With everything else going on during the holidays, you shouldn’t have to worry about your main course for Christmas dinner. We’ve rounded up recipes for Christmas dinner, including make-ahead casseroles, one-pan pastas and easy chicken and seafood entrees that make the meal feel festive.
Each recipe has plenty of comforting flavor that works just as well on Christmas Eve as it does on Christmas Day. Invite friends and family over, pop open a bottle of bubbly and prepare for praise!
15. Creamy Stuffed Chicken with Boursin Cheese & Spinach
These thin chicken breasts are stuffed with a mixture of Boursin cheese and chopped spinach, coated in an Italian-flavored breadcrumb crust, then baked. Add some chicken broth and lemon juice to the pan, and give each piece a quick baste as they bake. The result is a beautiful, golden brown chicken breast that looks very festive, and tastes great with the garlicky whipped potatoes and green beans you’re serving alongside it.
Chicken with Boursin Cheese & Spinach
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Allow Boursin cheese to soften at room temperature. Chop the spinach leaves.
- Slice each chicken breast crosswise to make 2 thinner pieces. You should have 8 thin chicken breasts in total.
- Combine breadcrumbs, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt and pepper in a shallow bowl. Dredge the chicken in the bread crumb mixture on both sides.
- In a small bowl, stir the Boursin and chopped spinach together. Spread the cheese mixture down the center of each chicken breast. Roll chicken up and place in the baking dish, seam side down.
- Whisk the juice of 1 lemon into the chicken broth. Pour the broth in between the chicken pieces in the baking dish. Drizzle the top of the chicken generously with olive oil.
- Bake chicken in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. Baste the chicken with the pan juices half way through baking, and again after you remove the pan from the oven.
14. Chicken Marsala
Golden brown chicken breasts in a rich and flavorful creamy mushroom sauce with dry marsala wine (just like the Cheesecake Factory version). The browning of the chicken, plus the brown bits that are scraped up once the wine is added to the pan, create so much depth of flavor in the sauce.
Add in heavy cream and chicken broth for an ultra-creamy texture. Serve the sauce spooned over bowtie pasta for a comforting Christmas dinner where every bit of the sauce is savored.
Chicken Marsala Recipe (Cheesecake Factory Copycat)
Ingredients
Method
- Cook and drain pasta according to package directions for al dente. Set aside.
- Combine 1/2 cup of flour, 1 tsp. of salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper in a shallow bowl.
- Heat olive oil with 2Tbsp. of butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture and place it into the pan. Cook chicken until it's browned on both sides and cooked through the center, about 7-8 minutes per side. Remove from pan.
- Add the remaining butter. Stir in 1 Tbsp. of flour, 1 tsp. of salt, 1/2 tsp. of pepper and the sliced mushrooms. Cook until the mushrooms have softened and released liquid.
- Stir in the garlic and cook until sizzling.
- Pour in the wine. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, scraping any browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Reduce heat and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half.
- Stir in the cream and chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Put the chicken back into the pan and simmer 15 minutes.
- Serve the chicken and sauce over pasta.
13. Vegetable Lasagna with White Sauce
Tender layers of lasagna noodles, ricotta and sautéed broccoli, bell peppers, onions, and spinach come together for this meat-free lasagna which is sure to be a holiday hit. There’s no red sauce here; instead, a creamy garlic sauce packed with Parmesan and mozzarella cheese is layered throughout.
The no-boil noodles ensure this dish doesn’t turn out soggy. Prepare the lasagna a day in advance and bake it on Christmas Day for a make-ahead dish that serves 12.
Best Vegetable Lasagna Recipe with White Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Heat olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Sautee the onions, bell peppers, spinach and broccoli in the oil until softened. Remove from heat, season with salt and pepper and set aside.
