Leftover Turkey Pot Pie Recipe

Leftover Turkey Pot Pie is the ultimate solution for transforming holiday leftovers into a delicious and filling meal. Chunks of turkey and tender vegetables smothered in a rich, creamy sauce and topped with a flaky, golden-brown crust for a classic comfort food meal that is easy to make.

Best of all it is a great way to use a variety of leftovers from Thanksgiving. From the extra slices of turkey to the fresh vegetables slices on the vegetable platter it is a great way to create and entirely new recipe with what you have on hand.

It is a warming meal that is simple and easy to prepare. With just a few easy steps you will have dinner in the oven in a matter of minutes.

And it all starts with sautéing the vegetables. Then add in the cooked turkey, broth and heavy cream and let the mixture thicken.

All that is left to do is to pour it in a baking dish and top it with a pie crust. This is where that second pie crust from the box of refrigerated pie crust comes in handy after making your Thanksgiving pumpkin pie.

Once it goes in the oven the filling will become hot and bubbly and the pie crust will turn golden brown in color. Then you are ready to enjoy a satisfying meal that is full of flavor.

Ingredients Required For Leftover Turkey Pot Pie

1. Turkey

To make a family style pot pie you will need 2 cups of diced leftover turkey. You can use dark or white meat, or a combination of both. If you don’t have any leftover turkey, you can use the leftovers from a rotisserie chicken.

2. Vegetables

Although you can use just about any vegetables that you prefer, this recipe calls for the standard vegetables typically found in pot pie recipes. Carrots, onions, celery and green peas are used in the filling.

However, if you aren’t a fan of peas, you can leave them out or replace them with diced green beans instead.

3. Butter

Unsalted butter is used to saute the fresh vegetables so that they are nice and tender. Although you could use olive oil, the butter adds that extra homestyle flavor to the recipe.

4. Flour

Flour is used as the thickening agent for the sauce. You could use also use a cornstarch slurry or even potato flakes to thicken the liquid, however, flour is readily available in most homes.

5. Broth

You can use chicken broth, turkey broth or even vegetable broth as the base of the liquid. Because I make my Homemade Dressing for Thanksgiving, I always have extra broth on hand right after the holiday.

5. Heavy Cream

To make the Leftover Turkey Pot Pie filling gain that thick, creamy base it is best to use heavy cream. However, if you don’t have this ingredient on hand you can use half and half or whole milk. Although you may need to let the mixture simmer a little longer to get it to thicken.

6. Seasonings

In addition to salt and pepper, a little ground thyme is added to flavor the broth. It is a common spice that is used to prepare Thanksgiving dinner, but if you don’t have any on hand you can substitute poultry seasoning.

Frozen Vegetables vs. Fresh Vegetables

Although many of us will have a variety of fresh vegetables on hand after preparing a large Thanksgiving dinner, there are others that are gifted Thanksgiving turkey leftovers as guests to take home.

In that case, if you don’t have fresh vegetables on hand, you can certainly use frozen vegetables instead. A frozen vegetable blend typically consists of carrots, corn, green beans and peas.

To use frozen vegetables instead of fresh veggies add 2 cups to the pot after the liquid begins to boil.

Pie Crust – Store Bought vs. Homemade

When it comes to Leftover Turkey Pot Pie the pie crust topping is just as important as the filling itself. Therefore you can choose to make your favorite Homemade Pie Crust if you prefer.

However, when it comes to making meals right after Thanksgiving, I would guess most of us will opt for store-bought pie crust dough instead. The flavor and texture of the rolled refrigerated pie crust dough has come a way over the past several years.

Once it bakes in the oven it will turn out nice and flaky and be the perfect topping to your pot pie.

Individual vs. Large Leftover Turkey Pot Pie

Although this recipe is designed to be made in a standard 8 or 9 inch pie plate as a family meal, you also have the option of making it in individual servings. To do this spray individual ramekins with non-stick cooking spray and then add the heated filling.

Top each ramekin with pie crust and bake as instructed. However, instead of rolling out and cutting pie crust to top each ramekin, you may want to consider adding a par-baked refrigerated biscuit dough on top of each one instead.

It is a great way to get a top crust on the individual pot pies without a lot of work. Follow the instructions on how to do this here: Chicken Pot Pie Recipe.

How to Store and Reheat Leftovers

To store the leftovers, let the Leftover Turkey Pot Pie cool completely. Then cover it and place it the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

To reheat, place it in a preheated oven set at 325°F for 10-15 minutes or until heated through. You can also reheat it in the microwave by covering it with a damp paper towel and heating for 1-2 minutes. However the crust will be more soggy when reheated in the microwave.

Leftover Turkey Pot Pie Recipe

*Specific measurements and complete recipe instructions are located in a printable recipe card at the bottom of this article. However, be sure to continue to read the tips and tricks to making this recipe below.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pie crust
• 1/2 stick butter
• 1/2 c. finely diced onion
• 1/2 c. finely diced celery
• 1/2 c. finely diced carrot
• 2 c. leftover turkey, diced
• 1/4 c. flour
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken or turkey broth
• 3/4 c. heavy cream
• 1/2 c. frozen peas
• 1/4 tsp. thyme
• Salt and pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 400°F. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery, and cook for 4-5 minutes or until translucent.

Add diced turkey and stir. Sprinkle flour over mixture and stir. Cook over medium heat for a couple of minutes, stirring constantly until the liquid that has expelled from the vegetables has been absorbed.

Pour in broth and cream and stir until there are no clumps. Bring the liquid to a slow boil, then add the frozen peas. Allow the mixture to cook and thicken for about 5 minutes. Add thyme, salt and pepper to taste.

Pour the contents into a casserole dish or deep dish pie pan. Roll out the pie crust so that it’s about 1 inch larger than the pan you’re using.

Place the crust on top of the pot pie mixture, and press the crust into the sides of the dish. Cut a few vents in the top of the crust.

Bake for 30-40 minutes or until crust is a deep golden color. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.

ENJOY! Mary

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