Light Healthy Leftover Turkey Recipes | WeightWatchers Friendly (2024)

For me, the best part of roasting a turkey for Thanksgiving or Christmas (or anytime for that matter) is all the delicious recipes you can make from the leftover turkey.

Have you been stuck with loads of leftover turkey and wondered how to repurpose it without piling on the pounds? Well, you're in luck! This article is all about turning those extra turkey bits into yummy dishes that won't wreck your Weight Watchers plan.

After the big Thanksgiving holiday feast, our fridges are often filled with turkey, and it's time to get creative. We're on a mission to find easy and healthy ways to use up that leftover bird. From soups to salads and hearty mains, we've got your back with recipes that not only taste great but are also light and healthy.

Cooked turkey can be used in so many ways. You can use it anywhere you would use cooked chicken - in rice dishes and in Mexican dishes like quesadillas, enchiladas, burritos and nachos and in all kinds of soups, stews and chilies.

I'm a big fan ofleftover turkey noodle soup, turkey sandwiches, soups and leftover turkey casseroles.

Simple Leftover Turkey Noodle Soup

And as I focus on healthy eating and weight loss, I'm on the lookout for for ways to lighten-up old family favorite dishes. So,I've gathered a great collection of light and healthy leftover turkey recipes all in one place so they're here when I need them.

A long-time go-to wild rice casserole, perfect with after-Thanksgiving leftover turkey. And so easy since it's made in the slow cooker.

2. Impossibly Easy Pot Pie Made Lighter

Substitute leftover Thanksgiving turkey in this skinny easy pot pie recipe

3. Wild Rice Turkey Pot Pie

Dig into a pot pie with a new twist. You'll find wild rice in the savory veggie-rich filling and the Bisquick® topping. (Found at Betty Crocker.)

4. Skinny Chicken (or Turkey) Broccoli Casserole

- You can substitute leftover turkey for the chicken in this lightened up version of Mom's favorite chicken & broccoli casserole.

5. Skinny Chicken (or Turkey) Apple Stuffing Casserole

This Chicken (or Turkey) Apple Stuffing Casserole - Creamy and comforting, this casserole is another easy and delicious family-favorite recipe that starts with shredded cooked chicken breast, turkey breast or leftover rotisserie chicken and only requires a handful of additional ingredients. Low in fat and calories, it mixes together in minutes and needs about 30 minutes to bake. If you have enough leftover stuffing, from you Thanksgiving dinner, this recipe will come together even quicker.

6. Crock Pot Turkey Vegetable Barley Soup

Crock Pot Turkey Vegetable Barley Soup - This is one of those easy dump and stir recipes that takes just a few minutes to toss together. Perfect after a long weekend of cooking, when you're ready to take it extra easy in the kitchen.

7. Slow Cooker Turkey Green Chile Chowder

Slow Cooker Turkey Green Chile Chowder - This slow cooker turkey green chili chowder reminded me of my mom’s corn chowder, only zippier and heartier, thanks to the addition of green chilies and turkey.

8. Slow Cooker Thanksgiving Leftovers Soup

9. Crock Pot Turkey Broth

Crock Pot Turkey Broth - Making turkey or chicken broth (stock) is pretty easy anyway, but using a slow cooker makes the process virtually effortless. For very little work you are rewarded with several cups of delicious homemade broth, free of the artificial stuff often found in the boxed kind

- What's not to like about thinly sliced apples, smoked turkey, spinach and cheddar layered between spicy mayo smeared multigrain bread and grilled until toasty and melty? Substitute leftover turkey for the smoked deli turkey in this panini.

11. Chicken (or Turkey) Salad with Apples and Cranberries

Substitute leftover cooked turkey in this ever popular chicken salad with apples and cranberries. One of the post popular recipes on Simple Nourished Living, it has been shared more than 250 thousand times for good reason.

12. Skinny Curried Chicken (or Turkey) Salad

Substitute cooked turkey in this flavorful curried chicken salad recipe. It's a tasty combination of sweet and spicy with lots of crunch from the celery and apples.

More Turkey Sandwich Ideas for Weight Watchers

Healthier Turkey Artichoke Panini - Gobble away guilt-free with this lighter turkey panini. Found at Betty Crocker.
Skinny Turkey Cuban - Leftover turkey breast makes a great, lighter alternative to roast pork in this healthier Cuban and it's a great way to use your leftover turkey this Thanksgiving. Found at SkinnyTaste.
Hungry Girl Turkey Cranberry Grilled Cheese - Made with light bread and light laughing cow cheese from Hungry Girl.
Skinny Turkey & Provolone Panini - Turkey, provolone, roasted red peppers and light chipotle mayo on light wheat bread. found at Laaloosh.
Healthy Turkey Sandwich with Spicy Cranberry Chutney - A healthy spiced up turkey sandwich from Health Magazine found at MyRecipes. Lighten it up further by using light bread or a sandwich thin.

More Weight Watchers Friendly Ideas for Thanksgiving Leftovers

Substitute Turkey for Chicken in this Slow Cooker Chicken Ala King

Substitute Turkey for the Chicken in One of these Salads

Martha is the founder and main content writer for Simple-Nourished-Living.

