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Home » Blog » Soup and Stew Recipes » Leftover Turkey Chili

Leftover Turkey Chili

Cathy Roma Published: Nov 27, 2019

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Turn those leftovers into a pot of pure comfort! This hearty turkey chili is full of flavor and spice and makes use of those Thanksgiving leftovers!
Turn those leftovers into a pot of pure comfort! This hearty turkey chili is full of flavor and spice and makes use of those Thanksgiving leftovers!
A bowl of Leftover Turkey Chili garnished with avocado, cheese, sour cream and limes.

Let’s talk turkey (sorry, couldn’t resist). But seriously, let’s talk what to do with that leftover turkey from Thanksgiving.

And not just what to do with it, but how to transform it into another amazing meal: Leftover Turkey Chili.

Overhead shot of a pot of leftover turkey chili in a dutch oven with sour cream and other garnishes scattered around.

Not long after you’ve sworn never to eat another morsel of food or step foot behind the stove again, if you’re anything like me, you’re a teensy bit hungry and contemplating what to do with a frig full of leftovers. Well, I’m here to help.

While I love a hefty sandwich piled full of Thanksgiving favorites, I’m also ready for another flavor, another taste, and texture. Enter chili.

A bowl of leftover turkey chili garnished with a spoon on the saucer and chips scattered around.

This is the perfect way to use up that Thanksgiving bird because leftover turkey (white or dark meat) makes quick work of a pot of pure comfort. A fire-roasted, rich, tomato chili chock full of beens, green chilis and yes, turkey, is a complete departure from that traditional Thanksgiving meal.

This pot of delicious is well seasoned (chili powder, cumin, and a dash of cinnamon), fiery (fire roasted tomatoes and chilis), and layered (ale and beef stock).

A pot of leftover turkey chili in a cast iron dutch oven.

No one will suspect that you’re using up those leftovers and, by the way, if you don’t happen to have any, a rotisserie chicken or shredded, poached chicken will work too.

Prep is minimal here because the turkey is already cooked, and while this chili tastes outrageous after a long simmer or overnight in the frig, it’s just as delicious ladled into a bowl about an hour after you start cooking.

And don’t be stingy with the toppings! I’m partial to crispy tortilla chips, shredded cheese, and cool sour cream. And that final squeeze of lime adds the perfect pop of acid to the perfect pot of yum.

Let’s make Leftover Turkey Chili

Step by step photos showing how to make Leftover Turkey Chili. Saute onion, peppers and garlic (1), add spices (2). add tomato and stock (3), add turkey and beans (4).
  1. Saute the peppers, onions, and garlic.
  2. Add the spices and seasonings.
  3. Stir in the tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, chilis, beer, and stock.
  4. Stir in the cooked turkey and beans. Simmer until ready to serve.

Tips for success

  • I created this recipe specifically to use up leftover Thanksgiving turkey, but a rotisserie chicken or shredded chicken will work just as well.
  • I prefer an amber ale for the flavor it adds to the chili, but a pilsner or IPA will work too. Play around and find your favorite.
  • I love the spicy, smoky flavor that fire roasted tomatoes and chilis add to this dish, but if you can’t find them, regular (not fire-roasted) can be substituted.
  • Beef stock adds a deeper, meatier flavor to this chili, but chicken or vegetable stock can be substituted.
  • Toppings, toppings, and more toppings! Go crazy with it! My favorites are sour cream, shredded cheese, cilantro, sliced avocado, and a pile of tortilla chips alongside!
A bowl of leftover turkey chili garnished with chips, a bowl of sour cream and garnishes strewn around.

More Ways to Use Leftover Turkey

  • Turkey Stew
  • Leftover Turkey Tacos
  • Thanksgiving on a Roll
  • Sloppy Joe Sandwich
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One serving of leftover turkey chili in a bowl with chips and garnishes scattered around.
Print
Leftover Turkey Chili
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 30 mins
 

Turn those leftovers into a pot of pure comfort! This hearty turkey chili is full of flavor and spice and makes use of those Thanksgiving leftovers!