- Melt butter over medium-low heat in a large saucepan. Stir in the garlic and let it start to sizzle. Add the flour and whisk constantly until it starts to bubble. Pour in the milk, salt, broth, parmesan and 3 cups of mozzarella. Bring to a boil. Then lower the heat and whisk, allowing mixture to thicken. Remove from heat.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Spread a thin layer of the cheese sauce on the bottom of a 9×13 casserole dish. Layer the lasagna noodles:Layer 1: On top of the cheese sauce, layer the noodles, then sprinkle with 1/3 of the vegetable mixture. Dot the vegetable layer with ricotta cheese. Pour 1/4 of the white sauce over the ricotta, making sure all noodles are covered.Layer 2: Noodles, 1/3 vegetables, ricotta, 1/4 of the sauce. Layer 3: Noodles, remaining vegetables, ricotta, 1/4 of sauce. Finish with one last layer of noodles, remaining layer of white sauce, then remaining 1 cup of mozzarella.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake 45-50 minutes, until bubbly. For extra browning, remove foil and bake an additional 5-10 minutes.
12. Pesto Ricotta Stuffed Shells
This recipe has it all, jumbo pasta shells stuffed with a creamy mixture of ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese and a dollop of homemade basil pesto, swimming in a rich, slow-cooked tomato gravy.
Sweet peppers in the sauce cut through the tomato’s tartness, while the mozzarella melts over the top for a luscious, delicious crust. You can make one pan of this dish for a large crowd during the holidays, or make extra and freeze some for a quick weeknight dinner later in the month!
Pesto Ricotta Stuffed Shells
Ingredients
Method
- Cook and drain the shells according to package directions.
- Drizzle 3 Tbsp. of the olive oil on the bottom of a medium-sized pot so that it forms a thin coating on the bottom. Heat the pot over medium heat and add the onion and 6 cloves of garlic. Stir to coat the onions and garlic in oil and allow them to soften and sizzle, 3-4 minutes. Add the sweet peppers and stir to combine. Saute an additional 3-4 minutes. Lower the heat and add the tomato puree, dried basil, dried oregano, dried parsley, sugar, 2 tsp. of salt and 1 tsp. of pepper. Cover and simmer on low heat, stirring occasionally.
- Puree the fresh basil, 2 cloves of garlic, parmesan cheese, olive oil, pine nuts, 1 tsp. salt and 1/8 tsp. pepper in a blender until smooth. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the ricotta cheese, 1 cup grated mozzarella and egg. Stir to combine.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spoon about 2 tsp. of the ricotta mixture into each cooked pasta shell. Ladle out enough tomato gravy to coat the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish. Arrange the shells in rows in the baking dish. Cover with more gravy and the remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake 40 minutes.
11. Crab & Corn Pasta with Sherry Cream Sauce
Pappardelle is a wide ribbon-like pasta, and in this elegant shrimp-free pasta, it’s served with sweet corn and jumbo lump crab meat in a luscious sherry cream sauce. The sherry gives the dish a subtle sweetness that is a great match for the rich, slightly briny crab.
You won’t believe how few ingredients are needed to make this taste like it came out of a fancy seafood joint. Canned corn works just fine in December, making it an easy pick for a cozy Christmas dinner.
Crab & Corn Pasta with Sherry Cream Sauce
Ingredients
Method
- Bring ears of corn to a boil in a large pot, then remove them from the water using tongs. Shave off the kernels and return the cobs to the pot of boiling water. Add pasta and cook, 5-7 minutes. Drain pasta and discard the corn cobs.
- Melt butter over medium heat in a saucepan. Saute the garlic until it sizzles and begins to brown. Pour in the cream. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Stir in the sherry and salt and simmer until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.
- Combine the pasta and sauce in a large pot over low heat. Stir in the crab meat and corn until warmed. Serve with fresh cracked pepper.
10. Turkey Sausage Pasta Bake
The Italian turkey sausage gets slow cooked with sweet and spicy tomato sauce until it falls apart in your mouth. The cheese and egg mixture is folded into the meaty, saucy mixture, which gets poured over the pasta.
A layer of mozzarella tops the casserole and it all bakes until golden brown and bubbly. Serve it alongside garlic bread and Caesar salad for a comforting Christmas Eve meal!
