It’s not Christmas without a cozy meal around the table, right? And when it’s just a few of your favorite people, lunch can feel special without being stressful.
We rounded up our favorite easy holiday mains, from cheesy baked pastas to creamy chicken and a couple of seafood options. Pick your favorite and get ready for some very happy guests!
15. Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup is a great option for Christmas lunch. Tender pieces of chicken and chewy wild rice in a rich and creamy broth. It’s hearty enough to fill you up, but not so rich that you won’t have room for dessert! Serve it up with some crusty bread or rolls and a simple green salad.
Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
Ingredients
Method
- Cook the rice according to package instructions. Set aside.
- In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, melt 1 Tbsp. of butter over medium-low heat. Saute the diced onions, carrots and celery in the butter until softened, about 5-6 minutes.
- Add the minced garlic and mushrooms. Cook another 1-2 minutes.
- Pour in the broth, poultry seasoning and sat. Add the chicken. Bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer until the chicken is cooked, about 12 minutes. Remove the chicken onto a cutting board and shred with forks.
- In a separate saucepan, melt the remaining butter over medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour and cook until bubbling, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in the half-and-half until the mixture is slightly thickened.
- Pour the cream mixture, chicken, cooked rice and spinach leaves into the soup mixture. Serve warm.
14. Champagne Chicken
Thinly pounded chicken cutlets are first sautéed in butter until browned, then simmered along with mushrooms and heavy cream. Before serving, champagne is added for a few minutes, reducing into a wonderfully creamy sauce. Serve over mashed or whipped potatoes, or over rice, and pass the champagne bottle around the table!
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.
13. Creamy Stuffed Chicken with Boursin Cheese & Spinach
If you’ve never cooked with Boursin cheese, this is a great place to start. Thin chicken breasts get rolled up around Boursin and chopped spinach, then baked in a little chicken broth and lemon juice. Baste it once or twice while it bakes and it comes out super tender and golden on top. Add some green beans or whipped potatoes on the side and you’ve got a really nice holiday plate.
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.
12. Chicken Piccata
The versatility of this recipe can’t be beat, as it’s perfect for an easy weeknight meal or to impress guests. The chicken cutlets are dredged in flour, browned in butter, and simmered in a white wine, lemon, shallot, and caper sauce, finished with a little extra butter for silky smoothness.
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.
11. Honey Mustard Chicken w/ Warm Potato Arugula Salad
Chicken breasts bake in a sweet honey mustard glaze while red potatoes get crisp in a cast iron pan. Those potatoes end up tossed with arugula and a vinaigrette that reminds us of salt and vinegar chips. It’s naturally gluten free, so it works for most guests.
Honey Mustard Chicken w/ Warm Potato Arugula Salad
Ingredients
Method
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Drop the potatoes in and boil 8 minutes, until tender. Drain the potatoes and spread them out onto a baking sheet. Chill until cold.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together both mustards, honey, brown sugar and thyme. Place the chicken in a 9×13 baking dish and baste with the honey mustard mixture. Roast for 30 minutes.
- Baste the chicken again and roast for another 15-20 minutes.
- Make the vinaigrette: whisk the vinegar, 2 Tbsp. oil, 1 tsp. Dijon, sugar and shallots in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Once the potatoes are cold, heat remaining 2 Tbsp. oil in a cast iron skillet. Saute the potatoes until brown and crisp. Toss the cooked potatoes with the vinaigrette and arugula.
10. Skillet Chicken, Spinach & Sundried Tomatoes
With red sundried tomatoes and green spinach, this hearty skillet dish is full of festive color! Tender chicken and orzo simmer with red wine, tomato paste and fresh herbs until the pasta soaks up all that flavor. Fresh spinach is stirred in before a bubbly layer of creamy havarti cheese finishes it off.
Skillet Chicken, Spinach & Sundried Tomatoes
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Brown the chicken, then remove to a separate plate.
- Add the onion and garlic and saute until onion is translucent. Add the wine and simmer 1-2 minutes. Add the dry orzo and stir to coat with the red wine mixture.
- Stir in the broth, tomato paste, sundried tomatoes, basil, parsley and browned chicken. Bring to a quick boil, then lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes until liquid is mostly absorbed. Continue to stir it so that the orzo doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
- Turn off heat and stir in the spinach. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over top. Bake for 10 minutes until cheese is melted.
9. Honey Butter Old Bay Salmon
If your family loves seafood, this easy salmon is a must for your holiday table! Salmon fillets are brushed with honey, Old Bay and garlic, then topped with butter and fresh lemon slices.
It’s naturally gluten free and has the perfect balance of sweet, garlicky and buttery flavors. Pair it with steamed green beans, asparagus or rice pilaf for a light lunch that comes together in no time.
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.
8. Homemade Crab Cakes
Treat yourself to a night out without leaving home with these golden crab cakes perfect for a holiday lunch! Sweet lump crab meat is the star of this show with just a sprinkle of panko, some mayo, Dijon mustard and fresh herbs to bind it all together.
Served with a green salad, lemon wedges and tartar sauce you’ll be whisked away to your favorite classic steakhouse! Pan fry until golden brown for a crispy outside and a super tender inside.
