Delicious Leftover Turkey Recipes

I hope your Thanksgiving was filled with great company and delicious food. I wanted to share a little roundup that will make your post-Thanksgiving lunches and dinners easy and fun.

That’s right, I’m stepping up your Thanksgiving leftovers with over 40 amazingly easy recipes using leftover Thanksgviing turkey. I’m all about post-holiday turkey sandwiches, but the whole family is going to LOVE these creative new leftover turkey recipes. Skip the gloppy casseroles and use leftover Thanksgiving turkey in:

• Cozy soups, curries & chilis
• Veggie-packed salads and hearty sandwiches
• Delicious comfort foods (like my famous enchiladas!

Thanksgiving dinner round two, anyone? Let’s get to it.

How long is leftover turkey good for?

Once you take your leftover turkey meat home, be sure to cook up these new recipes within 3-4 days so that the turkey is still good. I like to take the day after Thanksgiving to make a yummy turkey soup, leftover turkey sandwich, or batch of turkey enchiladas. The easiest meal prep for the rest of your week!

Storing & freezing leftover turkey

You can also store and freeze your leftover turkey to enjoy at a later date!

1. To store: store the leftover turkey in airtight containers or reusable silicone bags in the fridge for up to 3-5 days.
2. To freeze: freeze leftover turkey in airtight containers or bags for up to 3 months. Simply thaw the turkey in the refrigerator before using it in recipes.

I hope you guys love all of these delicious ways to use leftover turkey. If you make any of these after Thanksgiving, be sure to leave a comment and let me know how you liked it. Enjoy, xoxo!

Cozy Soups

For soup recipes, feel free to simply add the same amount of cooked turkey as the recipe calls for chicken! It will typically be about 2-3 cups of cooked, shredded turkey, and you can add it 10 minutes before serving. If you’re using a slow cooker, stir in the turkey once the other ingredients are done cooking.

1. Healing Ginger Coconut Chicken Brown Rice Soup
2. Butternut Squash Green Chile Chicken Soup
3. The Best Chicken Soup You’ll Ever Eat
4. Slow Cooker Pumpkin Peanut Butter Chicken Soup
5. Healthy Chicken Pot Pie Soup
6. Nourishing Asian-Inspired Chicken Soup
7. Creamy White Bean Chicken Enchilada Soup
8. Green Chile Chicken Pozole
9. Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup
10. Courtney’s Curry Chicken Noodle Soup
11. Golden Coconut Chicken Lentil Soup

Hearty Stews, Curries, Chilis & Chowders

Just like with soups, add your cooked, shredded turkey 10 minutes before serving! Again, if you’re using a slow cooker, stir in the turkey once everything else is done cooking.

1. Slow Cooker White Wine Chicken Stew
2. One Pot Moroccan Chicken Stew with Sweet Potato & Couscous
3. Slow Cooker Yellow Chicken Curry
4. Southwest Chicken Corn Chowder
5. Healthy White Chicken Chili
6. Slow Cooker Black Bean Quinoa Pumpkin Chicken Chili
7. Healthy Slow Cooker Chicken Tikka Masala
8. One Pan Creamy Thai Peanut Chicken Couscous

Salads, Wraps, Sandwiches & Bowls

Because these recipes already call for cooked chicken, make the recipe as directed, but use cooked turkey instead. These recipes are the perfect way to enjoy your leftovers with lots of veggies.

1. Cherry Jam, Turkey & Spicy Cheddar Grilled Cheese Sandwich (add leftover stuffing if you’re feeling fancy!)
2. Tahini Jalapeño Green Goddess Chicken Salad Wraps
3. 15-Minute Healthy Moroccan-Spiced Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad
4. Crunchy Rainbow Thai Peanut Chicken Wraps
5. Copycat Portillo’s Chopped Salad
6. The Ultimate Spicy Cheddar & Apple Fall Veggie Sandwich
7. Chicken Kale Waldorf Salad with Avocado & Goat Cheese
8. Spicy Ranch Chopped Chicken Cabbage Salad
9. Sesame Chicken Cabbage Crunch Salad
10. Incredible Slow Cooker Pulled Chicken Sandwiches
11. 4 Healthy Mason Jar Salads
12. Healthy Pumpkin Seed & Avocado Pesto Chicken Salad Sandwiches
13. BBQ Ranch Chicken Quinoa Bowls

Easy Comfort Foods

Turkey pot pie? You know it! For these classic comfort food recipes, you’ll just want to add the cooked turkey in place of the chicken. No need to cook it again, of course, so just follow any recipes after the step where you cook the chicken.

1. Spicy Black Bean Chicken Enchiladas with Pumpkin Sour Cream Sauce
2. Blow Ya Mind Cheddar Broccoli Chicken Pot Pie
3. 30-Minute Leftover Sweet Potato & Turkey Enchilada Skillet
4. Pesto Mushroom Chicken Lasagna Roll Ups
5. White Bean, Spinach & Turkey Stuffed Bell Peppers
6. Cheesy BBQ Chicken Stuffed Zucchini Boats
7. Butternut Squash, Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole
8. Whole Wheat Honey-Jalapeño Cornbread Chicken Tamale Pie
9. Ginger Cashew Chicken Stir Fry with Coconut Cauliflower Rice
10. Lightened Up Chicken Pot Pie
11. Roasted Butternut Squash Broccoli Cheddar Chicken Couscous
12. Incredible Caramelized Onion Spinach Chicken Pasta Bake
13. Sweet and Sour Pineapple Broccoli Chicken Stir Fry
14. Dreamy Refried Bean Chicken Enchiladas with Homemade Enchilada Sauce

This post was originally published on November 24, 2019, republished on November 26, 2021, and republished on November 21st, 2023.