These easy Christmas turkey recipes are guaranteed to make your holiday dinner a feast to remember!
I’m talking roasted, sweet glazed, deep-fried, and dry-brined birds. Oh my!
Your next holiday dinner will be unforgettable with a roulade or a Wellington. Or give Matha Stewart’s butter cheesecloth turkey a try.
It’s seriously to die for!
No matter what you cheese, these heavenly Christmas turkey recipes will make the day a success.
So, let’s forget about dry birds and tough meat and make some juicy, succulent turkey for Christmas!
1. Garlic Herb Butter Roast Turkey
A classic roasted turkey deserves a place on the Christmas table. And this recipe captures classic flavors of garlic and butter.
I mean, who doesn’t do a little happy dance when butter and garlic come to the party?
You’ll give the bird a dry rub treatment on the skin, so when it comes out of the oven, it’s golden and glistening.
2. Dry-Brined Turkey
Unlike traditional brines, this dry-brined recipe only requires 24 hours of marinating.
It crisps up like a dream in the oven, and who doesn’t love crispy skin?
But that buttery, garlicky glaze takes everything over the edge. It’s so addictive, and the turkey melts in your mouth.
3. Roast Turkey with Chestnut Stuffing
You haven’t lived until you’ve tried this chestnut stuffing! And this recipe for roast turkey is pretty good, too.
The chestnuts and sausage permeate every inch of the bird while baking. It delivers a massive flavor with minimal effort.
Do not sleep on this recipe!
4. Sage Browned Butter Turkey
If you’ve never made brown butter before, now is the time to try it!
It’s as easy as gently cooking butter in a pan until it turns brown. But the flavor is something else!
It’s rich, nutty, and incredible. And when you add sage to the mix, it’s suddenly perfect for your Christmas Day dinner.
5. Cranberry-Glazed Turkey Breast
No need to make the cranberry sauce this Christmas, this recipe has it all!
My favorite part of this recipe is the simplicity of cooking just the turkey breast.
This makes the cooking time so much faster, and no there’s no uneven cooking!
The turkey breast is roasted with a delicious, homemade rosemary and cranberry sauce.
6. Baked Turkey Wings
If your Christmas gathering is small this year, you have to try these baked turkey wings!
They’re so juicy and delicious and baked to perfection in the oven.
The secret ingredient is the cream of mushroom soup. It delivers hearty flavors without unloading your spice rack.
7. Herb Butter Maple Roast Turkey
Maple and butter paired with tender turkey are the perfect pairing this holiday season.
This classic recipe has all the common poultry herbs you would expect in a turkey dinner.
But it goes a step further with the addition of maple syrup in the butter.
Gorgeous, simple, and delicious. What more can you ask for at Christmas dinner?
8. Apple Cider Brined Turkey With Savory Herb Gravy
This delicious recipe is going to make your next Christmas dinner unforgettable.
It’s tender, juicy, and flavorful beyond all belief!
The apple cider brine adds a delicious sweetness to the juices in the turkey meat.
Top that with the savory gravy full of fresh herbs? Perfection!
9. Rolled Turkey Roast with Cranberry Hazelnut Stuffing
Here’s another fantastic dinner option for those smaller family dinners.
It pairs white meat turkey breasts with the best cranberry hazelnut stuffing you’ve had in your life!
The stuffing is savory and nutty with a tart kick from cranberries. Think of it as an entire turkey Christmas dinner rolled into a turkey breast.
10. Smoked Turkey Breast With Honey Glaze
‘Tis the season to give your oven a break and smoke your next turkey!
As long as you have a smoker and a bit of bourbon, you have this recipe down.
Trust me when I say this is no traditional Christmas turkey recipe. It has a rich and smoky flavor, and a sweet brown sugar and bourbon glaze.
11. Air Fryer Turkey
I know we don’t all have huge air fryers. But I’m willing to bet a bunch of you do!
If you’re in that camp, you have to try this air fryer Christmas turkey.
The big bird gets a double dose of herb butter – on top and underneath the skin. So you know it’s gonna be insanely moist.
After a trip in the air fryer, is crisps to golden perfection, and it’s so juicy on the inside!
12. Instant Pot Turkey
We have made so many other delicious dinners in the Instant Pot. So, why not cook a turkey in there?
As long as your turkey will fit in the Instant Pot on a trivet, you’re good to go for this recipe.
It’s so easy – just add veggies, herbs, and turkey, and let the Instant Pot do all the heavy lifting.
13. Crockpot Turkey Thighs
Get ready because your kitchen is about to smell amazing. This recipe for crockpot turkey thighs is so simple it feels like cheating.
Bright citrus and cranberries paired with fragrant herbs and hearty turkey thighs are a flavor powerhouse.
After it comes out of its holiday crockpot bath, the turkey meat just slides off the bone. Delicious!
14. Turkey Sloppy Joes
Who says you can’t have sloppy Joes over the holiday? And these aren’t your average sandwiches. they’re Jamie Oliver sloppy Joes!
They pair tender shredded chicken with apples, spices, and fresh mint on a hearty bun.
It tastes like the holidays packed into a bun, and is so easy to throw together in a flash.
15. Maple Prosciutto-Wrapped Turkey Breasts
Picture it: turkey breast wrapped in prosciutto, then glazed with maple. Is your mouth watering yet?
The turkey breasts are so melt-in-your-mouth tender thanks to an easy brine, and it all comes together in herb butter.
Seriously, your family will go crazy over this fantastic turkey recipe!
16. Maple-Glazed Spatchcock Turkey
Spatchcock refers to the way the turkey is broken down before baking. And don’t worry, this step is easy, and it makes the meat cook more evenly.
Coat it in delicious maple butter before roasting and you won’t believe how fast and tasty this bird is.
