We love turkey and all the trimmings as much as the next person, but sometimes the big bird can feel a bit tired.

If you’re looking for alternatives, we have plenty — thanks to our talented Cityline chefs!

Here are a few of our favourite main courses that our chefs have prepared over the years — we hope one of them will make it onto your holiday table this year!

A ham or pork roast is possibly our favourite alternative to turkey — it’s packed with flavour and easily feeds a crowd. Try Randy Feltis’ maple mustard glazed holiday ham, Claire Tansey’s cracklin’ pork roast with marsala chestnut gravy, or Jason Parsons’ roasted pork loin with apple and sage stuffing.

Lamb has that festive, special-occasion feel about it, but not everyone enjoys its gamey flavour. If you have a group of lamb lovers, may we suggest Jason Parsons’ lamb loin with pea and potato cassoulet? Alternatively, there’s a gorgeous braised lamb shoulder from Michael Bonacini.

Perhaps you still want to go with poultry, but with a different spin. This orange honey turkey breast from Ricardo is moist, full of citrus flavour, and best of all — it’s all done in your slow cooker! Put it in and leave it! That’s the kind of recipe we like here at Cityline. Another showstopper of a dish is this Moroccan-inspired bastilla with spicy harissa dip, from Claire Tansey. Full of spices and with a crisp pastry crust, this main course is sure to impress.

It’s hard to go wrong with beef, whether you choose a tender cut such as the beef tenderloin in Jason Parsons’ beef wellington, or a tougher cut that benefits from low and slow cooking, for example these beef short ribs with roasted garlic and cauliflower puree, courtesy Randy Feltis.

A good option is to serve more than one main — and if you’re doing that, a seafood dish is light and sure to be appreciated. We like Michael Bonacini’s pan-roasted branzino with white beans — it cooks on the stovetop so you don’t have to fight for space in the oven. Another great seafood choice is this elegant scallop dish with mushrooms, leeks and Champagne cream from Massimo Capra.

Don’t forget about the vegetarians coming to dinner! One of our favourite veggie dishes is Claire Tansey’s roasted garlic and sweet potato clafouti.

What are you serving as your main course for Christmas dinner this year? Share in the comments below!