What to Serve With Chicken Empanadas: 16 Sides That Complete the Meal

Chicken empanadas are hearty enough to eat on their own, but the right side dish turns a handful of golden pastries into a real dinner. If you’re wondering what to serve with chicken empanadas, the answer usually comes down to balance: something bright and acidic to cut the richness of the filling, something starchy to round out the plate, and maybe a dip or two for extra flavor.

Below are 16 tested pairings pulled from the way home cooks across the United States actually build their empanada dinners, from classic Latin American staples like Spanish rice and refried beans to fresher options like citrus-avocado salad. Pick two or three that fit your mood, and you’ve got a spread worth setting the table for.

1. Cilantro Lime Rice

Cilantro lime rice is the side dish that shows up on almost every list of what to eat with empanadas, and for good reason. The rice takes on a garlicky, herbaceous flavor that plays well against the savory chicken filling without competing for attention.

Food Lovin Family notes that this stovetop cilantro lime rice tastes even better than Chipotle’s version, describing it as fluffy, zesty, and fresh. Make a big batch on a weeknight and you’ll have leftovers for burrito bowls the next day, which makes this one of the more practical choices on the list.

Because it’s mild, cilantro lime rice also acts as a buffer if any of your other sides lean spicy, like a jalapeño-heavy salsa or a peppery slaw.

2. Refried Beans or Black Beans

Beans and empanadas go together the way peanut butter goes with jelly. Whether you go with classic refried pinto beans or a simpler pot of black beans, this side adds protein, fiber, and a creamy texture that contrasts nicely with the empanada’s crisp crust.

A Pinch of Adventure points out that when wondering about what to eat with empanadas, one of the answers is always black beans and rice. If you’re short on time, canned refried beans doctored up with cumin, hot sauce, and a little sour cream get you most of the way to homemade flavor in about ten minutes.

Pro Tip: Top refried beans with shredded cheese and a quick broil for two to three minutes to melt everything into a gooey, restaurant-style side.

3. Guacamole

Guacamole is the easiest upgrade you can make to a chicken empanada plate, and it takes barely five minutes to throw together. The cool, creamy avocado balances the warm, flaky pastry, and it works equally well as a dip or a spoon-on topping.

According to A Pinch of Adventure , you can serve guacamole on the side of your empanadas for a hearty meal. Keep it simple with mashed avocado, lime, salt, and diced onion, or dress it up with roasted garlic and a pinch of cumin if you want something closer to a restaurant version.

4. Mexican Street Corn Salad

Mexican street corn salad, also known as esquites, brings sweetness, char, and a little heat to the table in one bowl. It’s become a staple side for empanada dinners across the U.S. because the flavors read as familiar even to guests who haven’t had empanadas before.

Unexpectedly Domestic describes esquites as positively packed with fresh flavor, with cotija cheese, sweet corn, red onion, jalapeno, chili powder, lime juice, and fresh cilantro creating the perfect balance of sweet and tangy flavor. Grilling the corn first adds a smoky note that pairs especially well with baked (rather than fried) empanadas.

5. Fried Plantains, Plantain Chips, or Tostones

Plantains bring the sweet-and-salty contrast that so many Latin American meals rely on, and they’re one of the most traditional pairings you’ll find for chicken empanadas. Ripe plantains fried until caramelized work almost like a dessert-adjacent side, while tostones (smashed and fried green plantains) lean savory and crunchy.

Insanely Good Recipes calls this combination an “epic food pairing,” noting that frying gives the plantains a soft, almost melt-in-your-mouth texture, and a sweet caramelized flavor. If you want the crunchier tostones style instead, Cooking Chew describes them as delightfully crispy on the outside with a soft center, salty with sweet, crunchy texture combined with tenderness.

6. Spanish Rice and Beans

Spanish rice and beans is a heartier alternative to plain cilantro lime rice, especially if you want the meal to feel more filling. The rice cooks in a tomato-based broth with onion, garlic, and warm spices, then gets folded together with beans for a one-pot side that does a lot of the heavy lifting on the plate.

