Zero-Oven

Christmas Mains

Featuring Stovetop And Air Fryer Showstoppers

Quick Summary

If your oven is booked solid like Santa’s sleigh on Christmas Eve, or you simply don’t own one, this festive menu proves you’re not doomed to order takeaway. Some of these options are MasterChef-level mains made entirely on the stovetop and in the air fryer. From glossy honey-glazed ham to golden lamb chops and skillet-finished showstoppers, these dishes might just make your cooking feel like a holiday episode of The Bear!

Deep Dive

Cooking Christmas dinner without an oven is not a recipe for disaster. Rather, it offers several advantages. There are two ways you can go about this – the air fryer method and the stovetop method. Air fryers cook food faster and more efficiently than traditional ovens, saving both time and energy costs. Stovetop methods give you more control over the cooking process and keep your kitchen cooler. Plus, when oven space is at a premium during the holidays, having alternatives means you can cook multiple dishes simultaneously.

Air Fryer Christmas Main Dishes

Make healthy eating a central theme for Christmas as an air fryer takes away the hassle of oven roasting or cooking, with a wide range, less oil, faster cooking and easier cleanup, once the dish is done cooking. 

Air Fryer Roast Turkey Breast

A whole turkey might be a bit much for a smaller gathering, and even for the air fryer. So out goes the whole turkey and in comes the turkey breast. Pick bone-in turkey breast or boneless, which cook in about one hour in the air fryer, and deliver on the crispy skin and moist meat without turning your entire house into a hearth. Make sure to rub the breast with herb butter  (sage, thyme, and rosemary) for classic Christmas flavours.

Air Fryer Roast Chicken

A whole chicken, around 2 kgs or so, fits well in most air fryers and cooks in under an hour. Season with Christmas-centric spices like cinnamon, allspice, and orange zest, or go traditional with garlic and herbs. The circulating hot air creates incredibly crispy skin while keeping the meat juicy.

Air Fryer Lamb Chops

The air fryer cooks lamb chops quickly and evenly, producing a nicely browned surface while preserving the natural tenderness of the meat. This approach works particularly well for smaller cuts, making it a great entree. Season the lamb with olive oil, crushed garlic, rosemary, pepper, and lemon. Cook in the air fryer until the outside is lightly crisp and the inside remains juicy, turning once for even cooking.

Honey Glazed Ham

This method works best with a pre-cooked or spiral-cut ham, allowing the glaze to caramelise quickly without drying out the meat. The air fryer’s circulating heat creates a glossy, golden exterior while keeping the ham juicy inside. Prepare a glaze using honey, mustard, brown sugar, and a bit of apple cider vinegar. Brush generously over the ham and air fry at a moderate temperature, basting once or twice.

Stovetop Christmas Main Dishes

Nothing beats the OG when the oven and air fryer are tired or just plain busy. There are many meat dishes, from chicken to ham, that turn out delicious on your stovetop. 

Shrimp Scampi

Plump shrimp are sautéed in a skillet with garlic, white wine, and lemon, creating a fragrant sauce that clings to each piece. A sprinkling of fresh parsley and black pepper adds fresh colour and flavour. The cooked shrimp should be opaque and tender, which bask in that garlicky, citrusy sauce. Serve over buttered pasta, noodles, or polenta.

Orange-Pomegranate Salmon

Fresh salmon fillets are pan-seared until the fish develops a thin crust while the inside stays tender. Top with a simple pan sauce made from orange segments or juice, pomegranate seeds, lemon, and white wine or stock to balance the sweetness. This citrus-accented fish works well as a festive centrepiece.

Pork Tenderloin with Apple Stuffing

Pork tenderloin gets a holiday glam up, cooked on a stovetop and paired with a skillet apple stuffing. Brown the tenderloin in a heavy pan to develop a rich crust, then remove and set aside. Sauté sliced apples, onions, and herbs in the same pan until they soften and caramelise. Return the pork to the skillet, nestle it into the apples, and let everything finish cooking on medium heat.

Stovetop Chicken-Prosciutto Pinwheels in Wine Sauce

For a refined stovetop main, roll tender chicken breasts around prosciutto and fresh herbs to create pinwheels. Sear them in a skillet until the outside is golden, then deglaze the pan with white wine and a splash of broth or stock. Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly and infuses the chicken with rich, aromatic flavour. Serve these pinwheels with their silky wine sauce spooned over the top, making for a restaurant-worthy Christmas main that comes together entirely on the stove.

Side Dishes to Complete Your No-Oven Feast

Don't forget that your Christmas sides can also be made without an oven. Air fryer Brussels sprouts turn crispy in 15 minutes. Stovetop mashed potatoes and sugar-coated sweet potatoes are also good choices. Green beans steam-fried in a skillet maintain their colour and crunch. You can even make stuffing on the stovetop in a large skillet.

Tips for Success

Consider cooking your ham the day before Christmas. Ham actually improves from an overnight rest and carves more easily when cold, so you can reheat slices as needed. This frees up all your equipment on Christmas Day for other dishes.

For air fryer cooking, if you have a two-basket model, you can cook your protein in one basket and a side dish in the other, making meal prep even faster.

A complete no-oven Christmas dinner might include air fryer turkey breast or glazed chicken as the main, stovetop mashed potatoes, air fryer Brussels sprouts, stovetop green beans with almonds, and instant pot cranberry sauce. Finish with a no-bake dessert like chocolate trifle or cheesecake.

Chicken is significantly more affordable than turkey and cooks faster. Chicken thighs are particularly budget-friendly while staying incredibly moist. A slow cooker ham can feed a crowd without breaking the bank, and leftovers make excellent sandwiches and soups.

Oven Free Delights

Creating a festive Christmas dinner without an oven is completely achievable with stovetop and air fryer methods. With these no-oven Christmas main dishes, you can create a memorable holiday meal that leaves you with more time to enjoy with family and less time stressing in the kitchen. Your Christmas dinner doesn't need an oven to be absolutely delicious and perfectly festive.