Not all recipes for the big game party need to be huge. Many are smaller watch parties, and small recipes for two or a small group that can be scaled to your needs are perfect. I have also included a section with a few great recipes for larger parties.
📋Table of Contents
After Thanksgiving, big game day is considered the second most important "food holiday." Food is an essential part of any watch party—big or small.
Even if you are not a football fan, the Puppy Bowl and the ads are worth checking out. It is time for Americans to celebrate with a big food "pig out" party. Here are some easy and delicious recommendations, all with step-by-step photo instructions.
🖐️Finger foods
If you are hosting a party, finger foods are great for watching the game and munching. Here are some of my best.
Crispy Baked Chicken Wings
Make these extra Crispy Baked Chicken Wings in your convection oven using baking powder and a rack. They're a healthy alternative to fried wings with about half the calories. Add your favorite seasoning for the best Buffalo hot wings you've ever made—you'll never want to fry again.
Crispy Baked Chicken Wings
Bacon Wrapped Chicken Bites
These bacon-wrapped chicken bites are a perfect appetizer. The juicy chicken, crispy bacon, and a spicy brown sugar coating will make them the first finger food to disappear at any party. You can assemble them with toothpicks beforehand, then coat and bake them for the party—so easy, so good.
Bacon Chicken Wraps
Quick and Easy French Bread Pizza in 20 Minutes
Delicious Quick and Easy French Bread Pizza is the perfect 20 minute evening meal or a party. Full of your favorite toppings, browned melted cheese, and crispy crust.
French Bread Pizza Recipe
Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bits or Bars
Make impressive Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars or Bits for finger food. It is simple and almost foolproof, using cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, chocolate chips, and an Oreo crust. Please try our go-to recipe for parties or take-a-dish occasions. You can also make it as a full-size cheesecake.
Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bits or Bars
🥣For dipping or chips
Blue Cheese Dip for Wings
This homemade Blue Cheese Dip for Wings is the perfect recipe for buffalo chicken wings, vegetables, salads, and many other dishes. No more store-bought dressing when you can have a fresh, made-from-scratch dip at your game party in five minutes.
Blue Cheese Dip for Wings
Pineapple Mango Salsa Recipe
Sweet and savory with a touch of spice, this easy Pineapple Mango Salsa Recipe is a perfect fresh fruit salsa to serve as an appetizer or party dish. Or as a complement to tacos, fish, or other entree.
Pineapple Mango Salsa Recipe
Memphis BBQ Sauce
The best Memphis BBQ sauce is perfect for chicken, pulled pork, pork ribs, and brisket. The sweet and tangy flavor of Memphis-style BBQ sauce complements smoky barbecues like pulled pork, pork ribs, or beef brisket.
Memphis BBQ Sauce Recipe
Easy Guacamole Recipe
This Easy Guacamole Recipe is a basic recipe using only 4 ingredients and has many options to make it your own special homemade guacamole for parties or dinners.
Easy Guacamole Recipe
🍜Top chili recipes
The watch party must have chili. Here are some of my favorites. All can be cooked in a 3-4 quart crock pot, are adaptable to 2-quart mini-crock pots, and quickly scale up for larger needs.
Small Crock Pot White Chicken Chili
This easy-to-make homemade chicken chili is my best chicken chili. Only 5 ingredients are needed: shredded chicken, white beans, salsa, cheese, and cumin to make this dump-and-go small-batch white chicken chili recipe, which can win the office chili cookoff.
Small White Chicken Chili
Small Crock Pot Chili
Easy to make and one of the best homemade chilies, this small-batch crock pot chili recipe is versatile—you can make chili for two in a mini crock pot or larger for a crowd. It's a classic recipe with ground beef, a mildly spicy tomato-based sauce, and tender beans.
Small Chili Recipe
Stew Meat Chili (Chili Con Carne)
This easy Texas-style Stew Meat Chili recipe, also known as chili con carne, has tender chunks of beef and beans in a delicious tomato sauce with multiple peppers and a touch of heat I love. It's a simple small-batch recipe made on the stovetop or in any size crock pot, from a 2-quart mini to a full-size one.
Stew Meat Chili (Chili Con Carne)
Salsa Verde Chicken Chili
You will love Salsa Verde Chicken Chili, a mildly spicy white chicken chili made with chicken, white beans, green salsa verde, and a few pantry ingredients: a simple dump-and-go crock pot or fast stovetop recipe.
