I Asked 9 Chefs the Best Way to Eat Leftover Turkey, And These Are the Best

Remember when leftovers would get the royal treatment by being tucked inside a tin foil swan? These days, extra servings tend to get a fair amount of shade for taking up precious refrigerator real estate, for being boring (we get it: the same casserole on repeat for 3 dinners in a row gets tired), and potentially resulting in excess food waste if you can’t work your way through them in time.

Still, if you’re going to all the effort of whipping up an ambitious meal, you might as well do your future self a favor and gift yourself some precious meal prep. All nine chefs we spoke to agree that Thanksgiving leftovers are precious cargo and are worth celebrating in a new creation.

“Thanksgiving leftovers might just be the greatest leftovers in human history. I have always loved making ‘to-go’ plates after everybody has eaten and before we start cleaning,” says James Dibella, corporate executive chef at Link & Pin, The Cellar, and Duckworth’s in Charlotte, North Carolina.

It’s a generous gesture to share, but be sure to set aside some turkey for yourself, suggests Michael Manoocheri, director of food and beverage at Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa in San Diego, California: “Turkey’s versatility in particular lets you get creative with flavors and textures. Plus, leftovers mean minimal cooking for the next couple of days.”

Leftover turkey recipes allow you to think beyond the standard holiday plate and transform those cozy flavors into something new. Plus, “this keeps that holiday spirit going,” adds Jacob Jasinski, executive chef and food and beverage director for The Chanler at Cliff Walk in Newport, Rhode Island. (By the way, the USDA recommends freezing or consuming leftovers within 4 days, so we always make it our mission to use them up by Cyber Monday.)

Sylvia Casares, the author of “The Enchilada Queen Cookbook” and the chef/owner of Sylvia’s Enchilada Kitchen in Houston, Texas looks forward to leftover turkey recipes so much, “I always make two birds to ensure I have enough extra!”

9 of the Best Leftover Turkey Recipes, According to Chefs

For other holidays or Sunday dinners, we have you covered with our leftover pulled pork, leftover ham, and leftover chicken recipes. And come Thanksgiving, our panel of nine creative chefs have your back with the line-up of leftover turkey recipes below.

When Eric Rowse, lead chef-instructor of Culinary Arts at the Institute of Culinary Education in Los Angeles, California has extra turkey on hand, he admits, “I don’t want to eat a reheated Thanksgiving dinner. I want the flavors in a new shape to make the family feel it’s something new. I want to ‘chef’ it up”—and the ideas below explain exactly how to (easily) follow suit.

Still, if you prefer to eat it straight up, stick around to the end to discover the best way to reheat turkey. A few tiny details make all the difference between juicy, just-as-good-as-fresh roasted meat vs. dry and tough turkey.

Turkey and Potato Hash

“I do not wake up early on Black Friday to hunt for deals. Instead, I normally stay back and make brunch,” confirms Jose Danger, executive chef at Teatro Restaurant restaurant at The Adrienne Arsht Center in Miami, Florida.

The best Black Friday brunch, and one of the tastiest leftover turkey recipes, according to Danger, Manoocheri, and Derek Piva, executive chef at Tu Tu’ Tun Lodge in Gold Beach, Oregon? Turkey and Potato Hash. Bonus: Making a leftover turkey recipe the next morning will score you more fridge space soon after the feast.

Dice or shred leftover turkey, then combine that with sautéed diced onions and peppers as well as leftover roasted potatoes or sweet potatoes—or blanched cubes of either tuber. Season as desired and top with eggs cooked your way. (Danger digs a fluffy scramble, while Piva prefers poached, and Manoocheri is into fried eggs.) Drizzle with gravy if you like.

Turkey and Waffles

For brunch or breakfast for dinner, Rowse recommends “a Thanksgiving version of chicken and waffles.”

Start by warming the turkey in a skillet with a splash of gravy, ”especially if the turkey was on the dry side initially,” Rowse says. Then reheat a scoop of stuffing in a waffle iron so it is crispy on the outside and still moist on the inside. If stuffing wasn’t on the menu or if you finished it at the feast, cooked frozen waffles or homemade waffles work, too. (Our Cornmeal Buttermilk Waffles would be particularly fitting.) Pile the gravy-poached turkey on top of the waffles, and pair this with a side salad garnished with a few French fried onions if you happen to have them on hand for the green bean casserole, Rowse says

Thanksgiving Leftover Turkey Sandwich

Of course, no round-up of leftover turkey recipes would be complete without what Ziggy Gruber, chef, owner, and delimaven at Kenny & Ziggy’s New York Delicatessen Restaurant and Bakery in Houston, Texas deems “The Great Holiday Sandwich, Charlie Brown.”

Simply warm the leftover meat following to the instructions below (see “How to Reheat Leftover Turkey Like a Chef”), then layer it on cranberry sauce-slathered challah bread with a couple spoonfuls of stuffing, if you have that in the fridge, Gruber advises.

If you prefer a creamy riff on the leftover turkey sandwich theme, follow Dibella’s lead and dice any leftover white meat turkey. Add it to a large bowl alongside mayo or Greek yogurt, chopped celery, diced onion, a drizzle of honey, and candied pecans. Season as desired and enjoy tucked inside a croissant or between two slices of toast for a “simple but delicious turkey salad sandwich that will delight for a few days after the Thanksgiving hangover.” (Our Tarragon Chicken Salad with Cranberries offers a good template regarding the ratios.)

