This easy recipe wins on every count – it looks great, tastes amazing and it can all be prepared ahead of time, then just put into the oven. Tender chicken breasts are cooked in a sauce of Taleggio, cream cheese and pesto, then covered with breadcrumbs for a crisp topping. Tomatoes are added to roast towards the end of cooking.
Get the recipe for pesto chicken with Taleggio and tomatoes here
Sweet and spicy grilled salmon is served with a punchy salsa and buttery caramelized onion rice. You can marinate the salmon and make the salsa the day before, then just add the fresh cilantro to serve. The caramelized onions can also be done ahead of time, so all you have to do is cook the rice.
This super-tasty stir-fry can be prepared a few hours in advance, then it takes just 20 minutes to cook. With juicy shrimp, tender strips of chicken, black bean sauce, five-spice and lots of crunchy fresh vegetables, just add jasmine rice to serve.
Griddled chicken skewers are served with a crunchy slaw, dill labneh, pickles and flatbreads. Marinate the chicken and make the labneh the day before, and the slaw will keep in the fridge for two hours. Just put everything into bowls and leave your guests to assemble their own. Double up the recipe to serve eight.
Why not have a build-your-own-burger evening? Chicken thighs are slow-cooked in barbecue sauce for succulent, sweet and spicy meat, and served in buns with chipotle mayonnaise and avocado. The chicken is made in a slow cooker, so you can just forget about it for six hours. Alternatively, cook them on the hob on a low heat for around an hour.
Get the recipe for slow-cooked barbecue chicken sliders here
Tacos are such a fun and easy way to feed a gang. Just put all the fillings into bowls and let guests dig in. The meltingly tender pork needs to be marinated overnight, then slow-cooked in white wine. But you can make it two days ahead and reheat in the microwave. Serve with chopped onion, avocado, lime and fresh cilantro. Add in tomato salsa too.
A really great lasagna is always a crowd-pleaser. It does take time to make but it's easy and most of it is hands-off cooking. The rich meat sauce can be made ahead and left in the fridge for up to two days, or it freezes perfectly. You could assemble the whole dish in the morning, then leave it chilled until you're ready to bake it. Serve with a crunchy green salad.
A big pan of paella is such a convivial dish. This one is made with juicy shrimp, squid, mussels and spicy chorizo. There's not much preparation involved – just a bit of chopping. It's finished with squeezes of lemon juice and fresh parsley.
Moussaka, with its layers of rich meat sauce, creamy white sauce, roasted eggplant and potato, all covered in cheese, is perfect for a gathering. It can all be made in the morning, then left in the fridge until you are ready to bake. It's often made with minced pork, rather than lamb. The choice is up to you.
A flavor sensation for vegetarians of crisp smoked tofu, piled up with tortilla chips, tomatoes, onions and jalapeños, covered in grated cheese and baked. Serve with guacamole and tomato salsa. Double up the recipe to serve eight and bake in a large dish or two smaller ones.
The secret to a great chili is in the long, slow cooking time. This recipe is rich and spicy, and requires two hours to simmer. The bonus is that it keeps for up to three days in the fridge and freezes well. Try serving with bowls of sour cream, grated cheese, guacamole and tortilla chips.
Crisp fish in a lightly spiced batter served in flour tortillas with chipotle cream sauce and crunchy fresh vegetables is great party food for a build-your-own dinner. The batter and sauce can be made ahead, the veg can be chopped, then just fry the fish to serve.
Prime beef fillet surrounded by a mushroom and liver pâté, encased in crisp buttery puff pastry, sure has wow-factor. Our recipe will ensure a perfect result. The beef, pâté and the rich mushroom sauce which accompanies it can all be made ahead. Then it's just a case of assembling to bake which is straightforward. Serve with potatoes and buttered greens.
In need of a fresh take on salmon? Look no further. Here a whole side fillet is coated with a punchy, herby green sauce and baked in the oven. The skin is baked separately so it crisps up, then it's sprinkled over the finished dish which is served with roasted miso onions. You can make the sauce and cook the onions a few hours ahead (just reheat the onions to serve) so it's a simple case of baking the salmon. The recipe calls for ghee but you can substitute it with olive oil or melted butter.
A perfect sharing platter of tortilla chips topped with strips of juicy sirloin, peppers, onions and smoky jalapeños, covered with a rich cheese sauce. Double up the recipe to feed eight and allow around eight hours to marinate the steak to really make this dish flavorsome.
