw.

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2. Crispy and Spicy Harissa Potatoes with Yogurt

TY MECHAM/DELICIOUS GATHERINGS

  • Time Commitment: 1 hour, 10 minutes

  • Why We Love It: <500 calories, beginner-friendly

These buttery-soft potato bites are coated in a super simple sweet-and-savory crust that gets a little heat from harissa, a chili paste used in North African and Middle Eastern cooking.

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3. Herb-Butter Glazed Radishes

BEN DEARNLEY/IN PRAISE OF VEG

  • Time Commitment: 35 minutes

  • Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, gluten free

Radishes and chicken are a classic pairing, and roasting the veg in the oven tames the usual peppery bite.

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4. Ranch Potato Salad

Katherine Gillen

  • Time Commitment: 30 minutes

  • Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, kid-friendly

Short of plopping a bottle of store-bought dressing next to some carrot sticks, how can you sneak everyone’s fave condiment on the menu? With this herby, creamy potato salad, of course.

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5. Crunchy Broccoli Salad

Katherine Gillen

  • Time Commitment: 20 minutes

  • Why We Love It: <30 minutes, make ahead, crowd-pleaser

It has all the textures and flavors you could want, requires minimal cooking and is ready for consumption in 20 minutes.

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6. Jalapeño Popper Mac and Cheese

The Modern Proper

  • Time Commitment: 55 minutes

  • Why We Love It: kid-friendly, crowd-pleaser

It has cream cheese, bacon and plenty of heat—mind blown.

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7. Pumpkin Sage Biscuits

Minimalist Baker

  • Time Commitment: 30 minutes

  • Why We Love It: vegan, vegetarian, <30 minutes

Dress up the basic biscuit with a cozy combo of pumpkin and sage.

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8. Creamy Red Potato Salad with Radishes, Capers and Chives

Feed Me Phoebe

  • Time Commitment: 30 minutes

  • Why We Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser

Thanks to tarragon, capers and plenty of mustard, this is not your mom’s potato salad.

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9. Brussels Sprouts, Cranberry and Quinoa Salad

Gimme Some Oven

  • Time Commitment: 15 minutes

  • Why We Love It: <15 minutes, no cook

A delicious way to stock up on vitamins and antioxidants.

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10. Lemony Grated Zucchini Salad with Tomatoes, Olives and Feta

Plays Well With Butter

  • Time Commitment: 15 minutes

  • Why We Love It: gluten free, no cook, low carb

When it comes to crunchy raw zucchini and cherry tomatoes, you can enjoy their fresh flavors all year long.

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11. Creamed Corn

Damn Delicious

  • Time Commitment: 30 minutes

  • Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, gluten free

This classic side dish is for more than just Thanksgiving.

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12. Healthy Baked French Fries with Garlic, Parmesan and Truffle Oil

Ambitious Kitchen

  • Time Commitment: 45 minutes

  • Why We Love It: sheet pan recipe, <500 calories

We’ve never met a fry we didn’t like. And if it doesn’t require deep-frying, even better.

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13. Citrus, Fennel and Avocado Salad

Erin McDowell

  • Time Commitment: 35 minutes

  • Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, no cook

Brighten up the dinner table with this sweet-tart side dish.

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14. Rosemary Garlic Butter Smashed Potatoes

Foodie Crush

  • Time Commitment: 30 minutes

  • Why We Love It: <10 ingredients, <30 minutes, sheet pan recipe

We’ll always have a soft spot for mashed potatoes, but we love the crispy texture these spuds bring to the table.

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15. Za’atar Roasted Cauliflower with Herb Whipped Feta

The Modern Proper

  • Time Commitment: 1 hour, 15 minutes

  • Why We Love It: gluten free, vegetarian, <500 calories

This creamy, tangy, garlicky number is worthy of your side dish speed dial.

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16. Cheater’s Skillet Lasagna with Corn and Cherry Tomatoes

Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

  • Time Commitment: 35 minutes

  • Why We Love It: one pan, vegetarian

This gorgeous skillet is ready in just 35 minutes and calls for just ten ingredients.

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17. Instant Pot Cilantro Lime Rice

Two Peas and Their Pod

  • Time Commitment: 22 minutes

  • Why We Love It: <30 minutes, Instant Pot recipe, crowd-pleaser

Rice goes with just about everything, but how can you make it even better? With an Instant Pot, naturally.

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18. Everything Bagel Dinner Rolls

I Am A Food Blog

  • Time Commitment: 2 hours, 30 minutes

  • Why We Love It: special occasion-worthy, crowd-pleaser

Sure, you’ll impress everyone at the table with soft and fluffy rolls. Now imagine how they’ll react when you add everything bagel seasoning.

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19. Bacon Pea Creamy Pasta Salad

Carlsbad Cravings

  • Time Commitment: 20 minutes

  • Why We Love It: <30 minutes, crowd-pleaser, beginner-friendly

Because everything’s better with bacon.

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20. Charred Carrots with Herbs

What's Gaby Cooking

  • Time Commitment: 20 minutes

  • Why We Love It: crowd-pleaser, <30 minutes

The basil-mint dressing alone is a vegetable game-changer, but charring the carrots adds a smoky flavor that’s *chef’s kiss.*

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