5 Delicious Snacks For The Big Game

It’s the single biggest sporting event of the year, and you’re mulling what kind of snacks you’ll be showcasing at your game day party.

You’ve been fielding phone calls and emails for 2 weeks.

“Hopefully I can make your party! It’s a toss-up between yours and a catered event.”

“Would you mind if I brought a +1?”

“There’s another shindig going on that night. Maybe I’ll swing by.”

“What kind of food will be there? I hear another event has catering so that we might attend that. Maybe we’ll see you later?”

Oh no. You figured the standard “chips, wings, burgers, etc.,” food and snacks would be enough, but now you’re competing with another event! And your original ideas sound underwhelming all of a sudden.

What can you do to set your party apart?

By being the host with the most, of course!

Here are 5 Delicious Snacks For The Big Game:

Multi-Layer Chicken Chili Dip

Courtesy of the Food Network

This Tex-Mex-inspired chili dip recipe takes about 2 hours to prepare, so it’s probably a good idea to make and refrigerate this dip the day before the big game.

Ingredients:

1. 1 ½ cups shredded yellow cheddar
2. One 14-ounce can of black beans, drained and rinsed
3. 3 medium tomatoes, chopped
4. 1½ cups crumbled cornbread
5. 1 green bell pepper, chopped
6. 1 cup frozen corn, thawed
7. Juice and zest of 1 lime
8. 1 cup roughly chopped cilantro leaves and stems
9. 1 cup sour cream
10. 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
11. 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
12. ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
13. Kosher salt
14. 1 tablespoon chili powder
15. 2 teaspoons vegetable oil

Recipe:

Part I

• Heat the oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add half of the garlic and onion and cook, stirring, until soft and light brown for about 4 minutes.
• Add chili powder, tomato paste, ½ teaspoon of salt, and cayenne pepper.
• Cook while stirring for about 2 minutes until the oil is brick red.
• Add chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Cook until slightly thickened for about 3 minutes
• Add shredded chicken and stir until just warmed through. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.

Part II

• Whisk cilantro, sour cream, lime juice, and zest together in a small bowl.
• Toss the corn and pepper together in a small bowl.

Part II

• Layer the dip in a medium-sized, straight-sided 3-quart glass trifle bowl or your preferred serving dish.
• Spread the cornbread on the bottom of the dip, then top in even layers with the tomatoes, cheese, chicken chili, beans, cilantro-lime sour cream, and remaining chopped onions and the corn pepper mixture.
• Serve the dip.

Part IV

• Wrap and refrigerate the dip until chilled overnight or at least 1 hour. Serve any dip with chips.

Garlic Bread Pizza Dip

Courtesy of Delish

This innovative recipe is a marriage between pizza and garlic bread that transforms everyone’s staple late Friday night snack into a delicious appetizer. This dip recipe takes a little less than an hour to make and serves game day 8 guests.

Ingredients:

1. ¼ cup of Pizza sauce and marinara
2. 1 tablespoon of freshly chopped parsley
3. 3 cloves of garlic, minced
4. 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
5. 1 can of refrigerated biscuits (Pillsbury Grands, for example)
6. Kosher Salt
7. ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
8. 1 tablespoon of Italian dressing
9. ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon of grated Parmesan
10. ½ cup of ricotta
11. 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
12. 2 cups of shredded mozzarella

Recipe:

Part I

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, ricotta, mozzarella, ¼ cup of Parmesan, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper flakes, and season with salt.
• Stir to combine.

Part II

• Halve the biscuits and roll them into balls.
• Place the biscuits in a skillet, forming a ring shape connected to one another.
• Combine olive oil, garlic, and parsley into a small bowl.
• Brush the mix onto the biscuits.

Part III

• Place dip inside ring and spoon over marinara.
• Top with remaining ¾ cups mozzarella and mini pepperoni.
• Sprinkle remaining Parmesan all over it.

Part IV

• Bake until cheese is melty and biscuits are golden. So about 30 minutes.
• You may brush biscuits with olive oil halfway through if necessary.

