6 Creative Ways to Use Leftover Turkey

Every year, I'm excited to have leftover turkey, but I never want to just reheat and serve it like we did the day before.  So then comes the question - what to do with leftovers?  Leftover mashed potatoes is easy - in fact, I often make mashed potatoes just so I can use the leftovers to make this cheddar potato soup.  But with turkey, the possibilities are endless.  This year, we have somehow managed to come out of two Thanksgiving dinners with no leftovers.  I guess we'll have to chalk it up to careful planning!  So instead of showing you what I did with leftovers, I figured I'd give you a list of some recipe ideas (honestly, you can use just about any chicken recipe and substitute turkey).  Here are some of our favorites:

1.  Turkey Chili Verde - add a little spice to your Thanksgiving weekend with this delicious turkey chili made with salsa verde.

2.  Dutch Oven Dijon Chicken (Turkey) Stew - Light on calories but packed with flavor and nutrients!  Perfect for this cold, gray November day!

3.  Low-fat Greek Chicken Salad - Super filling and surprisingly low in fat compared with traditional chicken salad - turkey would go great with this recipe, too!

4.  Broccoli & Cheese Casserole - This is a quick 'n easy, family-friendly recipe I got from my neighbor.  Buy the low-fat versions of the soup, cheese, and sour cream to lighten it up a bit.

 

5.  Smoked Turkey Soup - If you happened to have had smoked turkey at Thanksgiving, here's an awesome soup recipe for your leftovers!  (You can always use roasted turkey and add a little liquid smoke, too.)

 

6.  Baby food - Another great use for turkey!  If baby is old enough, puree with leftover mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green beans, etc., adding water or salt-free stock as needed to achieve desired consistency.  Freeze in ice cube trays and baby can enjoy a turkey dinner any time!