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Easy and delicious leftover turkey recipes are perfect for using up leftovers from your Thanksgiving feast! From casseroles to soups, we have a bit of everything.

More Collections: Chicken Dinner Ideas, Easy Soup Recipes, Quick Dinner Ideas

We Love Turkey Leftovers!

We know there tends to be a lot of food at Thanksgiving dinner, and if your family is anything like ours, we tend to have lots of leftovers.

One thing we almost always have leftovers of is TURKEY, but we don’t mind because we have so many recipes we can make with leftover Thanksgiving turkey.

Why we love leftover turkey:

  • No waste. After all of that work, you don’t want a single tasty morsel to go to waste!
  • Variety. Easily whip up a pan of leftover turkey Enchiladas or leftover Turkey Chili with chunks of turkey instead of ground meat.
  • Classics. Make turkey gravy and pour it over egg noodles, like a stroganoff.
Sliced turkey breast on a plate.

MAKE TURKEY BROTH!

The carcass, basically the rib cage, is what is left over after carving your turkey. This is perfect for making a nutritious turkey broth.

Make your own bone broth. Bone broth can be used whether a recipe calls for broth, stock, or bone broth – most often in soups.

  1. PREP. Remove the meat and break up the carcass into a large stockpot. A little meat and connective tissue only add to the nutrients and flavor. 
  2. BOIL. Add cold filtered water to the pot until it just covers the carcass. Bring to a boil. Remove any film that forms on top of the water, then reduce the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes.
  3. ADD AROMATICS. 1 onion (quartered),1 peeled carrot (chopped into 1-inch pieces), a stalk of celery (chopped into 1-inch pieces), 1-2 whole mushrooms, and herbs.
    • Tie the herbs together. For fresh herbs: bundle and tie with twine. For dried herbs: wrap in cheesecloth, then tie closed with twine. Use your favorite herbs, but common ones include parsley, thyme, bay leaf, and garlic. 
  4. SIMMER. Keep uncovered and simmer for 3 hours. Periodically check on the soup and skim off any film. 
  5. STRAIN the broth through a mesh sieve. Repeat until the broth is clear and free of any bone fragments, vegetables, and herbs. 
  6. STORE. Keep homemade bone broth in the fridge for up to a week. Freeze it, in ½ cup portions, for up to 12 months. Be sure to use airtight and freezer-safe containers.
Entire roast turkey on a platter.

Storing Leftover Turkey

We recommend storing turkey sliced, wrapped in foil, then placed in a container/bag (if in the freezer – a freezer-safe container/bag).

  • STORE in the fridge for 3-4 days.
  • FREEZE for 2-3 months.
  • Reheat. The microwave is handy, but can dry out the meat, and make it a bit rubbery.
    • The best way to reheat the turkey, so it’s moist and flavorful, is in the oven. Preheat the oven to 300°F. Place the turkey, along with a bit of broth or water, into a baking dish. Cover it with foil and bake for 20-30 minutes, or until heated through. 
Turkey cranberry sandwich stuck with a toothpick.

Leftover Turkey Sandwich

One of the best things about the Turkey dinner is the Thanksgiving leftovers!


Best Leftover Turkey Ideas

The options for using up turkey leftovers are endless, really! We love to use them in all sorts of recipes, but we are going to break it down for you.

Make a leftover turkey salad by substituting turkey in our Chicken Salad recipe. If you have leftover Pie Crust try making a tasty Chicken Pot Pie (or with turkey)!

1 Turkey Tetrazzini Recipe

Main Course Turkey Tetrazzini Recipe
Total Time: 45 minutes

Recipe Video

4.99 from 400 votes
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2 Turkey Pot Pie Recipe

Main Course Turkey Pot Pie Recipe
Total Time: 3 hours 30 minutes

Recipe Video

5 from 7 votes
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3 Monte Cristo Sandwich Recipe

Main Course Monte Cristo Sandwich Recipe
Total Time: 15 minutes

Recipe Video

5 from 24 votes
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4 Turkey Soup Recipe

Main Course, Soup Turkey Soup Recipe
Total Time: 1 hour
5 from 13 votes
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5 Monte Cristo Sliders Recipe

Appetizer Monte Cristo Sliders Recipe
Total Time: 40 minutes
4.89 from 9 votes
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6 Turkey Cranberry Sandwich Recipe

Main Course Turkey Cranberry Sandwich Recipe
Total Time: 10 minutes
5 from 7 votes
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7 Turkey Meatball Recipe

Main Course Turkey Meatball Recipe
Total Time: 28 minutes

Recipe Video

5 from 11 votes
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8 Turkey Chili Recipe

Soup Turkey Chili Recipe
Total Time: 30 minutes

Recipe Video

5 from 7 votes
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9 Thanksgiving Leftover Casserole Recipe

Main Course Thanksgiving Leftover Casserole Recipe
Total Time: 50 minutes
5 from 10 votes
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10 Turkey Burger Recipe

Main Course Turkey Burger Recipe
Total Time: 13 minutes

Recipe Video

5 from 18 votes
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11 Flatout Wraps Recipe

BLT Wrap
Main Course Flatout Wraps Recipe
Total Time: 7 minutes

Recipe Video

4.80 from 5 votes
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12 Creamy Turkey and Noodles Recipe

Main Course Creamy Turkey and Noodles Recipe
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
4.88 from 25 votes
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Substitute Leftover Turkey In These Recipes

We love chicken, and we have LOADS of recipes with it. Having said that, all of these recipes would still be delicious if subbed with turkey instead!

