Christmas dinner is easier when you plan it as a menu and not as a pile of recipes.
Pick one main, two or three sides, a starter people can eat standing up and a dessert you can make ahead.
Here are 29 ideas to choose from, each with a View Recipe button that takes you to a full recipe on another site, plus tips on timing and temperatures.
Five Rules for Planning a Christmas Dinner
Choose one showpiece. One main that takes effort, and keep the rest simple.
Make ahead where you can. Lasagna, coleslaw and desserts all taste better the next day.
Balance rich with fresh. A salad or roasted vegetables keep heavy food from feeling heavy.
Use a thermometer. Chicken is done at 165°F, and a thermometer takes the guessing out.
Mind the clock. Refrigerate leftovers and dairy within two hours.
1. Roast a Turkey Breast Instead of a Whole Bird
A bone-in turkey breast gives you the holiday look without the all-day roast.
Slices of glazed turkey fan out on a white dish here, with orange halves and rosemary around them.
Salt it the night before, and brush on the glaze in the last 20 minutes so the sugar doesn't burn.
Pull it at 160°F and rest it under foil. It climbs to a safe 165°F as it rests.
2. Bake Salmon for the Guests Who Skip Meat
A fish option means nobody leaves hungry. Three salmon fillets with lemon slices and parsley sit in butter sauce in a baking dish here.
Bake at 400°F for 12 to 15 minutes, until the center flakes easily.
Dry the fish well with paper towels first, so the butter sauce clings.
3. Let a Slow Cooker Handle the Roast
A slow cooker frees your oven for everything else.
A chuck roast topped with garlic butter and herbs sits in a slow cooker here, with juices pooling at the base.
- Sear the roast first for deeper flavor, then cook on low for 8 hours.
- Use a thermometer. Fork-tender is about 200°F inside.
4. Stuff Chicken Breasts for a Fancy Main
Stuffed chicken looks like effort, but it's simple.
A golden chicken breast is cut open to show a creamy herb and cheese filling here, with a pan sauce around it.
Cut a deep pocket along the side, and don't overfill it. Use toothpicks to hold it closed, and check for 165°F in the thickest part.
5. Cook Herb Chicken Thighs in a Skillet
Thighs stay juicy, so they forgive timing mistakes.
Browned thighs sit in a creamy herb sauce in a skillet here.
Quick tip: Start skin-side down in a cold-ish pan and don't move them until they release.
Finish in the oven, so the chicken cooks through without burning.
6. Simmer Chicken Breasts in a Garlic Cream Sauce
A pan sauce makes lean chicken feel rich. Chicken breasts in a pale creamy garlic sauce with parsley fill a skillet here.
Pound the breasts to an even thickness for even cooking.
Let the sauce reduce until it coats a spoon.
7. Bake a Chicken Pot Pie Ahead of Time
A pot pie is comfort food you can make a day ahead.
A golden crust has been cut to show creamy chicken and vegetables in a white dish here. Cool the filling before it goes into the crust, or the bottom will go soggy.
Cut slits in the top, and brush with egg wash for shine.
8. Layer a Meat Lasagna the Day Before
Lasagna is better after a night in the fridge.
A square of lasagna with melted cheese and a rich meat sauce sits on a plate here.
- Assemble it, cover it and bake it the next day, adding 15 minutes if it's cold.
- Let it rest for 15 minutes after baking so it holds its shape.
9. Bake Mac and Cheese Until the Top Crackles
The crisp top is what everyone wants. A golden mac and cheese has a creamy middle and a browned crust, with a spoon digging in here.
- Grate your own cheese. Pre-shredded cheese has starch that makes sauce grainy.
- Broil for the last two minutes for extra color.
10. Toss Mushrooms Into a Cream Pasta
A meatless pasta is a relief on a table full of meat. Fettuccine in a creamy sauce with browned mushrooms and parsley sits on a plate here.
Brown the mushrooms in a dry pan first, so they don't steam. Save a cup of pasta water. It loosens the sauce.
11. Shape a Charcuterie Board Like a Tree
A tree-shaped board makes a snack table the centerpiece.
Cheese cubes, salami, grapes, crackers and olives fill a tree-shaped wooden board with rosemary here.
Start with the big items, then fill the gaps with nuts and fruit.
Use rosemary sprigs as the greenery, and set it out just before guests arrive.
12. Stuff Mushrooms With Cream Cheese
Stuffed mushrooms are the starter that vanishes first. Mushroom caps with a golden cream cheese filling are set on a tray here.
Fill them the day before and bake just before guests arrive.
Use a small cookie scoop for even portions.
13. Bake Chicken Puff Pastry Pockets
Pastry makes anything feel festive.
Golden puff pastry pockets with sesame seeds sit on parchment here.