Recipe developer Jar of Lemons specifically recommends pairing chicken empanadas with sides like Spanish Rice & Beans, or along a salad like Chili Mango Zesty Quinoa Salad. It’s a smart move if you’re feeding a crowd, since Spanish rice and beans can be made ahead and reheated without losing texture.

7. Chili Mango Zesty Quinoa Salad

If you want something lighter and more nutrient-dense, a chili mango quinoa salad brings fiber, protein, and a sweet-spicy kick that plays beautifully off savory chicken filling. The quinoa base also makes this one of the more substantial salad options on this list, so it can stand in as a light lunch side on its own.

This pairing comes recommended directly alongside chicken empanadas by Jar of Lemons , whose recipe suggests it as a fresher counterpoint to the rice and bean sides above. Diced mango, black beans, red bell pepper, and a chili-lime dressing tossed with cooked quinoa give you a salad that holds up well even after a day in the fridge.

8. Citrus-Avocado Salad

A citrus-avocado salad is one of the most-recommended pairings specifically for chicken empanadas, and it makes sense once you taste the combination. Citrus segments (orange or grapefruit work well) add acidity that cuts through the richness of both the pastry and the avocado.

Empanada Mama builds an entire “Chicken & Greens” plate around this idea, pairing chicken empanadas, citrus-avocado salad, tostones, and guasacaca together. Their broader guidance holds true here too: chicken loves creamy brightness plus a squeeze of lime, which is exactly what this salad delivers.

9. Guasacaca

Guasacaca might be the most underrated sauce on this entire list, at least outside of Venezuelan and Colombian households. It looks like guacamole, but it’s thinner, tangier, and considerably herbier, thanks to a mix of parsley, cilantro, and vinegar blended right into the avocado base.

Chili Pepper Madness explains that guasacaca, or wasakaka, is a Venezuelan avocado sauce or dip often called guasacaca sauce. Cook Eat Live Love adds that it’s most often served with chicken, grilled foods, arepas, or empanadas, making it a near-perfect match for this particular protein. If you love the concept of savory, herb-forward condiments, this is worth making from scratch at least once.

Key Insight: Guasacaca and guacamole use nearly identical ingredients, but the added vinegar and fresh herbs in guasacaca give it a noticeably brighter, more acidic flavor that stands up better next to fried empanada crust.

10. Cabbage Slaw

A quick cabbage slaw adds crunch and acidity in a way that soft rice and bean sides simply can’t. Shredded cabbage tossed with lime juice, a little vinegar, and a pinch of salt sits well next to almost any empanada filling, and it takes less than ten minutes to put together.

Mexican coleslaw shows up consistently as a topping or side option in empanada roundups, often listed alongside pico de gallo and chipotle crema as a way to add texture contrast to the meal. Keep the dressing light so the slaw stays crisp rather than soggy by the time it hits the table.

11. Potato Salad

Potato salad brings a comfort-food element to the plate that works particularly well at barbecues and summer gatherings. A Latin-style version swaps traditional mayo-heavy dressing for one built with lime, cumin, and a handful of crushed corn chips for crunch.

A Pinch of Adventure recommends baking or grilling the potatoes first, noting that the key is to bake or grill your taters, which gives the salad a nice hint of smokiness before you toss the ingredients in a bowl with mayo, cumin, and lime. This version holds up well outdoors, which makes it a solid choice if you’re serving empanadas at a cookout rather than a sit-down dinner.

12. Salsa and Chips

Salsa and chips is the simplest possible side, and sometimes that’s exactly what a chicken empanada dinner needs. A fresh pico de gallo or a smoother salsa roja gives you something to dip into between bites without adding much prep time.

Unexpectedly Domestic points out that a bright, flavorful salsa doubles as a dipping sauce for chicken or beef empanadas. If you’re tight on time, store-bought salsa from the refrigerated section of most grocery stores works just fine here; nobody will fault you for skipping the from-scratch version on a busy weeknight.

