Healthy Recipes for Leftover Turkey (2024)

November 23, 2017 — last updated October 17, 2023 by Kalyn Denny30 comments »

Here are my favorite Healthy Recipes for Leftover Turkey, and there are some long-time favorites in this collection! Check out the recipes in this round-up if you want strictly low-carb leftover turkey recipes!

PIN Healthy Recipes for Leftover Turkey to try some later!

Healthy Recipes for Leftover Turkey (1)

It’s Thanksgiving Day and every one who celebrates Thanksgiving has probably been up for a few hours putting the turkey in the oven, right? I’m going to be taking a few days off to enjoy the holiday, but first I wanted to update this collection of Healthy Recipes for Leftover Turkey. If you’re lucky enough to have some leftover turkey I hope you find something here that catches your eye for an idea to use it!

I love, love, love Thanksgiving and the way it reminds us to be grateful for the blessings we have in our lives, and I hope all my readers have a wonderful Thanksgiving with plenty of leftover turkey! Now on to the healthy recipes for leftover turkey; enjoy!

Want strictly low-carb recipes for leftover turkey?

The recipes in this round-up are partly comfort food Thanksgiving leftovers, so even though they’re healthy recipes, not all of them are super low in carbs. If you want to see my low-carb options for leftover turkey, check out my round-ups for Low-Carb Leftover Turkey Recipes or Low-Carb and Keto Turkey Soup Recipes!

Leftover Turkey and Leftover Chicken:

This collection of ideas for leftover turkey includes plenty of recipes that were made with cooked chicken breast, because any recipe that uses leftover chicken can also be made with leftover turkey, and vice-versa!

Healthy Recipes for Leftover Turkey (or Chicken):

Healthy Recipes for Leftover Turkey (2)

An after-Thanksgiving classic is this Leftover Turkey Casserole that has brown rice, mushrooms, and a creamy cheesy sauce, and this recipe is usually a hit with everyone!

Healthy Recipes for Leftover Turkey (3)

Amy’s Amazing White Chicken Chili is made with chicken breasts, but you could use white turkey meat to make this amazing chili as well. (Add the leftover turkey towards the end of the cooking time.)

Healthy Recipes for Leftover Turkey (4)

Slow Cooker Turkey Soup with Kale and Sweet Potatoes is a delicious idea for using leftover turkey!

Healthy Recipes for Leftover Turkey (5)

Green Chile Chicken Quesadillasmight be the perfect dish for Thanksgiving leftovers if you want something quick and easy! I make these with low-carb tortillas, but use any tortillas you prefer.

Healthy Recipes for Leftover Turkey (6)

This easy Mexican Chicken Soup is flavored with lime and cilantro, and it can be made with pinto beans or cauliflower rice.

Healthy Recipes for Leftover Turkey (7)

I love this recipe for Chicken Egg Foo Yung, and this would be an extra-fun way to use leftover turkey!

Healthy Recipes for Leftover Turkey (8)

This delicious Chicken Barley Soup is perfect to make with leftover turkey, and this soup is not even that high in carbs!

Healthy Recipes for Leftover Turkey (9)<

And one thing I’ll always be making after Thanksgiving is these Turkey Pita Sandwiches with Cranberry Salsa.

More Recipes for Leftover Turkey (or Chicken):

  • Turkey, Sweet Potato, and Black Bean Soup
  • Sesame Noodles with Chicken
  • Coconut-Lime Turkey and Rice Soup
  • Chicken Black Bean Salad
  • Slow Cooker Turkey Soup with Spinach and Lemon
  • Mexican Chicken Casserole with Pinto Beans

Healthy Recipes for Leftover Turkey (10)

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Categories: Holiday Recipes, Recipe Round-Ups, Recipes, Ingredients: Chicken, Turkey

originally published on Nov 23, 2017 (last updated Oct 17, 2023) by Kalyn Denny

30 commentsLeave a comment »

Leave a Comment & Rate this Recipe!

  1. Ashley SReply

    Kalyns kitchen thank you for this information very helpful when it comes to understanding keto diet and i’m also grateful i found https://cutt.ly/ketoplus, it helped me not only lose the weight but keep it off, hope it helps others!

  2. Pingback: RECIPES - Wellness Witness

  3. Kalyn DennyReply

    Thanks Jeanette; hope you're having a great day!

  4. JeanetteReply

    Lots of great ideas for leftovers from the big day. Happy Thanksgiving Kalyn!

  5. Kalyn DennyReply

    Erin, thanks so much. So glad you like the ideas!

  6. Erin | The Law Students WifeReply

    I absolutely love this round up! Sharing it with my facebook fans today. Here's to eating well at the holidays (while still keeping it healthy too!)

  7. Barbara BakesReply

    Some many great, healthy ideas. It would be nice to try a bite of each.

