What to Do With Leftover Turkey

After a holiday meal there's usually a lot of turkey left and only so many sandwiches anyone wants. Cooked turkey works almost anywhere cooked chicken does, so most chicken recipes are fair game. Here's how to keep it safe and seven ways to use it.

First: store it safely

Refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking (1 hour if it's above 90°F outside or in a hot car). Divide big batches into shallow containers so they cool fast.
Keep the fridge at 40°F (4°C) or below.
Take the meat off the bone before storing; it cools faster and takes less space.
Eat within 3 to 4 days in the fridge, or freeze it. Frozen cooked turkey keeps best quality for about 2 to 6 months.
Reheat to 165°F (74°C), until steaming hot. Add a splash of broth so it doesn't dry out.

For more detail, see the FoodSafety.gov cold storage chart.

1. Turkey soup

Simmer chopped turkey with carrot, celery, onion and broth, then add small pasta or rice for the last few minutes. If you have the carcass, simmer it with water and vegetable scraps for a few hours first for homemade stock. Crave's Chicken Vegetable Soup works with turkey swapped in.

2. Quesadillas

Shredded turkey, cheese and a spoon of salsa in a tortilla, crisped in a dry pan. Leftover cranberry sauce with turkey and cheese is surprisingly good too. Follow Chicken Quesadillas.

3. Turkey chili

Stir cooked, chopped turkey into a pot of beans, canned tomatoes, onion and spices for the last 10 minutes so it heats through without drying out. Start from Turkey Chili (it's written for ground turkey, so add cooked meat at the end).

4. Caesar wraps

Toss turkey with lettuce, Caesar dressing and parmesan and roll it in a tortilla for a quick lunch: Chicken Caesar Wraps.

5. Fried rice

Diced turkey plus day-old rice, an egg, peas and soy sauce. A good way to use small scraps. See Leftover Rice Fried Rice.

6. Tortilla soup

Add turkey to a pot with black beans, tomatoes, corn, broth and chili powder, and top with crushed chips: Slow Cooker Chicken Tortilla Soup.

7. Freeze it in portions

Pack 1- to 2-cup portions in flat freezer bags, labeled with the date. Thaw in the fridge overnight and add to soups, casseroles or quesadillas later.

Crave recipes that use it

Let Crave match the rest

Add your leftovers and whatever else is in your kitchen on the Crave home page. It's free and shows which of its 75 recipes you can make now and what, if anything, you're missing.

Questions

How long is leftover turkey good for?

Eat refrigerated cooked turkey within 3 to 4 days (USDA guidance). For longer, freeze it; it stays safe frozen, with best quality for about 2 to 6 months.

Can I freeze leftover turkey?

Yes. Take the meat off the bone, portion it into airtight bags or containers, and freeze. A little broth or gravy with the meat helps keep it moist.

How do I reheat turkey without drying it out?

Add a splash of broth, cover, and heat until it reaches 165°F in the thickest part. Smaller pieces reheat faster and more evenly.