50 Easy Christmas Chicken Recipes That Are Perfect for the Holidays

It tastes as glorious as it looks. Even better, it cooks to crispy perfection in a single skillet.

Minimal effort, maximum flavor. Can you believe this stunner is only seven ingredients away? (And that's *including* salt and pepper.)

Baked in a skillet for crispy brown edges, of course. Store-bought frozen puff pastry makes it a breeze to assemble.

A crowd-pleasing appetizer if we’ve ever seen one. Serve them with blue cheese dressing, celery, carrots and lots of toothpicks.

Warning: This one will go fast, even at the picky kids' table. It's prime for casual holiday dinner with a few friends or relatives.

Their juiciness is a Christmas miracle all its own. The acidic Greek yogurt marinade helps tenderize the chicken pieces.

Who invited Julia Child to dinner? (OK, it was us.) This French classic is ridiculously impressive, and our version is ready in less than an hour.

Crockpot season is a big-time blessing for busy hosts. This crowd-pleaser basically prepares itself, people.

So crispy, yet no messy frying required. You probably have nearly all the ingredients you need already in your kitchen, too.

This stunner doubles as a gorgeous centerpiece. Serve it once and crown yourself the hostess with the mostest—your guests sure will.

Pastries at cocktail hour? Don’t mind if we do. Shred a store-bought rotisserie chicken for the filling to speed things along.

Pan-fried chicken stuffed with gooey cheese is our idea of festive. Feel free to fall-ify the arugula salad with sweet potatoes, squash or candied nuts.

Easy, gorgeous and delicious are our three favorite food groups. You won't need to boil the rice separately either; it cooks right in the skillet with the chicken.

Complete with honey-roasted kabocha squash and coconut rice, this main couldn't be more wintry if it tried.

Oh hi, caramelized Medjool dates and briny olives. This dish is equal parts savory, briny and sweet.

All you need are seven ingredients, one casserole dish and one hour. While the drumsticks cook, prepare your sides on the stovetop.

Your guests won't ever see this Insta-worthy wonder coming (and they'll have no idea that it only required four ingredients).

Fact: Appetizers just taste better on a stick. Make the zingy, creamy dip ahead to save time on the big day.

If you’re only serving four this year, look no further than this mess-free meal. (Dirty dishes kind of kill the post-dinner mood, no?)

Skip the tricky bird carving in favor of these skin-on chicken thighs. They're basically impossible to overcook.

The perfect pairing for roasted sweet potatoes, if we do say so ourselves. The star ingredient is za'atar, a savory, aromatic Middle Eastern spice blend.

No rotisserie required—you're welcome. Nearly all the ingredients are pantry staples you likely have on hand right now.

Because dirty dishes are not on your holiday wishlist. Serve with dinner rolls or biscuits so not a drop of the creamy lemon sauce goes to waste.

In the Barefoot Contessa we trust. (The recipe calls for one-and-a-half heads of garlic, so you know it's delicious.)

Bury us in the savory-sweet glaze, please. It helps the veggies and chicken caramelize just right. Serve with rice or risotto.

The dressing uses olives and Worcestershire sauce, two vegetarian alternatives that offer just as much punchy flavor as traditional anchovies.

Just set it and forget it on Christmas Eve, then let it cook overnight. Set out some cookies for Santa so he's not tempted to investigate the herby aroma.

Save your carrot greens for garnishing. They look luxurious and pretty next to sliced rainbow radishes.

Low and slow = crackly, crispy skin. This one-pan delight also only requires six ingredients, believe it or not.

Talk about a soul food essential. The recipe calls for using chicken wings, but you could substitute legs or thighs if you'd prefer.

The sprouts soak up allllll the pan juices, resulting in the most autumnal, drool-worthy veggie side of all time. Thank us later.

This starter is bound to warm your bones. The broth is already flavorful, but adding turmeric root will offer both vibrant color and anti-inflammatory perks.

Be sure to use pure maple syrup instead of pancake syrup here. It's the only sweet element in the butter rub (and arguably the most important).

Thyme, rosemary and oregano, oh my! Bring on the red potatoes, Brussels sprouts, carrots and butternut squash.

If you have a crowd coming (or if you want leftovers), simply double the recipe and use two pans. Thanks, Dorie Greenspan.

Nonna will be so proud, even if you skip the whole cauldron-over-a-fire thing that they did in the old days. (This take cooks in a single skillet instead.)

Pro tip: Reserve half the honey-mustard sauce and drizzle it over the chicken and veggies just before broiling to caramelize the top.

Between the tender rice, juicy chicken, creamy broth and toasty ciabatta, this app just might outshine the main course. Pass the Parm, please.

Come on, it’s already sporting a Christmas color scheme. Serve it with pasta, Caesar salad or garlic bread.

Winner, winner, magazine-caliber chicken dinner. Your Crockpot really can do anything.

This citrusy, honey-kissed gem is only one hour away. Whether you use thighs, drums, wings or even pork ribs, plate them with salad, pasta or rice.

Bye-bye, tedious cleanup. We'll pick crumbled feta cheese over dirty dishes any day. Might we suggest making a big Greek salad to serve alongside?

The key to this Portuguese main is spatchcocking the chicken to reduce the cooking time and maximize the crispness of the skin.

An easy, kid-friendly meal for a casual Christmas. If you want to play it extra chill, serve the chicken on sub rolls with extra pesto, arugula and lemon juice.

A buttermilk marinade ensures luscious, tender meat and a shatteringly crisp exterior. Just be sure to leave yourself plenty of time for brining the chicken.

Risotto is delicious, but the O.G. method of making it can be a time suck. This version is almost totally hands-off, since it cooks in the oven.

Are these not the cutest little casseroles you ever did see? We have a feeling the kids will gobble them up in ten seconds flat.

Don't let the homemade stock intimidate you. It's pared down for the sake of simplicity, so it won't be as fussy to prepare as you think.

We're betting that if this was the sole dish you served on Christmas, not one guest would complain. Such is the power of warm marinara and crisp, cheesy chicken.

It doesn't take much to create this soul-soothing entree. Twenty garlic cloves + five thyme sprigs + 1 lemon = pure holiday magic.