Creamy Leftover Turkey Stew

This creamy leftover turkey stew is the best thing to ever happen to your Thanksgiving turkey leftovers! It's incredibly easy to make and so delicious I doubt anyone can stop at a single bowl.

If you've been looking for recipes for leftover turkey, you've just found one that will make you want to have Thanksgiving leftovers more often.

This creamy leftover turkey stew is hearty and comforting, just perfect for those cold winter nights. It's also very easy to make, and it tastes amazing with your favorite crusty bread.

While leftover holiday turkey is perfect for this creamy turkey stew, you can also make it outside the holiday season by swapping rotisserie chicken instead.

And if you're looking for more delicious leftover turkey recipes, check out my Creamy Leftover Turkey Curry with Coconut Milk or this Creamy Leftover Turkey Pasta.

Why you'll love this creamy leftover turkey stew

• It's a quick and easy recipe that turns leftover turkey into a delicious and comforting meal.
• You can use any leftover root veggies to make it.
• Make a lighter yet still delicious version by skipping the half and half.

What goes into this turkey stew

Olive oil - For an extra creamy stew, add a knob of butter to the oil before adding the veggies.

Onion, carrot and celery - I like to dice these on the smaller side so they cook quickly, but you can cut them larger for a rustic-style stew.

Garlic - Mince the fresh garlic instead of chopping it for an extra garlicky flavor.

Italian seasoning mix - You can substitute this with a mix of fresh herbs such as rosemary and thyme.

Red chili flakes - Adjust the red chili flakes to suit your taste or skip it altogether if you don't want your stew to have a bit of a kick.

Leftover turkey - You'll need about 1 lb (450 g) leftover turkey meat for this stew, chopped or shredded. You can add more or less, depending on taste and how much turkey you have.

Plain flour - Add a tablespoon of plain flour to thicken the stew.

Potatoes - Any floury potatoes work well here. I like to boil them for longer so they start to fall apart, thus contributing to the thickening of the stew.

Chicken stock - Chicken stock works great in this stew, but if you have a leftover carcass and some time on your hands, you can make turkey broth and use it in this recipe.

Half and half (single cream) - Keep things light by using half and half; if you don't care about the extra fat and calories, heavy cream (double cream) will do.

Kale - You can also use baby spinach in this stew.

How to make leftover turkey stew

Heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven and sauté the onion, carrot and celery for 7-8 minutes over medium heat.

Add the garlic, Italian seasoning mix and red chili flakes and cook for another minute.

Add the leftover turkey, stir to combine, then stir in the flour.

Next, add the potatoes and chicken stock and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 15-20 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender.

Stir in the half and half and add the kale. Simmer for 1-2 minutes until the kale wilts. Season to taste and serve hot.

Leftovers and storage

• Leftovers will keep well in the fridge for up to three days in an airtight container.
• You can reheat the turkey stew in the microwave or on the stovetop.
• I don't recommend freezing this stew because creamy sauces don't freeze well.

Recipe notes and tips

• Add a bit of smokiness to this leftover with some pancetta or leftover bacon.
• Make it dairy-free by skipping the cream.
• Since the turkey is already cooked, you can also add it at the end. I like to simmer it in the stew, so it gets infused with extra flavor.
• Transform this into a leftover turkey soup by adding more broth.

If you liked this creamy leftover turkey stew recipe, you might also like some of my other easy stews:

• Chorizo and Butter Bean Stew
• Spanish Fish Stew with Potatoes
• Kokkinisto (Greek Beef Stew)
• Easy Instant Pot Irish Stew
• Brazilian Prawn Coconut Stew (Moqueca de Camarao)

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