Put those Thanksgiving leftovers to use by making this addicting crunchy turkey casserole!
This dish is a comforting and delicious weeknight recipe that contains all of the good stuff. Chicken can very easily be substituted for turkey if that’s what you have on hand. It is mixed with a cheesy concoction made up of onion, corn, green peas, shredded cheese, mayo and roasted red pepper. After it is poured into a greased baking dish, this turkey casserole is sprinkled with crunchy, salty crumbled potato chips. After this casserole is placed in the oven and baked until golden and extra crispy, it is ready to eat! This is one recipe that everyone will go crazy over!
As I continue down this road called “let’s make every single Thanksgiving leftover dish I can possibly think of,” I find that I’m just about turkey’d out! I honestly didn’t think this was possible, but as I sit here and write this here post, it saddens me that I’m even thinking that I could be turkey’d out! I guess this is the price we pay for being food bloggers. It’s all about the trends, and sticking to those trends keeps us ahead of the game. So by the time Thanksgiving (or Christmas, or Easter, or the Superbowl, or New Year’s Eve, or the 4th of July), we are sick of the one thing that we get excited for: FOOD!
It’s kind of sad actually, but I plan on coming up with a very easy solution. This is why I plan on spending the next week not roasting one vegetable, basting one turkey, baking one pie, etc. I don’t even want to look at a stove. This is how I plan to “detox” so that I’m super ready for the turkey day. It’s a good thing I know how to plan ahead.
I do not regret getting sick of turkey though, because delicious creations like this crunchy turkey casserole were born. This casserole is one of my favorite recipes to make after Thanksgiving. I’m sure many of you are just like me in that you don’t want to even think about cooking after you’ve put together Thanksgiving dinner. This recipe is so easy and quick!
Give this recipe a try the weekend after Thanksgiving. You will be so glad you did! Pair it with a brown ale. It’s comforting, malty characteristics really compliment the flavors in this crunchy turkey casserole!
Crunchy Turkey Casserole
Servings:
10 -12Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 small yellow onion chopped
- 1 cup long grain wild rice cooked per manufacturer's instructions until slightly tender but still has a bite (do not overcook)
- 3 cup fully-cooked shredded turkey
- 2 cups frozen peas thawed
- 1 1/2 cup frozen corn thawed
- 1 1/2 cups grated Monterey jack cheese
- 1 cup mayo
- 1 can cream of chicken soup
- 1/2 cup chopped roasted red peppers
- 3 1/2 cups crumbled potato chips
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a large baking dish with a nonstick spray and set aside.
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, and cook until tender, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl.
- To the large bowl, also stir in the rice, turkey, peas, corn, cheese mayo, cream of chicken soup, and red peppers. Fold the ingredients together until fully combined.
- Pour the mixture into the baking dish and smooth out the top. Top with the potato chips and place it in the oven. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden.
- Garnish the turkey casserole with fresh parsley and enjoy immediately!
Notes
15 Responses
You’re planning so well! What a great use of leftovers :)
This looks amazing! I love fun ways to use up leftovers!
That is one of the “dangers” of being a food blogger! Usually by the time the holiday actually arrives, it feels like I’ve been celebrating it for weeks and am already “over it”! This casserole sounds delicious though and could be made any time of the year!
It’s so sad to be turkey’d out before Thanksgiving, but I totally get it! Hopefully you’re able to detox and enjoy next week! This casserole looks amazing!
Well, hello there comfort food! Love that crunchy topping, Julia!
I love the crunchy topping on this casserole! What a creative use of leftovers – this looks so delicious!
Question. Can this be frozen without the chips? Or
Could this be made on a Thursday and cooked on a Sunday, sprinkling chips on top at that time?
Hi Joyce. This recipe can definitely be made in advance (without the chips). I have never frozen it (after baking), but I have made it a day ahead of time. Prep on Thursday, seal tightly, and refrigerate. Cook as indicated on instructions on the day you wish to serve it. I imagine that it would freeze well (kind of like lasagna), but again, I have never tried it. Feel free to go for it if you feel confident! Hope this helps! – Justine
I made this and split it in ½. Baked one froze the other. We ate about ½ of the one I baked and the next day put the other ½ in the air fryer. The potato chips came out perfectly crispy.