20 Tasty Ways to Use Up Your Leftover Turkey

November 28, 2019
Looking for some leftover turkey recipes to use up the rest of your Thanksgiving bird? Consider this your one-stop stop for finishing up the rest of your turkey this year. From leftover turkey soup to casseroles and more, we have plenty of delicious ways to repurpose your T-Day main. 
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Cream of Turkey & Wild Rice Soup

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Got leftover cooked chicken or turkey? Cook up a pot of soup! This recipe is a healthier twist on a classic creamy turkey and wild rice soup that hails from Minnesota. Serve with a crisp romaine salad and whole-grain bread.

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Five-Spice Turkey & Lettuce Wraps

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Based on a popular Chinese dish, these fun wraps also make appealing appetizers for entertaining. Just use shredded turkey here instead of ground.

Make it a meal: Serve with chile-garlic sauce and rice vinegar for extra zip; toss diced mango and strawberries with lime juice for a quick dessert.

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Turkey & Brown Rice Chili

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This hearty turkey chili recipe takes just 35 minutes to prep. While it's cooking, you'll have time to throw together a green salad and warm up some crusty bread to complete the meal.

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Slow-Cooker Turkey Nachos

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Host a cocktail party or game night and serve guests these tasty slow-cooker turkey nachos. The turkey picks up smoky flavor from the chili powder and cumin, and the chips and toppings give the dish varied textures. Serve with margaritas or cold beer and fresh lime wedges, if desired.

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Crispy Baked Turkey Nuggets with Honey-Mustard Slaw

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The crispy coating on these baked turkey nuggets is a flavorful blend of Parmesan cheese and Italian seasoning. The nuggets pair nicely with the sweet and tangy slaw and honey-mustard dipping sauce.

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Turkey Enchilada Poblano Peppers

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In this healthy take on a turkey enchilada recipe, we stuff everything into a roasted poblano pepper shell rather than tortillas to pack an extra serving of veggies into this meal. If you can't find poblano peppers, you can substitute green bell peppers instead.

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Leftover Turkey Salad

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Holiday leftovers often end up in casseroles and soups, but they are also delicious in a light but hearty salad. In addition to leftover turkey, this recipe takes advantage of leftover stuffing (which is transformed into crisp croutons), cranberry sauce (which enhances the dressing) and whatever leftover roasted vegetables you have on hand.

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Thai Noodle Bowl

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Ready in under 30 minutes, this noodle bowl is full of vegetables and with the addition of turkey, is a good source of protein!

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White Turkey Chili

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This healthy white turkey chili recipe is gorgeous, with flecks of green from zucchini, oregano and green chiles. To keep the saturated fat low, we use one pound of ground turkey and add whole-grain bulgur to boost the volume and fiber in this chili recipe. After all the ingredients are added to the pot, we like to slowly simmer our chili for close to an hour to develop the best flavor, but if you're in a hurry, reduce the liquid by half and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes.

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Turkey-Apple-Brie Sandwiches

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Hollowed-out baguettes hold a satisfying combo of tart apples, creamy Brie and protein-rich, shredded turkey.

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Herbed Turkey Strata

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This breakfast strata is the perfect dish for your next breakfast gathering. Full of vegetables, turkey and fragrant herbs—each serving has 26 grams of protein to leave everyone feeling full and satisfied.

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Turkey-Green Bean Shepherd's Pie

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In this simple dish, shredded turkey, green beans and mashed potatoes are layered and topped with reduced-fat Cheddar cheese. It's a great way to use leftovers from your holiday meal!

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Kale, Cranberry & Bulgur Salad with Turkey

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You can swap in whole-wheat couscous for the bulgur in this hearty grain salad. Use up leftover turkey or chicken in this healthy salad recipe by skipping Step 3.

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Turkey and Sweet Potato Chowder

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Mashing the potatoes in this turkey and vegetable soup thickens it without adding carbs. Fat-free milk ensures low fat and low calories for this diabetic main dish.

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Slow-Cooker Turkey & Kale Minestrone Soup

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Adjust the heat level in the dish by choosing either hot or mild Italian sausage. You can add red pepper, too, to make it extra hot. Serve this slow-cooker minestrone with crusty bread, if desired.

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Coconut-Lime Turkey Skewers

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Threading strips of turkey tenderloin onto skewers is a unique way of preparing this white meat. The tenderloin gets its flavor from the sweet-and-spicy citrus marinade and the toasted flaked coconut which is sprinkled on top just before serving.

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Smoked Turkey, Kale & Rice Bake

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This hearty one-skillet dinner is loaded with celery, kale, tomatoes and quick-cooking brown rice. It's easy to make the recipe vegetarian by substituting smoked tofu for the turkey.

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Kale Turkey Wraps

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Using kale leaves instead of bread to wrap your filling makes this healthy turkey lunch recipe low-calorie. If you can't find lacinato, also known as Tuscan kale, try cabbage for your wrap.

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Leftover Turkey Stew

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This hearty and healthy turkey stew recipe is just about the best use of Thanksgiving leftovers we can think of. And we don't just mean the turkey. The stew is packed with leftover roasted vegetables—use whatever vegetables you have on hand, such as Brussels sprouts, parsnips, sweet potatoes and green beans. And leftover gravy is used to add depth of flavor and body. Possibly the best part of this stew recipe? It comes together really quickly—because don't we all need a 20-minute dinner after the craziness of Thanksgiving? Add some leftover bread or rolls and dinner is done. This recipe is equally delicious with leftover cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken, and we've included instructions for making a quick gravy in case you don't have leftovers, so you can serve this Thanksgiving-in-a-pot year-round.

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Turkey Ma Po Tofu

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Ma Po Tofu is a traditional Chinese recipe usually made with ground pork. This delicious, healthy version uses ground turkey to cut saturated fat and calories and adds mushrooms for extra veggies. Just utilize whatever parts of the turkey you have here. Serve with brown rice and make it extra special with a drizzle of sesame oil just before serving.

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