by Kate Evans
Thanksgiving and Christmas meals often feature a huge turkey or chicken roaster that leaves family chefs in a quandary of what to do with all the leftover meat. Hot turkey/chicken sandwiches with gravy is always an easy choice to have with the other leftovers the following day, but usually there’s plenty of meat for several more dishes.
Here are a few leftover turkey or chicken recipes that I’ve adapted and made for many years. Hope you enjoy them.
Turkey or Chicken Divan
Leftover turkey/chicken (about 2-2 1/2 cups)
1 small onion
1 red bell pepper
fresh broccoli if desired
1/ 2 teaspoon salt
1/ 4 teaspoon pepper
about 2 cups of milk
1 1/ 4-1 1/ 2 cups cheddar cheese
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon curry
a sprinkle of cayenne
Parmesan cheese
bread
Cut up and saute the onion, red bell pepper and broccoli in butter or margarine. Once the vegetables are fairly cooked, add in the leftover turkey or chicken to heat it up.
While you’re cooking these items, combine about 4 tablespoons of margarine with 4 tablespoons of flour and 1/ 2 teaspoon of salt in a dish and microwave it for 1 1/ 2 minutes or so to melt it.
Then add your 2 cups of milk gradually, stirring it into the flour and margarine mixture. Microwave for 2-2 1/2 minutes then stir and microwave it for 2-2 and 1/2 more minutes. Grate your cheddar cheese while you’re microwaving the mixture. Add the cheese and the pepper and herbs to the cream sauce. If the cream sauce is too thick, add a little more milk.
Cover the bottom of a casserole dish with the turkey/chicken and vegetables. Top with the cream sauce with cheddar cheese and stir it into the meat and vegetable mixture. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top. Microwave for 9-10 minutes. Serve over your favorite bread.
Turkey or Chicken Tetrazzini
Leftover turkey/chicken (about 2-2 1/2 cups)
1 medium onion
1 red bell pepper
1 8 ounce can or package of fresh mushrooms
juice of 1 lemon
1 16 ounce box of spaghetti
1 can of cream of mushroom soup
about 1 1/2 cups of milk
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2/3 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon curry
a sprinkle of cayenne
Cook the pasta separately until it’s done. Cut up and saute the onion, red bell pepper and mushrooms in butter or margarine. Add the juice of 1 lemon. Once the vegetables are fairly cooked, add in the leftover turkey or chicken and heat.
Add the cream of mushroom soup and the milk and let the mixture cook until thoroughly heated. Mix in the Parmesan cheese, salt and seasonings. Add 1 heaping tablespoon of cornstarch or flour if the sauce is too watery. Mix into the spaghetti and serve with a topping of additional Parmesan cheese.
Turkey or Chicken Pot Pie
Your favorite pie dough recipe making 2 pie crusts. Omit any sugar from the recipe.
Leftover turkey/chicken (about 2-2 1/ 2 cups)
1 medium onion
1 red bell pepper
2 stalks of celery
2 carrots
1 small bag of frozen mixed vegetables (peas, corn, green beans and carrots)
1 can cream of chicken soup
about 1 1 /2 cups of milk
1 /2 teaspoon salt
1/ 4 teaspoon black pepper
1/ 2 teaspoon garlic powder
2/3 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/ 2 teaspoon curry
a sprinkle of cayenne
Cut up and saute the onion, red bell pepper, carrots and celery in butter or margarine. Add in the bag of mixed vegetables, leftover turkey or chicken, the cream of chicken soup and milk and cook until heated. Add 1 heaping tablespoon of cornstarch or flour if the sauce needs thickened.
Divide the pie dough into two equal parts and roll the first crust out onto flour-covered wax paper. Freeze the dough for 5-10 minutes before rolling it out to make it go easier. Place the first rolled pie crust in your pie pan and add in the turkey/chicken and vegetable mixture. Roll out the second pie crust and cover the mixture in the pie pan and join the two crusts along the edge of the pan, pinching them together every inch or so.
Cover the joined crust edge with a strip of aluminum foil to keep it from getting too browned or burning. Brush a little milk on top of the top pie crust and add 4-5 sets of holes into the top crust with a fork to let the steam out while the pie is cooking. Bake at 350-375 degrees for 60-70 minutes, removing the aluminum foil at halfway through the baking time.
Other favorite dishes that can be made with leftover turkey or chicken? Turkey or chicken salad, turkey/chicken noodle soup, turkey/chicken enchiladas, turkey or chicken wild rice soup and stuffing casserole.
Enjoy those leftovers!
