Our Favorite No-Hassle Dinner Party Recipes

Good friends, good food, and good conversation…is there a downside to hosting a dinner party? Admittedly, we get a little stressed about the menu because we want our guests to leave full and satisfied, but we also don’t want to miss out on all the fun because we were in the kitchen the entire time. Here are a few of our favorite dinner party recipes that are low-stress and low-mess without sacrificing flavor.

Baked Caprese Chicken Skillet

(image via purewow)

If you love a caprese salad, we bet you will love this baked chicken and pasta version. Frankly, we love anything that is topped with mozzarella. This dish from PureWow is ready in around 30 minutes and pairs beautifully with wine.

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 cup basil pesto
• 6 oz fresh mozzarella, sliced into 12 pieces
• 3 tomatoes, thickly sliced
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 12 oz spaghetti
• 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• Fresh basil, chopped, as needed for finishing

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an oven-safe skillet generously with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Place chicken breasts in the prepared skillet. Dollop 1 Tbsp pesto onto each piece, then rub all over to coat chicken fully.
3. Top each chicken breast with 3 mozzarella slices and a few tomato slices. Arrange the cherry tomatoes in the skillet around the chicken. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
4. Transfer skillet to oven and bake until the cheese is melted, tomatoes are soft, and chicken is fully cooked, 20-22 minutes.
5. While chicken cooks, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook according to the package instructions. Drain pasta, then toss with remaining pesto.
6. To serve, divide pasta among four plates and top each serving with a piece of chicken. Drizzle each plate with ½ Tbsp balsamic vinegar and garnish with fresh basil.

Crispy Slow-Cooker Carnitas

(image via the modern proper)

It doesn’t get much easier than throwing a handful of ingredients into a slow cooker and making your favorite carnitas dish. All that’s missing is a pitcher of margaritas. Check out this recipe from The Modern Proper.

Ingredients:

• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 medium yellow onion, quartered
• 1 large orange, juiced, rind reserved
• Juice of 1 lime
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 3 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 4-inch pieces

Instructions

1. In a large slow cooker, combine the bay leaves, oregano, chili powder, salt, cumin, pepper, cayenne, onion, orange juice and rind, lime juice, and chicken stock.
2. Nestle in the meat, cover, and cook on high for 7-8 hours or low for 10 hours or until pork is tender and can be pulled apart easily with a fork. Using a slotted spoon, transfer pork to a large baking dish or rimmed sheet pan, discarding large pieces of fat.
3. Use two forks to shred pork into 1-inch pieces. Generously brush meat with reserved liquid.
4. Broil shredded meat until the edges are crispy and caramelized, 5-8 minutes. Remove from oven, and using a spatula, flip the meat over. Broil 5 more minutes or until crispy on top.
5. Serve carnitas as desired. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Sunday Morning French Toast

(image via purewow)

Hey, we love breakfast for dinner! And we particularly love this recipe from PureWow because instead of standing over a hot stove for what feels like hours, you make all six servings in one dish.

Ingredients:

• 1 large loaf crusty Italian bread
• 5 eggs
• 1¼ cups whole milk
• ½ cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 4 Tbsp butter, melted
• Confectioners’ sugar, for serving
• Maple syrup, for serving

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9-by-13-inch casserole dish with nonstick spray.
2. Cut bread into ½-inch-thick slices, but don’t cut to the bottom (this way, the slices stay attached). Cut loaf in half and place halves side by side in prepared baking dish.
3. In a large bowl, whisk eggs with milk to combine. Whisk sugar and cinnamon, then add to eggs. Stir in vanilla extract.
4. Slowly pour the custard over the bread, including in between slices, to fully coat. (If you find large spots uncovered, pour the excess custard out of the casserole and try a second time.)
5. Brush butter over the top of bread, then transfer casserole to oven. Bake until top is golden and crisp, 25-30 minutes.
6. Let cool slightly, then finish with a sprinkle of confectioners’ sugar. Serve with maple syrup.

California Chicken Flatbread

(image via creme de la crumb)

Flatbread is a crowd-pleaser every time. Not only is this dish ready to devour in 30 minutes, but it’s packed with deliciousness, from the juicy chicken and fried bacon to the avocado, red peppers, and cilantro. Oh, and that drizzle? Creamy chipotle ranch to kick up the flavor. Check out this recipe from Creme de la Crumb.

Ingredients:

• 1 large flatbread or naan (or 2 small)
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• ½ cup shredded mozzarella
• 1 boneless skinless chicken breast, pounded to ½-inch thickness
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2-3 slices cooked bacon, chopped
• ½ avocado, sliced or diced
• ½ red pepper, diced
• 1 Tbsp packed cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
• ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• ¼ cup ranch dressing
• 1 tsp chipotle seasoning

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Season chicken with salt and pepper to taste. Cook in a pan or skillet on stove over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes on each side or until cooked through. Dice chicken and set aside.
2. Brush flatbread with olive oil. Sprinkle with shredded cheese. Top with chicken, red peppers, and bacon. Place on a lightly greased sheet of foil and bake for 10-15 minutes until cheese is completely melted.
3. While flatbread bakes, whisk ranch dressing and chipotle seasoning. When flatbread is finished, top with avocado, cilantro, and crushed red pepper flakes. Drizzle with chipotle ranch dressing and serve immediately.

Pomegranate-Sumac Chicken with Roasted Carrots

(image via purewow)

Your guests will be impressed by the flavors of this classic buttermilk chicken recipe from PureWow, which is every bit sweet as it is tart and brilliantly inspired by Middle Eastern flavors.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups buttermilk
• 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1 tsp ground sumac, plus more for garnish
• ½ cup pomegranate molasses, divided
• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 6 chicken legs (about 5 pounds)
• 2 bunches rainbow carrots with leaves (about 2 pounds)
• 1 small rainbow radish, halved and thinly sliced
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• Flaky sea salt, for garnish
• Pomegranate seeds, for garnish (optional)

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together buttermilk, kosher salt, sumac, ¼ cup pomegranate molasses, and 2 Tbsp olive oil. Add chicken legs and toss well to coat. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
2. The next day, preheat oven to 425°F. Remove leaves from the carrots and rinse well, reserving 1½ cups tender leaves. Chop carrots into 1-inch pieces and place in medium bowl with ¼ cup olive oil and 2 Tbsp pomegranate molasses. Season with salt, then toss to coat.
3. Transfer carrots to a sheet pan and roast until they get just a hint of color, 15 minutes. Drain marinated chicken and nestle each leg in between the carrots on the pan. Return pan to oven and cook until chicken is golden brown and cooked through, 40-45 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, toss reserved carrot leaves and rainbow radish with the remaining olive oil and lemon juice. Season with salt.
5. Cut chicken legs at their joints to divide thighs and drumsticks, then transfer to a platter with carrots. Drizzle with remaining pomegranate molasses. Top with dressed carrot leaves and radish. Garnish with sumac, flaky salt, and pomegranate seeds, then serve.