Father’s Day Meal Ideas, From Fish Tacos to Pulled Pork Sandwiches
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If you really love your dad, you'll make him lunch and dinner this Father's Day. These easy lunch recipes—from burgers to sandwiches to pizza—will please the whole fam. And with low-stress options like Instant Pot wings, you won't have to spend a ton of time in the kitchen. For more ideas, check out these Father's Day desserts and brunch ideas.
Extra-Crispy Buffalo Chicken Nugget Burrito
With chicken nuggets and a crispy shell, this burrito gives Buffalo chicken wraps a run for their money. If you love Buffalo chicken but need an easy chicken dinner or packable lunch fast, using chicken nuggets speeds up the process, soaking up all of the delicious sauce in every bite. Crisping the burrito in a skillet not only adds a crunchy texture, but also helps to seal the seam of the burrito closed. It’s our go-to trick when preparing breakfast burritos in advance for camping, and it works particularly well here.
Get the Extra-Crispy Buffalo Chicken Nugget Burrito recipe.
Cowboy Pasta Salad
Think of this as a better taco salad (because pasta!), that's perfect for potlucks and BBQS. Trust us, once you add ground beef to pasta salad, you won't be able to stop—it's that good.
Get the Cowboy Pasta Salad recipe.
Fish Taco Bowls
When you’re craving the flavors and textures of a fish taco, but need some vegetables in your life, this salad is perfect for you. Crispy fish and a creamy, spicy slaw are the base of these veggie-packed takes on everyone’s favorite taco. There sweetness from the diced mango and creaminess from cool avocado blends perfectly with the drizzle of a spicy crema, making this summer salad an instant staple.
Get the Fish Taco Bowls recipe.
Big Mac Crunchwrap
Craving fast food come lunch time, but trying to avoid the processed foods (and the lines!)? Make a Big Mac Crunchwrap at home instead. It's everything you love about both fast food treats, all in one
Get the Big Mac Crunchwrap recipe.
Egg Salad
While we love our variations, (lookin’ at you, Cobb egg salad), it’s always a good idea to have a tried-and-true recipe up your sleeve. Our standard centers around just 6 core ingredients; use it as a base for creative mix-ins and variations, or enjoy as is for a truly classic recipe.
Get the Egg Salad recipe.
Copycat Chipotle Burrito Bowl
While we’re all about switching things up, when we want a tried-and-true perfect meal, we always go back to the chicken burrito bowl at Chipotle. It’s classic, reliable, and, best of all, completely customizable depending on our mood. We’ve included copycat recipes here for all our favorite burrito bowl toppings, but feel free to swap them in and out for yours!
Get the Copycat Chipotle Burrito Bowl recipe.
Air Fryer Chicken Wings
Best served with a wrapped-up Air Fryer ??
Get the recipe from Delish.
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Sloppy Joe Grilled Cheese
The lunch he didn't know he needed.
Get the recipe from Delish.
Chicken Empanadas
Empanadas come in many different forms with many different fillings. This version is a flavor bomb, with tender chicken thighs, peppers, and olives, bolstered by tomato paste and paprika. Yum!
Get the Chicken Empanadas recipe.
Chicken Caesar Wraps
Ask a random Delish employee what they’re going to order for lunch from a deli, and at least half of them will respond with a chicken Caesar wrap. And there’s very little question as to why! It’s one of the all-time best salads, tossed into a wrap. It’s simple yet timeless, like many of our favorite recipes are.
Get the Chicken Caesar Wraps recipe.
Steak Grain Bowl
A double-purpose chimichurri acts as a marinade for the steak and a finishing sauce for these bowls; the not-too-spicy jalape?o sauce provides a tangy, creamy counterpoint—plus, its versatility means it can go on anything and everything (read: make extra, and put it on everything).
Get the Steak Grain Bowl recipe.
Best-Ever Cuban Sandwich
You know it's going to be a good sandwich when it requires a whopping 5 hours of tender, loving care. Our Cuban sandwich, also known as the Cubano, is of the South Floridian variety, without salami. But we don't need it in this case: along with layers of ham, Swiss, pickles, and mustard, there's also the super-juicy slow-roasted pork loin that we marinate for 2 hours in a citrus blend (similar to the one we used in this mojo shrimp!).
Get the Cuban Sandwich recipe.
Copycat California Pizza Kitchen BBQ Chicken Pizza
Whether you'd rather skip going out or don't live close to the famous pizza spot, recreate the well-loved pie with this copycat recipe for California Pizza Kitchen's BBQ chicken pizza. If you can't get enough of the flavor combo of saucy BBQ, tender chicken and creamy ranch, then you'll go crazy for this homemade version. Our twist? We bake the pizza in an oven-safe skillet, resulting in an extra-crispy crust. It might seem a bit extra, but trust us—it's worth it. We used refrigerated pizza dough for ease in this recipe, but if you'd prefer, our homemade pizza dough is easy to create, and completely delicious.
Get the Copycat California Pizza Kitchen BBQ Chicken Pizza recipe.
Green Chile Chicken Skillet Enchiladas
Craving homemade enchiladas and being in a hurry aren't really compatible since the classic Mexican dish requires many steps and a fair amount of time. Enter: this skillet recipe, a quick take on the dish that comes together quickly and is perfect for a party.
Get the Green Chile Chicken Skillet Enchiladas recipe.
Caribbean Cobb Salad
A bit brighter than the traditional Cobb salad, this version combines fresh mango, creamy coconut dressing, and spiced salmon to create a punchy, spicy, filling meal. Crushed plantain chips and sweet bell pepper add a satisfying crunch. Feel free to swap out chicken, shrimp, or whatever protein you’re in the mood for come lunchtime.
Get the Caribbean Cobb Salad recipe.
Rainbow Roll
Get out your chopsticks, it's time for homemade sushi night at your house. Rainbow Rolls includes a lot of elements of traditional Japanese sushi—seasoned rice, raw fish, nori—but the composition is definitely Americanized. The inside-out roll (or uramaki) is a popular Western style where the rice is on the outside, while the sheet of nori holds the fillings in place. In this case, those fillings are creamy avocado, crunchy cucumber, and crab stick—an imitation crab product made from whitefish that’s very budget-friendly.
Get the Rainbow Roll recipe.
Vegan Chipotle Lentil Tacos
These vegan tacos are loaded with bright flavors and a variety of textures—just like any good taco should be! Pack them up with a watermelon agua fresca and homemade guacamole for the full workday Taco Tuesday experience.
Get the Vegan Chipotle Lentil Tacos recipe.
Hot Honey Chicken Bowls
The chicken here gets tossed in a hot honey you make yourself, while quick pickled cucumbers add a much needed crunch to the bowl. Drizzle any extra honey from the pan over the bowls for an extra kick. or add in some pickled jalape?os if you're a true spice lover.
Get the Hot Honey Chicken Bowls recipe.
Vegetarian Italian Sub
The king of sandwiches is the Italian Hero. The meats are a huge part of the draw, but so are the veggies: the olives, peppers, ice cold shredded lettuce, and paper thin onions are what really have us craving the sandwich over and over again. With this in mind, we sub the meat for planks of zucchini and eggplant that are just as satisfying.
Get the Vegetarian Italian Sub recipe.
Carne Asada Torta
A torta is a type of traditional Mexican sandwich with a signature chewy, baguette-like roll. The flavors here are bold, with quick pickled onions, avocado-radish salsa, grilled carne asada, and a layer of refried beans.
Get the Carne Asada Torta recipe.
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