Turkey and Cranberry Barbecue Flatbread

For lunch, dinner, or a snack while watching football or playing board games, ditch delivery and try Manoocheri’s sweet, savory, and smoky Turkey and Cranberry Barbecue Flatbread. It’s a hit with kids and adults alike, and “the flatbread format is easy and turns leftovers into something fresh and satisfying,” he tells us.

Combine 1 cup leftover cranberry sauce with ⅓ cup barbecue sauce, then spread this on store-bought flatbread, pita, or naan. Top with shredded leftover turkey, thinly-sliced red onions, and slices of fresh mozzarella or brie cheese. Bake on a sheet pan at 350° F until the crust is crisp and the cheese is melty. If you have some fresh arugula in your crisper drawer, crown each flatbread with a handful for a burst of freshness and a pleasant peppery note.

Turkey Enchiladas

The biggest Thanksgiving food trend of the year is to embrace global flavors at the holiday table, so why not keep that expedition going with your leftover turkey? Casares is wild about Turkey Mole Enchiladas, which will take your taste buds on a little trip to Mexico—no passport required.

If you or any of your fellow diners think turkey errs on the “boring” side, dressing up the protein in warmly-spiced mole sauce will quickly rewrite its reputation. Plus our shortcut mole tastes complex, yet only takes less than 20 minutes to recreate. Pair a scoop of mole-sauced meat with crumbled queso fresco or finely-shredded Monterey jack cheese inside corn tortillas, then roll, add to a casserole pan, and bake for about 30 minutes at 350° F.

Turkey Tacos

Continuing on with the Mexican-inspired theme, both Piva and Jasinski say that they often make turkey tacos for at least one meal on the weekend after Thanksgiving.

For a cultural blend, use our Peruvian-Style Chicken Tacos as a guide; simply replace the ground chicken with shredded turkey. Or for “a flavorful, vibrant twist that brings a bit of brightness to the Thanksgiving flavors,” Jasinski advocates for layering gravy-poached shredded turkey inside warm corn tortillas alongside pickled onions, diced avocado, and fresh cilantro.

Turkey Pot Pie

From here on out, expect a comfort food fest. (It is almost officially winter, after all!) Rowse is a strong proponent of converting leftover turkey into a pot pie or shepherd’s pie, as this format allows you to keep the meat moist while using up other bonus ingredients, like mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes, roasted vegetables, and gravy. If you don’t have any extra spuds to dollop on top, opt for Gruber’s favorite, refrigerated puff pastry, or Piva’s pick, pie crust.

Check out our Turkey Dinner Shepherd’s Pie for a dish that puts a whopping 3 cups of leftover turkey to good use, or swap turkey for chicken in our fan-favorite Deep-Dish Chicken Pot Pie or individual Chicken Pot Pie recipes.

Turkey Congee

Festive season is also prime time for enjoying congee, aka jook in Cantonese, which is a cozy and popular type of savory rice porridge that has been a staple in many Asian homes for centuries—and is now a go-to comfort food worldwide.

“Jook is a comforting post-Thanksgiving tradition that transforms leftover turkey and rice into a creamy, flavorful porridge,” explains Jeremy Shigekane, executive chef at Prince Waikiki in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Simmer leftover turkey and rice in chicken or turkey stock until the rice breaks down and creates a thick, velvety texture. To finish, stir in some sliced mushrooms and chopped green onions, Shigekane says. To crank up the indulgence even more, try scooping your congee/jook over a serving of warm leftover stuffing, he suggests, for “a delicious way to use up even more holiday goodness!”

Turkey Soup

Keep that stock and turkey handy and pair them up in a pot of soup, Casares and Manoocheri propose.

Casares adores sopa de fideo, which starts by browning broken long-cut pasta in a pot in some melted butter. Add the broth or stock, then mix in minced garlic, cumin, and diced bell peppers, as well as the extra turkey. Simmer for 10 minutes for a bowl that’s “so satisfying,” according to Casares.

For a Tex-Mex twist, Manoocheri advocates for stirring together Lime Chicken Tortilla Soup with turkey and turkey stock instead of chicken . “It’s warming and hearty, and the Southwestern flavors provide a welcome change from the traditional Thanksgiving palate,” Manoocheri says.

How to Reheat Leftover Turkey Like a Chef

To showcase inside sandwiches or tacos or to enjoy on its own on a plate of leftovers for round two over the weekend, all of the chefs we spoke to agree that the microwave is your biggest enemy.

“The worst way to reheat leftover Thanksgiving turkey is by simply placing it in the microwave without any added moisture. This will likely dry out the meat significantly, and leave it tough and unappetizing. Try to avoid long, uninterrupted microwave heating times,” Dibella says.

If you choose to microwave your leftover meat, cut the turkey into thin slices or small pieces, and opt to heat it in short bursts (say, 1-minute shifts) at 50% power “with added broth or gravy to retain moisture,” Dibella adds.

The best way to reheat turkey is low and slow in the oven, the chefs say. Place turkey in a baking dish and cover it with a bit of broth or gravy, or a pat of butter. Top the baking dish with foil and bake at 325° F for about 30 minutes, or until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 165° F. Alternatively, you can create a foil packet stuffed with leftover turkey and broth or gravy. Just be sure to seal the edges to allow steam to form inside and keep the meat moist and to “bring back some of that fresh-from-the-oven texture,” Jasinksi confirms.