Turkey a la King. This easy turkey leftover recipe is a streamlined version of pot pie minus the crust. The no fuss, one pan recipe uses up the last of the Thanksgiving turkey. Along with fresh carrots, mushrooms, peas and a savory herb sauce, this dish will be a family favorite.
>>Scroll down for my step by step video<<
Turkey a la King is one of the coziest comfort food dishes that I prepare for personal chef clients. And it is a favorite dinner I have been serving my own family for over 20 years. A one pan recipe, my version is fashioned after my Mom’s recipe that was made with chicken. This is an oh so easy leftover turkey recipe that has all the flavors of a creamy pot pie. And as a bonus, it is a delicious way to use up any Thanksgiving turkey left from your feast.
the ingredients for this easy leftover turkey recipe
- salted butter
- onion
- mushrooms
- carrots
- all purpose flour
- half and half
- reduced sodium chicken stock
- kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- frozen peas
- cooked turkey
- ground sage
- fresh parsley
what is turkey a la king?
Turkey a la King is a close cousin to a creamy veggie-filled turkey or chicken pot pie but, without the hassle of a crust. The “a la king” in the recipe title means with a cream sauce with mushrooms.
It’s easy to whip up this recipe as it includes every day ingredients on hand in most kitchens. And it’s a bonus that this delicious dish is an easy leftover turkey recipe. Because don’t we all love a scrumptious recipe that uses leftovers? This is one of those retro and homey dishes that reminds me of my childhood dinners. Just simple ingredients in an easy to make recipe that is home cooked goodness.
chef cooking tips for making turkey a la king
- This recipe comes together quickly. In about 30 minutes dinner will be ready. Chop the onions, carrots, mushrooms and parsley. Measure the chicken stock, milk and flour. Thaw the peas. Prepping and chopping the ingredients before starting to cook will make preparing the one pot dish a snap.
- Don’t overcook the vegetables. You want them to be just cooked and not mushy so they hold their shape and add fresh flavor to the turkey a la king.
- Warm the half and half for 20 to 30 seconds in the microwave to take the chill off of it. It is easier to incorporate warm half and half when making the sauce. Also adding cold half and half to the hot pan will splatter and spurt and make more of a mess to clean up. Whole milk can be substituted for the half and half but, the sauce will not be as luxurious.
- My preference is to shred the cooked turkey. But cubed turkey is just as tasty in the dish. And by all means, substitute cooked and shredded or cubed chicken for the turkey if you like.
what to serve with turkey a la king
Turkey a la King is a one pot dish that is even more splendid when served over something to catch the savory and creamy herb sauce. A few suggestions are
- Mashed potatoes
- Mashed cauliflower
- Cauliflower rice pilaf ~ grab my easy recipe
- Thick slices of toast
- Buttermilk biscuits
- English muffins
- Rice ~ try my no fail, perfectly fluffy recipe
- Egg noodles
If you make this delicious turkey a la king recipe, I’d love hearing from you. Be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating ~ I do my best to reply to all your comments. And snap a photo to post to Instagram. I’ll add the photos to my Insta stories as I love seeing all your creations. Share your favorite easy leftover turkey recipe too.
Also check out my Facebook and Pinterest pages for lots of fabulous foodie stories and videos, cooking tips, and recipes.
my cooking videos
more comfort food recipes to try
- The Best Deviled Eggs with Dill Pickles
- Super Easy and Cheesy Mac and Cheese
- Creamy Broccoli and Cheese Soup
- New England Clam Chowder
- No Fail Triple Cheese and Sausage Lasagna
- Leftover Turkey Sliders with Creamy Artichoke Dip
- Easy and Delicious Cheddar Stuffed Potatoes
Easy Turkey Leftover Recipe ~ Turkey a la King
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
Creamy Turkey a la King. This easy turkey leftover recipe is a streamlined version of pot pie minus the crust. The no fuss, one pan recipe uses up the last of the Thanksgiving turkey. Along with fresh carrots, mushrooms, and peas and a savory herb sauce, this dish will be a family favorite.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 2 cups sliced mushrooms
- 1 1/2 cups carrots, cut in matchsticks
- 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups half and half, warmed for 30 seconds in microwave
- 1 1/2 cups reduced sodium chicken stock
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 4 cups cooked shredded or cubed turkey
- 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon ground sage
- toast, noodles or rice for serving
Instructions
- Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat and add butter. When the butter had melted, add the onion, mushrooms, and carrots. Season with kosher salt and pepper. Sauté for 6 to 8 minutes. The vegetables should be just beginning to brown and just cooked.
- Stir in the flour. Cook and continue stirring for about 1 minute.
- Slowly add the chicken stock and half and half. Stir to incorporate the liquids. Continue cooking and stirring occasionally for 3 to 4 minutes. The sauce should be slightly thickened. Stir in the kosher salt and pepper.
- Stir in the turkey, peas and parsley.
- Stir in ground sage.
- Continue cooking until heated through, about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Serve over toast, noodles, or rice.
Notes
- This recipe comes together quickly. In about 30 minutes dinner will be ready. Chop the onions, carrots mushrooms and parsley. Measure the chicken stock, half and half and flour. Thaw the peas. Prepping and chopping the ingredients before starting to cook will make preparing the one pot dish a snap.
- Don’t overcook the vegetables. You want them to be just cooked and not mushy so they hold their shape and add fresh flavor to the Turkey a la King.
- Warm the half and half for 20 to 30 seconds in the microwave to take the chill off of it. It is easier to incorporate warm half and half when making the sauce. Also adding cold half and half to the hot pan will splatter and spurt and make more of a mess to clean up. Whole milk can be substituted for the half and half but, the sauce will not be as luxurious.
- My preference is to shred the already cooked turkey. But cubed turkey is just as tasty in the dish. Cooked chicken is a good substitute for the turkey.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: entree
- Method: stove top
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe
- Calories: 358
- Sugar: 7.2 g
- Sodium: 1786 mg
- Fat: 14.7 g
- Saturated Fat: 7.6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 19.7 g
- Fiber: 2.9 g
- Protein: 35.5 g
- Cholesterol: 97 mg
Keywords: leftover turkey recipes, dinner ideas, turkey a la king, thanksgiving leftover recipes, turkey recipe
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