Best Homemade Crab Cakes Recipe (Steakhouse Style)
Ingredients
Method
- Combine all ingredients except for the crab meat in a large bowl. Gently fold in the crab meat, being careful not to break it up too much. Wet your hands and form the crab mixture into cakes the size of hockey pucks. Place crab cakes on a sheet of parchment paper.
- Heat about 1 inch of canola oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Drop the crab cakes into the oil and cook about 4-5 minutes on each side, until both sides are a golden brown color. Remove with a slotted spoon onto a paper towel-lined platter. Serve with additional parsley and lemon wedges.
7. Lasagna al Forno
No holiday table is complete without a big pan of lasagna. Tender pasta is layered with a hearty bolognese made with Italian sausage, a creamy garlic bechamel and plenty of Parmesan. A generous topping of mozzarella bakes up hot and bubbly. This classic recipe is perfect for special occasions and makes great leftovers for the next day.
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.
6. Vegetable Lasagna with White Sauce
Layered with ricotta, a creamy white sauce, and tender lasagna noodles, this veggie-packed lasagna with broccoli, bell peppers, onion and spinach is every bit as comforting as traditional meat lasagna. Assemble it up to 24 hours ahead, then bake just before guests arrive for a cozy holiday meal.
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.
5. Turkey Tetrazzini
What’s better than a simple, creamy pasta casserole? A simple, creamy pasta casserole made with leftover turkey! This recipe is the perfect way to use up cooked turkey from the fridge, turning it into a rich, creamy, comforting baked dish that can be scooped straight from the pan with a big spoon.
Turkey Tetrazzini
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
- Cook the spaghetti according to package directions for al dente. Drain and set aside.
- In a large pot, melt the butter over low heat. Saute the diced onions and minced garlic until translucent. Add the mushrooms, Italian seasoning and flour. Cook until sizzling, about 2-3 minutes.
- Pour in the wine and stir well. Add the broth and cream. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce to medium low, stirring as the mixture thickens.
- Break the cream cheese into smaller pieces and stir it in, cooking until it melts.
- Remove from heat. Stir in the turkey, 1 cup of mozzarella, Parmesan cheese, peas and spaghetti. Transfer the mixture to a baking dish.
- Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella over top and bake 20-25 minutes. Serve warm.
4. Herby Tortellini with Roasted Mushrooms
Roasted mushrooms may sound boring, but throw button mushrooms in a hot oven and they turn brown and slightly meaty and delicious. Especially with tortellini! A light butter and wine sauce with thyme and shallot sticks to the pasta without overwhelming it. Squeeze of lemon and fresh chives and you’re ready to eat!
Herby Tortellini with Roasted Mushrooms
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Wash, dry and cut the mushrooms into quarters. Arrange mushrooms in a single layer on the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast 15 minutes. Set aside.
- In a saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 Tbsp. butter. Saute the shallots and thyme in the butter until soft. Stir in the wine, reduce heat to low and cook until almost evaporated. Add the broth and continue to simmer 2-3 minutes. Add the pasta and mushrooms and toss to coat.
- Finish by stirring in the remaining 3 Tbsp. butter, chives, lemon juice and more salt. Serve warm.
3. Pesto Ricotta Stuffed Shells
With green pesto, white ricotta and red sauce, these jumbo shells come dressed in Christmas colors. Each shell is filled with creamy ricotta, mozzarella and homemade basil pesto, then baked under a thick, rich tomato gravy.
The sauce bakes right into the shells for a perfect saucy crust on top. Assemble the whole pan ahead of time and just pop it in the oven at lunchtime.
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.
2. Pasta Bravo
The next time you really want to treat yourself, make this creamy pasta. Rigatoni is tossed with tender chicken, crispy mushrooms and a smooth roasted red pepper sauce made with tomatoes, cream, Parmesan and red wine. A bowl of this feels like one big hug. Enjoy it with a side salad, crusty bread and a great glass of wine.
Pasta Bravo Recipe (Creamy Roasted Red Pepper Sauce)
Ingredients
Method
- Cook and drain the pasta according to package directions for al dente. Set aside.
- In a large skillet, melt 2 Tbsp. of butter over medium heat. Cook the chicken until golden brown on both sides, about 6-7 minutes per side. Remove chicken onto a cutting board and slice into bite-sized pieces.
- Add the remaining 1 Tbsp. of butter to the pan along with the mushrooms. Cook until the mushrooms release their liquid and the liquid evaporates. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, heat the extra virgin olive oil over medium heat. Saute the garlic in the oil until it sizzles. Stir in the tomatoes, wine, basil, oregano and salt. Lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes. Stir occasionally.
- Stir in the cream and Parmesan cheese. Remove from heat and stir in the roasted red peppers.
- Using an immersion blender, process the sauce until smooth. Alternatively, transfer the sauce to a food processor and puree until smooth.
- Toss the cooked pasta in the bravo sauce. Add in the mushrooms and chicken. Serve warm.
1. Baked Ravioli
This no-fuss pasta bake is sure to please, no matter the occasion. Frozen ravioli are layered with doctored up tomato sauce, mozzarella and Parmesan, with no boiling required. It bakes until golden brown and bubbling and delivers big flavor with very little effort. Assemble it the night before, then bake it while everyone opens presents.
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.
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