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What to Serve With Chicken and Chorizo Paella: 15 Best Side Dishes

Enhance your chicken and chorizo paella with an array of delicious side dishes. Grilled vegetables, with their smoky and tender texture, add a nutritious touch. Spanish garlic shrimp brings a bold, garlicky contrast. A mixed green salad, combining seasonal ingredients, refreshes the palate. Manchego cheese, known for its nutty flavor, complements the paella's richness beautifully. Patatas bravas, crispy fried potatoes topped with zesty sauce, create a delightful textural contrast. Each of these options will elevate your dining experience, making it unforgettable. Discover even more delightful side dishes to pair with your paella.

Grilled Vegetables

savory summer side dish

When paired with chicken and chorizo paella, grilled vegetables serve as a nutritious and flavorful complement. The smoky taste from grilling enhances the overall flavor pairing, creating a satisfying meal.

For best results, choose fresh vegetables and cut them into even pieces. Use medium-high heat, and grill until tender with slight charring. This method guarantees delicious, perfectly grilled vegetables every time.

Spanish Garlic Shrimp

delicious tapas dish recipe

Spanish garlic shrimp, also known as gambas al ajillo, offers a bold and savory option to serve alongside chicken and chorizo paella.

For wine pairing, consider a crisp white wine to complement the flavors.

Cooking tips include using fresh shrimp and plenty of garlic for maximum taste.

This dish adds a delightful, garlicky contrast that enhances the overall dining experience.

Mixed Green Salad

fresh and colorful mix

A mixed green salad provides an invigorating and light accompaniment to balance the rich flavors of chicken and chorizo paella.

Combining seasonal ingredients like crisp lettuce, juicy tomatoes, and crunchy cucumbers, this salad offers freshness. Explore dressings varieties such as tangy vinaigrettes or creamy options to enhance the greens.

Each bite refreshes the palate, making the meal more enjoyable and well-rounded.

Manchego Cheese Plate

tasty spanish cheese platter

Presenting a Manchego cheese plate alongside your chicken and chorizo paella adds a rich, nutty flavor that complements the dish's savory profile.

This Spanish cheese, known for its firm texture and buttery taste, is a delightful addition to tapas pairings.

Including various cheese varieties within the plate enhances the experience, offering a balanced and flavorful contrast to the hearty paella.

Patatas Bravas

spicy spanish potato dish

Patatas Bravas, with their crispy exteriors and spicy tomato sauce, offer a dynamic and flavorful side dish that perfectly complements the richness of chicken and chorizo paella.

With Spanish origins, this dish showcases simple yet effective cooking techniques. The potatoes are fried to a golden brown, then smothered in a zesty sauce, creating a delightful contrast that enhances the meal's overall appeal.

Roasted Red Peppers

delicious vegetable for roasting

Complementing the vibrant flavors of Patatas Bravas, roasted red peppers bring a smoky sweetness that enhances the depth of chicken and chorizo paella.

Their bright red hue offers a striking color contrast, making your dish visually appealing.

The subtle char from roasting provides a flavor enhancement that ties together the savory notes of the paella, creating a harmonious and delightful dining experience.

Gazpacho Soup

refreshing summer tomato soup

Often served chilled, gazpacho soup offers an invigorating contrast to the warm, robust flavors of chicken and chorizo paella. Its revitalizing properties make it an ideal side dish, especially during warm weather.

Gazpacho's historical origins trace back to Andalusia, Spain, where it was a staple for farmers. This invigorating soup, made from fresh tomatoes and cucumbers, balances the paella's richness perfectly.

Marinated Olives

tasty marinated olive recipe

Marinated olives offer a flavorful and aromatic accompaniment that enhances the savory profile of chicken and chorizo paella.

Using a mix of olive varieties, such as green Manzanilla and black Kalamata, adds diversity to your dish.

Common marinade ingredients include garlic, lemon zest, rosemary, and red chili flakes, which infuse the olives with zesty and herbal notes, perfectly complementing the paella.

Crusty Bread

freshly baked artisan bread

A loaf of crusty bread serves as an ideal accompaniment to chicken and chorizo paella, providing a satisfying texture contrast and a means to savor every flavorful bite. Bread varieties such as baguettes or sourdough are excellent choices.

Pair them with dipping sauces like garlic aioli or tomato relish. This combination enhances the meal, making it more enjoyable and fulfilling.

Sautéed Spinach

healthy side dish recipe

Complementing the robust flavors of chicken and chorizo paella, sautéed spinach offers a nutritious and vibrant side dish that balances the meal with its light and earthy taste.

Rich in vitamins and minerals, spinach provides numerous nutritional benefits.

Seasoning variations, such as garlic, lemon, or a touch of nutmeg, can enhance its flavor, making it a delightful addition to your dining experience.

Tomato and Cucumber Salad

refreshing summer salad recipe

Tomato and cucumber salad brings a revitalizing and crisp contrast to the rich and hearty flavors of chicken and chorizo paella. The fresh vegetables offer a rejuvenating and invigorating flavor combination that complements the main dish.

Dressing options such as a simple vinaigrette or a lemon and olive oil mix enhance the salad's taste, making it a vibrant side dish choice.

Fried Calamari

delicious crispy seafood dish

Fried calamari adds a delightful crunch and savory depth to the meal, perfectly balancing the robust flavors of chicken and chorizo paella. Ensuring the batter consistency is just right makes all the difference, creating a crispy exterior that pairs well with tender squid.

Offering a variety of dipping sauces, like tangy marinara or zesty aioli, enhances the experience and adds extra layers of flavor.

Piquillo Peppers

spicy spanish red peppers

Why not elevate your chicken and chorizo paella with the sweet and smoky flavors of piquillo peppers?

These vibrant peppers can be served as stuffed peppers, filled with creamy cheese or savory meats.

Alternatively, a piquillo pepper relish adds a tangy, zesty note to your meal.

Both options bring a delightful contrast to the rich and hearty flavors of your paella.

Lemon Aioli

savory lemon garlic sauce

To complement the piquillo peppers, a zesty lemon aioli can provide an invigorating and creamy contrast to your chicken and chorizo paella.

Can the Same Side Dishes be Served with Chicken and Chorizo Paella and Spanish Tortilla?

When serving Chicken and Chorizo Paella and Spanish Tortilla, the best side dishes for Spanish Tortilla are garlic sautéed spinach, patatas bravas, and pan con tomate. These dishes complement the flavors of the Spanish Tortilla and add variety to the meal.

White Asparagus

four word phrase captured accurately

White asparagus offers a delicate and slightly nutty flavor, making it an elegant side dish to pair with chicken and chorizo paella. Rich in health benefits like vitamins A and C, it enhances the meal's nutritional value.

Various cooking techniques, such as steaming or roasting, preserve its tender texture and subtle taste, ensuring it complements the bold flavors of the paella.