Family-Style Taiwanese Dinner Party Hosting Guide
I’m hosting a Family-Style Taiwanese Dinner Party for 6 family members this week. We’re having some of the best Taiwanese home-cooked classics, like Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice, 3 Cup Chicken, Spicy Wontons, and Popcorn Chicken. I’m prepping as much as possible the day before, so I can enjoy a lot of fun time with friends and family instead of rushing to get everything done an hour before. So, here’s what I do to make hosting a dinner party with 2 appetizers, 2 side dishes, 1 soup, and 3 main dishes super stress-free, with my full dinner party preparation schedule!
My Dinner Party Shopping List
Since it’s a big dinner, it’s time for a big shopping trip! Here’s everything I bought for my dinner party. Since I already have the must-have Asian condiments in my pantry, I only picked up fresh veggies, extra spices and herbs, fresh meats, and frozen add-ins!
- 4-5 large Shallots
- 2 bundles Green Onions
- 2 large Ginger
- 1 Napa Cabbage
- 2 packs enoki mushroom
- 1 pack shiitake mushroom
- 1 jar of peeled garlic
- 3 large Cucumbers
- 3 bags of Thai Basil
- 1 bag bok choy
- 2 packs Soft Tofu
- 2 packs Chicken Wings
- 3 packs Skin-on Bone-in Chicken Thigh (about 12)
- 1 pack Beef Balls (15 per pack)
- 2 packs Pork Belly
- 1 bag Fish Balls
- 2 packs Fried Onions
Taiwanese Family Dinner Menu and Full Recipes
Sweet and Sour Cucumber Salad
This is another dish that I make the day before because it is just so much tastier after absorbing all that delicious marinade flavor. This is my grandma’s recipe. It’s sweet, tangy, and pairs so well with that rich, fatty braised pork rice. I love making these every week because they last in the fridge for up to 4 days
- Prep and Timing: Make this the day before so the cucumber has time to soak up all that vinegary flavors!
- Make sure to draw water out of the cucumber with salt and sugar and let it draw out the water for 20 minutes. It’s ready when the cucumber can actually bend! Make sure to squeeze out all the water.
Spicy Wontons with Homemade Chili Oil
These spicy wontons are so easy for me to whip up in a pinch when I’m hosting. I’ve already got a bunch of frozen homemade wonton in the freezer, so this dish is a no-brainer for an easy appetizer. I make this before I fry the popcorn chicken, because the chili oil keeps the wontons from sticking together. Then, I also set out an extra dish of my homemade chili oil on that table, because someone will always want to put it on EVERYTHING.
- Prep and Timing: Boil frozen wontons about 1 hour before guests arrive. Heat oil and mix homemade chili oil. Then, mix together wontons, chili oil, and seasoning for the perfect appetizer.
Century Egg with Silken Tofu
Century Egg and Silken Tofu is a classic cold appetizer that saves me so much cooking time. It takes 10 minutes to make, and has no actual cooking at all! It’s a cooling dish compared to the steamy hot Braised Pork Rice and spicy wontons. And, it’s amazing with rice.
- Prep and Timing: Make the hot garlic oil, and mix the full sauce before guests arrive. Then, right before dinner, cut the tofu and century egg and plate. Finally, drizzle on the sauce and it’s ready for dinner!
Bok Choy with Garlic Sauce
This garlic bok choy is a super easy hosting recipe I love making again and again. And, it doesn’t just work with bok choy. You can make this recipe with any leafy greens you find at the market.
- Prep and Timing: Before guests arrive, blanch the veggies, mix the sauce, and put it together. Or, make a big batch of the garlic sauce the day before and keep using it for the rest of the week.
Simple Napa Cabbage Soup
I dont think a family-style meal is the same without soup. So, I always have to have a soup for my dinner parties. This simple cabbage soup takes literally no prep work at all. Chop the veggies, add in the meat balls, and add dashi stock. Then, simmer on medium until everything in the pot is fully cooked. Then, the soup should be ready in time for dinner!
- 1 Cabbage
- Enoki and Shiitake Mushrooms
- 2 slices of Ginger
- Chicken Meatball Balls
- Frozen Fish Balls
- Dashi Stock
Crispy Taiwanese popcorn Chicken
This Crispy Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken is a recipe that my family actually requests again and again. It’s crunchy, fragrant, and absolutely delicious. I’ve made this so many times and they STILL ask for this dish!
- Prep and Timing: Marinate the chunks of boneless, skin-on chicken thigh a day before, or an hour before so it has time to absorb all the flavor. Deep fry right before your guests arrive for fresh crispiness!
3 Cup Chicken
Taiwanese 3 Cup Chicken is another comforting Taiwanese classic that my family LOVES. It’s simple to put together, yet so flavorful and nostalgic. The sauce is glossy and goes delightfully well with white rice! I’m using chicken drumettes today because they’re fun to eat, and makes it a little different from the Popcorn Chicken.
- Prep and Timing: You don’t have to, but you can marinate the chicken wings the day before. Then, I make the dish an hour before the guests arrive so I have time to finish cooking everything else.
Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice
The star of this whole meal is my Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice. I really like making this at dinner parties, and it tastes even better after siting overnight. So, I do both! It takes a little more time hand chopping all the pork belly and rendering out the fat in batches, so I do it the day before.
- Prep and Timing: Make this pork belly rice the day before. About an hour before, make rice. Then, just reheat your braised pork before your guests arrive.
My 2 Day Taiwanese Dinner Party Hosting Schedule
- Day Before: Handcut pork belly and make Braised Pork Rice. Make the cucumber salad. Marinate chicken thighs and chicken wings for popcorn chicken and 3 cup chicken.
- 5 Hours Before:
- Slice and wash all the vegetables and prepare ingredients.
- Make Sauces: 5 Minute Homemade Chili Oil for Spicy Wontons, Make Garlic Oil for Cold Tofu with Century Eggs, Make Garlic Sauce for Garlic Bok Choy
- Coat Popcorn Chicken in sweet potato starch
- Prep Cabbage Fish Ball Soup
- 2-3 Hours Before: Clean up the kitchen, set the dinner table, and cook rice.
- 1.5 Hour Before Everyone Arrives:
- Make 3 Cup Chicken.
- Boil dumplings and blanch leafy greens, mix with respective sauces.
- Add dashi stock to cabbage soup and let it cook.
- Cut and plate cold tofu and century egg, and drizzle garlic sauce.
- Reheat braised pork rice and plate cucumber salad.
- Right Before Dinner Starts: Deep fry popcorn chicken until golden and crispy. Dinner is served!
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