Winning Game-Day Favorites Featured on 'The Kitchen'

The Kitchen brings together an incredible mix of crowd-pleasing recipes, inspired by flavors from all over the country. With football season in full swing, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite game-day dishes — from cheesy bites and hearty mains to savory sliders and sweet treats — guaranteed to score big with friends and family.

First up, our spinach and artichoke empandas. Football fans rejoice when they see spinach and artichoke dip at the pregame party, but Jeff Mauro’s version takes things to a whole new level. Baked up as golden, football-shaped empanadas filled with creamy spinach and artichokes, they’re hand-held, shareable and will have the home crowd doing a touchdown dance.

A generous splash of Buffalo sauce delivers a bold, tangy taste to the three-sauce sauce that coats the pasta, while add-ins like shredded chicken and (even more) blue cheese give a nod to the beloved wings.

No game-day feast is complete without pigs in a blanket, and guest host and party planner Mary Giuliani’s carbonara twist takes things to a whole new level. With pancetta, pecorino and a creamy Alfredo dipping sauce, these bites turn a game-day classic into a win for the home kitchen.

Chili powder, a bottle of dark beer and plenty of ground meat guarantee a full-flavored taste in Geoffrey Zakarian's chili, which he recommends finishing with an array of toppings, including cool crème fraîche, diced tomatoes and shredded cheeses.

Crisp fall days, football season and a heaping plate of cheesy, loaded goodness were made for each other — and The Kitchen’s Fall Nachos prove just that. Layered with seasonal flavors and piled high with toppings, they’re the ultimate game-day crowd-pleaser.

Geoffrey doctors up store-bought barbecue sauce with canned piquillo peppers, fragrant cumin and smoked paprika before using the mixture to coat his just-fried chicken wings. Finish the meat with a homemade combination of butter and blue cheese for added decadence.

Touchdown! Katie Lee’s Cheesy Spicy Buffalo Chicken Calzone is baked to look just like a football and scores big on flavor in every bite. Stuffed with shredded rotisserie chicken, plenty of melty cheese, scallions and blue cheese crumbles all wrapped in pizza dough and baked golden in just about an hour, it’s the ultimate centerpiece when having 10 to 12 guests over for the big game.

Quick, easy and hot off the griddle (or stove), cheesesteaks and sports are the perfect pairing for a game-day treat that is both crowd-pleasing and delicious. And Sunny Anderson’s quick chicken cheesesteak — with a hoagie roll coated in mayo, packed with diced chicken and onions, and finished with drizzled cheese sauce and a touch of relish — delivers savory, melty goodness in every bite.

While most pasta salads require a knife and a fork to enjoy, this recipe lets you enjoy that party favorite with your hands, thanks to a skewer.

Chili. Cheese fries. Do we even need to explain why Sunny’s Nunya Business Chili Cheese Fries are a game-day hit?

Cheese dip is a staple at game-day gatherings, but this version rips up the old playbook and brings something new and fresh — and with a kick — to the party. In this dish, Sunny takes the traditional and turns it into a new tradition your guests will love with her Easy Ooey Gooey Jalapeño Popper Dip.

Jeff swaps out traditional Idaho spuds in favor of golden sweet potatoes in this sweet-savory appetizer. He dresses up a can of baked beans with bold cumin and chili powder to create the filling for these simple skins.

If Jeff’s Bourbon Brown Sugar-Stuffed Sweet Potato Skins feel like too much work but you still want the comfort of cheesy bacon-topped potatoes on game day, these loaded potato bites are the perfect alternative. All the flavor of a classic loaded baked potato, just bite-sized and easy to grab.

Sports and salad don’t always go hand in hand, but this isn’t your traditional bowl of leafy greens stacked high with healthy vegetables. Jeff’s United States of Potato Salad is hearty, all-American and built to be the kind of side that holds its own on any game-day table.

Ready to eat in only 10 quick minutes, Katie's cumin-scented hummus comes together with chickpeas and tahini, plus a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. She recommends saving some of the liquid from the canned chickpeas in case you need to thin out the hummus in the food processor.

Jeff's two-meat chili features cubes of chuck roast and crispy bacon, and it boasts a bold, smoky flavor from a trio of chilis and a pinch of Mexican oregano. Finish with your favorite toppings, like crushed tortilla chips and cool avocado, plus Jeff's buttermilk cornbread.

