Mostly Make-Ahead Summer Dinner Party Menu

grilled chicken, make-ahead sides, and a boxed cake turned showstopper.

BAILEY SISSOM

June 08, 2025

You’re looking at the exact dinner I make every summer when we’re having friends over. It’s fresh, colorful, and every single thing holds up beautifully in the fridge. I’ve made this menu more times than I can count, and it’s become the one I reach for when I want to keep things easy and still serve something special.

The chicken is grilled right before dinner, but everything else is ready ahead of time. You’re not scrambling at the last minute. The food is done. You get to be part of the evening.

I’m sharing the full plan; recipes, prep timeline, grocery list - all in one place. If you’re hosting this summer, this is a good one to keep on hand.

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• ​Grilled Balsamic Chicken - Herby, juicy, and deeply flavorful. The marinade does all the work.
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• ​Cheesy Tortellini Caesar Salad - Store-bought tortellini tossed in a light vinaigrette-style Caesar with crunchy veggies.
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• ​Fresh Corn Salad with Artichokes - Sweet corn, red pepper, cucumber, and briny artichoke hearts in a zippy dressing.
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• ​Creamy Coleslaw - Freshly chopped cabbage tossed in a quick, tangy dressing.
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• Watermelon - Cold, juicy, zero effort.
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And for dessert (not pictured):

• ​Chocolate Cake Trifle — Layers of boxed chocolate cake, pudding, and whipped topping.

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Cooking for a smaller group? Skip a side. Feeding a crowd? Double each recipe. The recipes as written will easily feed 6 adults.

There’s no appetizer listed here because I always hand that off. If someone asks what to bring (and they will), I send them straight to snacks. If you want to take it on yourself, go for something you can make ahead. My Jalapño Popper Dip is one everyone always loves. Or try my Crack Chicken Pinwheels creamy, cheesy, and wrapped in a soft tortilla, they disappear fast.

I’ve made this whole menu in a single day before, it’s doable, but kind of a lot. Breaking the cooking into two days is way more manageable, especially if you’ve got kids around.

Here’s the prep timeline I typically use:

2 Days Prior

• Grocery shop
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• Choose serving dishes and table setting details

1 Days Prior

• Make all the dressings and marinades. These can be stored in sealed jars for up to 3 days (probably longer).
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  • Chicken marinade
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  • Coleslaw dressing
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  • Corn salad vinaigrette
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• Bake the cake and fully assemble the trifle — cover and refrigerate. If topping with chunks of Oreo for garnish, do that just prior to servings so they don't get soft.

Morning Of

• Add chicken to marinade
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• Chill drinks
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Later That Day

• Assemble all the side dishes. Blanch the corn in a large pot of boiling water. When it’s done, use the same water to cook the tortellini - saves time and dishes​
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  • Tortellini salad
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  • Corn salad
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  • Coleslaw
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• Cut the watermelon
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• Set the table
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• Empty the dishwasher, take out the trash

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In the following printer-friendly PDF/Google doc you'll find:

• A grocery list organized by section of the store
• The kitchen tools you'll need to cook this menu
• The serving dishes you'll need
• The recipes
• The prep plan

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If you need to modify the PDF/grocery list in any way - like to add the ingredients for one of the appetizers or make a swap, copy and paste it into a new Google doc or note and make your edits there!

​link to printer version ​

OK, now onto the recipes!

Grilled Balsamic Chicken

• Extra virgin olive oil (½ cup | 120ml)
• HBalsamic vinegar (⅓ cup | 80ml)
• Low-sodium soy sauce (3 tablespoons | 45ml)
• Worcestershire sauce (3 tablespoons | 45ml)
• Fresh lemon juice (2 tablespoons | 30ml)
• Brown sugar (½ cup | 100g)
• Dijon mustard (1 tablespoon | 15g)
• Dried rosemary (1 teaspoon)
• Smoked paprika (1 teaspoon)
• Garlic powder (1 teaspoon)
• Kosher salt (1 teaspoon)
• Ground black pepper (½ teaspoon)
• Boneless chicken breasts or thighs ( ~4-5 lbs.)

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In a medium bowl, whisk together extra virgin olive oil (½ cup), balsamic vinegar (⅓ cup), low-sodium soy sauce (3 tablespoons), Worcestershire sauce (3 tablespoons), fresh lemon juice (2 tablespoons), brown sugar (½ cup), Dijon mustard (1 tablespoon), dried rosemary (1 teaspoon), smoked paprika (1 teaspoon), garlic powder (1 teaspoon), kosher salt (1 teaspoon), and ground black pepper (½ teaspoon) until well combined.

