Whether you’re hosting a few friends or a crowd of fans, game day fare should be hearty and flavorful. Fresh, air-chilled Smart Chicken is the perfect starting place for your favorite crowd-pleasing recipes, and there’s something for everyone on this party menu featuring recipes from some of our favorite chefs. Best of all, these delicious recipes are easy to get going, so you won’t spend all day in the kitchen.

Beer-Battered Chicken Tender Spinach Wraps

Ingredients

  • 1 pound Smart Chicken tenders

  • Salt and pepper

  • 2 eggs

  • 2 cups beer*

  • 1 tablespoon Frank’s Red Hot sauce

  • ½ teaspoon granulated garlic

  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

  • ½ cup cornstarch

  • 1 cup flour

  • 1 quart canola oil (for frying)

  • ½ cup blue cheese dressing

  • ½ cup sliced red onions

  • 1 cup julienned cucumber

  • 1 pound mixed greens

  • 6 spinach tortillas, lightly warmed on the grill or a skillet

*For a deeper, richer flavored batter, use a dark full-bodied beer, such as a porter. For a lighter, less prominent flavor, opt for a macro-brew light beer. Avoid hoppy beers that might leave a bitter aftertaste.

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Directions

In a deep stock pot or frying pan, heat 1 quart of canola oil to about 350°F. Season the tenders with salt and pepper. Combine eggs, beer, and hot sauce in a bowl and slowly whisk in the granulated garlic, baking powder, cornstarch, and flour. Dip each tender into the batter, then transfer to the hot oil. Fry, turning occasionally until cooked through and golden brown (about 5 to 7 minutes). Drain from oil and let rest on paper towels.

To assemble the wrap, pile the onions, cucumber, and mixed greens in the center of a tortilla. Top with chicken tenders and drizzle with blue cheese dressing. Roll tightly and cut in quarters. Secure each piece with a toothpick or small skewer and serve.

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Honey and Harissa Baked Chicken Wings

Ingredients

  • 2 packages (or about 2 pounds) Smart Chicken party wings

  • 2 teaspoons salt + ¼ teaspoon

  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder

  • ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

  • 1 stick unsalted butter

  • ¼ cup honey

  • ¼ cup harissa*

  • ¼ teaspoon salt

*If you can’t find harissa, substitute chili garlic sauce (which can be found in the Asian section of your supermarket)

Directions

To a large bowl, add 2 teaspoons salt, garlic powder, pepper, olive oil, and chicken wings. Toss wings until well coated; cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let rest in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 425˚F. Coat 2 baking sheets (or 1 large baking sheet) with cooking spray. Place the chicken wings skin side down on the sheet(s) and bake for 20 minutes. With tongs, flip the wings and bake for 15 minutes longer, or until crispy and cooked through.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, simmer the butter, honey, harissa, and ¼ teaspoon of salt, stirring constantly until the butter is melted. Remove pan from heat and let sauce cool until it thicken slightly.

Transfer the wings to a large mixing bowl and pour in the sauce; carefully toss until the wings are well coated. Transfer the wings to a serving platter and enjoy!

Chicken Club Sliders

Makes 12 sliders

Ingredients

  • 2 boneless skinless Smart Chicken breasts

  • Canola oil, as needed

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 pound thick-cut bacon

  • ¼ cup mayo

  • ¼ cup ketchup

  • 1 tablespoon chili sauce, such as Sriracha

  • 12 slider buns

  • 1 avocado, sliced

  • 12 tomato slices

  • 12 butter lettuce leaves

  • Toothpicks, as needed for serving (optional)

Directions

With a sharp knife, slice the chicken breasts on a bias to create ½-inch thick slices the size of the slider buns. Rub chicken slices with canola oil and season with salt and pepper.

In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until crispy then transfer to paper towels to drain, reserving a small amount of bacon fat in the pan.

In the same skillet used to cook the bacon, over medium-high, cook the chicken until golden-brown on each side and the internal temperature registers 165°F on a digital thermometer. Toast the buns until golden brown.

In a small bowl, mix the mayo, ketchup and chili sauce.

To assemble, top the bottom of the slider bun with chicken, bacon, avocado, tomato, butter lettuce, and sauce. Insert a toothpick through each slider for easy serving.

Pineapple-Raspberry Bellini

Ingredients

  • 2 cups raspberries, plus more for serving

  • 2 cups pineapple juice

  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

  • 1 cup seltzer, chilled

  • 1 (750-milliliter) bottle brut (dry, unsweetened sparkling white wine), chilled

  • Fresh pineapple, for garnish

  • Fresh rosemary sprigs, for garnish

Directions

In a blender, blend raspberries, pineapple juice, and vanilla until smooth. Strain into a pitcher through a fine-mesh sieve (pressing on solids to extract liquid). Top with wine, let the foam settle, then top with seltzer and stir gently to combine. Add a few raspberries to each glass, pour, and garnish each with a slice of fresh pineapple and a sprig of rosemary.

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Healthier Spinach and Artichoke Dip

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon canola oil

  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped

  • 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

  • 1 (10-ounce) package frozen spinach, thawed and drained (or substitute fresh spinach)

  • 1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and rinsed

  • 2 tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise

  • 4 ounces low-fat cream cheese

  • ½ cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt

  • ¼ teaspoon ground pepper

  • ½ cup part-skim shredded mozzarella cheese

  • 1 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese, divided

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Add canola oil to a sauté pan over medium heat. Add chopped onions and cook, stirring occasionally, about 3 to 4 minutes or until translucent and beginning to caramelize. Add garlic and cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes. (If using fresh spinach, add it to the pan, cook 2 to 3 minutes until wilted.) Remove from heat and let cool.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine thawed spinach, artichoke hearts, mayonnaise, cream cheese, Greek yogurt, pepper, mozzarella cheese, and ½ cup of the Parmesan cheese. Pulse the mixture a few times. Add cooled onions and garlic to the mixture and pulse until mixture reaches desired consistency (use short pulses for a chunkier dip and process longer for a smoother dip).

Transfer mixture to a baking dish such as an 8-inch pie plate or a 9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle remaining half cup of Parmesan cheese over the top and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown and bubbly. Serve with tortilla or pita chips, crostini, fresh vegetables, and/or multi-seed crackers.