As someone who tests kitchen appliances for a living, one of my favourites of all time has to be the trusty air fryer. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: there is very little that air fryers can’t handle – including cooking an entire Christmas dinner.
We all know that Christmas dinner is one of the most stressful meals of the year. Even if you’re used to cooking a roast every Sunday, come Christmas Day, the pressure is ramped up. Between thinking about how to juggle oven and microwave space, and the endless washing up, it usually results in kitchen carnage.
But with a really good air fryer and some pre-planning, you can enjoy stress-free Christmas food, leaving you with more time to enjoy your prosecco and presents without being tied to the kitchen. Your air fryer isn’t just good for a mid-week meal. When it comes to making one of the most anticipated meals of the year, it can save you time and effort, all while delivering a delicious festive feast.
So, I headed to my local supermarket to pick up all the Christmas dinner essentials, including a turkey crown, to put my air fryer to the ultimate festive test, and I’m here to share with you all the details, so you can discover how to cook your entire Christmas dinner in an air fryer, too.
First things first, you need a decent-sized air fryer, because even a small turkey crown can be too large for many appliances. Make sure the turkey will fit in your air fryer, as you don’t want any nasty surprises on the big day.
The best air fryers for cooking a Christmas feast are, of course, dual-drawer air fryers, as this gives you the freedom to cook your bird in one drawer and sides in another. But we like a challenge here at The Independent, and for this experiment, I used my trusty Ninja 15-in-one foodi max air fryer. Despite it having roast and steam functions, I just used the plain old air fryer setting for all steps.
Just like a traditional Christmas dinner, it pays to plan ahead. Start by making a list of what you’d like on your Christmas dinner – this will help you work out the timings before you start cooking. For my dinner, I kept it simple with a turkey crown, carrots, parsnips, roast potatoes, stuffing balls, Yorkshire pudding (they belong on a Christmas dinner, I won’t hear otherwise), pigs in blankets, and, of course, you can’t leave out the brussels sprouts.
How to cook a turkey in an air fryer
The turkey (or a meat-free alternative) is, of course, the star of the show. It’s unlikely that you will be able to fit a whole turkey in your air fryer, so opt for a crown, which is a lot smaller. If you like the brown meat, then you could switch a crown for a turkey leg instead.
Cooking your turkey in the air fryer is quicker compared with using a conventional oven, but timings will still depend on the size of your bird. I opted for a small turkey crown, which was 1.9kg and would serve about five to seven people, so if there’s just a couple of you for dinner, there will be plenty of leftovers for the traditional turkey curry on Boxing Day.
Before you put your turkey in the air fryer, you need to prepare it. I started by patting it down before adding garlic oil, salt, and pepper, and placing it in the air fryer skin-side down. Cooking it skin-side down first will help it stay juicy and stop the skin from drying out too early. I then cooked it for 25 minutes at 180C.
Then, it’s time to flip the turkey and baste it. You can use the juices that have come out already, or (and this is a top tip for a delicious turkey), mix together some oil and butter with a bit of garlic and brush over the top of the turkey. Cook for an additional 25 minutes at 180C.
After 25 minutes, give it another basting, this time using the juices that are in the bottom of the air fryer, and set it to 165C for about 35 minutes. You don’t want the heat too high, as it could dry out the meat or make the skin tough.
It’s a good idea to invest in one of the best meat thermometers. Your turkey should have an internal temperature of 75C. Once it’s reached that, you know it’s cooked. If you don’t have a thermometer, insert a sharp knife into the thickest part of the turkey – the juices should run clear (which means the meat is cooked). If they don’t run clear, cook the bird for another five to 10 minutes and check again.
Once your turkey is cooked, remove it from the air fryer, cover it loosely in foil and leave it to rest for about 40 minutes. The residual heat will continue to cook the meat and also allow time for the juices to settle. This also gives you enough time to cook the rest of your meal.
How to cook vegetables and Christmas sides in an air fryer
While your turkey is cooking, it’s time to prep your veg and sides. Peel and cut up your potatoes, carrots, parsnips, and sprouts (unless you prefer your sprouts whole – no judgement here, but for me, the smaller the pieces, the better).
The trick is to par-boil your veg. You don’t have to, but it speeds things up and can make all the difference. I par-boiled the potatoes for about 10-12 minutes; the carrots and parsnips for 7-10 minutes, and the brussels sprouts for no longer than four minutes – the last thing you want is a soggy sprout.
Cook your roast potatoes first. There are a couple of ways you can do this. First, you can do what I did, which is to use the turkey fat to cook the roasties. Since you’ve just taken your turkey out, it’ll already be hot and remember, you’ll have that hint of garlic from the basting.
