After Thanksgiving, big game day is considered the second most important "food holiday." Food is essential to any watch party—big or small. Make a little or a lot with this selection of 23 recipes. Most are small and adjustable, but a few are larger for crowds.
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🖐️ 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
Extra-crispy baked chicken wings cooked in a convection oven using baking powder and a two-stage method. Dry the skin first, then finish hot for crisp wings without frying.
Crispy Baked Chicken Wings
Bacon Wrapped Chicken Bites (Sweet, Spicy & Easy)
Juicy chicken wrapped in bacon with a sweet and spicy brown sugar coating. No dipping sauce needed—just bake and serve.
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
🥣 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
Homemade Memphis BBQ Sauce
Classic homemade Memphis-style BBQ sauce with tomato, sweetness, and a touch of spice. Ready in about 30 minutes and perfect for ribs, pulled pork, chicken, and more.
Memphis BBQ Sauce Recipe
Simple Guacamole Recipe
This Simple 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 (Easy 5 Ingredients)
Thick, cheesy white chicken chili with just 5 ingredients. Make it in a 2-quart mini crock pot for two, or scale up in a full-size slow cooker for a crowd.
Small White Chicken Chili
Small Crock Pot Chili (Ground Beef & Bean, Easy for Two or More)
A classic ground beef and bean chili made in a small crock pot. Scales down for two or up to 16 servings. Simple ingredients, rich flavor, and a foolproof crock pot method.
Small Chili Recipe
Stew Meat Chili (Crock Pot or Stovetop, with Beans)
This hearty stew meat chili has tender beef chunks, beans, and peppers in a rich tomato base. Make it in the crock pot or on the stovetop.
Stew Meat Chili (Chili Con Carne)
White Chicken Chili with Green Salsa Verde (Crock Pot or Stovetop)
A mildly spicy white chicken chili with green salsa verde, shredded chicken, white beans, and simple pantry spices—easy to make in any size crock pot, with a quick stovetop option.
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.
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
Small Batch Apple Crisp (Easy Recipe for Two or More)
Make an easy small batch apple crisp with only 2 or 3 apples and a buttery crumb topping. A perfect old-fashioned dessert for two or more.
Old Fashioned Apple Crisp
New York Cheesecake Bars
Rich and creamy New York Cheesecake Bars with a buttery graham cracker crust. This easy small-batch recipe is baked in an 8X8 pan and easily doubles to a 9X13 pan.
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
Easy Cinnamon Candied Almonds (Oven-Roasted Holiday Nuts)
Crunchy, cinnamon-sugar candied almonds roasted in the oven until crisp and golden. Easy to make, budget-friendly, and perfect for gifts, snacks, or holiday parties.
Recipe for Candied Almonds
Crock Pot Chocolate Peanut Clusters (Easy 4-Ingredient Candy)
Sweet and salty crock pot chocolate peanut clusters with just 4 ingredients. Simple slow cooker candy—great for holiday gifts or parties.
Chocolate Peanut Cluster Recipe
🥳 Larger Recipes for a Crowd
Although several can be made smaller, these recipes are bigger for larger needs.
How to Cook Pork Butt in the Oven for Pulled Pork
Make juicy BBQ pulled pork right in your oven. Cook pork butt low and slow until fall-apart tender with crispy bark and rich, smoky flavor.
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.
Chicken for a crowd
How to Cook Brisket in the Oven (Smoky, Tender BBQ)
Cook brisket in the oven with just 2 ingredients—smoky, tender BBQ beef. Beginner-friendly, low and slow for fall-apart results, no smoker needed.
Oven Baked BBQ Brisket
Pulled Pork Loin in the Oven
Make tender BBQ pulled pork from pork loin in the oven with a simple braising method. The pork loin shreds easily for juicy BBQ sandwiches or feeding a crowd.
Pulled Pork Loin in the Oven
\Taco Meat from Scratch
Easy, from-scratch spicy taco meat with tomato sauce and pantry spices – no packet. Perfect for nachos, tacos, and bowls.
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
Have a great watch party, and enjoy the game!
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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)