Sunny’s Cheese and Charcuterie Football is the perfect way to kick off your game-day tailgate party. Starting at center is a buttery crescent-dough football layered with brie, soppressata, apricot jam, pecans and dried cranberries. Surrounded by apple slices and crackers, this shareable dish is a surefire way to put points on the board before kickoff.

Sports fans love a good dip, and nothing screams game day quite like a classic bowl of guacamole. Made in no time with little effort, Geoffrey’s version mixes ripe avocados, lime juice, minced jalapeño, garlic and chopped cilantro with just a touch of vinegar-soaked onion. It takes about 10 minutes to pull together, and every scoop bursts with fresh, tangy flavor.

When you think of tailgating, you think of grilling. And Geoffrey’s Ugly Burger is a surefire way to kick off the games with a bang. But don’t let the name fool you — like GZ says, "When eating burgers, mess is best." This grilled game-day classic might look messy, but it’s tasty down to the very last bite.

Whether you love thin crust, deep dish, wood-fired or New York style, pizza and game day have gone hand in hand forever. But how do you take it to the next level? Pizza on a bagel has had its moment. Now, it’s time to wow your guests with something new: Pizza waffle sticks with ranch dip are sure to be crowd-pleasers.

In the immortal words of Hall of Fame wide receiver Terrell Owens, "Get your popcorn ready!" And while T. O. may have been referring to the kind with kernels and butter dripped all over it, this version is sure to be a touchdown for you and your friends. Easy to make and even easier to pop in your mouth, this Popcorn-Coated Popcorn Chicken delivers crispy, crunchy flavor that’s built for game-day snacking.

These may look like traditional buttered rolls, but what awaits you inside is your choice of indulgent fillings. Opt for a caprese-style mixture of mozzarella, fresh tomatoes and fragrant basil, go the nacho route with taco meat or combine crispy bacon and cheddar.

Just as you would a meatball sub, pile slices of Katie's moist meatloaf onto sliced rolls, blanket them with tomato sauce and creamy mozzarella, and bake them to create hot, hearty sandwiches.

Down, set, hike! Go deep (and serve many) with this easy-to-make dish that’s nothing like the usual game-day spread. Sweet, creamy and a full-on dessert disguised as a dip, this Football Chocolate Peanut Butter Dip is the ultimate surprise play that’s guaranteed to be a crowd favorite.

You've never seen cheese presented quite like this. In true Justin Warner fashion, the cheese is hooked up to a pump that, when handled, squirts out the melty cheese over a blue-chip volcano studded with black beans, tomatoes and other fixings.

The secret to Marcela Valladolid's quick-fix salsa is roasting the tomatoes, chile and shallot in a skillet for extra flavor before whirling them in a food processor with fresh cilantro.

You know the classic pigs in a blanket? These are just like those, but instead of hot dogs, there are saucy mini meatballs. SCORE.

All the flavor of a Buffalo chicken wing without the sticky, saucy mess? That's a culinary touchdown. Katie layers hot sauce-laced shredded chicken on an oversized loaf with classic wing fixings, like crunchy celery and a cool, creamy sauce.

Five minutes and four ingredients are all it takes to whip up this craveable salty-sweet snack.

Mixed with cream cheese, sharp cheddar and American cheese, this easy-to-make macaroni turns out wonderfully gooey in just 10 minutes.

Small bites that deliver a big win! Jeff’s Beer Battered Italian Mozza Balls serve up gooey mozzarella in a crispy, beer-kissed crust for a game-day snack that always scores.

Easy to grab, easy to share and (likely) gone before kickoff even starts, Sunny’s Quick Cheese Puff Squares are light, cheesy and baked to golden perfection.

Whether you’re stacking a sandwich a mile high, layering it onto nachos or slapping it on top of mashed potatoes (like Sunny did with this dish), this slow-cooked pulled pork is always a game-day winner. Even better, Sunny’s version comes together with just four simple ingredients — easy enough to whip up without a fuss.

Believe it or not, you don't need special equipment to make homemade taco shells. Just melt shredded cheddar in the shape of a circle, then let it hang over a foil-wrapped ruler to create a crispy shell.

Hand-held snacks are always a game-day win, and Sunny’s Grilled Chicken and Avocado-Bacon Sliders deliver big. They’re hearty enough to satisfy, light enough to keep you in the game and guaranteed to disappear before halftime.

If there’s one thing we know about people and their sports, it’s that they love pizza and they love party mix. Put them together, and no matter how the score shakes out, you’ll be the real winner on game day.