If you don’t fancy that, you could also use goose fat. Spoon one to two tablespoons of fat into the potatoes while they’re still hot (after par-boiling and draining them), then give them a good shake. The heat from the potatoes should melt the fat enough to coat them, giving the same effect as pouring them into a roasting tin of hot fat. If you prefer a slightly healthier option, you could use some spray oil.
No matter how you’re cooking them, don’t forget to season your potatoes – salt, pepper and garlic will level-up your roast-potato game. Throw them straight into the air fryer at 210C for 15 minutes. Give them a shake and cook for another 10 minutes. At this point, I add my carrots and parsnips – this is optional if you don’t have room. I’ll share my tips on keeping everything warm later on.
To prep your veg, glaze your carrots and parsnips, using a teaspoon of honey (or maple syrup) with a splash of olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix through to make sure they are evenly coated, then pop them into some tin foil. Add this in with your roast potatoes as they are finishing cooking, and we will crisp them up at the end.
If you have space, you can also add your brussels sprouts. Add some olive oil, salt, pepper and garlic before transferring them to foil and pop them in with the potatoes and other veg for about 10 to 12 minutes.
Once your potatoes are cooked, add them to some tin foil to keep them warm while you finish the rest of the dinner. Next, it’s time to cook the pigs in blankets and stuffing balls. Add these to the air fryer basket for about 14 minutes on 210C.
Once they are cooked, it’s time to start dishing up. While you’re carving your turkey, put your veg back in the air fryer along with the Yorkshire puddings and cook for about seven minutes. This will crisp up the veg, perfectly cook the Yorkshire puds and give you time to get the rest of your dinner on the plate.
When it comes to gravy, I’ll let you suss that one out. I used instant gravy, which takes seconds to produce. Although you can make it a little tastier by adding a dash of red wine and an Oxo cube if you want to trick people into thinking it’s not just come out of a tub.
And that’s that. All of the elements of your Christmas dinner are done and ready for you to enjoy. Before you put your air fryer away, you can even prep dessert. Some ideas to try include warming mince pies at 180C for about eight minutes, which can be served with a little cream or brandy butter.
Or if you want something a little more luxe, I’d recommend buttered panettone slices. To prepare this, cut thick slices of panettone, add a layer of butter (if you’re feeling super festive, add a dash of cinnamon, or use brandy butter) and cook for six minutes at 180C. This will crisp up and caramelise the outside while leaving the inside fluffy. Serve with vanilla ice cream.
Tips for cooking Christmas dinner in an air fryer
Foil is going to be your best friend, but not all foil is the same. Opt for a thick foil, if possible – this will cost a little more than your supermarket basic, but it holds its shape better and retains more heat, which is ideal when trying to keep multiple dishes warm.
Talking of keeping things warm, if you have a slow cooker, now is the time to get it out. Use the keep-warm function to ensure all your sides stay warm and ready for serving. Wrap them in foil before placing them inside the pot, and they’ll stay at a perfect temperature. If you don’t have a slow cooker, a large pot with a lid should suffice. The heat will stay within the pot, and while it won’t stay quite as warm as using a slow cooker, you won’t lose too much heat.
Another top tip is not to overcrowd your basket. It’s best to cook in batches to make sure everything cooks evenly.
Finally, clean as you go. There is nothing worse at the end of Christmas dinner than having to deal with piles of washing up everywhere. The great thing about cooking your Christmas dinner in an air fryer is that you won’t have as much washing up as you would compared with cooking the meal traditionally. So, while you’re waiting for things to cook, pour yourself a glass of something nice and wash up as you go – you’ll thank yourself later.
The verdict: Cooking Christmas dinner in an air fryer
Cooking your Christmas dinner in an air fryer works a treat. It’s probably not the best option if you’re cooking for a large group, but if you’re a couple or small family, it’s ideal. It takes a fraction of the time compared with traditional cooking methods. As long as you’re organised, it’s a fuss-free way of getting Christmas dinner done so you can enjoy the day.
Ninja 15-in-one air fryer
The model I used was the Ninja 15-in-one air fryer, which landed a spot in my guide. “As an air fryer, it is fantastic. The temperature goes up to 240C, so you get a good crispy finish, and it even sounds an alert halfway through cooking, so you know when to give the basket a little shake, to get a good even cook,” I wrote.
Buy now £320, Argos.co.uk
Cosori smart air fryer twinfry
Another great option for cooking a roast is a dual air fryer – and this Cosori model took the top spot in our guide to the best. The model “really impressed us when it came to even cooking and speed, and air fryer aficionados will enjoy the professional features and wifi connectivity”, noted our writer.
Buy now £169.99, Amazon.co.uk
Need to stock up for the big day? Check out IndyBest’s guide to the best supermarket Christmas food for 2025