A longtime lifetime WW at goal, she is committed to balancing her love of food and desire to stay slim while savoring life and helping others do the same.

She is the author of the Smart Start 28-Day Weight Loss Challenge.

A huge fan of the slow cooker and confessed cookbook addict, when she's not experimenting in the kitchen, you're likely to find Martha on her yoga mat.

More about Martha McKinnon

*Points® calculated by WW. *PointsPlus® and SmartPoints® calculated by Simple Nourished Living; Not endorsed by Weight Watchers International, Inc. All recipe ingredients except optional items included in determining nutritional estimates. SmartPoints® values calculated WITHOUT each plan's ZeroPoint Foods (Green plan, Blue plan, Purple plan) using the WW Recipe Builder.

This post contains affiliate links to products I like. When you buy something through one of my Amazon links or other (affiliate links), I receive a small commission that helps support this site. Thank you for your purchase!

originally published 11/2018; republished with updated content and photos 11/2023

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Light Healthy Leftover Turkey Recipes | WeightWatchers Friendly (2024)

FAQs

How long is leftover turkey good for in the refrigerator? ›

USDA recommends using cooked turkey within 3 to 4 days, kept refrigerated (40°F or less). Refrigeration slows but does not stop bacterial growth. Turkey can be frozen for 3 to 4 months. Although safe indefinitely, frozen leftovers can lose moisture and flavor when stored for longer times in the freezer.

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What to do with over cooked turkey? ›

Place your carved meat in a shallow baking dish and cover it with stock. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and place in low oven, somewhere around 250 degrees, for 5-10 minutes. The dryness won't be entirely gone after this short broth bath, but the turkey will definitely be more moist than before.

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Is leftover turkey safe to eat cold? ›

Remember, every time they're removed from the refrigerator, it gives pathogens an opportunity to grow. Your leftover turkey sandwich is fine cold, if you cooked it properly the first time.

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How to make leftover turkey tender? ›

To reheat, preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Keeping the turkey in the roasting pan, pour a bit of stock (chicken, turkey, or veggie stock or broth will work) over the meat to moisten it. Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes to an hour, or until the turkey is warmed through.

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Can you eat 7 day old turkey? ›

Leftovers can be stored in the fridge for three to four days, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service. Turkey typically lasts up to four days in the fridge before it goes bad.

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Is a 3 year old frozen turkey still good? ›

Frozen Turkey

Turkeys can be kept in the freezer indefinitely. However, cook turkeys within 1 year for the best quality.

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How do chefs reheat turkey? ›

If you're reheating a lot of turkey at once, the oven is your best option.

Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
Carve the turkey breast meat into thin slices and carve the leg meat off the bone. ...
Cover the dish tightly with foil and roast for 30 mins until the turkey is very hot – at least 75C on a cooking thermometer.

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Why does leftover turkey taste different? ›

The flavor is variously described as "rancid," "stale," and like "cardboard," and even compared to "damp dog hair." Warmed-over flavor is caused by the oxidative decomposition of lipids (fatty substances) in the meat into chemicals (short-chain aldehydes or ketones) which have an unpleasant taste or odor.

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How good are turkey leftovers good for? ›

The answer is simple: leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator for three to four days. This means you have until the Monday after Thanksgiving to eat all those delicious leftovers or place them in the freezer to enjoy later.

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Can I eat 5 day old cooked turkey? ›

Snyder points to the USDA FoodKeeper app for best guidance: The tool notes that refrigerated, cooked turkey should be eaten within 4 days. Eat frozen turkey leftovers within 6 months for premier quality.

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Is it OK to eat cooked turkey left out overnight? ›

You can only safely leave out your bird for up to two hours after it's cooked. Once you pass that two-hour mark, it starts to spoil -- and quickly. Make sure you refrigerate your turkey before you take a nap!

Why can you only reheat turkey once? ›

How many times can you reheat turkey? It's not a good idea to reheat turkey more than once. Technically, as long as it reaches 165° each time, it's safe to eat. That said, it's a food safety hazard to some degree, since every time you heat and cool food, it passes through the danger zone (between 40° and 140°).

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What if I cook my turkey upside down? ›

Cooking a turkey upside down allows the juices to trickle down during the roasting process for extra moist and juicy breast meat. Plus, since the dark meat is closer to the heat source, it cooks faster than it does with the traditional method. It's a win-win!

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How do you make a precooked turkey taste better? ›

You can add flavor to a precooked turkey breast by marinating it before cooking. Create a mixture of herbs, spices, oil, and your choice of acidic ingredient (such as lemon juice or vinegar). Place the turkey breast in the marinade, let it sit in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight, and then cook as desired.

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Can you eat turkey 5 days after Thanksgiving? ›

Turkey: 3-4 days.

Eat turkey within three to four days of cooking. If you use the turkey in a new dish like a soup or casserole, only consume within those initial four days. Another option is freezing the cooked turkey. Turkey can last up to four more months if frozen.

Is it safe to eat leftover turkey after 6 days? ›

Like other leftovers, leftover cooked turkey can—and will—go bad. “The texture and smell of turkey will indicate when it has gone bad,” Edwards says. “Generally it will smell bad and get a slimy texture. It's best to throw it away after four days in the fridge or move it to the freezer at that point.”