Impressive and simple main courses for a dinner party

Serve these wonderful dishes at a dinner party: they are sure to impress your guests, and they are quite easy to prepare.

How to Cook - Impressive and Easy Dinner Party Main Dishes

Grilled flank steak marinated in tequila, garlic, and lime

Guy Fieri marinates flank steak with tequila, then simmers the mixture to create a delicious sauce. The juicy meat is served with warm tortillas, perfect for wrapping and eating like fajitas.

Recipe: Grilled flank steak marinated in tequila, garlic, and lime

Beer-brine chicken grilled on a beer can

Photo of the dish - Chicken in beer brine, grilled on a beer can

Grilling a whole chicken on a beer can is very popular. However, this technique isn't particularly practical, as the beer doesn't impart enough juiciness or flavor. The beer can itself plays an important role: it allows the chicken to cook vertically, resulting in crispy skin on all sides, just like a store-bought rotisserie chicken. For a truly beer-flavored chicken, marinate the meat in beer before grilling, and pour the beer into the drip pan as well.

Recipe: Beer-brine chicken grilled on a beer can

Excellent pasta with kale

The star of salads finds a new use in Guy Fieri's savory pasta with grilled chicken and parmesan.

Recipe: Excellent pasta with kale

Enchiladas stuffed with goat cheese

Bobby Flay puts a twist on the classic Mexican dish by using blue corn tortillas instead of the usual wheat or white corn ones. This creates a sweeter, nuttier flavor that pairs perfectly with the red chili tomato sauce.

Recipe: Enchiladas stuffed with goat cheese

London broil steak with herb butter

Instead of buying steaks for every guest, prepare a flavorful and less expensive roast. Sear the beef and then slice it thinly across the grain. Finish by spreading herb-infused butter on top.

Recipe: London broil steak with herb butter

Chicken baked with lemon and garlic

Ina Garten roasts chicken with bacon. Then, she adds a head of garlic and sliced lemon to the baking dish to infuse the sauce with flavor.

Recipe: Chicken baked with lemon and garlic

Fried chicken marinated in sour milk

Photo of the dish - Fried chicken marinated in yogurt

Ina's recipe for juicy breaded chicken involves five steps: marinate, refrigerate, bread, deep-fry, and bake.

Recipe: Fried chicken marinated in sour milk

Hunter's-style chicken noodles

Ree Drummond's classic recipe features egg noodles served with juicy, crispy chicken thighs and a selection of roasted vegetables.

Recipe: Hunter's-style chicken noodles

Parmesan with eggplant

Classic eggplant Parmesan is always a winner, and this recipe from Alex Guarnaschelli is perfect for a crowd. For an authentic Italian flavor, use San Marzano tomatoes in the sauce, and layer it with a mixture of Parmesan, provolone, and mozzarella.

Recipe: Parmesan with eggplant

Butterfly chicken with mustard vinaigrette

"Once you remove the backbone and place the chicken in, press down on top to make it even flatter, which will help it cook evenly," says Alex.

Recipe: Butterfly chicken with mustard vinaigrette

Spanakopita in a cake pan

We present a simple recipe for making a traditional Greek pie with cheese and spinach. Thanks to the round shape with a hole in the center, you won't have to fill and fold several individual triangles. Plus, the appetizer turns out beautiful and can even be served as a main course.

Recipe: Spanakopita in a cake pan

Beef Wellington with mushrooms

Make any day special by serving a delicious Beef Wellington—tender slices of beef tenderloin wrapped in puff pastry. Before wrapping, coat the meat in a homemade mustard-horseradish dressing for a zesty flavor.

Recipe: Beef Wellington with mushrooms

Three Cheese Lasagna

Tyler Florence called this dish the perfect lasagna for a reason: it consists of three generous layers: sheets of dough, ricotta cheese, and Bolognese sauce. If possible, make the sauce ahead of time to make assembly easier.

Recipe: Three Cheese Lasagna

Roast chicken with potatoes in a muffin tin

A round cake pan with a hole in the center serves as a chicken stand and also as a baking dish for the potatoes. As the vegetables cook, the chicken juices will soak up the juices.

Recipe: Roast chicken with potatoes in a muffin tin

Ossobuco

This Milanese dish of veal shanks braised with vegetables and white wine may seem complicated, but Anne Burrell's recipe requires only 10 minutes of prep. Once you've browned the meat and pureed the vegetables for the sauce, the braising process does the rest.

Recipe: Ossobuco

Filet boeuf bourguignon

For an elegant and filling dish, Ina Garten prepares the most tender beef tenderloin with mushrooms, carrots, and pearl onions.

Recipe: Filet boeuf bourguignon

Seafood gumbo

Every spoonful of this hearty dish is loaded with shrimp, crab, and lobster. For an authentic Louisiana flavor, don't forget to add Creole seasoning.

Recipe: Seafood gumbo

Vegetable meatballs made from eggplant and beans

Photo of the dish - Vegetable meatballs with eggplant and beans

Who said meatballs have to be meat? Surprise your guests with this hearty vegetarian version of a classic pasta dish. Roasting eggplant imparts a meaty flavor and texture that's perfect for meatballs.

