Football season calls for food you can grab with one hand while yelling at the TV with the other. From bubbling queso and loaded carne asada fries to crispy wings, these are the recipes that keep everyone hovering around the snack table.
Whether you’re planning a full football party or just need one really good dip for the game, choose a mix of hot, cold, cheesy and handheld options.
Being from San Diego means two things: I take carne asada seriously, and I still call them the San Diego Chargers.
If you need a quick starting lineup, build your menu around one wing recipe, one hot dip and two easy finger foods. Smoked queso, carne asada nachos, air fryer wings and loaded potato skins are especially good choices when you’re feeding a hungry crowd.
- For a small group: Pick 3 to 4 appetizers.
- For a larger party: Choose 5 to 7 appetizers with a mix of proteins, dips and fresh options.
- If appetizers are the meal: Plan on roughly 8 to 12 appetizer-size servings per person.
- If dinner follows: Plan on roughly 4 to 6 appetizer-size servings per person.
Game Day Chicken Wings
Wings are game day royalty. Go classic with crispy air fryer wings, bring the heat with mango habanero or Jamaican jerk, or fire up the smoker when you want maximum flavor with minimal hovering.
The BEST Air Fryer Chicken Wings
This is the BEST Air Fryer Chicken Wings Recipe. With extra crispy skins, juicy meat and flavorful buffalo sauce, these chicken wings rival restaurant quality. Using an Air Fryer omits the unhealthy oil and takes half the time of a traditional oven to bake.
Check out this recipe
Crispy Smoked Chicken Wings
Nothing beats a plate of crispy Smoked Chicken Wings! This recipe for smoked wings produces juicy and tender chicken with extra crispy skin. Between the smoked chicken wings rub recipe and optional wings sauce, you'll find this is the best smoked wing recipe.
Check out this recipe
Honey Lemon Pepper Wings
Honey lemon pepper wings are not only crispy, bold and full of flavor, they're sweet, savory with a bit of tang. These hot lemon pepper wings make the perfect BBQ or game day appetizer.
Check out this recipe
The BEST Jamaican Jerk Chicken Wings
This Jamaican Jerk Chicken Wings recipe is bold, rich and flavorful. Our homemade Jamaican Jerk Seasoning elevates it a notch, but store bought spices will work just as well. Think sweet, mildly spicy and perfect for your game day appetizer. Oven and Air Fryer instructions are included.
Check out this recipe
Baked Korean Chicken Wings
Dynamic and flavorful Korean Chicken wings are baked to perfection and then coated in a fiery and bold Korean chili sauce made with Gochujang, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and honey. Think Sticky, sweet, spicy, and everything nice!
Check out this recipe
Spicy Orange Grilled Chicken Wings
Spicy Orange Grilled Chicken Wings featuring true orange flavor, not from a jar of marmalade, and asian spices.
Check out this recipe
The fastest route to a happy football crowd is usually melted cheese. Smoked queso is made for a big game day spread, while white queso and green chile queso give you two creamy, restaurant-style options that are ready much faster.
Serve thicker queso with sturdy tortilla chips or pretzel bites. Crackers, toasted baguette slices, pita chips, celery, carrots and mini sweet peppers are also good options for creamy dips. Keep hot queso in a small slow cooker set to warm so it stays smooth and scoopable throughout the game.
White Queso
Creamy, cheesy, and irresistibly smooth—this white queso recipe brings restaurant-style dip right to your kitchen in minutes.
Check out this recipe
Green Chile Queso
Green Chile Queso is a creamy, cheesy dip made with roasted green chiles, white cheese, onions, and garlic. This Green Chile Queso Dip rivals Torchy's Green Chile Queso and makes the best holiday or game-day appetizer. it's as easy to make as my popular Smoked Queso Recipe.
Check out this recipe
Rotel Dip (Stovetop or Crockpot)
This iconic Rotel Dip recipe is loaded with creamy Velveeta cheese, hearty ground beef and a can of Rotel tomatoes! It's a very popular queso recipe, along with our Smoked Queso recipe, since it's quick and easy to make.
Check out this recipe
Chili Cheese Dip
Quick and creamy Chili Cheese Dip loaded with bold chili, freshly shredded cheese, salsa and cream cheese. Use your favorite homemade chili recipe, like our popular Smoked Chili, or your favorite store bought canned chili.
Check out this recipe
Smoked Cream Cheese
Crank up the grill to make this Smoked Cream Cheese recipe, an easy cream cheese appetizer perfect for your holiday party or summer BBQ! It's as easy to make as our Smoked Queso. Serve this smoked cream cheese dip next to your favorite smoker recipes!
Check out this recipe
Still haven’t reached your personal queso limit? Browse all of my queso recipes or explore more hot and cold dip recipes.
Loaded Nachos and Fries
This is the gloriously messy section of the menu. Carne asada nachos and fries bring plenty of steak, cheese and toppings, while chili cheese fries are built for anyone who believes forks are merely a suggestion.