Course: Main Dish, Soups/Stews
Cuisine: Mexican
Keyword: leftover turkey, turkey chili
Servings: 8 Servings
Calories: 395 kcal
Author: Cathy Roma | What Should I Make For…
Ingredients
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 green bell pepper, diced
  • 1 onion, diced (large)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3 Tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 2 tsp dried oregano
  • dash of ground cinnamon
  • 2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  • 1 Tbsp light brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 28 oz fire roasted crushed tomatoes (1 can)
  • 15 oz tomato sauce (1 can)
  • 14 oz minced green chiles, fire roasted (2 cans)
  • 12 oz beer (I like an amber ale)
  • 2 cups beef stock (turkey or chicken stock can be substitued)
  • 8 cups chopped or shredded roasted turkey, about 2 lbs (rotisserie chicken can be substituted)
  • 16 oz white beans, drained and rinsed (1 – 16 oz can)
  • 32 oz pinto beans, drained and rinsed (2 – 16 oz cans)
  • splash of hot sauce (optional)
  • 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
  • shredded cheddar, avocado, and sour cream for topping (optional)
Instructions
  1. Heat oil over medium heat in a large, heavy bottomed pot or dutch oven until hot.

  2. Add pepper and onion and saute until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic and cook another 1-2 minutes.

  3. Add the spices, sugar, cocoa powder, salt, pepper, and stir well. Cook for 2 mins. Mix in the tomato paste and cook 2 more mins.

  4. Add the tomatoes, sauce, chiles, beer, and stock. Stir in the cooked chicken and beans.

  5. Simmer, uncovered, for at least 30 minutes. The chili should reduce a bit and have a nice thick consistency. If you have more time to let it cook, by all means let it simmer. It tastes even better the longer it cooks. Add a splash of stock if it gets too thick.

  6. Stir the lime juice (and hot sauce is using). Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and top with garnishes if desired.

Recipe Notes
  • I created this recipe specifically to use up leftover Thanksgiving turkey, but a rotisserie chicken or shredded chicken will work just as well.
  • I prefer an amber ale for the flavor it adds to the chili, but a pilsner or IPA will work too. Play around and find your favorite.
  • I love the spicy, smoky flavor that fire roasted tomatoes and chilis add to this dish, but if you can’t find them, regular (not fire-roasted) can be substituted.
  • Beef stock adds a deeper, meatier flavor to this chili, but chicken or vegetable stock can be substituted.
  • Toppings, toppings, and more toppings! Go crazy with it! My favorites are sour cream, shredded cheese, cilantro, sliced avocado, and a pile of tortilla chips alongside!
Nutrition Facts
Leftover Turkey Chili
Amount Per Serving
Calories 395 Calories from Fat 54
% Daily Value*
Fat 6g9%
Saturated Fat 1g6%
Cholesterol 36mg12%
Sodium 3019mg131%
Potassium 1582mg45%
Carbohydrates 56g19%
Fiber 14g58%
Sugar 13g14%
Protein 31g62%
Vitamin A 1459IU29%
Vitamin C 45mg55%
Calcium 199mg20%
Iron 8mg44%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
4

Main Dish Recipes, Recipe, Soup and Stew Recipes turkey chili, leftover turkey, chili, comfort food, leftovers, stew, Thanksgiving, turkey

About Cathy Roma

My food philosophy is simple: everything in moderation. Sweet, savory, healthy, decadent…food, like life, is all about balance. I rely on my background as a trained chef/mom to create family-friendly recipes that will inspire you to cook, not complicate your life.

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HEY THERE, I’M CATHY.

My food philosophy is simple: everything in moderation. Sweet, savory, healthy, decadent…food, like life, is all about balance. I rely on my background as a trained chef/mom to create family-friendly recipes that will inspire you to cook, not complicate your life.

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