Healthy Leftover Turkey Recipes

Do you find yourself looking for healthy leftover turkey recipes? Now you need look no further! This collection of my favourite salad recipes to make with cooked chicken or turkey will give you something to look forward to the day after the big meal.

The table is spread with your best dishes, your favourite linens have been pressed into service, the glassware is sparkling, candles have been lit, family is gathered, and the conversation is lively.

Such is my ideal holiday gathering. Usually, if not always, a big turkey or a couple of large chickens are roasting in the oven. Because of the abundance of food, or perhaps some overestimating in obtaining said bird, there is usually lots of leftover turkey. These leftover turkey recipes will have you hoping for lots of extra poultry.

How to Roast a Turkey

First things first. Let's cook a great turkey!

Leftover Turkey

The question of what to do with leftovers seems to dominate conversations of the week following the big dinner. I can help you with that, and there are no boring turkey sandwiches here! Sure, some leftover meat can be reheated in gravy and served with leftover mashed potatoes fried in butter. That's great comfort food for me. However, the salads I'm going to give you are more interesting and are ideal for serving to guests.

Refrigerate the leftovers right away

Practice food safety. Refrigerate leftover meat right away. Having lots of handy containers for leftovers really simplifies the cleanup process. I like to use glass ones. Before dessert is served, get that leftover food into covered containers and into the fridge.

Leftover Turkey FAQ's

For the days that follow your big meal, depending on how much turkey is leftover, here are some ideas for some more delicious meals.

Healthy Leftover Turkey Recipes

These recipes use cooked chicken or cooked turkey interchangeably.

Chicken Cranberry Salad

Festive Cranberry Salad with Chicken and Pecans is a beautifully simple fresh green salad to toss together for a light lunch. The tartness of dried cranberries balances the sweetness of poppy seed dressing and the crunch of candied pecans with some nice, moist cooked chicken or turkey.

Chicken Salad with Mango, Red Pepper, and Green Onions

Take your classic chicken salad up a notch with deliciously sweet, juicy mango! Turkey leftovers, or any cooked chicken for that matter, reach a whole new tasty level with red pepper, green onion, and just a touch of heat in the creamy dressing. Because this is so quick and easy to assemble, it's perfect for the day after a big turkey meal.

Mango Avocado Salad with Chicken

If you love a salad with a tang of feta and the sweetness of honey dijon dressing, my Chicken Mango Avocado salad is for you! Add the crunch of kale and colours of beets and carrots, and it forms a most delightful meal in less than 30 minutes!

Chicken Waldorf Salad

Imagine a combination of apples, grapes, nuts, dried cranberries, and chicken salad served on a nice bed of fresh greens.

Easy Chicken Salad

With the tang of lemon, sweetness of honey, crunch of celery, and the creaminess of mayo, this chicken salad is tasty and nutritious. It has only six ingredients plus salt and pepper, so you can easily whip it up in minutes!

Enjoy your holiday and the leftovers!