13. Avocado Dip

An avocado dip is a slightly different animal from guacamole or guasacaca. It’s blended smooth rather than chunky, which makes it better for dunking whole mini empanadas rather than spooning onto a plate.

Carlsbad Cravings pairs an avocado dip directly with chipotle chicken empanadas, calling its refreshing creaminess the ideal companion to the flaky pastry and smoky chipotle chicken filling. The same source suggests you serve the chicken empanadas with the avocado dip as an appetizer with chips and guac, or add a side of cilantro lime rice with black beans and a simple salad to make it a full meal.

14. Southwest Salad

A southwest salad is one of the fastest ways to turn empanadas into a complete, balanced dinner. Think romaine or mixed greens loaded with black beans, corn, tomatoes, and a chili-lime or ranch-style dressing.

This exact pairing gets a direct recommendation from Carlsbad Cravings , whose chipotle chicken empanada plate includes a southwest salad alongside cilantro lime rice and black beans. It’s a good option if you’re feeding picky eaters, since a southwest salad is easy to customize by leaving off toppings without changing the overall flavor of the dish.

15. Corn on the Cob

Grilled corn on the cob is a warm-weather classic that pairs naturally with almost anything coming off the grill, empanadas included. Brush it with a chipotle-honey-lime butter and you’ve got a side that tastes like a step up from a backyard cookout staple.

Carlsbad Cravings specifically suggests corn on the cob with chipotle honey lime butter as part of a full chicken empanada spread. If you’d rather skip the grill, roasting the ears in a hot oven for about 20 minutes gets you similar caramelization with less cleanup.

16. Arroz con Pollo

Arroz con pollo might seem redundant if your empanadas are already chicken-filled, but the combination works better than you’d expect. The seasoned, saffron- or achiote-tinted rice adds a completely different flavor profile from the empanada filling itself, so the two don’t compete on the plate.

Cooking Chew calls arroz con pollo, a dish that features rice with chicken, another great match for empanadas, adding that eating rice and chicken together is as natural as peanut butter and jelly, a classic combination served in many different cuisines worldwide. Serve smaller empanadas alongside a modest portion of arroz con pollo if you’re worried about the meal feeling too heavy, or lean into it fully as a hearty Sunday dinner. For another chicken-forward pairing idea, this approach isn’t far off from how home cooks plan sides for chicken piccata — building the plate around rice, something bright, and a vegetable.

Side Dish	Flavor Profile	Best For
Cilantro Lime Rice	Mild, herbaceous	Weeknight dinners
Refried or Black Beans	Savory, creamy	Hearty family meals
Mexican Street Corn Salad	Sweet, smoky, tangy	Summer cookouts
Guasacaca	Herby, acidic	Dinner parties
Southwest Salad	Fresh, zesty	Lighter meals
Arroz con Pollo	Savory, aromatic	Sunday dinners

Building a full spread doesn’t mean making all 16 of these at once. Most home cooks pick one starch (rice or beans), one fresh element (a salad or slaw), and one sauce or dip, which mirrors how sides are typically planned for other portable, hand-held mains like a shrimp boil spread. That three-part formula keeps prep manageable on a weeknight while still giving your table some visual and flavor variety.

Common Mistake: Serving only heavy starches like rice and beans without anything acidic or fresh. Empanada filling is already rich, so at least one bright side (citrus-avocado salad, slaw, or salsa) keeps the plate from feeling one-note.

If you’re new to cooking for a crowd, note that empanadas themselves fall into that broad category of convenience food that reheats well, which means you can prep sides fresh the day of and simply warm empanadas in the oven or air fryer right before serving. That timing trick alone makes a six-side spread far less stressful than it sounds on paper.

Whichever combination you land on, the goal is the same one that guides most Latin American cooking: balance rich, fried, or baked elements with something fresh, acidic, or crunchy. Start with two sides from this list, taste as you go, and build up from there. Chicken empanadas are forgiving enough to work with almost any pairing here, so there’s no wrong way to round out the plate.