Help! Cooking for 6 next weekend and I have no idea what to make.

[pharmachameleon]

We have 6 good friends coming for dinner next weekend and 5 kids. I am fine with the kids food but I'm really stuck with what to cook for the adults. Has anyone got any foolproof recipes that are nice in summer but are fairly easy to make? No veggie-maybe beef or chicken?
It's for my 50th so I'm bloody raging I have to cook but it's just the way it worked out 😂 So I'm trying to think of recipes that are a bit more special but I'm not the best cook so need to be easy. Thanks!

Another vote for Nigella's chicken amd chorizo tray bake. Little effort and always a crowd pleaser. There's also one with peas and vermouth that is more summery.

@AccountCreateUsername thanks. The recipe is for 1 chicken jointed for 4 people. I'm cooking for 6 so would I just use maybe 6 legs and 3 breasts?

Thi curry is very good for the summer months , almost tastes lighter .

Do you have a butcher near you? They would joint the chicken. I would get two and freeze any portions you don't cook.

I would be wary of using boneless chicken breasts as they might well go dry.

The vegetable lasagne is amazing and I'm not even vegetarian! Their filo pastry pies are also fantastic and I loved the summer pudding although it's more sour than sweet which suits me but won't work for everyone.

My brother used it now for meals like yours as he's short on time for things like cooking on a large scale and everything I've had has been excellent. They are not factory made ready meals, it's a "good restaurant" quality of food.

Buy something like the lasagne, add garlic bread and salad and you're basically done.... Or the same with the pies and add mash or new potatoes etc.

It's not the cheapest option, but it's a very very simple option!

Don't do a Roast or anything that has loads of trimmings. Because its all those fiddly bits at the end that cause the hassle.
You want something cooked in it's own jus and then serve bread or a tray of roast rosemary new potatoes with it.
Rick Stein did this on the TV today.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/pot-roastpork_enchaud_28198
When it's cooked you just remove the skin and grill it to crisp it up.
every thing else can be served as meat and sauce in one go. If you chucked a bit of cider into it and some peeled sliced apples (firm ones like pink lady) that would be fab. Loads of fresh thyme.

Cook frozen food is good. I second that. The beef bourgioin (sp, sorry) or the lasagne or the steak and ale pie or chicken alexander dishes all good. They probably do special occasion meals too. I went to a 50th where friends did it and nobody cares - people just want a happy host.

if you do feel like cooking, I’d do something you can cook the day before which tastes better for resting. Beef casserole generally likes it if left to ‘make friends’ overnight with the other ingredients. I’d then pre prep potatoes dauphonise on the morning so that all you are doing is heating up on the night.

For a similar thing I did ropa vieja, it's a Cuban beef stew, you want something like brisket or bavette steak that pulls, then I did a Cuban slaw and not very Cuban wedges with a few packs of microwave rice. It went down really well and was minimum effort just stuck it all in the middle of the table

I would definitely sort your menu from Cook. Everything is delicious and the extra cost is worth it for the reduction in shopping, cooking and worrying on your birthday!
I visited one of the Cook shops recently and they sell baking dishes exactly the same size as their frozen meals to serve them at dinner parties in - many people do it.

Based on suggestions on MN that I had for something similar I would do a Spanish theme:

• Seafood paella
• Spanish chicken
• Chorizo in red wine
• Warm bread
• Garlic potatoes
• Olives and chunks of manchego as nibbles along with some cooked meats and dips/crisps (not very Spanish but works for the children)

Serve 'family style'. Also easy to take outside if the weather is good.

Plenty of Rioja.

Are you thinking of 3 courses?

Your own 50th! Do not cook. If you absolutely have to do something, get online to Cook, and order in everything. It's all delicious, most of it can be bunged in oven or microwave. And make everyone help! I'm outraged on your behalf OP, and wish you a very happy birthday!

Mexican fajitas. Really easy and a lot can be prepared beforehand. No skill required.
Chicken, minced beef, and beans for filling and then grated cheese, sour cream, beans, jalapeños, salsa, guacamole and wraps. Everyone can help themselves buffer style and can have it as spicy or as mild as they like. Kids love it.
And sticking to a Mexican theme you can have nachos, chips and dips etc.

@pharmachameleon Ottolenghi’s Chicken with miso, ginger and lime is really good. He names chicken leg quarters in the recipe but I’ve used a whole chicken before as well.

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/sep/25/autumn-main-course-recipes-yotam-ottolenghi-squash-chicken-fish-prawns-duck-beef-pasta

The Spanish theme suggestion is also good.

Another vote for basque chicken, very tasty and fairly easy to make

Delia's chicken basque is amazing. Just buy a pack of skin on, bone in thighs!

If you decided to give yourself a night off and go to Cook, the Thai selection is great. The only meal we have ordered for more than two was Christmas lunch for MIL and friends, and it was very easy to arrange delivery or collection.

Thanks everyone. Loads of great ideas.
And thanks for being appalled on my behalf @fortunetellingwizard 😂

I wouldn’t bother with breast @pharmachameleon and do what @NoNeedToArgue suggests - or use skin on leg and thigh / whole legs

Happy birthday for next week 🥳

The Ottolenghi chicken Marbella
https://www.google.com/search?q=chicken+marbella+ottolenghi&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-gb&client=safari
is lonely but maybe adults choice
this however suits all ages
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/pulled-pork

Inspired by this thread, I've just cooked the bbc good food arrabiata chicken with parmesan dumplings. Its really simple and really delicious.

It's a great call. I really recommend it.

I love Mary berry chicken Dijon. It's chicken breasts with cream and onions. Everyone is always impressed and it's so easy. Then do whatever potatoes and veg you like.

Tacos, people can serve themselves to the fillings. Chicken, mince beef, sweetcorn, cucumber., tomatoes, cheese...... literally anything.
You could have made a couple of salads and some rice to go with it.
Also how about a BBQ?

Thanks everyone. Tacos might be a good call actually.
The Ottolenghi chicken Marbella meal looks nice though I might struggle to get some of the ingredients. The recipe states to use a non reactive casserole dish. WTF is non reactive?
The bbc good food chicken arabiatta with dumplings does look lovely however I'm hoping for nice weather next weekend and I wonder if this will be too heavy.