Salsa Verde Chicken Chili
🍬Sweets/Snacks Recipes
No party is complete without something sweet. Give them something to talk about that you can make ahead.
Crock Pot Chocolate Peanut Clusters
Chocolate Peanut Clusters are easy to make in your crock pot, microwave, or stovetop. Use four ingredients for the best nut clusters—nuts, chocolate chips, almond bark, and Bakers chocolate to boost the quality. Nothing says love like a gift of delicious homemade candy, so give them your best.
Chocolate Peanut Cluster Recipe
Easy Old Fashioned Apple Crisp
This easy Old Fashioned Apple Crisp is a small-batch recipe requiring only three apples and a few pantry ingredients. It's easy to make for two or a crowd. I love this delicious apple dessert, with cinnamon apples and a delicious crumble topping, just like Grandma would make.
Old Fashioned Apple Crisp
Easy Cheesecake Bars
These Easy Cheesecake Bars are creamy and delicious with a Graham cracker crust and lemon—the quick small-batch recipe you need with great tasting cheesecake bars.
Cheesecake Bar Recipe
Easy Lemon Bars
Easy lemon bars are delicious and simple to make in under an hour. These homemade lemon squares are a perfect dessert treat with a crispy, buttery shortbread crust and tangy and sweet lemon filling—a small batch 8X8 recipe you can scale to your needs.
Lemon Bar Recipe
Candied Almonds
Candied almonds are easy to make at home. Sugar-coated with lots of cinnamon and vanilla, this simple roasted almond recipe can also be adapted to make candied cashews, peanuts, walnuts, or any mixture of these or other nuts. With six ingredients and 10 minutes of prep time, they are ready to roast to perfection.
Recipe for Candied Almonds
🥳Larger Recipes for a Crowd
Although several can be made smaller, these recipes are bigger for larger needs.
Oven Pulled Pork Butt—Low and Slow
Oven Pulled Pork from pork butt is cooked in the oven low and slow. Our best-pulled pork recipe is tender and moist with delicious bark. Super easy, with almost no work—you rub, bake at 250° for 8 to 9 hours, shred, and eat.
Oven Pulled Pork
Chicken for a Crowd
It is easier than you think to feed a crowd fresh baked chicken. From a small party to a large group of a hundred or more, this recipe for baked chicken is perfect for any size crowd. Start with skin-on chicken breasts and drumsticks. Trim to finger food size, season to taste, and bake. Also, learn to keep your party safe with the food safety tips.
Recipe
Easiest Oven Baked BBQ Beef Brisket
Learn how simple it is to make smoky and tender Oven Baked BBQ Beef Brisket with this never fail brisket recipe—just two ingredients and 5 minutes of prep time—everybody deserves great BBQ.
Oven Baked BBQ Brisket
BBQ Shredded Pork Loin for Pulled Pork in the Oven
Lean, healthy, and tasty shredded pork loin makes excellent BBQ pulled pork by oven baking in a spicy braising fluid. Use it any place you use pulled pork butt.
Crock Pot BBQ Pork Loin
The Best Taco Meat
The best Taco Meat recipe only needs 25 minutes, ground beef, and an easy homemade taco seasoning. Make it spicy or make it mild; you're in control. You will never use packaged taco seasoning again.
Spicy Taco Meat Recipe
Easy Homemade Pizza Dough
Make one or have a pizza party for a crowd. This fast and easy Homemade Pizza dough recipe with only 5 ingredients—is perfect for a 13X9 sheet pan or a thinner crust 16-inch round pizza. Or scale up for a pizza party.
Easiest Homemade Pizza Dough
🐕Don't forget food safety and the dog treats
These gatherings are ready-made for food safety issues and leftovers at the party. Let's plan for food safety and get it right. Check out the USDA Food Safety recommendations.
Low-Fat Homemade Dog Treats—Healthy & Delicious
Low Fat Homemade Dog Treats are the perfect low-calorie treat for your dog. With only five ingredients, your dog will love the peanut butter and pumpkin taste. Much healthier than commercial treats—any veterinarian would approve.
Recipe for Low Fat Dog Treats
Have a great watch party, and enjoy the game!
Wifo, Molly, Lilly, and DrDan
Editor note: Originally Published . This post will be refreshed yearly with my current recommendations.
Catherine says
. My Sunday menu has been planned, thanks to you. I’ve already tried many of these; not only easy but delicious.
Annette says
Yum! I will be watching the game at your house! :O)