Leftover Turkey Chili
This Leftover Turkey Chili recipe lets you use up almost all of your Thanksgiving leftovers in one bowl! Easy turkey chili is spooned over mashed potatoes and topped with Crunchy Stuffing Bits!
This is The Best Turkey Chili Recipe For Thanksgiving Leftovers
How do you like to enjoy your Thanksgiving leftovers? On the Friday after Thanksgiving, I like to warm up a plate of the full turkey dinner and eat it as-is.
But after that, I’m ready to repurpose the leftovers into something else, and a big pot of chili usually works out really well, since the weekend after Thanksgiving is also known for lots of football games.
I’ve been making this recipe for turkey chili for many years now. I don’t always make the crunchy stuffing bits, but when I do, I never regret it.
That being said, this is the best turkey chili even without the garnishes. Even with a relatively short list of ingredients, it has big, satisfying flavors.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe for Turkey Chili
- This chili freezes well, so it’s a great way to preserve your leftover turkey for future meals.
- It’s high in protein and fiber, making it a wholesome meal option after a holiday known for indulgence (not that there’s anything wrong with that)!
This Chili Answers the Age Old Question: What To Do With Leftover Turkey?
This chili is as easy as chopping up some turkey and adding a few aromatics like onion, garlic and thyme. Then, stir in cans of tomatoes, beans and broth. I can make it start to finish in less than 30 minutes!
Turkey breast meat seems to be most often left over in my family from our bourbon turkey (we love dark meat!), so that’s what I used for this chili. However, you can certainly make it with all dark meat or a mix of light and dark meat.
Still have leftover mashed potatoes and some of my bread stuffing recipe in the fridge, too? Great! Serve this chili over a big scoop of mashed potatoes, and use the stuffing to make Crunchy Stuffing Bits (recipe below).
Best Turkey Chili Ingredients
- olive oil
- garlic
- thyme
- onion
- cannelini beans (Great Northern beans, like I use in my Dr. Pepper baked beans also work great)
- diced tomatoes
- chicken broth
- leftover turkey
- salt and pepper
How to Make Turkey Chili With Beans
- CRUNCHY STUFFING BITS. Spread the stuffing on a baking pan and bake until stuffing is crunchy, rotating the pan and stirring occasionally.
- AROMATICS. Heat oil in a large pot, then add the garlic, thyme and onion. Cook until the onion is golden brown, stirring occasionally.
- LIQUID. Stir in the beans, tomatoes, broth and turkey. Heat to boiling then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the chili thickens.
- SEASON. Remove and discard the thyme sprigs, and taste and season the chili with salt and pepper.
Best Turkey Chili Recipe Variations
- SPICY – For a kick, add a minced jalapeno pepper to the vegetables, or a pinch of cayenne.
- BLACK BEAN – Replace the cannelini beans with black beans for Tex Mex flair.
- VEGGIE-PACKED – Double up on veggie goodness by adding chopped zucchini, carrots and/or corn to the pot when sautéing the onion.
Home Chef Tips
- Exact baking time for Crunchy Stuffing Bits will depend on how moist or dry the stuffing you start with is. Moister stuffing will take longer to become crunchy.
- Exact amount of salt and pepper to season chili will depend on how seasoned the leftover turkey you start with is. If it’s already very well seasoned, your chili won’t need much added salt and pepper. If the turkey you start with is kind of bland, don’t be shy with adding salt and pepper to your chili.
How to Serve This Recipe for Leftover Chili
To serve, spoon the chili over mashed potatoes, if desired, or simply serve it in a bowl.
Top the chili with Crunchy Stuffing Bits, cheese, sour cream and green onions.
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How to Store Leftover Turkey Chili
According to the FDA, leftover turkey should be used within three or four days of first cooking. So, be sure to make this turkey chili and either eat it or freeze it within four days of Thanksgiving.
P.S. Not into chili? Another great idea for using up leftover turkey is to make my Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan Soup, but use turkey instead of chicken. Since you’re starting with cooked turkey, I would stir in the chopped turkey in the last 10 minutes of the pasta cooking time.
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Leftover Turkey Chili Recipe
Ingredients
For the Crunchy Stuffing Bits:
- 2 cups prepared stuffing
For the Leftover Turkey Chili:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- ½ medium white onion diced
- 1 can reduced sodium cannelini beans 15.5 ounces, NOT DRAINED
- 1 can diced tomatoes 14.5 ounces, NOT DRAINED
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups chopped leftover turkey
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste
For Serving:
- Prepared mashed potatoes optional
- Crunchy Stuffing Bits
- Shredded cheddar cheese
- Sour cream
- Thinly sliced green onions
Instructions
Make the Crunchy Stuffing Bits:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line rimmed baking pan with parchment paper. Spread stuffing in even layer on prepared pan, breaking up any large clumps. Transfer to oven and bake 30 to 35 minutes or until stuffing is crunchy, rotating pan and stirring occasionally.
Make the Leftover Turkey Chili:
- Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Add garlic, thyme and onion; cook 6 to 8 minutes or until onion is golden brown, stirring occasionally.
- Stir in beans, tomatoes, broth and turkey. Heat to boiling over medium-high heat, then reduce to medium-low. Cook 15 minutes or until chili thickens.
- Remove and discard thyme sprigs. Season chili to taste with salt and pepper.
- To serve, spoon chili over mashed potatoes, if desired. Top with Crunchy Stuffing Bits, cheese, sour cream and green onions.