Thai curries are aromatic, spicy and sweet, and you'll definitely come back to this easy recipe again and again. The base is made with a shop-bought red curry paste, so most of the work is done for you. The rich sauce is thickened with ground roasted peanuts and finished with fresh sliced red chili and Thai basil.
Minced pork is cooked in garlic, ginger and soy sauce, which is spooned into lettuce leaves and topped with crunchy peanuts, fresh herbs and scallions. It's made in a slow cooker, although you could make it on the hob and cook for around an hour or so. It can also be made in advance then reheated. Double the quantities to serve eight.
A French classic, with crisp shortcrust pastry and a creamy, cheesy, bacon filling. It's a dream dish for a crowd as it can be made ahead and frozen, or baked in the morning then flashed in the oven to reheat. Use store-bought pastry (check the freezer aisle at your grocery store) and it's a doddle. Serve with a crisp green salad and new potatoes if you want a more filling meal.
Slow-cooked, spicy beef is shredded to make the perfect taco filling with sour cream, salsas, onions, chilies and fresh lime. The slow cooker does the hard work, so all you need to do is pop it on in the morning. You can marinate the beef brisket overnight in the sauce, then just switch on and go. Your guests can build the tacos themselves – simple!
Indian butter chicken is the perfect dish for those who love aromatic, creamy curries without a big kick of chili. Make it a day in advance, just adding the butter once reheated. Serve with rice and flatbreads. Add two extra chicken thighs to the recipe to serve six.
Chunks of melt-in-the-mouth slow-cooked beef in a rich ale and mushroom gravy, topped with buttery puff pastry. The preparation for this British favorite is minimal – the oven does all the work. The filling will keep for up to three days in the fridge and it freezes perfectly. Serve with buttered greens and potatoes on the side.
For this summery Greek vegetarian dish, runner beans are cooked in white wine, tomatoes and garlic, topped with a crunchy feta and pistachio crumb, and served with potato purée and carrot purée. Both the crumb and purées can be cooked ahead and reheated, and the prep for the beans can be done in advance.
Perfect British comfort food on a chilly day, this meal is a winner: a rich sauce of minced lamb, mushrooms and vegetables is topped with buttery mashed potato. Plus you can make the meat sauce up to two days ahead. Try topping it with sweet potato mash instead, or a combination of mashed potato and celeriac.
When leg of lamb is slow-cooked, it just falls off the bone. This rich, aromatic recipe is made in a slow cooker, then crisped up in the oven, although you could bake it in a covered pot in a low oven for around four hours – just double up the liquid. Serve on flatbreads with hummus, fresh cilantro, pomegranate seeds and scallions.
Sweet and spicy slow-cooked chicken thighs are topped with a sweetcorn batter to give a lovely, crisp crust. The chicken, flavored with spices, peppers and tomatoes, can be made up to three days ahead or frozen, although the batter needs to be done before serving. Fresh or frozen corn is essential, not tinned which won't give the crispy topping.
What great sharing food – a big platter of tortilla chips topped with spicy shredded beef, jalapeños, melted cheese, tomato salsa and guacamole. Increase the weight of beef to 2.2lbs (1kg) and frankly, double the guacamole quantity too. Who can ever have too much guacamole in their life? It's cooked in a slow cooker and requires overnight marinating.
For curry-lovers, this dish is perfect. It's hot and spicy, with slow-cooked lamb shoulder and chunks of potato in a thick, fiery gravy. It will happily keep in the fridge for two days. Serve with naan or rice, with a bowl of yogurt and fresh mint on the side to cool down the heat.
Spicy beef, peppers, black beans and sweetcorn are wrapped in flour tortillas, covered with cheese then baked to make a perfect and easy dinner for six. The beef filling is much better made the day before serving, although it will keep in the fridge for up to three days. Serve with guacamole and tomato salsa.
A creamy filling of spinach, mushrooms, ricotta and Gruyère are encased in buttery puff pastry to make a stunning vegetarian centerpiece. The recipe uses store-bought pastry (check the freezer aisle at your grocery store) and the filling can be prepared up to eight hours in advance. Then it's just an assembly job before baking. Serve with salad and new potatoes.
A roast dinner for eight, which is all cooked in one tin. The lamb is stuffed with a garlicky cheese and basil stuffing, which can be done the day before. The savory, salty pecorino is a wonderful contrast to the sweetness of the lamb. Add fresh tomatoes and potatoes, plus white wine to give a tasty sauce.
Get the recipe for roast leg of lamb with pecorino and garlic here