This leftover turkey chili is the perfect way to use up your Thanksgiving turkey! It’s thick and hearty, loaded with veggies, and perfect for pouring on top of leftover stuffing, cornbread, or even mash potatoes!
I finally made a leftover turkey recipe that didn’t involve enchilada sauce. I know, crazy, right?
Although I still LOVE enchilada flavored leftovers, I have to admit that this leftover turkey chili is damn good. And not only is it damn good, but it’s also perfect for pouring over all your carb-based leftovers like cornbread, cornbread stuffing, and mash potatoes (or even mashed cauliflower.)
Black Friday weekend is always a weird balance of “I need something healthy” and “it’s still a holiday, and I want to eat holiday food.” With that in mind, I loaded this chili with as many veggies as I could humanly fit in the pot and just as much flavor.
I also skipped the beans, since although they are healthy, we have plenty of opportunity for carbs elsewhere on Thanksgiving weekend. Feel free to add canned beans in if you want!
Then I topped it with all the fixings because let’s be honest, chili is all about the fixings! I love avocado, sour cream, green onions, and all the cheese! But, to be frank, this chili is also delicious on its own! P.S. If you’re out of turkey, you can make this recipe with rotisserie chicken as well!
Enjoy, friends! And as always, tag me @hungryhobbyRD if you make this, I LOVE seeing my recipes in your homes. It keeps me going!
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Thanksgiving Leftover Turkey Chili
Ingredients
- 1 sweet onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 jalapeno deseeded, deveined, chopped
- 1 stalk celery
- 1 lb carrots
- 2 red bell peppers
- 1 lb green beans
- 2 tbsp avocado oil or EVOO
- 2 cans tomato sauce 15 ounces each
- 1 can diced tomatoes 15 ounces
- 1 can green chiles
- 2-4 tbsp chili powder salt-free
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 4-8 cups water
- 4 cups cooked turkey (or rotisserie chicken)
Optional Toppings
Instructions
- Start by prepping all your veggies at once. Chop onions and mince or finely chop garlic cloves (after peeling.) I suggest using a mandolin for your carrots and celery because if you cut them too thick your soup will take 3 times as long to cook (trust me I made this mistake.) De-seed & de-vein jalapeno and bell peppers, then chop them all (keep them separate though.) Finely, prep and trim green beans. You can use frozen or fresh. If you use fresh, cut them to no bigger than 2 inches per piece.
- To the bottom of a very large pot with a lid (8 quart/7.5L stockpot), add oil, onions, garlic, and jalapenos, saute on medium-high for 2-3 minutes or until translucent. Add celery and saute stirring frequently for another 3-5 minutes. Add all remaining veggies including bell peppers, carrots, and green beans.)
- Add in tomato sauce, crushed tomato, green chiles, 4 cups of broth, and chili powder. Stir it all up. Place the lid on the pot.
- Allow chili to come to a rolling boil, then turn down the heat so that the chili is still boiling on low. Place the lid back on the chili. Allow chili to cook for 60-120 minutes (largely depends on how fat you sliced your veggies!) I sliced mine too fat so it easily took 120 minutes. You will need to add 2 cups of water every 30 minutes or so because the veggies will absorb the liquid as they cook.
- Once all the veggies are tender, stir in cooked turkey. Serve immediately with desired toppings.
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