Turkey Sausage Pasta Bake
Ingredients
Method
- Coat the bottom of a large stockpot with extra virgin olive oil. Add diced onions and minced garlic and toss in the olive oil until coated. Set the pot to medium heat. Once the garlic and onions start to sizzle and soften, add the diced sweet peppers and stir to combine. Allow this mixture to soften, 2-3 minutes.
- Add tomato puree, dry spices, salt, pepper and sugar. Stir until combined. Lower heat to a simmer.
- Peel the casing off the sausage links and break into bite-sized pieces. Drop the pieces into the gravy. Cover and simmer for at least 2 hours, occasionally stirring gently.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions for al dente pasta. Drain.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, egg and 1 cup of shredded mozzarella. Add 3-4 cups of tomato gravy and sausage, depending on how saucy you like it. Add the cooked pasta.
- Pour the entire thing into a 9×13 baking dish. Dot with additional spoonfuls of gravy and sprinkle the remaining mozzarella over top. Bake for 20 minutes, until cheese is melted.
9. Lasagna al Forno
We love a rich bolognese, silky bechamel and layers of Parmesan to make this baked lasagna the holiday showstopper it is. And since the meat sauce calls for ground beef or turkey along with Italian sausage, it’s super easy to customize according to what the whole family wants.
Also no-boil noodles absorb the sauce as they bake without getting soggy. And leftovers can stay in the fridge up to 5 days or get frozen for later, so your Christmas dinner can go on for days.
Lasagna al Forno
Ingredients
Method
- In a large stock pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced onions and minced garlic. Cook until softened and sizzling.
- Add the diced sweet pepper strips. Cook another 2-3 minutes.
- Add the ground meat and Italian sausage. Brown the meat, using a wooden spoon or potato masher to bread it into small pieces.
- Pour in the tomato puree and all of the spices. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for one hour, stirring occasionally.
- Melt butter over medium-low heat in a medium saucepan. Add the flour, garlic and salt. Saute 1-2 minutes, until the mixture begins to bubble.
- Stir in the milk, chicken broth, Parmesan cheese and mozzarella. Bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer, stirring, until slightly thickened. Remove from heat.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Spread a thin layer of bolognese sauce on the bottom of a 9×13 casserole dish.
- Arrange lasagna noodles in a single layer over the sauce. It's okay if they overlap a bit. Break the noodles as necessary to cover the bottom of the baking dish.
- Spread a layer of bechamel sauce over the noodles, followed by a layer of bolognese sauce and 1/4 of the Parmesan cheese.
- Repeat this pattern two more times: noodles, bechamel, bolognese, 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese.
- Finish with a final layer of noodles. Spread the remaining bolognese sauce over the noodles. Sprinkle the grated mozzarella on top.
- Cover with aluminum foil. Bake 45-50 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 10 minutes. Allow the lasagne to rest for 15-20 minutes before cutting into it.
8. Baked Ravioli
There’s no need to boil the frozen cheese ravioli for this recipe; they bake right into the sauce, making your Christmas prep easier. The store-bought pasta sauce comes together like homemade with sauteed onions, garlic and dried herbs.
Mozzarella and Parmesan melt on top, forming a golden, bubbly layer. Make this dish the night before and just heat it up when your guests are there.
Baked Ravioli
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 375F degrees.
- In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
- Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Saute onions and garlic in the oil until soft and translucent, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the pasta sauce, onions, garlic, dried herbs and salt.
- Layer the casserole in a 8×8 baking dish: Spread a layer of sauce, then arrange the raviolis in a single layer, followed by mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese. Repeat the layers until all ingredients have been used.
- Cover with aluminum foil. Bake, covered, for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 20 minutes, until golden brown and bubbly.
7. Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta
The shrimp and sweet bell peppers pair perfectly with the spaghetti and rich cheesy parmesan sauce. And there’s just enough Cajun spice to give this holiday pasta dish a little kick! All of this comes together in a single pan, so it’s quick and easy to clean up even on a busy holiday.