Recipe: Vegetable meatballs made from eggplant and beans

Baked Portobello Mushrooms with Cheese

Give your classic eggplant Parma a twist by using portobello mushrooms. They have a wonderful meaty flavor and texture, and they can be dredged in flour like eggplant.

Recipe: Baked Portobello Mushrooms with Cheese

Four Cheese Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes in the Oven

The combination of savory tomato sauce, tender rigatoni pasta, and melted cheeses makes this dish unforgettable. If serving for a special occasion, instead of store-bought breadcrumbs, make homemade ones by blending toasted focaccia with rosemary in a food processor.

Recipe: Four Cheese Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes in the Oven

Sunday Meat Sauce with Orecchiette Pasta

When guests hear about pasta with meat sauce on the menu, they immediately think of spaghetti. Surprise them by serving this dish with orecchiette pasta. The bowl-shaped pasta holds the sauce better, making it easier to serve than long noodles.

Recipe: Sunday Meat Sauce with Orecchiette Pasta

Boeuf Bourguignon - a classic recipe

Aina's fans adore Boeuf Bourguignon, and your guests will love it too. It's like a beef stew, but with an elegant French twist.

Recipe: Boeuf Bourguignon - a classic recipe

Indian Coconut Chicken Curry Casserole

Photo of the dish - Indian-Style Coconut Chicken Curry Casserole

In Indian restaurants, it's common to top rice with a protein-vegetable mixture. Here, it's the opposite: tender pieces of chicken and vegetables with curry are layered on the bottom of the pan, and coconut-flavored rice is added on top.

Recipe: Indian Coconut Chicken Curry Casserole

Honey-Lime Marinated Chicken in the Oven

Photo of the dish - Oven-baked chicken in a honey-lime marinade

Honey and lime combine in a quick, sweet-savory marinade for juicy chicken pieces.

Recipe: Honey-Lime Marinated Chicken in the Oven

Bouillabaisse - Marseille fish soup

This hearty fish stew of shrimp, mussels, and whitefish in a tomato broth is a complete meal in one bowl. Serve with toasted baguette slices and red pepper rouille dipping sauce. The aroma alone will impress your guests.

Recipe: Bouillabaisse - Marseille fish soup

Greek strudel with chicken and rice

Strudels aren't just for sweet fruit fillings. This version features chicken, rice, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, and feta cheese—all wrapped in puff pastry. To save time, use store-bought phyllo dough and focus on making the rich filling.

Recipe: Greek strudel with chicken and rice

Moroccan Lamb Leg Tagine

Aina prepares her own version of a traditional Moroccan dish, combining lamb shanks with Yukon Gold potatoes, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, and a host of Middle Eastern spices. For convenience, you can prepare the entire dish a day in advance, refrigerate it, and simply reheat it on the stovetop. On the day of serving, all that's left to do is prepare the couscous.

Recipe: Moroccan Lamb Leg Tagine

Baked pork in breadcrumbs with mustard and herbs

Brush the pork tenderloin with a thin layer of Dijon mustard to create a tangy, flavorful crust. This will help the breading adhere well and add a pleasant, tangy flavor to the meat.

Recipe: Baked pork in breadcrumbs with mustard and herbs

Roast leg of lamb in paprika with mint sauce

Photo of the dish - Roast leg of lamb with paprika and mint sauce

Lamb and mint are a legendary pairing, but you can use other forms of sauce than just traditional mint jelly. Make your own homemade sauce from scratch: the vibrant flavor of pureed mint, parsley, garlic, and capers is worth the effort.

Recipe: Roast leg of lamb in paprika with mint sauce

Grilled sea bass with basil, lime and ginger

When buying whole fish for grilling, ask the seller to fillet and clean it. Then, at home, all you have to do is prepare the marinade and stuff the fish.

Recipe: Grilled sea bass with basil, lime and ginger

Gumbo with smoked sausage, ham and chicken

The key to achieving gumbo's signature spiciness is Tasso ham, a specialty of Louisiana cuisine. This flavorful, salty pork tenderloin is rubbed with a spice blend containing cayenne pepper. If you can't find Tasso ham, andouille sausage makes a great substitute.

Recipe: Gumbo with smoked sausage, ham and chicken

Creamy pasta with chicken

This hearty pasta dish is ready in less than an hour—perfect for a party. Make the sauce before guests arrive, then cook the pasta according to package directions a few minutes before everyone sits down.

Recipe: Creamy pasta with chicken

Chicken baked with oranges, potatoes and cardamom

Create a Sunday dinner with an Indian twist by serving Aarti Sequeira's chicken. For perfectly cooked meat and a crispy skin, butterfly the chicken and cook at a very high temperature.

Recipe: Chicken baked with oranges, potatoes and cardamom

Oven-baked Arctic char with herbs

If you've been hesitant to serve a whole fish, now's the time to give it a try and impress your guests at your next dinner party. We present a tried-and-true recipe.

Recipe: Oven-baked Arctic char with herbs

Clam chowder with beer-braised pork ribs

Tender clams, pork ribs and new potatoes come together in a tomato broth – perfect for an al fresco lunch.

Recipe: Clam chowder with beer-braised pork ribs

Votes: 35