Carne Asada Nachos
The BEST Carne Asada Nachos! Crispy tortilla chips loaded up with authentic carne asada, melted cheese, guacamole, pico de Gallo and sour cream. This carne asada steak is used in all my delicious Carne Asada Recipes.
Check out this recipe
Carne Asada Fries
The BEST San Diego Style Carne Asada Fries Recipe!! Exactly how they make it at San Diego Taco Shops!! Hot and crispy French fries are topped with authentic carne asada meat, cheese, guacamole and sour cream! Carne Asada Recipes are plentiful! You can even use Sous Vide Carne Asada to make.
Check out this recipe
Chili Cheese Fries
Loaded Chili Cheese Fries! Crispy French fries topped with homemade Chili Cheese Dip or canned chili, cheese and your favorite french fry toppings.
Check out this recipe
These are the appetizers people can grab without taking their eyes off the game. Quesadillas, crispy shrimp and fried pasta bites are also easy to divide into smaller portions so everybody can try a little of everything.
Stuffed Ziti Fritta (An Olive Garden Copycat Recipe)
We're adding to our Olive Garden Recipes collection by creating a copycat of their popular Stuffed Ziti Fritta. Serve as an appetizer, with alfredo sauce and/or marinara sauce or as a main meal along side a bowl of warm Zuppa Toscana Soup.
Check out this recipe
Boom Boom Shrimp
Make your favorite Boom Boom Shrimp at home with our popular Boom Boom Sauce! This shrimp recipe is the perfect balance of crunchy, sweet, savory and spicy.
Check out this recipe
Pork Belly Burnt Ends
Tender pork belly is grilled low and slow before slathering in a rich BBQ sauce. Smoked pork belly burnt ends will quickly become one of your favorite smoker recipes.
Check out this recipe
Meatballs, Smokies and Sausage
These meaty appetizers stay warm well and don’t demand much attention once the game starts. Serve them with toothpicks or small plates and let everyone help themselves.
Easy Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
Easy Buffalo Chicken Meatballs loaded with spice and flavor and are drowning in buffalo sauce. These meatballs are ready in under 30 minutes and can be doubled or tripled for your football party!
Check out this recipe
Instant Pot Little Smokies
Little Smokies cooked in an Instant Pot for quick game day and holiday appetizer.
Check out this recipe
Smoked Kielbasa (Smoked Polish Sausage)
Smoked Kielbasa, also known as Smoked Polish Sausage, is a great appetizer or dinner idea. Smoking kielbasa sausage requires only 1 ingredient and as little as 1 hour to make. You do not have to be a Pitmaster to grill up a mean smoked sausage.
Check out this recipe
Smoked Sausage (Easy Smoker Recipe)
Smoked sausage is the perfect BBQ dish, game day appetizer or easy dinner recipe. Smoking sausage requires only 1 ingredient and as little as 1 hour to make. You do not have to be a Pitmaster to master the art of smoking sausage!
Check out this recipe
Easy Dips and Party Bites
Round out all that hot, cheesy food with a few cooler or lighter choices. Guacamole, bean dip and cowboy candy can be prepared early, while potato skins, phyllo cups and smoked deviled eggs give the table a little more variety.
4 Ingredient Guacamole Recipe
This 4 ingredient guacamole recipe is the easiest guacamole recipe you can make. All you need to make this easy guacamole is ripe avocados, jalapeños, garlic, lime juice and salt.
Check out this recipe
Loaded Potato Skins
Crispy potato skins loaded with melted cheese, smoky bacon, green onions and sour cream. They’re easy, cheesy and built for game day snacking.
Check out this recipe
Spinach and Feta Phyllo Cups
Spinach and Feta Phyllo Cups are the perfect holiday appetizers!
Check out this recipe
Smoked Deviled Eggs
Mix it up this holiday by serving Smoked Deviled Eggs vs. the classic. Smoked hard boiled eggs are loaded with a creamy and tangy filling and dusted with smoked paprika.
Check out this recipe
Cowboy Candy (a.k.a. Candied Jalapeños)
Make this sweet and spicy Cowboy Candy recipe, a.k.a. Candied Jalapeños, to make the best cream cheese dip for your holiday gathering. Spicy jalapeño rings are marinated in a sweet simple syrup. Top your sandwiches, burgers and nachos with this flavorful and versatile condiment. It would also mix well with Little Smokies in Grape Jelly
Check out this recipe
Cold dips, guacamole components, cowboy candy and many sauces can be prepared in advance. You can also season wings, assemble potato skins and prep nacho toppings ahead of time. Wait to fry, bake or add chips until close to serving so crispy food stays crispy.
How Do You Keep Game Day Appetizers Warm?
Use a slow cooker on the warm setting for queso, meatballs and little smokies. Keep wings, potato skins and other crisp appetizers on uncovered sheet pans in a low oven, and refill the serving platter in smaller batches instead of putting everything out at once.
More Appetizer Recipes
Still building the menu? Browse all of my appetizer recipes for even more party food, dips, finger foods and easy snacks.
