OUT NOW! Bored of Lunch Healthy Fakeaways 🍔🍟
Buy NowBlog / How to Cook a Christmas Dinner with an Air Fryer & Slow Cooker
How to Cook a Christmas Dinner with an Air Fryer & Slow Cooker
If the thought of juggling oven trays, roasting tins and timings fills you with dread, here’s some good news… you can cook your Christmas dinner using just your air fryer and slow cooker!
Planning Your Menu
The key to a successful no-oven Christmas dinner is smart planning. Think of your air fryer as the tool for crisping and roasting, and your slow cooker as the secret weapon for tender, flavour-packed mains and sides.
Your festive menu might look something like this:
- Main: Slow Cooker Gammon or Air Fryer Turkey Crown
- Sides: Air Fryer Roast Potatoes, Air Fryer Stuffing Balls, and Air Fryer Pigs in Blankets
- Desserts: Something quick and festive featuring festive drinks like Baileys
This mix gives you everything you’d expect from a traditional Christmas dinner… just cooked smarter, not harder.
What to Cook in the Air Fryer
Your air fryer is the star when it comes to crisp, golden edges and quick results. It takes care of everything that needs that perfect crunch or golden finish.
Air Fryer Dry-brined Crispy Turkey Crown
Cooking your turkey crown in the air fryer gives you a juicy centre with crispy skin — and it’s ready in a fraction of the time it takes in the oven. Perfect for smaller gatherings or if you’re cooking multiple meats.
Air Fryer Roast Potatoes
No Christmas dinner is complete without roasties. The air fryer makes them crisp on the outside, fluffy in the middle, and perfectly golden. They cook quickly, use less oil and can be kept warm easily while you finish off the rest of your air fryer Christmas dinner.
Air Fryer Pigs in Blankets
These festive favourites cook beautifully in the air fryer — evenly crisp bacon, juicy sausage and ready in minutes. Ideal for serving as part of the main event or as a snack while the rest of dinner cooks.
Air Fryer Cranberry & Soy Cocktail Sausages
Nigella is the queen of Christmas in my opinion and I was inspired to make her cranberry and soy cocktail sausages with a twist. ENJOY!
Air Fryer Stuffing Balls
The air fryer ensures each stuffing ball is crisp outside but soft inside — no soggy edges or uneven cooking. They’re the perfect finishing touch to your Christmas dinner recipes, and they reheat beautifully too.
What to Cook in the Slow Cooker
The slow cooker is your best friend for anything that benefits from low-and-slow cooking. It delivers unbeatable flavour, tender textures and frees you up to enjoy the day.
Slow Cooker Honey Mustard Ham (Cooked in Cola)
Sticky, sweet and tender, slow cooker ham is a festive classic that practically cooks itself. Add your favourite glaze — honey and mustard, cranberry or brown sugar — and let the slow cooker do all the work while you focus on sides and desserts.
Slow Cooker Mulled Wine
Honestly, my favourite smell at Christmas. Slow cooker mulled wine allows the flavours to gently infuse without boiling, so you get a perfectly warm, spiced drink every time… ideal for festive gatherings.
Slow Cooker Bailey's Bread & Butter Pudding
I am making this on Christmas day. If you love Bailey’s you need to try it. So easy to make, and incredibly moreish.
Slow Cooker Terry’s Chocolate Fondant
Possibly the world’s LARGEST chocolate fondant in a Slowcooker using just SIX INGREDIENTS!!
Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate
This isn’t just any hot chocolate; it’s blend of Lindt chocolate and Baileys that creates pure magic in a mug. Perfect for cosy nights in or festive gatherings. Ho ho ho 🎅
Full Cooking Schedule
Here’s how to time it all perfectly without any stress:
Christmas Eve:
- Prep your gammon and get it into the slow cooker if you want it cooked ahead of time. It reheats beautifully the next day.
- Chop your potatoes and vegetables ready for the morning.
Christmas Morning:
- Start your slow cooker gammon early — around 8am if you want to eat at lunchtime.
- Add your slow cooker veggie sides about 3 hours before serving.
A few hours before dinner:
- Preheat your air fryer and get the turkey crown cooking.
- Once the turkey is done, wrap it in foil to rest and pop your air fryer roast potatoes straight in.
Closer to serving:
- Add your air fryer pigs in blankets and stuffing balls — they’ll be ready in around 15 minutes.
- Warm any sides if needed and plate up your stress-free air fryer and slow cooker Christmas dinner.
Christmas Leftover Ideas
The best part of Christmas? The leftovers! And both your gadgets make it easy to turn them into new meals.
- Air Fryer Christmas Toasties: Load leftover turkey and stuffing into a sandwich, air fry until crisp and gooey.
- Slow Cooker Turkey Curry: Add leftover meat to your slow cooker curry sauce for a delicious fakeaway style dinner.
- Slow Cooker Soup: Use leftover veg and stock to make a warming winter soup.
Final Thoughts
Cooking Christmas dinner doesn’t have to mean chaos. With just an air fryer and a slow cooker, you can serve up a full festive feast — tender meat, crispy sides and all the trimmings — without ever touching the oven.
These air fryer Christmas dinner and slow cooker Christmas dinner recipes are proof that with a little planning, you can have all the flavour of a traditional Christmas meal, minus the stress (and washing up).
So plug in your gadgets, pour yourself a festive drink, and get ready for your easiest, most relaxed Christmas yet!!
Nathan 🙂
Join the newsletter
Subscribe to the BoL newsletter for exclusive recipes, exciting competitions, and much more!