17 Easy Recipes For A Dinner Party (2024)

Colder weather is coming, and throwing a dinner party is the only socially acceptable way to stay home all weekend.

Christine ByrnePublished on October 25, 2014
17 Easy Recipes For A Dinner Party (2)
17 Easy Recipes For A Dinner Party (3)

1. Slow Cooker Pumpkin Beer-Braised Chicken

17 Easy Recipes For A Dinner Party (4)

halfbakedharvest.com

Serve it with rice (here's how you make rice without a rice cooker) and maybe have one of your guests bring over some crusty bread, too. Recipe here.

2. One-Pan Chicken with Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Sauce

17 Easy Recipes For A Dinner Party (5)

foodiecrush.com

Cook it in a pretty cast-iron skillet and leave it in there to serve. Recipe here.

3. Slow Cooker Lamb with Olives and Potatoes

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Romulo Yanes / marthastewart.com

There are two parts of this recipe that might make you nervous and I'm going to explain to you why NOTHING ABOUT THIS RECIPE SHOULD MAKE YOU NERVOUS.

1) Maybe you've never bought lamb shanks before. Don't worry, most butchers have them, and they're happy to cut and trim them for you.

2) You need to brown the meat before you put it in the crockpot. This should not scare you. Get a skillet really, REALLY hot, then put the lamb shanks in and turn them a couple of times so that they're browned on ever side. And honestly, if you over- or under-brown, it's not a big deal.

Recipe here.

4. Garlic and Rosemary Roast Pork Loin

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Chris Court / foodandwine.com

First, heat a skillet and brown the outside of the pork loin on the stove top. Then, stick the whole skillet in the oven to finish cooking the meat. To complete the meal, these garlic roasted potatoes are great, and you can cook them at the same time as you cook the pork, since both call for a 400°F oven. This simple green salad would be good on the side, too. Pork loin recipe here.

5. Pasta with Chorizo and Chickpeas

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Hirsheimer & Hamilton / bonappetit.com

Buying a super-flavorful sausage like chorizo takes no extra effort, but makes an otherwise easy and simple dish dinner party-worthy. Recipe here.

6. Thai-Style Shrimp Curry

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Liren Baker / kitchenconfidante.com

Red curry paste, which is sold in the ethnic aisle of most standard grocery stores, adds a ton of complex flavor to an otherwise simple dish. If you can't find Chinese spinach, sub regular spinach or mustard greens. Serve over rice or rice noodles for an impressive but quick (20 minutes, start to finish!) dinner party dish. Recipe here.

7. Chicken in Milk

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jamieoliver.com

Jamie Oliver tells you to "baste with the cooking juices when you remember," because even if you forget, the end result will be delicious. To serve, no need to carve (which really isn't that hard but I get it, it's intimidating), just let the chicken cool a little, pull it off the bone, and serve it on plates on top of mashed potatoes, drizzled with the delicious sauce that's creating in the pot with the chicken as it cooks. Recipe here.

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8. Roasted Chicken Legs with Potatoes and Kale

Tina Rupp / foodandwine.com

This impressive-looking dish is almost stupidly simple: Remove kale leaves from the stem, slice potatoes, cut chicken legs in half, throw everything together in a pan with oil and seasoning, and roast. If separating the chicken thigh from the drumstick sounds intimidating, just buy 8 chicken drumsticks and 8 chicken thighs. Recipe here.

9. Easy Beef Lasagna

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jocooks.com

Easy, and everybody's favorite. Recipe here.

10. White Bean Chicken Chili with Butternut Squash

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foodiecrush.com

This easy stew is so pretty and so hearty that all you need to serve it with is tortilla chips! The recipe is for 6, but if you have a big (at least 6 quart) pot, you can double it and freeze the leftovers. Recipe here.

11. Braised Pork Shoulder

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marthastewart.com

You could serve this with a quick stovetop polenta. That would be good. Recipe here.

12. Sunday Night Stew and Potatoes

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thepioneerwoman.com

The best part of beef stew is that it pairs well with both red wine and bourbon, the two greatest things about staying in when it's cold outside. Recipe here.

13. "Stacked" Chicken Enchiladas

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gimmesomeoven.com

Enchiladas can be easy to make, but this enchilada casserole is even easier. And face it, everything falls apart on the plate anyway. Recipe here.

14. Passover Brisket

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thepioneerwoman.com

You need to plan ahead, since this one takes 12-24 hours to marinate and 7 hours to cook. But other than that, all you need to do is mix ketchup and soup mix, smother it on brisket, put it in the fridge, take it out of the fridge, put it in the oven, and take it out of the oven. Sandwiches are a good idea, I think, but if that's too lowbrow for you, you can serve this with potatoes. Recipe here.

15. Pork Shoulder Ragu

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dinneralovestory.com

The only ragu you'll ever want to eat again. Serve it with pasta, prefereably a thick noodle like pappardelle. Recipe here.

16. Best-Ever Homemade Tacos

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yummyhealthyeasy.com

Sometimes you just want to have a bunch of people over, and you just want to feed them something delicious. This recipe serves 4, but you can easily double it to serve 8. Recipe here.

17. Baked Ziti

17 Easy Recipes For A Dinner Party (21)

simplyrecipes.com

Red sauce Italian is always a crowd pleaser. Recipe here.

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    17 Easy Recipes For A Dinner Party (2024)

    FAQs

    What is the best meal for a dinner party? ›

    Most Popular Dinner Party Recipes
    • Chicken Parmesan Meatballs.
    • Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta.
    • Cheddar Jalapeno Chicken Burgers with Guacamole.
    • Herb Roasted Turkey.
    • Ground Chicken Tacos.

