This Fast Food Menu Item Is My Secret to the Best Holiday Appetizer

I was raised in a household where hosting any kind of party or holiday is serious business. My mom, which in turn meant my brother and me, would spend all day cleaning, cooking, and batching cocktails for the company that likely wouldn’t show up for many hours later. And, if there was some sort of theme—like Christmas, New Year’s Eve, or Super Bowl—the prep was that much more intense as we crawled into the attic for the themed plates and glasses—and, of course, props. 

Because of that, anytime that I host a party now, my friends know that there’ll be enough food to feed a small army—but, over the years, I’ve also learned to work smarter, not harder. Of course, I’m still whipping up my mom’s go-to recipes, like Buffalo chicken dip and ham and cheese sliders, but they’re also accompanied by store-bought shortcuts, like Sam’s Club’s new Charcuterie Entertainment Tray.

My latest appetizer trick might surprise you, though, because it doesn’t come from the store at all, but rather from the drive-thru. My favorite party hack is to order a tray of Chick-fil-A chicken nuggets from the chain’s catering menu.

Why I Love Chick-fil-A’s Catering Option

Chick-fil-A’s chicken nuggets are always a crowd-please, and I’ve used its catering services for everything, from a birthday party to stocking the bridal suite at my friend’s wedding. 

Chick-fil-A’s catering menu offers a variety of yummy options, including sandwiches, wraps, salads, mac and cheese, and sweets. From personal experience, though, the nugget tray is always the first item gone.

Chick-fil-A’s chicken nuggets can be ordered hot or chilled—so even if you’re hosting a football gameday, Super Bowl party, or other event on a Sunday, you can still enjoy the nuggets. Just order them cold on the Saturday before and heat them up for your party with Chick-fil-A’s reheating instructions. 

But note that the Chilled Nugget Trays require at least a five-hour notice at your local Chick-fil-A, whereas the Hot Nugget Trays can be picked up within a few hours.

Chick-fil-A offers three different catering sizes, including 64-, 120-, and 200-nugget counts, serving between eight and 25 people. Additionally, each tray comes with your choice of an eight-ounce bottle of dipping sauce—if you order the 200-piece tray, you’ll receive a second bottle of sauce. 

Price-wise, the trays range from $35 to a little over $100 per tray.

If a 64-count of nuggets is too many, Chick-fil-A also offers a 30-count option on its regular menu that can be ordered directly from the drive-thru. The 30-count chicken nuggets can be ordered as is, as part of a meal, or, in some cases, in a special themed tray, like hearts or footballs.

No matter which size you choose, a tray of Chick-fil-A nuggets is about the easiest dish you can serve at any get-together. Simply pop the lid off, place it on your table, and set the dipping sauce bottle next to it. If you’re really feeling up to it, you can also make (or buy) more dipping sauces so your guests have a few to choose from.

Place your holiday order now and get ready for your guests to tell you how genius you are this holiday season.