Plan Ahead for Ways to Use Your Leftover Turkey

Instead of scurrying around the day after Thanksgiving to figure out what to do with all that extra turkey, why not have a plan in place on how to use it up before hand.  This year we are traveling back to see our families and to help out my mother-in-law, I am helping out by planning to make a special lunch the day after Thanksgiving with her left over turkey.  So during my holiday grocery shop, I also picked up a few things to bring along to make up a Chicken Broccoli Ring. Obvisoulsy I am using left over turkey instead of chicken, but the broccoli and Swiss cheese in it will different flavors from our traditional Turkey Day meal from the day before.

Here are a few other of my recipes that work great with cooked turkey (or chicken) that you may want to plan on having to help use up that leftover turkey.

Turkey Cranberry Ring

Chicken Broccoli Ring

White Chicken Enchiladas (with turkey)

Chicken/Turkey Divan

BBQ Chicken Stromboli (with turkey)

Chicken Wild Rice Soup

Creamy Chicken and Noodles 

Cheesy Spinach Pasta Casserole

Chicken Pasties

Oriental Cabbage Salad

Other options for using up the leftover turkey:

1) Divy it up to your guests before they leave with a few extra cressent rolls and suggest they have turkey sandwiches the next day.

2) Cut it up, package it and put in the freezer for future meals.

3) Make Turkey Broth - Don't forget that you can get a two for one in making up some extra turkey broth for future use as well when you are done with your turkey.  Throw the carcass of the bird with all the little bits of meat left on it, some onions, carrots, celery, parsley, salt and pepper in a large pot with about 8 cups of water bring it to a boil.  Cover it and let simmer for 45 minutes, then let it cool for 10 minutes.  Strain it and then use it in a soup right away or freeze it for future use.


No one wants the added pressure of coming up with meals after one of the biggest meals of the year to plan for but a few extra minutes of planning can help you have a lot less stressful holiday.  My hopes are that these ideas will help you out a little bit.  Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!