Cookouts usually need more than the main dish coming off the grill. Pick one recipe based on what you want to handle first, from a main to a side or a tray of small bites. Serve it with drinks, plates, and enough napkins for a backyard meal.
Chick-fil-A Nuggets
Cut into small, uneven pieces for a restaurant-style bite, Chick-fil-A Nuggets coat chicken breast in milk, egg, flour, paprika, and garlic powder before frying in peanut oil. The full batch takes 30 minutes and serves four. A thin coating keeps the crust light rather than heavy. Bring them out hot with Chick-fil-A sauce, honey mustard, or ketchup for easy dipping.
Get the Recipe: Chick-fil-A Nuggets
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
Built around a 2-pound pork loin, Slow Cooker Pulled Pork cooks low for six hours with brown sugar, mustard, soy sauce, bay leaves, and dark beer. The recipe serves 12, which gives you plenty for a larger spread. After shredding, the pork cooks uncovered until the sauce thickens around it. Spoon it into buns or rolls and set out extra sauce and sliced onions nearby.
Get the Recipe: Slow Cooker Pulled Pork
Chicken Shawarma
Marinated with Greek yogurt, lemon, cumin, smoked paprika, turmeric, and cardamom, Chicken Shawarma roasts boneless chicken thighs on skewers for about one hour. The recipe serves four and includes warm pita, red onion, cucumber, lettuce, lemon, parsley, and mint for the plate. A simple yogurt sauce adds a cool finish. Lay everything out separately so each serving can be built with as much crunch and sauce as needed.
Get the Recipe: Chicken Shawarma
Taco Pasta Salad
Loaded with seasoned ground beef and rotini, Taco Pasta Salad mixes cherry tomatoes, corn, beans, cheddar, red onion, jalapeño, cilantro, and lime in one large bowl. A creamy dressing made with yogurt, barbecue sauce, mayonnaise, brown sugar, and Worcestershire coats every piece. The recipe serves 10 and chills before serving. Keep it cold until mealtime, then add a final squeeze of lime before setting it out.
Get the Recipe: Taco Pasta Salad
Italian Sub Pinwheels
Rolled with deli-style layers, Italian Sub Pinwheels spread seasoned cream cheese and mayonnaise over tortillas before adding salami, provolone, romaine, red onion, and roasted red peppers. A quick 10-minute freezer chill helps the rolls slice cleanly, and the recipe makes 20 pinwheels in 30 minutes. Their small size makes them easy to pass around. Slice shortly before serving so the lettuce stays crisp, and the tortillas remain soft.
Get the Recipe: Italian Sub Pinwheels
Charred Grilled Potatoes
Parboil first for a tender center. Charred Grilled Potatoes, toss baby yellow potatoes with garlic powder, lemon, olive oil, salt, pepper, and fresh herbs before they hit the grill. They cook cut-side down for about five minutes per side and take 30 minutes total. The recipe serves four. Drizzle any remaining herb marinade over the hot potatoes and place them beside burgers, chicken, or skewers.
Get the Recipe: Charred Grilled Potatoes
Spinach Artichoke Dip
Bubbling under a layer of mozzarella, Spinach Artichoke Dip combines cream cheese, mayonnaise, Parmesan, chopped artichoke hearts, spinach, garlic powder, and dried basil. It bakes for 25 minutes, takes 35 minutes total, and serves six. The creamy base can be assembled earlier and refrigerated until the oven is free. Put it out warm with tortilla chips, pita chips, crackers, red pepper slices, or toasted baguette.
Get the Recipe: Spinach Artichoke Dip
Mac and Cheese
Finished with a golden breadcrumb top, Mac and Cheese folds elbow pasta into a sauce of butter, garlic, mustard, flour, whole milk, cheddar, and Parmesan. The recipe takes 20 minutes total and serves four, including a 10-minute bake after the pasta is coated. Its scoopable texture works well beside grilled meats. Serve it straight from the baking dish while the cheese sauce is still loose and creamy.