    What is a good meal for 12 people? ›

    19 Ideas For Easy Meals For Large Groups
    • Taco Bar. A taco bar is one of the best inexpensive meals for large groups. ...
    • Meatballs. ...
    • Butter Chicken. ...
    • Lasagna. ...
    • Chili. ...
    • Homemade Pizza. ...
    • Baked Pasta. ...
    • Skewers.
    Apr 4, 2023

    What is the cheapest food to make for a party? ›

    20 Great inexpensive party food ideas
    • Ham and cheese pinwheels. ...
    • Mini spinach pies. ...
    • Spaghetti bolognese. ...
    • Baguettes with toppings (bruschetta) ...
    • Egg, cheese, and ham skewers. ...
    • Chicken pot pie. ...
    • Cheese straws. ...
    • Macaroni and cheese. You can make a few dishes of macaroni and cheese and serve it from warming trays.
    Oct 13, 2022

    How do you plan a simple dinner party? ›

    Your Ultimate Dinner Party Planning Checklist
    1. Select a date for the dinner party.
    2. Compile your guest list.
    3. Decide on a theme for the evening.
    4. Plan your dinner party menu.
    5. Prepare your drinks menu to complement the food.
    6. Arrange for games and entertainment to keep guests engaged.
    Sep 28, 2023

    What to feed 15 people? ›

    Meals to Feed to a Large Crowd
    • Build-Your-Own Burrito Bar.
    • Breakfast Burrito Buffet (great any time of the day!)
    • Nacho or Taco Bar (This meaty cheese dip recipe is our favorite! ...
    • Baked Potato Bar (Bake potatoes in a crock pot or large roaster to make it easy.
    Jul 24, 2011

    How to feed 20 guests on a budget? ›

    Cheap tricks for the best outdoor cookouts.
    1. 1 / 7. Hot Dog Snack Board. ...
    2. 2 / 7. No-Cook Dip and Veggie Summer Board. ...
    3. 3 / 7. Instant Pot Pulled Porchetta Sandwiches. ...
    4. 4 / 7. Chicken Caesar Salad Skewers. ...
    5. 5 / 7. Chopped BBQ Chicken Salad. ...
    6. 6 / 7. Fish Tacos. ...
    7. 7 / 7. Ice Cream Sandwiches for a Crowd.
    Apr 19, 2023

    What is the best food to feed a crowd? ›

    8 Delicious Dinners That Feed A Crowd
    • Classic Lasagna. ...
    • Pulled Pork. ...
    • White Chicken Chili. ...
    • Sloppy Joes. ...
    • Beef Stew with Carrots & Potatoes. ...
    • Gail Simmons' Epic Spaghetti Pie. ...
    • Moroccan-Style Brisket with Dried Fruit & Capers. ...
    • The Ultimate Chili Recipe.

    What is the best cheap food to feed a crowd? ›

    Feed the masses without breaking the bank with these budget-friendly dishes.
    • Turkey and Pumpkin Lasagne. ...
    • Slow Cooker Savoury Mince. ...
    • Slow cooker barbecue chicken. ...
    • Slow cooker chicken and olives. ...
    • Slow cooker beef stew. ...
    • Creamy Chicken Pie. ...
    • Chicken, Avocado and Bacon Salad. ...
    • Potato Salad.

    What to feed 30 people? ›

    • Hearty Baked Penne Pasta. This recipe feeds an army. ...
    • Tasty Taco Bar. Everything you need to make your own Taco Bar at home. ...
    • Baked Potato Bar. ...
    • Crockpot Ham. ...
    • Killer Carnitas. ...
    • Chicken Spaghetti. ...
    • Ham and Cheese Sliders. ...
    • Shredded Beef Tacos.
    May 23, 2024

    What can I serve at a party instead of pizza? ›

    Here are 12 ideas for party fare that will help you out of the takeout pizza rut:
    • Grilled Cheese for a Crowd. Grilled cheese doesn't sound like a smart idea for a party—until you make it this way. ...
    • Fondue. ...
    • Chili. ...
    • Pulled pork sandwiches. ...
    • Taco bar. ...
    • Burgers. ...
    • Potato Bar. ...
    • Kebabs.
    Jan 17, 2018

    How do you keep guests entertained at a dinner party? ›

    Dinner Party Entertainment Ideas
    1. Don't Get Got. Don't Get Got is a great secret mission game that runs in the background of your next dinner party. ...
    2. A Murder Mystery. ...
    3. A Table Magician. ...
    4. Interactive Games. ...
    5. A Private Chef. ...
    6. A co*cktail Bar. ...
    7. Silhouette Artist. ...
    8. Live Music.
    Dec 31, 2023

    What time should dinner be served at a party? ›

    It's best to serve dinner one to two hours after the guests arrive or between 6 PM to 8 PM. Serving dinner immediately when guests arrive may cause them to feel rushed and uncomfortable.

    What is a fancy dinner party? ›

    The difference between a casual and a formal dinner party often comes down to the food served and the manner of how it's presented. Typically a fancy affair is a multi-course dinner with proper plating and dish ware.

    What is the most common birthday party food? ›

    Some of the best options for party food include:
    • Mini pizzas.
    • Bruschetta.
    • Chips and dip.
    • co*cktail sausages.
    • Mini quiches.
    • Chicken wings.
    • Vegetables and dip.

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