Leftover turkey tacos are a fun and easy way to use up leftover Thanksgiving turkey and give it a whole new flavor! Just a few ingredients needed and ready in 10 minutes!
Using up the leftover turkey from Thanksgiving is one of my favorite things.
Partly it's because I don't like to waste food. But partly it's a challenge. How many ways can I make this into a totally different meal that everyone will love?
Thanksgiving leftovers breakfast hash is possibly my very favorite. It uses leftover turkey, dressing, veggies and gravy and is topped with a fried egg.
I look forward to that on the Friday after Thanksgiving almost as much as the main meal. It's that good. I will eat it for 3-4 days in a row so I can get my fill until the next year. YUM!
But beyond breakfast, I've got lots of fun ways to repurpose your leftovers.
My go-to lunch is a leftover Thanksgiving turkey sandwich with cream cheese, cranberry sauce, greens and red onion slices. Swoon!
Turkey and black bean quesadillas and Thanksgiving leftovers chef salad are also great for lunch options the weekend after the holiday. So are these open faced turkey spinach mushroom melts that give me my veggie fix and are just warm and cozy - but also very easy.
And of course, we can make tons of delicious dinners.
Turkey noodle soup is warm and comforting and ready in just 15 minutes. Creamy turkey artichoke casserole is a whole other meal from your leftovers. And this turkey white bean skillet is a quick recipe when you don't feel like more cooking and kitchen time.
I've got a round-up of ideas and more than 15 leftover turkey recipes if you want to browse around.
Today, we're also keeping it quick and easy. Cause I know we don't always want to do a lot of cooking the days after the meal we spend days preparing.
These leftover turkey tacos to the rescue!
They are super easy to make, filling and a great way to change up the flavors and get a totally different dinner on the table - and one the whole family will love!
Bonus: These tacos take just 10 minutes to pull together! You can't beat that.
And they are super simple and don't require much in the way of prep or ingredients.
You just need your leftover turkey - dark or white meat or a mix, doesn't matter - and we are gonna chop it up, warm it up, season it with taco seasoning and then serve it in some taco shells with steamed rice and ALL our favorite toppings.
Who doesn't love a taco night? And this one needs to go on the menu after Thanksgiving.
Plus, these leftover turkey tacos are really customizable. You can use the rice or not, add some refried or black beans, add some veggies to the mix, etc. (Details below so keep reading.)
And of course, everyone can make their own plate special with their favorite taco toppings.
You'll be excited for leftovers with this recipe!
OK, let's get cooking.
Now, I've got some notes, tips and substitutions coming up below on how to make leftover turkey tacos. Just tryin' to be helpful.
If you want to jump on down to the recipe, simply scroll right on through the rest of the text. The recipe card is near the bottom of the page, above the comments section.
Notes on making leftover turkey tacos:
- Turkey: The turkey for this recipe needs to be cooked, so please plan accordingly. (The idea is this is an easy recipe for leftover turkey from Thanksgiving or the holidays, but just wanted to point out that it needs to be already cooked and ready to use.)
- Taco seasoning: Homemade taco seasoning is super easy to make and so much more flavorful, but of course, store-bought is fine, too.
- Taco shells: You can use hard or soft taco shells. I prefer the stand-and-stuff taco shells because they are larger and easier to fill. But sometimes I'm in the mood for a wheat tortilla that I warm on the stove. Yum!
- Rice: The rice is optional, but makes these a bit more filling. (We always use it with our go-to ground turkey tacos.) Brown rice is what I use, but white rice is fine, too. It needs to be cooked and ready to use for this recipe, so please plan accordingly.
Speaking of filling, you could definitely add to this recipe if you want to incorporate some veggies or other add-ins and bulk up your taco mix filling.
Here are a few ideas.
Other add-ins for leftover turkey tacos:
- You could add some onion, bell pepper, zucchini or wilted spinach to give these tacos a veggie boost. Sauté any vegetables in the pan before adding the turkey to warm through.
- Use black beans along with the rice in this recipe. Or spread some warmed refried beans in your taco shell before adding the rice and turkey.
- Add in some corn, whether fresh, canned or frozen (thawed).
- Add in a small (4.5 oz.) can of diced green chilies with the turkey to warm through.
You can customize this to make them just like you like. Or to use what you have on hand.
Speaking of, toppings are another great way for everyone to make tacos their own.
Topping ideas for leftover turkey tacos:
- Shredded lettuce or cabbage
- Extra shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Sliced avocado or a dollop of guacamole
- Salsa or pico de gallo
- Greek yogurt or sour cream
- Hot sauce or sriracha
- Pickled red onions
- Pickled or fresh jalapeños
- Fresh lime juice
Mix and match with your favorites.
Oh, and quick note on servings. This recipe is for 4 servings, depending on how many tacos you eat.
You can absolutely double or triple the recipe if you still have company in town. Just get it all warmed up and then everyone can serve themselves.
OR, you could use leftover turkey instead of chicken in these baked shredded chicken tacos and pop them in the oven for a group dinner.
Otherwise, though, you can really size up or down with this quick skillet version, depending on how much turkey you have and how many people you are serving.
Ready to eat? Me too! Let's serve these up.
Tacos in my house are a meal in themselves. However, you could also add some sides if you like.
You could serve your tacos with a side salad or some Mexican coleslaw. It's addictive!
And if you're skipping the rice in your tacos, you could serve some rice on the side. Plain is always good but you could also make this cheesy brown rice or confetti brown rice.
Last thing, let's chat about the leftovers.
You can save any extra turkey filling and rice that hasn't been used. It'll keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.
You can reheat it in the microwave and use to stuff some freshly warmed taco shells or to stuff into wraps or soft corn or tortilla shells.
Or just serve it over some steamed rice for a little taco bowl.
OK, I think you are all set!
I hope this recipe gives you a new idea for a fun way to use your leftover Thanksgiving turkey. And I hope it makes for a fun taco Tuesday after the big holiday.
Enjoy!
XO,
Kathryn
P.S. You might also like these easy turkey tostadas for a fun lunch or dinner with your extra turkey.
Leftover Turkey Tacos
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cups leftover chopped turkey (skin removed)
- 1 ½ tablespoons taco seasoning
- 1 cup steamed brown or white rice (optional)
Optional toppings:
- Shredded lettuce, shredded cheese, chopped cilantro, sliced avocado or guac, salsa or pico de gallo, Greek yogurt or sour cream, hot sauce, pickled red onions, fresh lime juice, etc.
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.
- Add the turkey and stir to heat through, about 2 minutes. Add the taco seasoning and ¼ cup of water. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let simmer for about 5 minutes, until the turkey is well seasoned and the liquid is absorbed.
- Serve the turkey and rice in hard or soft taco shells with your favorite toppings. (And see below for notes on extra add-ins like beans or veggies.)
Notes
- You could add some onion, bell pepper, zucchini or wilted spinach to give these tacos a veggie boost. Sauté any vegetables in the pan before adding the turkey to warm through.
- Use black beans along with the rice in this recipe. Or spread some warmed refried beans in your taco shell before adding the rice and turkey.
- Add in some corn, whether fresh, canned or frozen (thawed).
- Add in a small (4.5 oz.) can of diced green chilies with the turkey to warm through.
Nutrition
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