Give them a go, and let us know what you think. We have included classic dinner ideas as well as soups.

13 Chicken Spaghetti Recipe

Main Course Chicken Spaghetti Recipe
Total Time: 40 minutes

Recipe Video

5 from 100 votes
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14 Chicken Stuffing Casserole Recipe

Main Course Chicken Stuffing Casserole Recipe
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes

Recipe Video

5 from 560 votes
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15 Bisquick Chicken Pot Pie

Main Course Bisquick Chicken Pot Pie
Total Time: 40 minutes
4.59 from 12 votes
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16 Chicken Pot Pie Soup Recipe

Soup Chicken Pot Pie Soup Recipe
Total Time: 45 minutes

Recipe Video

5 from 14 votes
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17 Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup Recipe

Soup Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup Recipe
Total Time: 35 minutes
5 from 4 votes
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18 King Ranch Chicken Casserole Recipe

Main Course King Ranch Chicken Casserole Recipe
Total Time: 1 hour
5 from 16 votes
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19 CrockPot Chicken Stew Recipe

Soup CrockPot Chicken Stew Recipe
Total Time: 3 hours 5 minutes

Recipe Video

4.98 from 38 votes
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20 Chicken Corn Chowder Recipe

Soup Chicken Corn Chowder Recipe
Total Time: 25 minutes
5 from 19 votes
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21 Chicken Gnocchi Soup Recipe

Soup Chicken Gnocchi Soup Recipe
Total Time: 30 minutes

Recipe Video

4.95 from 17 votes
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22 Chicken Dumpling Soup Recipe

Main Course, Soup Chicken Dumpling Soup Recipe
Total Time: 30 minutes

Recipe Video

4.97 from 80 votes
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23 Chicken and Dumpling Casserole Recipe

Main Course Chicken and Dumpling Casserole Recipe
Total Time: 30 minutes
4.84 from 30 votes
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24 Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole

Main Course Chicken Bacon Ranch Casserole
Total Time: 25 minutes
5 from 11 votes
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25 Chicken Orzo Recipe

Main Course Chicken Orzo Recipe
Total Time: 30 minutes
4.97 from 81 votes
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26 Chicken Stuffed Crescent Rolls Recipe

Main Course Chicken Stuffed Crescent Rolls Recipe
Total Time: 34 minutes

Recipe Video

4.95 from 209 votes
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27 Chicken Wild Rice Soup Recipe

creamy Wild rice soup with chicken in bowl
Soup Chicken Wild Rice Soup Recipe
Total Time: 15 minutes
5 from 3 votes
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28 Chicken Noodle Casserole Recipe

Main Course Chicken Noodle Casserole Recipe
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Recipe Video

5 from 13 votes
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A Family Favorite!

One of our favorite things to make with leftover turkey is this Turkey Noodle Soup (another is our famous Turkey Soup).

Not only is it super simple, but it’s delicious and hearty and perfect for the winter months.

Just chop a few cups of your leftover turkey, your favorite veggies and throw it in this soup, and you’re set!

Here is the recipe:

5 from 4 votes

25+ Leftover Turkey Recipes

By: Lil’ Luna
This hearty turkey soup recipe is flavorful and filled with rotini pasta, celery, carrots and turkey. It's perfect for fall!
Servings: 8
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 25 minutes

Ingredients 

  • 6 tablespoons butter cubed
  • 5 medium carrots chopped
  • 3 celery ribs sliced
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon parsley flakes
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • 10 cups chicken broth
  • 3 cups rotini pasta
  • 2 cups cubed cooked turkey
  • 1 cup Half and Half

Instructions 

  • In a large pot, heat butter over medium heat. Add carrots and celery; cook and stir 8-10 minutes or until tender.
  • Stir in flour and seasonings until blended; gradually stir in chicken broth.
  • Bring to a boil. Add pasta. Reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered for 8-10 minutes.
  • Stir in turkey and cream; heat through (do not boil). Enjoy WARM!

Nutrition

Calories: 281kcal, Carbohydrates: 26g, Protein: 11g, Fat: 14g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Cholesterol: 51mg, Sodium: 1231mg, Potassium: 541mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 2g, Vitamin A: 6825IU, Vitamin C: 23.5mg, Calcium: 80mg, Iron: 1.6mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Making this recipe? Tag us!
Share it with us on Instagram using the hashtag #lilluna, so we can see what you’re creating in the kitchen!

Use Those Turkey LEftovers!

These simple recipes will help you use up that leftover turkey without spending a lot of time in the kitchen! You’re going to love them!

More Collections: Easy Dinner Ideas, Beef Dinner Ideas, Breakfast for Dinner Ideas

About Kristyn

My name is Kristyn and I’m the mom of SIX stinkin’ cute kids and the wife to my smokin’ hot hubby, Lo. My mom’s maiden name is Luna, and I’m one of the many crafty “Lil’ Lunas” in the fam. On this site I like to share all things creative - from recipes to home decor to gifts and home decor ideas. Welcome!

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