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Impressive-Yet-Foolproof Dinner Party Mains

Win the dinner party with these top-rated dishes that are guaranteed to impress but won't stress you out in the kitchen.

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Grilled Tequila Garlic-Lime Flank Steak

Guy Fieri makes a tequila-spiked marinade for flank steak, reserving the extra to boil down for a tasty sauce. He serves the juicy meat with warm tortillas so everyone can wrap it up, fajita style.

Get the Recipe: Grilled Tequila Garlic Lime Flank Steak

Beer-Brined Beer-Can Chicken

Grillers swear by beer-can chicken, but truth be told, the cooking technique is more fun than function, as the beer doesn't impart much flavor or moisture. The can, however, serves an important purpose: It lets you cook the chicken in an upright position so the skin gets crisp all over, similar to a rotisserie chicken. For real beer flavor, try beer-brining the bird before grilling and fill the drip pan with beer, too.

Get the Recipe: Beer-Brined Beer-Can Chicken

Killer Kale Pasta

The star of many a salad finds new expression in Guy Fieri's zesty kale pasta with rotisserie chicken and nutty Parmesan.

Get the Recipe: Killer Kale Pasta

Goat Cheese Enchiladas

Bobby Flay puts a spin on this classic Mexican entree by swapping the usual flour or white corn tortillas for blue corn tortillas. Blue corn yields a sweeter, nuttier taste that pairs perfectly with Bobby's Red Chile-Tomato Sauce.

Get the Recipe: Goat Cheese Enchiladas

London Broil with Herb Butter

Instead of buying an individual steak for each guest, go with flavorful and less expensive London broil. Sear the beef and then slice against the grain into thin strips. To gild the lily, top the freshly sliced beef with a pat of herb butter. 

Get the Recipe: London Broil with Herb Butter

Lemon and Garlic Roast Chicken

Ina Garten dresses up her classic roast chicken by baking it with bacon on top. Then she adds a head of garlic and a sliced lemon to the roasting pan to flavor the sauce.

Get the Recipe: Lemon and Garlic Roast Chicken

Oven-Fried Chicken

It takes five steps to fix Ina's juicy, oven-fried buttermilk chicken: marinate, refrigerate, flour, fry, bake.

Get the Recipe: Oven-Fried Chicken

Chicken Cacciatore

Buttery egg noodles are topped with juicy browned chicken thighs and a medley of sauteed vegetables in Ree Drummond's classic chicken cacciatore recipe. 

Get the Recipe: Chicken Cacciatore

Eggplant Parmigiana

A classic eggplant Parm is a surefire hit, and Alex Guarnaschelli's recipe is perfect for feeding a crowd. For authentic Italian flavor, use San Marzano plum tomatoes in the sauce and a mixture of Parmesan, provolone and fresh mozzarella when building the layers.

Get the Recipe: Eggplant Parmigiana

Spatchcocked Roasted Chicken with Mustard Vinaigrette

"Once you've cut out the backbone and laid the chicken down, press on the top of the bird to flatten it that extra little bit — it makes for good even cooking," says Alex.

Get the Recipe: Spatchcocked Roasted Chicken with Mustard Vinaigrette

Bundt Pan Spanakopita

Here's an easy kitchen hack for traditional Greek spinach and cheese pies. A Bundt pan gives you a break from filling and folding all those individual triangles — and it turns a crispy appetizer into a showstopper that could pass as a main course.

Get the Recipe: Bundt Pan Spanakopita

Beef Wellington

Make any day a special occasion by serving decadent Beef Wellington — tender slices of beef tenderloin wrapped in a flaky pastry crust. Before wrapping the tenderloin in the puff pastry, coat the meat in a homemade mustard-and-horseradish dressing to lock in tangy flavor.

Get the Recipe: Beef Wellington

The Ultimate Lasagna

Tyler Florence dubbed this dish The Ultimate Lasagna with good reason: It's built in three generous layers of lasagna noodles, ricotta cheese and savory Bolognese sauce. If you can, prepare the Bolognese well in advance. That way, constructing the dish will be a breeze. 

Get the Recipe: The Ultimate Lasagna

Bundt Pan Roast Chicken with Potatoes

Get double duty out of your Bundt pan by using it as a stand for roasting chicken and a pan for potatoes. The juices from the chicken slowly infuse flavor into the spuds while they cook.

Get the Recipe: Bundt Pan Roast Chicken with Potatoes

Osso Buco

This Milanese specialty of cross-cut veal shanks braised with vegetables and white wine might seem complicated, but Anne Burrell's recipe requires just 10 minutes of prep work. After you brown the veal shanks and puree the vegetables for the sauce, the braising process takes care of the rest.

Get the Recipe: Osso Buco

Filet of Beef Bourguignon

For an elegant yet comforting meal, serve Ina Garten's melt-in-your-mouth filet of beef cooked with mushrooms, carrots and pearl onions for a built-in side dish.

Get the Recipe: Filet of Beef Bourguignon

Seafood Gumbo

Each spoonful of this hearty gumbo is packed with shrimp, crabmeat and lobster. Don't forget to incorporate Creole seasoning for authentic Louisiana flavor.

Get the Recipe: Seafood Gumbo

Eggplant Meatballs with Marinara Sauce

Who says meatballs have to contain meat? Surprise your dinner guests with this hearty vegetarian take on the classic pasta dish. Once roasted, eggplant takes on a meaty flavor and texture that's ideal for forming meatballs.