  8. JeanetteReply

    Hope you had a really nice Thanksgiving Kalyn – lots of great ideas for leftovers! We simply layered all the leftovers in a casserole pan and reheated it. The boys love leftovers from Thanksgiving.

  9. Kalyn DennyReply

    Joe, so glad the recipes are helpful for you.

  10. JoeReply

    Kalyn,

    Thank you so much for your Blog. We truly enjoy the recipes and find ourselves making adjustments based on our likes/dislikes. We have been SouthBeach dieters for 2 years and have found it important to find those likable alternatives.

  11. Kalyn DennyReply

    Thanks so much, go glad it has been good for you.

  12. bewitchingkitchen.comReply

    Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy your break, and enjoy all the great things of being with family and loved ones!

    It's been a joy to follow your blog through the years, you are a source of inspiration!

  13. Diethood.comReply

    This is a delicious round up. Now I'm seriously hungry.
    Have a Happy Thanksgiving!!

  14. Kalyn DennyReply

    So glad you enjoyed it!

  15. ValKahnReply

    I made your Layered Mexican Casserole W/Chicken for dinner tonight. My family loved it! Thank you for sharing.

  16. Kalyn DennyReply

    Thanks Diane, and I'm going to update this post, so it may be 25 ideas using turkey by the time you next see it!

  17. Diane BalchReply

    Just wanted to let you know that your recipe has been included in a turkey roundup today. I will be pinning and tweeting it too. Happy Thanksgiving.

  18. Kalyn DennyReply

    Thankd Dara. I had a great Thanksgiving at my sister's house.

    Carrian, sadly, all my turkey is now gone.

    Jen, you're welcome. Hope you get to try some and enjoy them.

  19. JenReply

    Thanks so much for this list! I can't wait to try some of these recipes. The casseroles look delish and are gluten-free friendly 🙂 Yum!

  20. CarrianReply

    great ideas!! Heaven knows we have plenty to get rid of!

  21. Cookin' CanuckReply

    Wow, what a fantastic list of recipes to use up that extra turkey. The Coconut-Lime Turkey & the sesame noodles have both caught my eye. I hope you had a wonderful day yesterday!

  22. Kalyn DennyReply

    Thanks all; so glad people like my suggestions. (And I wish I had more leftover turkey too!)

  23. gfe--gluten free easilyReply

    Lovely sentiments, Kalyn, and wow on this recipe roundup! I was tickled to figure out 10 turkey leftover recipes for a roundup on my blog. 20 shows how many awesome recipes you have in general. Those soups look so appealing on this chilly morning, but I can also see how people could not resist that lasagna. It sure makes me wish I had some gluten-free lasagna noodles on hand. 😉 (Hmmm,maybe I should make some homemade gf lasagna?)

    Will leave a comment on the specific post, but wanted to also let you know that I did make your roasted green beans with red peppers. Oh my goodness, Kalyn, they are so good. 🙂 I can't wait to eat leftovers later today! 😉

    Belated happy Thanksgiving, dear! Hope you are having a fabulous time with your family!

    Shirley

  24. Lydia (The Perfect Pantry)Reply

    Now I wish I had more turkey left over! Great round-up of low-glycemic post-Thanksgiving recipes. I'm going to start with the soups (predictable, aren't I?).

  25. John BoxReply

    Wow, thanks for so many ideas for my leftover turkey. The West African Chicken and Peanut Stew looks amazing and I definitely will be trying that out.

  26. PennyReply

    Happy Thanksgiving Kalyn. You have been an inspiration and roll model to so many.

  27. "Firman Way Anak MCRmy"Reply

    waw,… deliciouss,….

  28. Kalyn DennyReply

    CA, sorry but I have never heard of that. But I do have a new feature on the blog that lets you save recipes to your own recipe box through Ziplist. You can access it on any site that's signed up with Ziplist, so the file can never get lost.

    T.W., thanks so much and best wishes for you on Thanksgiving and every day!

  29. T.W. Barritt at Culinary TypesReply

    Happy Thanksgiving, Kalyn! Blessings to you and your family!

  30. C.A. MarshallReply

    Hey Kalyn! I tracked your blog down through forums for the YUM recipe manager software. I'm wondering if you still have a working copy of it? I made the mistake of not exporting the right kind of file before upgrading and now I can't see any of my recipes. 🙁 I'm trying to track down anyone that would be willing to open my file and export it again in the right format. There are only about 50 recipes, so it's not a large file.

    If you can help, I'd be eternally grateful!

Healthy Recipes for Leftover Turkey (2024)

FAQs

Are turkey leftovers good for your health? ›

According to foodsafety.gov, a website of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the following foods are safe in the fridge: Turkey: 3-4 days. Eat turkey within three to four days of cooking. If you use the turkey in a new dish like a soup or casserole, only consume within those initial four days.

