recipes

47 Football-Viewing Snacks to Eat While Yelling at the TV

Wings, quesadillas, pizza, brownies, cookies, fried chicken, subs, tacos... You name it, we got it.
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Laura Murray

Football season is snack season, and finger food is the name of the game (unless it's chili, duh). Here's our amped-up versions of the classic football season favorites.

  • Image may contain Animal Food Fried Chicken Bird Dish and Meal
    Alex Lau
    1/47

    BA's Best Buffalo Wings

    Two key steps ensure extra-crisp wings: letting them sit at room temperature evens the cooking time, and the cornstarch dredge transforms into a crunchy shell when fried. If you like your wing sauce super spicy, increase the amount of cayenne. This is part of BA's Best, a collection of our essential recipes.

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  • Alex Lau
    2/47

    Party-Ready Italian Heros

    Visit an Italian deli and splurge on the cold cuts, but hit the supermarket for everything else, including the not-too-crusty rolls that are usually loaded into bins in the bakery section.

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  • Photo by Alex Lau
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    Tacos al Pastor

    Grilling the pork over low heat gives the marinade time to caramelize and mingle with the rendering fat. It’s the stuff crispy bits are made of.

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  • Alex Lau
    8/47

    Popcorn Toffee Crack Bars

    The toffee mixture will harden as these cool, transforming into a snappy, crunchy layer that holds everything together.

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  • Christopher Testani
    9/47

    Crispiest Potato Chips

    Keys to great chips: A lower frying temp gets the moisture out; a vinegar soak ensures they're crisp.

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  • Photo by Chelsie Craig, food styling by Anna Billingskog
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    Crispy Peppercorn Chicken Wings

    These super-flavorful, no-fry chicken wings turn out best when they’re seasoned ahead of time. You can do this as little as 1 hour in advance, but letting them hang out with salt and those spices overnight is a complete game changer.

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  • Laura Murray
    13/47

    Bob Armstrong Chile con Queso

    A legendary layered dip from Matt’s El Rancho in Austin, Texas, of taco meat, queso, guacamole, sour cream, and pico de gallo.

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  • Photo by Heidi's Bridge, styling by Anna Billingskog
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    French Onion Dip

    There’s no shortcut when it comes to caramelizing the onions—be patient.

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  • Alex Lau
    19/47

    Bacon-Butter Radishes

    You’ll probably have some of this deliciousy bacony butter leftover from this recipe, in which case you should probably serve it atop a juicy steak. Obvs.

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  • Matt Duckor
    20/47

    Crispy Potato Skins

    Crispy, cheesy, bacon-y—they're an irresistible snack. So irresistible, in fact, that you may want to make a double batch of this potato skins recipe.

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  • Photo by Heidi's Bridge, styling by Anna Billingskog
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    Sloppy Joes

    The chips and pickles? Nonnegotiable.

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  • Ted Cavanaugh
    26/47

    Smoky Eggplant Dip

    Serve this dip with chips, as part of a meze platter, or slather it on grilled chicken thighs.

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  • Alex Lau
    29/47

    BA's Best Onion Rings

    The secret to our best onion rings is a batter made with beer and club soda; make sure both are very cold before stirring into the batter. This is part of BA's Best, a collection of our essential recipes.

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  • Christina Holmes
    30/47

    Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

    The secret to making grilled cheese for a crowd? Turn on the oven (the standard skillet method is too labor-intensive). Encourage guests to customize their sandwiches with the cheeses, breads, and fixings you’ve set out. Then simply pop them on a baking sheet and cook.

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  • Alex Lau
    35/47

    Sweet-and-Spicy Chex Mix

    Don’t scoff at the sour cherries in this Chex mix recipe! Their sweet bite and chewy texture are the perfect foil for all the crunch and salt and spice. But if you’re really not into it, sub mini chocolate chips instead.

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  • Photo by Laura Murray, styling by Judy Mancini
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    Mezcal-Marinated Fajitas

    The mezcal and fish sauce in these fajitas make for a surprisingly good combination. You’ll get a smoky, earthy flavor from the mezcal, while the fish sauce adds a little funk and saltiness. If you prefer, use any kind of chopped up chicken or pork in place of the skirt steak.

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  • Photo by Alex Lau
    37/47

    BA's Best Guacamole

    This easy guacamole recipe is best made in a Mexican mortar and pestle called a molcajete, but a bowl and a fork works fine. Just don’t rush to get it on the table. It takes a while for the avocado to absorb all the flavors you add to it. 

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  • Peden + Munk
    38/47

    Cheese Fondue with Beer and Bourbon

    Ah, Babybel cheese, the fancy French chef’s secret weapon for fondue—it keeps the molten mixture from separating, and its unassuming flavor lets the Gruyère shine.

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  • Photograph by Victoria Jane, Food Styling by Mieko Takahashi
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    Simple Does It Deviled Eggs

    A coarsely mashed filling, crunchy with celery, scallions, and pickle relish, is the key to the best deviled eggs.

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    Skillet-Fried Chicken

    This is the only fried chicken recipe you'll ever need. This is part of BA's Best, a collection of our essential recipes.

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