Get the Recipe: Eggplant Meatballs with Marinara Sauce

Portobello Parmesan

Mix up your usual eggplant Parmesan by swapping in large portobello mushrooms instead. They've got a great meaty flavor and texture, and can be dredged in flour just like eggplant.

Get the Recipe: Portobello Parmesan

Four-Cheese Baked Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

The combination of zesty tomato sauce, tender rigatoni and melted cheeses makes this dish unforgettable. If you're planning for a special occasion, skip bland, store-bought breadcrumbs and prepare your own by pulsing toasted rosemary focaccia in your food processor. 

Get the Recipe: Four-Cheese Baked Pasta with Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Sunday Meat Sauce with Orecchiette

When your guests hear that pasta with meat sauce is on the menu, they'll immediately imagine spaghetti. Surprise them by serving the comforting dish with orecchiette instead. The small bowl shape makes it easier for sauce to cling on and is much easier to serve than long noodles.

Get the Recipe: Sunday Meat Sauce with Orecchiette

Beer-Braised Ribs with Clams

Tender littleneck clams, savory pork ribs and earthy new potatoes come together in an herbaceous tomato broth — the perfect dish for casual outdoor dining.

Get the Recipe: Beer-Braised Ribs With Clams

Curried Chicken and Rice Casserole

When dining out in an Indian restaurant, it's customary to spoon the protein and vegetable mixture on top of the rice. Here, the order is reversed: Tender pieces of curried chicken and vegetables are layered at the bottom of a casserole dish, and the coconut rice is spread on top before baking.

Get the Recipe: Curried Chicken and Rice Casserole

Honey-Lime Roast Chicken

Honey and lime juice create a quick, sweet and tangy marinade for juicy pieces of dark and white meat chicken.

Get the Recipe: Honey-Lime Roast Chicken

Bouillabaisse

This hearty fish stew consisting of shrimp, mussels and white fish in a comforting tomato broth is a whole meal in a bowl. Serve the stew with toasted baguette slices and red pepper rouille for dipping. Even the aroma coming from the kitchen alone will impress your dinner guests. 

Get the Recipe: Bouillabaisse

Greek Strudel with Chicken and Rice

If you thought strudel could be prepared only with sweet, fruity fillings, think again. This savory strudel is loaded with chicken, rice, sun-dried tomatoes, olives and goat's-milk feta, all sealed inside a flaky pastry crust. Use store-bought phyllo dough to save time, and focus on creating the rich filling.

Get the Recipe: Greek Strudel with Chicken and Rice

Moroccan Lamb Tagine

Ina puts her own spin on this traditional Moroccan dish by pairing lamb shanks with Yukon gold potatoes, sweet potatoes, butternut squash and lots of Middle Eastern spices. For convenience, you can make the entire pot a day ahead of time, refrigerate it and simply reheat it slowly on top of the stove. All you'll need to prepare that night is some couscous.

Get the Recipe: Moroccan Lamb Tagine

Mustard-and-Herb-Crusted Pork Roast

Make sure the fragrant herb crust adheres to your pork roast by first applying a thin coating of Dijon mustard. This will not only help the panko breading to stick, but also introduce a desirable spicy element.

Get the Recipe: Mustard-and-Herb-Crusted Pork Roast

Paprika Roast Leg of Lamb with Mint Sauce

Lamb and mint are a legendary pairing, but there are so many better ways to express it than old-school, neon-green mint jelly. Take this herbaceous mint sauce made from scratch. The bold flavor of the pureed mint, parsley, garlic and capers will be worth the effort.

Get the Recipe: Paprika Roast Leg of Lamb with Mint Sauce

Grilled Branzino with Basil, Lime and Ginger

When buying whole fish to prepare for the grill, don't hesitate to ask the fishmonger to gut and scale your selection. Once the dirty work is out of the way, all that's left to do is prepare the marinade and stuff the fish.

Get the Recipe: Grilled Branzino with Basil, Lime and Ginger

Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

The key to achieving gumbo's signature spiciness is the tasso ham, a specialty of south Louisiana cuisine. This flavorful, fatty cut of salt-cured pork is rubbed with a spice mixture containing cayenne pepper. If you can't find tasso, andouille sausage is a perfectly good replacement.

Get the Recipe: Chicken and Sausage Gumbo

Creamy Chicken Pasta

This stick-to-your-ribs pasta dish comes together in under an hour, which is ideal for stress-free entertaining. Prepare the sauce before your guests arrive, then cook the fettuccine according to the label just a few minutes before everyone is seated for dinner.

Get the Recipe: Creamy Chicken Pasta

Orange-Cardamom Roast Chicken

Give your Sunday supper an Indian spin with Aarti Sequeira's Orange-Cardamom Roast Chicken. The secret to evenly cooked meat and crispy skin is to butterfly the chicken before roasting on high, high heat.

Get the Recipe: Orange-Cardamom Roast Chicken

Herb-Stuffed Roast Arctic Char

If you've ever shied away from serving whole fish, now is the time to give it a try and impress your guests at your next dinner party. Food Network Kitchen's foolproof recipe takes the worry out of the process.

Get the Recipe: Herb-Stuffed Roast Arctic Char

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