Creamy Cajun Shrimp Pasta (Easy One Pan Recipe)
Ingredients
Method
- Cook pasta according to package instructions for al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Season shrimp with 1 tsp. of Cajun seasoning.
- Heat 2 Tbsp. butter in a large pan. Saute the shrimp in the butter until it curls up and turns pink, about 2-3 minutes each side. Remove onto a separate plate.
- Place the diced bell peppers into the pan and saute until soft. Remove onto a separate plate.
- Add remaining 6 Tbsp. butter to the pan. Saute the minced garlic until sizzling and slightly golden.
- Stir in the cream, Parmesan cheese, 2 1/2 tsp. Cajun seasoning and salt. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened.
- Add the pasta, shrimp, bell peppers and fresh herbs back into the sauce and toss to coat.
6. Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta
Tender chunks of chicken and short-cut pasta soak up a silky cream sauce swirled with basil pesto and Parmesan. The whole dish comes together in one pan with just a handful of ingredients. It feels special enough for a holiday dinner but easy enough to make without breaking a sweat. For a cheesy twist, top it with mozzarella and bake it until bubbly.
Creamy Chicken Pesto Pasta (Easy One Pan Recipe)
Ingredients
Method
- Boil and drain the pasta according to the package directions, reserving some pasta water before draining.
- Cut chicken into bite sized pieces. Season with salt and pepper.
- Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken to the pan and cook until browned. Remove onto a separate plate.
- Add the garlic to the pan and saute until it's sizzling and starting to turn a golden color. Pour in the cream, broth and Parmesan cheese.
- Raise the heat to a boil. Then, reduce the heat to a simmer, stirring until the sauce thickens. Swirl in the pesto sauce.
- Add the cooked chicken and pasta to the pan and toss to coat. If you like a thinner sauce, add some reserved pasta water.
5. Sushi Bake with Spicy Tuna
The sushi fanatics in your life will love this easy and shareable dish for Christmas Eve. The sticky rice, flavored with rice vinegar, sugar and sesame seeds, makes up the bottom layer of the dish, then comes a layer of nori and the spicy tuna mix.
Bake for a few minutes, add the fresh produce (avocado, cucumber and scallions) and top with a drizzle of yum yum sauce. Let everyone tear apart their own personal slices with seaweed snacks.
Sushi Bake Recipe with Spicy Tuna (Easy & Delicious!)
Ingredients
Method
- Make the rice: Bring 2 1/2 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in the rice. Cover and reduce heat to low. Cook 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Stir the rice vinegar, sugar, salt and sesame seeds into the hot rice.
- Make the spicy tuna: Whisk together the mayo and sriracha in a large bowl. Drain the tuna and break it into small flakes. Stir the tuna into the spicy mayo.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Coat an 8×8 or 9×9 baking dish with sesame oil. Press the cooked rice firmly into the dish. Lay the nori sheets on top of the rice. Spread the tuna mixture on top of the nori.
- Bake for 15 minutes.
- Top with diced avocado, diced cucumber and diced scallions. Drizzle yum yum sauce and additional sriracha, if desired.
4. Champagne Chicken
Thin chicken cutlets are browned in salted butter and then braised with button mushrooms in a rich cream sauce enhanced by the addition of real Champagne. Just like all great French cooking, this dish takes very few ingredients and an easy technique.
Save the rest of the bottle to serve with your Christmas toast! Serve over whipped potatoes or alongside a baguette for sopping up the delicious sauce.
Champagne Chicken Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Slice each chicken breast in half to make two thinner cutlets of even thickness. You should end up with a total of 8 thin pieces of chicken.
- In a shallow bowl, combine flour, salt and pepper. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium low heat. Dredge chicken breasts in flour mixture and brown in the pan, 3-4 minutes per side. Make the chicken in batches if necessary. Add the mushrooms, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add the cream and simmer, uncovered, for an additional 10 minutes. Transfer chicken breasts to a warm platter.
