SaurabhChili is a dish that has many variations and to choose your favorite you have to try it with different ingredients and toppings. The key ingredients in chili include meat, beans, tomatoes, chili peppers, and seasonings like cumin, garlic, and onions.
However, there are regional varieties of chili made without beans, with chicken or turkey meat, chorizo, bacon, beef cubes, pork meat, and other different ingredients and seasonings.
There are also vegetarian recipes for chili made of tofu, quinoa, or other meat substitutes and ingredients like potatoes, squash, mushrooms, beets, or corn.
If you want to make a pot of chili you need to cook it slowly at a low temperature to let all the flavors develop and mix in one delicious dish. But it is also important to use the right seasonings and toppings to improve the flavor of your chili.
If you don’t know or you need new ideas on what to serve with chili you can find some of our suggestions in this article. Just pick the one you think will work for you and try it with your favorite pot of chili.
20 Yummy Things To Eat With Chili
No matter which product you choose, you will get a delicious and wholesome meal.
1. Buttermilk cornbread
Buttermilk cornbread is one of the best side dishes you can serve with chili. It is recommended to bake it in a cast-iron skillet to get a nice and crispy crust.
The buttermilk cornbread is delicious and pairs well with chili.
2. Shrimp avocado salad
Shrimp avocado salad is a light and refreshing side dish you can serve with a bowl of chili. You can grill the shrimps to get a lovely and smoky flavor and mix them with tomatoes, avocado, cilantro, and onion.
Add the dressing and you have a tasty side dish for your chili. You can also sauté the shrimp or buy precooked shrimp if you want to save time.
3. Sweet corn fritters
Sweet corn fritters are a very easy recipe you can prepare in no time.
All you need is fresh, canned, or frozen corn, milk, eggs, flour, cornmeal, baking powder, sugar, salt, and oil for frying. You can also use garlic, parsley, and paprika to improve their flavor, and red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper to give them a spicy note.
Fry the fritters until they get a nice golden-brown color, drain the oil on a paper towel, sprinkle them with salt and serve while hot.
4. Broccoli and cauliflower salad
Broccoli and cauliflower salad is a good combination of flavors and textures you can use as a side dish for chili.
If they are your favorite vegetables add cooked diced eggs, crumbled crispy fried bacon, and cheddar cheese. Top the salad with a dressing made from mayonnaise, vinegar, and sugar, and in the end, sprinkle some sunflower seeds.
5. Baked potatoes
Baked potatoes are one of the most used side dishes served with chili. They are nice and crispy outside and creamy and fluffy inside.
Cover the potatoes with olive oil, sprinkle some salt and bake them in the oven. While they are still hot cut them in the center and season with freshly ground black pepper and salt, add butter and sprinkle with shredded cheddar cheese on top.
6. Quesadillas
Quesadillas are another easy-to-make side dish you can serve with chili. You can fill them with cheese, meat, spices, vegetables, and many other fillings of your choice.
All you need is tortillas, your favorite filling, and seasonings. Fill the tortillas and fry them in a pan, grill, or bake in the oven until the cheese is melted and they are nice and crispy.
7. Grilled cheese sandwich
A grilled cheese sandwich is a classic recipe we all love. With its crispy outside and creamy, melted cheese inside, the grilled cheese sandwich is a perfect match for chili.
You only need good bread for sandwiches like white bread, sourdough, potato bread, and ciabatta and cheese like cheddar, Colby, or provolone.
Just heat the sandwiches until the bread gets a golden-brown color and the cheese is melted. Your sandwich is ready to serve with a bowl of chili.
8. Sweet potato fries
Sweet potato fries are easy to make and a tasty recipe you can eat with chili. Just peel the sweet potatoes, cut them and place them in a bowl.
Season them with salt, pepper, paprika, and olive oil, and gently mix. Place the potatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper and sprayed with oil. Then, bake in the oven until they get a beautiful golden-brown color.
You will get crispy and delicious fries that make a perfect side dish for chili.
9. Caesar salad
Caesar salad is one of the most known salads. It is made with crispy romaine lettuce, croutons, and parmesan cheese coated with a nice and creamy dressing, and sprinkled with freshly ground black pepper.
Caesar salad is another great side dish you can serve with a bowl of chili when you want to eat something fresh and healthy.
10. Nachos
Nachos are delicious and easy to prepare when you have a party.
You can bake them in the microwave or oven in no time and use many different toppings to your taste. It is important to use a cheese that melts easily like Monterey Jack or cheddar but any other semisoft and soft cheese will be great with baked nachos.
11. Macaroni and cheese
Macaroni and cheese are my favorite dish to eat with chili. It is a versatile dish you can make according to your taste.
You can use vegetables, meat, bacon, seafood, different types of cheese, and seasonings, and top all with panko bread crumbs to add some crunchiness.
Macaroni and cheese and chili make a wholesome meal you can serve to your loved ones.
12. Stuffed jalapeno poppers
Stuffed jalapeno poppers with cream cheese, green onions, cheddar, and garlic powder, topped with crispy bacon. They make a perfect combination with a wonderful flavor.
Just remove the seeds to reduce the heat, stuff the halved peppers with this mixture, and bake for 10-15 minutes. Serve with chili while they are still hot.
13. Mashed potatoes
Mashed potatoes are a great recipe to eat with chili.