How long is leftover turkey good for in the refrigerator? ›

USDA recommends using cooked turkey within 3 to 4 days, kept refrigerated (40°F or less). Refrigeration slows but does not stop bacterial growth. Turkey can be frozen for 3 to 4 months. Although safe indefinitely, frozen leftovers can lose moisture and flavor when stored for longer times in the freezer.

What can I do with leftover turkey fat? ›

Left over pan drippings from your roast turkey can be poured off into a separate container and used later to flavour a host of dishes such as soups, stews and mashed potatoes. You can freeze them in ice cube size quantities and store them for months, adding a few to a casserole to lift the flavour.

How to reheat leftover turkey without drying it out? ›

Simply heat your oven to 300 degrees, put the carved meat in a baking dish, and add some chicken broth or turkey stock to the pan. The meat will absorb some of the liquid as it heats, making it nice and juicy. Cover the pan tightly with foil and place it in the oven until the meat is hot, 20 to 30 minutes.

What is the healthiest way to eat turkey? ›

Roasting. Roasting a turkey in its own juices is the healthiest method of cooking a turkey, if you don't add butter under the skin. You're even better off if you don't eat the skin because that's where the saturated fat is hidden, as mentioned before.

Is turkey still good after 7 days in the fridge? ›

Snyder points to the USDA FoodKeeper app for best guidance: The tool notes that refrigerated, cooked turkey should be eaten within 4 days. Eat frozen turkey leftovers within 6 months for premier quality.

Is a 3 year old frozen turkey still good? ›

Frozen Turkey

Turkeys can be kept in the freezer indefinitely. However, cook turkeys within 1 year for the best quality.

Can you eat leftover turkey on the 5th day? ›

As a general guideline, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services recommends eating or freezing turkey and other leftovers within three to four days.

Can you eat 7 day old turkey? ›

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recommends using cooked turkey within three to four days as long as it is kept refrigerated at a temperature that is 40°F or lower.

Why does leftover turkey taste different? ›

The occurrence of warmed-over flavor begins as lipids, primarily lipids from the cell membrane of cells in the meat, are attacked by oxygen. This process is aided by the release of iron from iron-containing proteins in the meat, including myoglobin and hemoglobin.

How to make leftover turkey juicy? ›

Here are two ways to add moisture to your turkey leftovers:
  1. Add butter to gravy, and brush it over the turkey before reheating.
  2. Smother your leftovers in equal parts gravy and stock and pour it over the turkey before reheating in the oven or microwave.
Oct 10, 2023

What do you do with the drippings from a turkey? ›

If you roasted a turkey, don't throw out the drippings from the pan! This flavorful liquid makes a great base for gravy, stock, or soup. Start by pouring the liquid through a fine mesh strainer and discard the solids. Then remove the fat that floats to the top.

How do chefs reheat turkey? ›

How to reheat turkey
  1. Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
  2. Carve the turkey breast meat into thin slices and carve the leg meat off the bone. Lay in a roasting tin or gratin dish. ...
  3. Cover the dish tightly with foil and roast for 30 mins until the turkey is very hot – at least 75C on a cooking thermometer.

How do you reheat turkey so it tastes good? ›

Place the turkey pieces in a baking dish and drizzle with a few tablespoons of stock and/or butter. Cover the dish with foil and heat in the oven at 350°F for about 30 minutes. Alternatively, you can microwave the sliced turkey (cover with a damp paper towel) in a microwave-safe dish at 50% power in 1-minute intervals.

Why can you only reheat turkey once? ›

But we don't advise reheating turkey more than once. Every time you heat and cool food again, you're increasing the risk that the food will hang out too long in what the USDA deems the “danger zone,” the tricky range between 40°F and 140°F where bacteria tend to flourish.

What foods should not be eaten as leftovers? ›

10 foods you should avoid reheating
  • You should think twice before warming up leftover potatoes. ...
  • Reheating mushrooms can give you an upset stomach. ...
  • You probably shouldn't reheat your chicken. ...
  • Eggs can quickly become unsafe to reheat. ...
  • Reheating cooked rice can lead to bacterial poisoning.
Sep 21, 2018

Is it safe to eat cold leftover turkey? ›

Cook food thoroughly.

For both turkey and ham, that's 165 degrees. And that goes for heating leftovers, too. Keep food out of the “danger zone.” Bacteria can grow rapidly in the danger zone between 40 and 140 degrees. After food is prepared, keep hot food hot and cold food cold.

Are leftovers still nutritious? ›

You will often find people reheating leftover food time and again. However, this change in temperature washes off all the nutrients from the food. So, you must only reheat as much food as you need and eat it at one go.

Why is turkey the healthiest meat? ›

It was a healthy choice. "Turkey is a great source of protein, rich in many vitamins and minerals, and is low-fat – if you don't eat the skin," Champagne said. It's rich in B-complex vitamins niacin, B6 and B12 and the essential nutrient choline.

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