- Add the champagne to the pan and bring to a rapid boil over medium-high heat, whisking any browned bits off the bottom of the pan. Lower heat and allow sauce to reduce until creamy.
- Place the chicken and mushrooms on a serving plate. Pour sauce over the chicken breasts. Garnish with fresh parsley.
3. Honey Butter Old Bay Salmon
A luscious mixture of honey, Old Bay seasoning and garlic, plus a knob of butter and a few lemon slices, is spread over each salmon fillet. The acid from the lemon cuts through the honey and butter for a more rounded flavor.
And because it all cooks on one pan in just 10 minutes, it happens to be naturally gluten free. It’s a smart pick when the holiday table has a mix of dietary needs.
Easy Honey Butter Old Bay Salmon Recipe (One Pan!)
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Whisk Old Bay seasoning, salt, pepper, minced garlic and honey in a small bowl.
- Place salmon fillets on an ungreased baking sheet.
- Brush the honey mixture onto each fillet. Place 1 Tbsp. of butter on top of each piece of salmon. Slice the lemon and arrange the slices on and around the salmon.
- Bake 10 minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley, if desired.
2. Miso Salmon with Sake Butter
Salmon fillets marinate in a salty-sweet mixture of red miso, soy sauce, brown sugar and rice vinegar before roasting in the oven. While the salmon roasts, ginger and garlic sizzle in butter with sake for a silky sauce to spoon over the top.
Snow peas complete the dish. Taking inspiration from the Cheesecake Factory favorite, it adds some fun to your Christmas dinner without having to make a reservation.
Miso Salmon with Sake Butter (Cheesecake Factory)
Ingredients
Method
- Make the marinade: Combine the miso paste, rice vinegar, brown sugar and soy sauce in a shallow bowl. Place the salmon into the bowl and make sure it's coated in the miso mixture. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and marinate at least 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- Cook the salmon filets in the oven for 10-12 minutes.
- While the salmon is cooking, make the sauce: Melt the butter over medium heat in a large skillet. Saute the ginger and garlic in the butter until sizzling. Pour in the sake. Reduce heat and simmer 5-7 minutes.
- Bring salted water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Set up a separate bowl of ice water. Blanch the snow peas in the boiling water for 2 minutes. Then, immediately plunge the snow peas into the bowl of ice water.
- Divide the salmon and snow peas among 4 serving plates. Pour the sake butter sauce over top. Serve warm.
1. Chicken Piccata
Lightly floured chicken cutlets brown in butter and olive oil, then simmer in a tangy sauce of white wine, lemon juice, capers and shallots. A few pats of butter swirled in at the end make the sauce rich and smooth.
Best of all, the whole dish comes together in one skillet. Serve it over linguine or spaghetti with freshly grated Parmesan for a Christmas main everyone will love.
Best Ever Chicken Piccata (Easy One Pan Recipe)
Ingredients
Method
- Pound the chicken thin using a kitchen mallet. Alternatively, slice the chicken crosswise using a sharp knife so that each cutlet becomes 2 thinner cutlets.
- Place flour, salt and pepper in a shallow bowl. Whisk to combine.
- In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, melt 2 Tbsp. of butter with 3 Tbsp. of olive oil.
- Dredge the chicken cutlets in the flour mixture on both sides. Cook in the skillet until golden brown. Remove onto a separate plate.
- Wipe any brown bits off the bottom of the pan and add the remaining 1 Tbsp. of olive oil. Put the shallots and garlic into the pan and saute until softened and sizzling.
- Pour the wine into the pan and simmer until the wine is reduced by half.
- Stir lemon juice, chicken broth and capers into the pan. Bring to a boil. Cook over medium-high heat until the mixture reduces and begins to thicken, about 3-4 minutes.
- Lower the heat. Swirl in the remaining 2 Tbsp. butter. Add the chicken back into the pan and simmer 2-3 more minutes. Garnish with extra lemon slices and fresh parsley. Serve warm.
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