Part V

• Blot any grease from pepperoni (or not.)
• Let cool for 10 minutes.
• Serve on game day.

Churro Almonds

Courtesy of Delish

This addicting recipe for sugar-coated almonds take about 20 minutes to make and, if appropriate, bring the classic ”beer and peanuts” snack combo to another level.

Ingredients:

1. Melted white chocolate
2. ⅓ a cup of water
3. Pinch of salt
4. 1 tablespoon of cinnamon
5. ½ a cup of brown sugar
6. ½ a cup of sugar
7. 2 cups of almonds

Recipe:

Part I

• Combine water, salt, cinnamon, and sugars in a large skillet over medium heat.
• When the sugars have dissolved, stir in the almonds.
• Stir constantly until the almonds are completely coated, and the sugar crystallizes. This takes about 8-10 minutes.
• Wait for the mixture to dry.

Part II

• Remove from heat and transfer almonds to parchment paper until they cool down.
• Drizzle melted white chocolate over the top.
• Let set for 10 minutes.
• Serve this snack on game day at room temperature.

Party Ready Hero Subs

Courtesy of Delish

These heavily Italian-themed subs double as a snack and an actual meal. Get your cold cuts from an Italian deli if you feel like splurging—all other food you can pick up at your local supermarket.

Ingredients:

1. 1 head of iceberg lettuce, shredded
2. ½ pound of provolone cheese, thinly sliced
3. 2 pounds of assorted cured meats such as prosciutto cotto, coppa, mortadella, hot soppressata and/or Genoa salami, thinly sliced.
4. 8 6-9in. soft Cuban, hero or hoagie rolls, split lengthwise
5. Mayonnaise (for rolls)
6. 1 red onion, very thinly sliced
7. Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
8. 1 teaspoon crushed dried oregano
9. 2 tablespoons Italian hot spread sauce (such as Tutto Calabria)
10. 2 cups of chopped giardiniera
11. pepperoncini or hot cherry peppers, finely chopped

Recipe:

Part I

• Combine pepperoncini, giardiniera, hot spread sauce, and 1 tablespoon of oregano in a small bowl.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Place onion in a small bowl and add cold water to cover thinly.
• Let the onions soak for 10 minutes.
• Drain and pat dry.

Part II

• Working on one sandwich at a time, spread mayonnaise over the cut sides of a roll.
• Spread ¼ a cup of pepperoncini mixture over the bottom half.
• If using mortadella meat and/or prosciutto, drape slices so that the meat folds over itself to make a pleated mound down the length of the roll. (about 4 slices)
• Shingle other sliced meats over the top, overlapping slightly.
• Top with provolone cheese, some onion, and ½ a cup of iceberg lettuce.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Drizzle vinegar and oil.
• Sprinkle with a little more oregano.
• Close sandwich and cut in half crosswise.

 Barbecue Chicken Nachos

Courtesy of Buzzfeed

This fun recipe is a twist on nachos is topped with cheddar cheese, rotisserie chicken, scallions, and barbecue sauce and only takes about 10 minutes to make, so it’s the perfect last-minute recipe if you’re strapped for time before the game day party. 

Ingredients:

• 4 scallions, thinly sliced
• ⅓ a cup of barbecue sauce
• 1 ½ cups of shredded rotisserie chicken
• 2 cups of grated cheddar cheese
• 12 to 14-ounce bag of tortilla chips

Recipe:

Part I

• Heat over 450℉.
• On a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet, make sure to layer the chips, cheddar cheese, and chicken.
• Bake until the cheese is melted. Takes about 3-5 minutes.

Part II

• Top this snack with barbecue sauce and scallions.

Conclusion

Parties for the big game can be notoriously underwhelming or a notable event where everyone bonded over great food.

Food has always been the best way to bring people together, and having a healthy spread of homemade snacks will do just that.

Do you have any snack recipes for a big game party? Let us know in the comments!