Dinner party recipes to impress your guests It doesn't have to be expensive to entertain. These impressive appetizers and dinners, which range from simple roasts to pastas and more, are sure to wow your guests.
4 Dinner party recipes to impress your guests
1. Chicken Pot Pie with puff pastry?
You know, I love chicken potpie. When I'm wanting comfort food, especially on a cold day, the combination of the buttery crust and the creamy chicken-and-vegetable filling is perfect. I can't help but forget the hour I just spent clearing snow off the driveway after just one piece of a delicious pot pie! Over the years, I've created a lot of chicken potpie recipes, and this puff pastry version always turns out well.
Ingredients
The deliciously flaky dough known as puff pastry gives potpies a crunchy, buttery crust. Check out our puff pastry working tips if you've never used puff pastry before.
- Chicken: To give the potpie a traditional appearance, we use chicken breasts, but if you want dark meat, you may use chicken thighs instead.
- Vegetables: Tender, vibrant vegetables make up a wonderful potpie. For convenience, we use frozen mixed vegetables, but fresh vegetables are equally effective. Carrots and other hearty vegetables should be parcooked until they are crisp-tender. They will be excessively firm in the filling otherwise.
- Creamy sauce: The sauce adds a taste and texture that the potpie contents will never forget. We begin by thickening the chicken broth and half-and-half cream with a roux, which is a mixture of flour and butter. A dash of lemon juice completes the dish, while fresh thyme, sage, and garlic give robust character.
- Egg wash: To make the egg wash for the puff pastry, we combine an egg yolk with half-and-half cream. Here are some tips on what to do with an egg white if you won't be using the entire egg.
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Instructions
Step 1
Roll each pastry sheet into a 12-by-10-inch rectangle on a lightly floured board. Cut a single sheet into six 2-inch strips by cutting it across. Cut five 2-inch strips lengthwise from the remaining sheet.
Create a 12 x 10-inch lattice by tightly weaving the strips on a baking sheet. While you make the filling, put the lattice in the freezer.
Editor's Tip: The process of creating the puff pastry lattice is comparable to creating a bacon weave or a lattice pie crust. Watch the video below to view each step in detail if this is your first time.
Step 2
Add half a teaspoon of salt and half a teaspoon of pepper to the chicken. Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a large pan over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken for 5 to 7 minutes, or until browned. After taking the chicken out of the pan, put it aside.
Step 3
Heat the remaining butter in the same skillet over medium-high heat. Saute the onion for 5 to 7 minutes, or until it is soft. Add sage, thyme, and garlic and simmer for 1 minute.
2. Chicken Kabobs with Spicy Lemon
It must be spring when I see Meyer lemons at the grocer. I enjoy using them for these simple chicken kabobs, but the distinctive smoky flavor is still added by conventional grilled lemons. —Gardnerville, Nevada resident Terri Crandall
Ingredients
- One-fourth cup lemon juice
- Four tablespoons of olive oil, split
- Three teaspoons of white wine
- Crushed red pepper flakes, 1 1/2 tablespoons
1/4 teaspoon crushed dried rosemary or 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary - One and a half pounds of skinless, boneless chicken breasts, sliced into 1-inch cubes
- Two medium lemons, cut in half
- Finely chopped chives
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Instructions
Combine the wine, red pepper flakes, lemon juice, three tablespoons oil, and rosemary in a large shallow dish. Turn to coat after adding the chicken. For up to three hours, refrigerate.
Drain the chicken and throw away the marinade. Put the chicken on six moistened wooden or metal skewers. Cover and grill over medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes, flipping once, or until the meat is no longer pink.
Put the lemons on the grill, cut side down, in the meantime. Grill for 8 to 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Over the chicken, squeeze the lemon halves. Sprinkle with chives and drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil.
3. Delectable Tenderloin of Grilled Pork
I'm always grilling, regardless of the weather. Thanks to its unique spice combination, this tenderloin of pork is incredibly flavorful and quite simple to prepare. The fact that she doesn't have to cook is greatly appreciated by my wife! —Steve Ehrhart, Illinois, Villa Park
Ingredients
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp seasoned salt
3/4 teaspoon of seasoning for poultry
One-third teaspoon of onion powder - One-third teaspoon of powdered garlic
- One-third teaspoon of chili powder
- One-eighth teaspoon of cayenne
- Two 1-pound pork tenderloins
Instructions
Sprinkle the tenderloins with the mixture of spices. Cover and grill over medium heat for 20 to 25 minutes, turning regularly, until a thermometer reads 145°. Before slicing, let stand for five minutes.
4. Poppy Seed Salad with Strawberry
This simple strawberry poppy seed salad is a beautiful, adaptable side dish to serve as soon as the warm weather arrives. It is sweet, tangy, and full of the fresh tastes of summer.
There are several delicious side dishes, but this strawberry poppy seed salad recipe is the one to make when you want to make a big impression. The combination of crisp romaine lettuce, paper-thin red onion slices, and vibrant strawberries creates a visually arresting salad. Add the candied almonds and the creamy, tart poppy seed dressing, and you have a side salad that is surprisingly simple to prepare and tastes just as wonderful as it looks.
This poppy seed dressing strawberry salad is best made with strawberries that are in season, but store-bought strawberries also work nicely. You can't go wrong with this sweet and tangy salad, whether you're eating it outside with friends or as part of a quick summer meal.
Ingredients
- Strawberries: Definitely use fresh strawberries for your salad. Look for plump fruit with a deep red hue and fragrant aroma. If you bring home too many from the farmers market or grocery store, you can store strawberries for use a day or more later.
- Lettuce: Romaine is our first choice, but other common lettuce varieties like butterhead are lovely too. Or, leafy greens such as spinach, arugula and kale make stellar substitutes for lettuce in this salad.
- Onion: Shallots and red onions offer the perfect balance between a wonderfully piquant oniony flavor and a hint of sweetness to complement the ripe berries.
- Dressing: The irresistible tangy dressing gets its creamy texture from a combination of mayo, milk and sour cream. A splash of apple cider vinegar adds a sharp, fruity bite, balanced out by some sugar. Poppy seeds introduce a satisfying crunch and a subtle nuttiness to each bite. In a word? Perfection.
Instruction
Step 3
In a small heavy skillet, add the sugar. For approximately ten minutes, cook and stir over medium-low heat until the sugar melts and takes on the color of caramel. Stir in the almonds until evenly distributed. Cover with foil and let cool.
Step 2
In a large bowl, combine the strawberries, lettuce, and onion. Combine the mayonnaise, sugar, sour cream, milk, apple cider vinegar, and poppy seeds in a small bowl and whisk to mix.
Step 3
Drizzle the salad with the dressing and toss to mix. Sprinkle the candied almonds on top of the salad after breaking them up into smaller pieces. Serve right away.Dinner Party Recipes To Impress Your Guests
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