You can also add some minced garlic to the mashed potatoes if you want to get a totally different flavor and enjoy this creamy and delicious dish. It is easy to make and needs only a few ingredients.
Try it once and it will become your favorite dish to serve with chili.
14. Onion rings
Onion rings are crispy, delicious, and perfect to serve with chili. You can prepare them at home and cook them in the air fryer for about 10 minutes.
If you want to get onion rings with different flavors you can add garlic powder, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, or Italian seasoning to the egg mixture.
Sprinkle some salt when they are cooked and serve while hot with a bowl of chili.
15. Roasted root vegetables
Roasted root vegetables are a delicious side dish you can eat with chili.
For this recipe, you can use root veggies like carrots, potatoes, turnips, celeriac, parsnips, beet, and garlic. Dice the vegetables, and place them in a roasting pan. Drizzle some olive oil and season with salt, fresh thyme, and freshly ground black pepper.
Roast them and serve while they are still hot.
16. Savory monkey bread
Savory monkey bread and chili – a perfect and delicious match you can’t get enough of.
It is easy to make with only a few ingredients. All you need is a loaf of bread, sliced mozzarella cheese, butter, salt, freshly ground black pepper, and garlic powder.
First, cut the bread lengthwise and then across to make little squares. Make sure not to cut the base of the bread. Then, spread the butter inside of the bread between the small squares, place the slices of mozzarella, and season with salt, garlic powder, and pepper.
Bake for about 15 minutes and serve warm as a side dish for your chili.
17. Rice
Rice is another fast and easy to prepare side dish for chili.
According to your taste, you can use white, brown, or any other type of rice you prefer. You can also add some vegetables like peppers, tomatoes, and onions to enhance its flavor.
18. Tacos
Tacos topped with your favorite filling also pairs well with chili.
Top the tortillas with fillings made with vegetables, beef, pork, chicken, or seafood and cheese fold them and serve. They are easy to make and have a wonderful flavor.
My favorite tacos are the ones with ground beef filling. You need only a few ingredients such as ground beef, salsa, taco seasoning, and tortillas.
Cook the ground beef in a pan, add the salsa and taco seasoning and cook all together for a few minutes. Fill the tortillas and serve with chili.
19. Coleslaw
Coleslaw is a healthy and refreshing side dish you can eat with chili.
The main ingredient in coleslaw is raw shredded cabbage. However, there are also many other varieties with other ingredients added like red cabbage, carrots, apples, onion, pineapple, bell peppers, and herbs.
Coleslaw is usually prepared with vinaigrette, sour cream, and mayonnaise dressings. Pick the ingredients and the dressing to your taste and top your coleslaw with cooked bacon to add a crunchy note.
20. Guacamole deviled eggs
Guacamole deviled eggs are a tasty and creamy side dish that pairs well with chili.
Use one ripe mashed avocado, mashed egg yolks, minced garlic and onion, salt, lime juice, chopped cilantro, and diced jalapeno (optional).
Just mix all the ingredients, fill the egg whites, sprinkle with chopped cilantro, and serve.
FAQs
What’s a low-carb side with chili?
If you want to reduce the carbs in your diet you should avoid eating pasta, rice, potatoes, and wheat bread. There are many different low-carb side dishes you can use with chili.
You can use cauliflower cheese bread, coleslaw, onion rings, roasted root vegetables, stuffed jalapeno poppers, carrot fries, shrimp avocado salad, and many other low-carb side dishes.
What to serve with chili besides cornbread?
Besides cornbread with chili, you can serve breadsticks, savory monkey bread, pretzels, grilled cheese sandwich, dinner rolls, fry bread, cauliflower rolls, and other delicious side dishes.
What goes with chili for a potluck?
With chili for potluck goes cornbread, corn chips, cheese, butter, sour cream, chopped red onion, chopped cilantro, chopped green onion, onion rings, sweet corn fritters, sweet potato fries, guacamole deviled eggs, and many other side dishes at your taste.
What to serve with chili instead of rice?
With chili instead of rice you can serve quinoa, couscous, bulgur, sweet potatoes, lentils, and mashed potatoes. They all have a good flavor and will be a good substitute for rice.
What sandwich goes with chili?
With chili go grilled cheese sandwiches, hot dogs, peanut butter sandwiches, and pimento cheese sandwiches.
What to serve with chili con carne?
Chili con carne –chili with meat is made with beef, kidney beans, chili peppers, tomatoes, and seasonings like garlic, cumin, and onions.
This dish is served over pasta and rice dishes or topped with diced onions, sour cream, grated cheese, and other toppings. Chili con carne is served with side dishes such as cornbread, tortilla chips, crackers, tortillas, and tamales.
Spice It Up!
There are many traditional and regional recipes for chili and even more side dishes and toppings that go well with it. You can serve chili and one of the side dishes mentioned above at a party, game night with your friends, family dinner, or when you just want to eat something good all by yourself.
A bowl of chili topped with shredded cheese and sour cream is a classic. But you can also use green onions, jalapenos, cilantro, avocado, or tortilla chips. All you have to do is to choose the one you like the most and make it your favorite side dish for chili.
We hope that we helped you with this decision and you will choose some of the suggestions in this article. We are also interested in your favorite recipe for a chili side dish. You can share your thoughts and recipes in the comment section down below!