Place boneless chicken breasts or thighs in a large resealable bag or shallow dish and pour the marinade over top. Turn to coat evenly, then cover or seal and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 24 hours.

Grill over medium-high heat, bake at 400°F, or air fry at 400°F until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F. Let rest before slicing and serving.

Fresh Corn Salad

• Corn on the cob (4 ears)
• Red onion (½ small | 60g), diced
• Olive oil (2 tablespoon | 30ml)
• Apple cider vinegar (2 tablespoon | 30ml)
• Salt (½ tsp), add more to taste
• Black pepper (¼ tsp)
• Fresh basil (¼ cup), julienned
• Cherry tomatoes (10–12), quartered (optional garnish)

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Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the corn on the cob (4 ears) and cook for 3–5 minutes until crisp-tender. Immediately transfer to a bowl of ice water and let cool completely.

Remove the corn kernels from the cooled corn on the cob using a sharp knife and transfer to a large mixing bowl.

Add the diced red onion (½ small), olive oil (2 tbsp), apple cider vinegar (2 tbsp), salt (¼–½ tsp), and black pepper (¼ tsp) to the bowl. Stir until everything is well combined.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to let the flavors develop.

Just before serving, stir in the fresh basil (¼ cup) and garnish with cherry tomatoes (10–12) if using. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Cheesy Tortellini Salad

• ​Refrigerated 3 cheese tortellini, (1 family-size package, 20 oz )
• English cucumber (1 large, diced)
• Red bell pepper (1 large, diced)
• Artichoke hearts (1 can or jar, 14 oz, drained and halved)
• Caesar Salad Vinaigrette (1 cup) - I use Ken's Steakhouse brand

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Cook cheese tortellini (20 oz) according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside to cool.

Dice the English cucumber (1 large) and red bell pepper (1 large) into small pieces. Halve the artichoke hearts (14 oz) and set aside.

In a large serving bowl, combine the cooled cheese tortellini, English cucumber, red bell pepper, and artichoke hearts.

Pour in the Caesar Salad Vinaigrette (1 cup) and gently toss until everything is evenly coated.

Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.

Before serving, toss the salad again and add additional vinaigrette as needed.

Creamy Cole Slaw

For the Vegetable Base:

• 3 ½ cups finely shredded green cabbage
• 3 cups finely shredded red/purple cabbage
• ½ cup shredded carrots
• ¼ cup thinly sliced green onions
• 1 teaspoon salt ​
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For the Coleslaw Dressing:

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• ½ teaspoon celery seeds
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper​
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Prepare the veggies. Finely chop/shred the cabbage using a knife, mandoline or food processor . Shred carrots using a grater, mandoline slicer or food processor. Finely Chop green onions with a sharp knife.

Optional (but recommended). Add red and green cabbage to a large mixing bowl. Top with 1 teaspoon of salt. Mix well. Allow cabbage to sit for 15 minutes. The salt will draw out the water and help avoid soggy coleslaw. Use a paper towel to remove any excess moisture.

Make the dressing. In a small mixing bowl, combine mayo, dijon, vinegar, sugar, celery seeds and pepper. Mix well.

Finish things up. Add carrots, green onions and dressing to the large mixing bowl filled with salted cabbage. Toss to coat. Add additional salt and pepper to taste. Chill in refrigerator for a minimum of 2 hours before serving.

Chocolate Cake Trifle

• chocolate cake mix (1 box, 15.25 oz)
  ​+ ingredients called for on the box (usually oil, eggs, and water)
• instant chocolate pudding mix (2 boxes, 5.9 oz each, family size)
• milk (6 cups)
• Cool Whip (2 containers, 8 oz each)
• Oreos (30 cookies, crushed)

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Bake the chocolate cake in a 9x13-inch pan or two 9-inch round pans according to the package instructions. Let it cool completely, then cut into small cubes.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the instant chocolate pudding mix (2 boxes, 5.9 oz each) and milk (6 cups) until smooth and thickened. Chill for 5–10 minutes.

Crush the Oreos (30 cookies) in a zip-top bag using a rolling pin. Set aside.

In a trifle bowl or large bowl, layer chocolate cake across the bottom.

Spread chocolate pudding over the cubed cake. Top with Cool Whip, smoothing it into an even layer.

Sprinkle crushed Oreos over the whipped topping.

Repeat the layers with the remaining chocolate cake, chocolate pudding, and Cool Whip.

Finish with the rest of the crushed Oreo cookies, plus chopped candy of choice (optional).

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 1 day in advance.

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