Get the Recipe: Mac and Cheese
Grilled Thai Chicken Skewers
Fragrant with ginger, garlic, lemongrass, red curry paste, lime, sesame oil, and fish sauce, Grilled Thai Chicken Skewers use boneless chicken thighs for a juicy main. The skewers take 1 hour 5 minutes total and serve four. A peanut sauce made with soy sauce, Sriracha, lime, and honey comes together while the chicken grills. Finish with chopped peanuts and fresh herbs, then pass the sauce at the table.
Get the Recipe: Grilled Thai Chicken Skewers
Honeycrisp Salad
Crisp fruit and sturdy greens give Honeycrisp Salad plenty of texture from sliced apples, frisée, arugula, candied walnuts, and crumbled blue cheese. The spiced cider vinaigrette blends apple cider vinegar, honey, cinnamon, cumin, black pepper, salt, and olive oil. It takes 15 minutes and serves four. Dress the salad close to serving time so the greens stay lively, and the apple slices hold their crunch.
Get the Recipe: Honeycrisp Salad
Bacon Wrapped Smokies
Wrapped in thin-cut bacon and dusted with brown sugar, Bacon Wrapped Smokies bake until the bacon turns golden around the little sausages. The 25-minute recipe serves 12 and uses roughly 32 smokies, making each toothpick-held piece easy to pick up. Brown sugar melts into a glossy coating during the 15-minute bake. Set out spiced mayonnaise on the side and let the bites cool briefly before passing them around.
Get the Recipe: Bacon Wrapped Smokies
Bite-Sized Mini Tacos
Seasoned in a skillet with Mexican spices and tomato paste, Bite-Sized Mini Tacos fill small flour tortillas with lean ground beef, lettuce, shredded cheese, tomatoes, and red onion. A green salsa of avocado, sour cream, lime, cilantro, and garlic goes over the top. The recipe takes 25 minutes and serves eight. Warm the tortillas just before assembly, then serve the tacos right away while the toppings are crisp.
Get the Recipe: Bite-Sized Mini Tacos
Cheeseburger
Seared quickly for a browned crust, Cheeseburger uses 80/20 ground beef, cheddar, toasted buns, romaine, pickles, tomato, red onion, and a ketchup-Worcestershire sauce. The recipe makes two burgers in 20 minutes, with the patties cooking for about two minutes per side before resting. Build each burger while the cheese is melted. Fries, onion rings, coleslaw, or a simple salad can fill out the plate.
Get the Recipe: Cheeseburger
Caprese Appetizer Bites
Layered over lightly toasted baguette slices, Caprese Appetizer Bites pair fresh mozzarella, basil, tomato, olive oil, Italian seasoning, and balsamic glaze. The recipe takes 15 minutes and makes 20 servings, with just five minutes needed to toast the bread. Cool the baguette before adding the toppings so the mozzarella stays firm. Assemble close to serving time and drizzle the balsamic last to keep the bread crisp.
Get the Recipe: Caprese Appetizer Bites
Mini Cheesecakes
Portioned into a lined muffin pan, Mini Cheesecakes start with graham cracker crumbs and melted butter beneath a filling of cream cheese, sugar, eggs, vanilla, lemon juice, flour, and heavy cream. They bake for 15 minutes, cool in the pan, and chill overnight before topping. Strawberry jam and fresh berries add color without extra slicing at the table. Keep them cold until dessert, then place them where guests can lift one by the liner.
Get the Recipe: Mini Cheesecakes
Chipotle Grilled Chicken
Coated in a smoky lime marinade, Chipotle Grilled Chicken combines boneless chicken thighs with garlic, chipotle in adobo, onion powder, lime juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. The recipe takes 25 minutes and serves four. After browning over medium-high heat, the chicken finishes covered at a lower temperature until cooked through. Slice it before serving and add greens, grilled vegetables, rice, or tortillas around the platter.
Get the Recipe: Chipotle Grilled Chicken
Homemade KFC Zinger Burger
Double-coated before baking, Homemade KFC Zinger Burger covers chicken fillets in flour, corn flour, baking powder, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and milk. The chicken bakes for 20 minutes with a flip halfway through, and the full recipe serves four in 35 minutes. Burger sauce, lettuce, tomato, and cheddar complete each bun. Add fries on the side and serve while the coating is still crisp.
Get the Recipe: Homemade KFC Zinger Burger