- Keep the pastry cold until it goes in the oven, so it puffs.
- Freeze them unbaked, then bake from frozen.
14. Glaze Chicken Wings With Honey Garlic
Wings are the finger food nobody turns down.
Sticky glazed chicken wings are piled on a plate here.
Dry the wings and toss them with baking powder for crispy skin. Bake on a rack at 425°F, then toss in the sauce.
15. Crust Mozzarella Sticks in Crushed Crackers
A cracker coating gives a crunch with flavor.
Golden mozzarella sticks sit on a plate with marinara and a box of crackers here.
Quick tip: Freeze the sticks for an hour before coating so the cheese doesn't leak.
Air fry for the crispiest result.
16. Fry Potato Croquettes
Croquettes are mashed potato in a crisp shell. Golden croquettes sit on a wire rack on a baking sheet here.
Chill the mixture before shaping, and coat twice for extra crunch.
Bake or air fry if you don't want to deep fry.
17. Whip Mashed Potatoes With Chives
Good mashed potatoes need only potatoes, butter and patience.
A bowl of creamy potatoes is swirled and topped with chives here. Use Yukon Golds, and dry them in the pot after draining.
Warm the milk and butter before adding.
18. Roast Potatoes Until They Crackle
The secret to crisp potatoes is rough edges.
Golden roast potatoes with rosemary sit in a dark baking dish here.
- Parboil for 10 minutes, shake in the pot to rough up the edges, then roast at 425°F.
- Preheat the pan with oil in it.
19. Roast Vegetables With Balsamic
A tray of colorful vegetables brightens a heavy meal. Brussels sprouts, carrots, peppers and red onion shine with glaze on a platter here.
- Cut everything to the same size so it cooks evenly.
- Add the balsamic at the end to prevent burning.
20. Toss an Apple Walnut Salad
A fresh salad cuts through the richness. Apple slices, walnuts, crumbled cheese and greens fill a bowl here.
Dress it just before serving so the greens stay crisp. Toss the apples in lemon juice to keep them from browning.
21. Make Coleslaw Ahead
Coleslaw improves as it sits.
Creamy slaw with carrot and cabbage fills a bowl with a spoon here.
Make it a few hours ahead so the flavors blend.
Salt the cabbage first and drain it.
22. Broil Cheesy Garlic Bread
Garlic bread is the side that disappears. Two halves of bread covered in browned cheese and parsley sit on a pan here.
Use a loaf with a soft inside and a crisp crust.
Broil for the last minute, and watch it closely.
23. Roll a Chocolate Yule Log
A Yule log is the showstopper dessert.
A chocolate log with bark texture and sugared cranberries sits on a plate here.
- Roll the sponge while it's warm, so it doesn't crack.
- Chill before slicing for clean cuts.
24. Serve Sticky Toffee Pudding Warm
Warm sauce on a sponge is a winning combination.
Sticky toffee pudding with sauce and cream sits in a bowl here.
Make the sauce ahead and reheat gently. Bake in ramekins for easy portions.
25. Bake Gingerbread Men
Gingerbread cookies are a classic for a reason.
Gingerbread men with icing smiles sit on a plate here.
Quick tip: Chill the dough for an hour so it holds its shape.
Roll to a quarter-inch thick.
26. Top Brownies With Sprinkles
Sprinkles turn brownies into a festive treat. Brownie squares with red and green sprinkles are stacked on a plate here with a mug.
Use a lined pan, so you can lift them out.
Add sprinkles in the last minutes so they don't melt.
27. Pipe Mini Santa Hat Cheesecakes
Little cheesecakes are party-sized.
Mini cheesecakes topped with cream and a strawberry look like Santa hats on a cake stand here. Bake in a water bath for a smooth top.
Add strawberries just before serving.
28. Bake Mini Pavlovas
Pavlovas are light after a heavy meal.
Meringue nests with cream and berries sit on a plate here.
- Bake low and slow, then leave in the oven to cool.
- Add the toppings at the last minute.
29. Scoop Chocolate Peppermint Mousse
Mousse cups are easy to make ahead. Chocolate mousse cups with cream and peppermint sit on a table here.
- Chill for at least four hours.
- Use a piping bag for neat tops.
Common Christmas Dinner Mistakes (and Fixes)
Trying too many new recipes. Try one new dish and keep the rest familiar.
Everything needing the oven at once. Use a slow cooker, a stovetop dish and one oven dish.
Skipping the rest. Let roasts rest for 15 to 20 minutes before carving.
Forgetting dietary needs. Offer at least one vegetarian main or side.
Pick a main, two sides, a starter and a dessert, and write down what can be made ahead. A calm cook makes a better dinner than a long menu.