5 ways to use leftover turkey
We hope you all have your Santa pants on for this second round of #TuesdayTips!
It's no secret that turkeys are at the top of the list on most Christmas menus. They are BIG, juicy and can feed a household for days. There are plenty of recipes using leftover turkey on the internet/cookbooks (perhaps having a friend like Joey that will take on the challenge to finish a whole turkey is not as common as we thought). Our team has selected our top 5 favourite recipes to inspire you to cook up a storm and give the leftover turkey a new flavour.
Tikka Masala Turkey Curry
Turkey Tacos
Turkey Pot Pie
Turkey Croquettes
Turkey, Cranberry & Cheddar Skillet Monkey Bread
Tikka Masala Turkey Curry
This easy turkey recipe is a tikka masala style curry that will definitely keep you warm and fuzzy on the inside as you dive into it. Feel free to enjoy it with rice and/or naan bread.
In a deep pan, add the oil, onions and peppers, and cook over a gentle heat with the lid on, for around 5 minutes, or until softened. Add the garlic, ginger, chilli, garam masala and turmeric and cook for 2 more minutes (add tiny splash of water if it gets to dry). Then, add the turkey, passata, coconut milk, salt and pepper and bring to boil. Lower the heat and let the curry simmer for 10 minutes until the sauce has thickened slightly and the turkey is hot all the way through.
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 medium onion (sliced)
1 red pepper (sliced)
1 green pepper (sliced)
1 teaspoon of chilli flakes
3 cloves of garlic (crushed or grated)
1 inch of ginger (grated)
3 teaspoons of garam masala
2 teaspoons of turmeric
500g leftover cooked turkey (shredded or cubed)
350ml of passata (or chopped canned tomatoes)
200ml of coconut milk
Salt and pepper to taste
Turkey Tacos
Feliz navidad, feliz navidad, feliz navidad, prospero año y felicidad
It’s only fair that we sing a Christmas song in Spanish since this recipe is all we are gonna taco about (is the song also stuck in your head now?). Seasoning mixture: in a bowl, combine the paprika, cumin, garlic powder, and sugar. Turkey Carnitas: in a mixing bowl, place your leftover turkey meat (sliced or shredded) and add the orange juice with the seasoning mixture. Mix well until combined. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Cook the seasoned turkey and sliced onion and let it simmer for 30 minutes (lid on, stirring occasionally). Finally, heat the olive oil on a large cast iron at medium-high heat. Add the turkey and onions before sprinkling the remaining sugar. Cook for around 12-15 minutes, or until turkey is browned, turning every 5 minutes. Divide the turkey carnitas between tortillas and decorate with your choice of garnishes.
Ingredients:
1.5 teaspoons of paprika
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 teaspoon of garlic powder
2 teaspoons of light brown sugar (divided)
2 cups of leftover turkey meat
1 orange (juice)
3 tablespoons of olive oil (divided)
1 white onion, sliced into 1 inch half moons
6 tortillas (flour, corn, or hard shells - your choice)
Turkey Pot Pie
I'd like to cut back on the Christmas leftovers, but I just can't quit cold turkey… Well my friend, it's hard to cut back when the recipe is this good. Buttery, flavourful and all round goodness - we hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do.
First, preheat the oven to 425F/220C. Filling: cook the frozen peas, carrots, beans and celery in a saucepan by covering with enough water and bring to boil. Allow to simmer until the celery is tender (~8 minutes), then drain. In the meantime, cook the onion until translucent with the butter, then add flour, salt, pepper, celery seed, onion power and Italian seasoning. Whisk until a paste forms. Slowly add in the chicken broth and then the milk until well incorporated. Bring the sauce into a simmer for about 3 to 5 minutes, whisking constantly until the sauce thickens. Off the heat, combine the thickened sauce with the cooked and drained vegetables, as well as your leftover turkey (whether cubed or shredded is up to you). Pie assembly: fit one pie pastry into the bottom of your pie dish. Spoon the filling into the dish, then lay the remaining pie pastry over the top. Make sure you pinch and roll the top and bottom pastries together to seal the edges. Using a sharp knife, cut a few small slits at the top to allow the steam to release during cooking. Bake: bake for 15 minutes, then check for browning of the top crusts. If it is browning too quickly, cover with aluminium foil. Continue to bake until golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes more. Once removed from the oven, let is cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Ingredients:
2 cups of frozen peas and carrots
2 cups of frozen green beans
1 cup of sliced celery
2/3 cup of butter
2/3 cup of diced white onion
2/3 cup of all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon of celery seed
1/2 teaspoon of onion powder
1/2 teaspoon of Italian seasoning
1 ¾ cups of chicken broth
1 ⅓ cups of milk
4 cups of cubed or shredded leftover cooked turkey
1 package of double-crust pie pastry (store-bought)
Turkey Croquettes
Croquette, created by a French culinary artist, originates from the French word “croquer”, which means “to crunch". And we just cannot resist the word's synonymity with CHOMP. It only makes sense to combine (literally and figuratively) the philosophy of CHOMP and the meaning of our name into one ball of deliciousness, using leftovers!
Filling: first, mash the potatoes with a 1/4 cup of the broth, salt and pepper. Set aside. Cook the garlic and onions until soft in oil over a low heat. Then, add the turkey and remaining broth and remove from the heat. Combine the turkey to the mashed potatoes and mix well (add salt to taste). Croquettes making: preheat the oven to 450F/230C. Measure 1/4 cup of mixture to form individual croquette. Dip each croquette into the egg mixture then the breadcrumbs, and place it onto the baking sheet. Spray generously with olive oil then bake for around 15 minutes or until golden brown.
Ingredients:
350g of cooked turkey breast, chopped finely
3 medium potatoes; peeled, cooked and mashed
3/4 cup of chicken broth
2 teaspoons of olive oil
3 cloves of garlic
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup of parsley, chopped
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup of seasoned whole wheat bread crumbs
1 egg, whisked
Olive oil spray
Turkey, Cranberry, Cheddar Skillet Monkey Bread
Here's a twist on using your turkey leftovers and bread that does not involve a sandwich (don't worry, we are saving the turkey sandwich for something special). This recipe is what we call a miracle meal because you can have it ready within less than 30 minutes of cooking time, under 5 ingredients and you only need basic kitchen equipment to make it. It truly is a Christmas miracle!
Preheat the oven to 400F/200C and ensure you arrange a rack in the middle of the oven. In a large oven-safe skillet, melt the butter over medium heat then cook the turkey until heated through. Remove the pan from the heat, add the biscuit pieces and decorate with cheese all around. Combine all ingredients together and spread into an even layer. Finish off with dollops of the cranberry sauce on top, then bake for around 15 to 20 minutes until the biscuits have doubled in size and turned golden.
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon of unsalted butter
225g to 350g of leftover turkey, shredded or small pieces
1 can of refrigerator biscuits, each biscuit cut into 4 pieces
2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup of cranberry sauce
How long is leftover turkey good for? You can store your turkey in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. If you wish to keep it for longer, you may store it in the freezer for up to 6 months (the longer you keep it, the more it will lose its flavour).