17. Turkey Roulade
A roulade is simply a dish of meat rolled with a filling. This particular recipe is turkey rolled with homemade stuffing.
Think of it as Christmas dinner all rolled up into a scrumptious protein. The bright herbal flavors of stuffing permeate every inch of the turkey.
It may be a little finicky, but it’s well worth the final result. Trust me.
18. Butter Cheesecloth Turkey
This cheesecloth turkey recipe is genius, and I wouldn’t expect anything less from Martha.
Place a cheesecloth over butter and herbs, creating a turkey blanket for your bird as it cooks.
All those flavors and juices stick close by and seep into every inch.
It’s a clever turkey hack for the most flavorful, juicy Christmas Day dinner.
19. Best Grilled Turkey
Most people either roast their turkeys. And a few brave the deep fryer, of course.
But those people are missing out on some of the best turkey: grilled!
Start by preparing the turkey as you would to roast in the oven. Citrus and herbs, butter, and a touch of salt and pepper are key here.
While the seasoning is simple, much of the flavor comes from the grill!
20. BBQ Turkey with Mustard Sauce
Don’t let the title fool you, there is no barbecue sauce in this recipe.
Instead, enjoy a delicious sweet and tangy mustard sauce over grilled turkey cutlets.
The grilling is done in two parts to ensure the meat is cooked just right.
Start with a sear to hold in the juices, then slow cook it on the grill. Delicious!
21. Stuffed Turkey Breast
If you like stuffed pork chops, you’ll love this recipe.
It’s time to turn plain old turkey into something exciting this Christmas Eve!
The turkey is rolled up with a creamy mixture of cheese, spinach, and bacon.
While it bakes, all those flavors bleed into the turkey for an insanely flavorful main course.
22. Pancetta, Turkey & Chestnut Brioche Burgers
Looking for something a little outside of the box? If the weather is unseasonably warm this Christmas, try these burgers!
No law states you can’t have burgers over the holidays.
And these juicy turkey burgers pair holiday staples like chestnuts, stuffing, and cranberries with yummy roasted vegetables.
But if you don’t want to have holiday burgers, it’s also a great way to repurpose leftovers!
23. Crispy Skin Slow Cooker Turkey
I know what you’re thinking: since when does the slow cooker crisp anything?
Sure, you can slow cook and get that succulent and juicy meat. But you can have crispy skin, too!
It does require just a pinch of oven broiling to really get that golden crispy skin.
24. Deep-Fried Turkey
If you’ve never fried a turkey, don’t fret! I think it’s easier than trying to roast one.
This recipe walks you through the easiest way to fry your turkey for Christmas.
It all starts with a dry rub and injectable marinade. Then, you just need a steady hand.
This turkey dinner will be so delicious, Thanksgiving will be jealous. It has crispy skin and tender, juicy meat. Yum!
25. Cranberry Hazelnut Turkey Wellington
Most home cooks have heard of a beef Wellington. But have you ever tried a festive turkey Wellington?
Delicious layers of cranberry sauce, herbs, hazelnuts, and turkey are wrapped in a pastry crust.
With so much flavor in every bite, you might not even need sides!
25 Best Christmas Turkey Recipes
These Christmas turkey recipes will be the stars of your holiday table! From garlic butter and cranberry-glazed to this Christmas stuffed turkey breast, you can’t go wrong with these dinners.
Ingredients
- For the Stuffing
16 ounces stale bread, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon oil
1 pound sage pork sausage (or sweet or spicy Italian sausage), casings removed
1/3 cup unsalted butter
1 large onion, finely diced
2 celery stalks, diced
5 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley, minced
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh sage, minced
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 1/2 cups low sodium chicken stock
1 pasteurized egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup dried cranberries, optional
- For the Turkey
2 large turkey breasts
1 1/2 pounds bacon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F and line a baking sheet with parchment.
- Spread the bread cubes over the tray and bake until lightly toasted, about 7-10 minutes.
- When done, remove them from the oven and transfer them to a large bowl. Set aside.
- Warm the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the sausages until browned, breaking up large chunks with a spatula. Add to the bread cubes.
- In the same skillet, melt the butter and sauté the onions, celery, garlic, parsley, sage, rosemary or thyme, salt and pepper.
- When the onions are soft, add 1/2 cup of stock and reduce it by half, about 5 minutes.
- Pour the onion mixture into the bowl with the sausage and bread cubes. Add the rest of the stock, the beaten egg, and the cranberries (if using) and mix well.
- Let sit for 5-10 minutes or until the bread has soaked in all the liquid.
- While the stuffing rests, butterfly the turkey breasts. Pound them into uniform thickness and pat dry with paper towels.
- On a clean surface, layer a few sheets of plastic wrap and lengths of butcher twine long enough to wrap around the turkey.
- Then, lay the bacon strips in a row, slightly overlapping, until they’re a couple of inches longer than the turkey breast.
- Place the pounded turkey breast on top, then spoon the stuffing into a large log down the middle.
- Carefully lift the bacon and turkey, using the plastic so the bacon doesn’t tear.
- Roll the turkey over, moving away from you, until the stuffing is rolled and hidden inside.
- Pinch and seal the edges, wrapping any excess bacon over the ends. Tie the twine without squashing the meat.
- Gently move the wrapped turkey to the baking sheet, placing it seam-side down.
- Roast at 325°F for about 40 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 150°F.
- Increase the heat to 400°F and cook for 10-15 minutes, until the bacon is browned and crispy.
- Take the turkey out of the oven and let it rest for 10 minutes.
- Slice and serve with pan juices or gravy. Enjoy!
Notes
- The internal temperarture should read 165°F before consuming.
- To make ahead, roll the stuffing inside the turkey and wrap it with plastic wrap. Keep in the fridge for 1 day before roasting.
