The Art of the Turkey Leftover: The 22’ Edition

From Chef Sam

Thanksgiving leftover season is here and one holiday I don’t take lightly.

Every year I plan thanksgiving dinner, expanding on traditional dishes I had growing up.

In my thanksgiving roster this year I had citrus and herb roasted turkey, creamy roasted garlic mashed potatoes, fresh cranberry relish, and, of course, my least favorite… green bean casserole.

I cook for my family of five like I am cooking for an army, and this year will be no different.

So, what can I do with all those leftovers that won’t make everyone hating thanksgiving until next year?

I’ve picked turkey to transform after the big day. Everybody has had the classic turkey leftover sandwich or turkey noodle soup.

But let’s think bigger.

Let’s make that thanksgiving turkey unrecognizable!

Late November’s Tikka Masala

One of my favorite meals is an Indian dish called chicken tikka masala.

It consists of marinated chicken in a spiced sauce served with basmati rice and traditional Indian flatbread such as naan.

The origins of Tikka Masala are greatly debated. Many assume the dish was created in India while others believe it was originally from Britain. The most popular origin story is in Scotland where the dish was created by a Bengali Chef.

Today, chicken tikka masala is considered to be the national dish of the UK. This year, I’m swapping out the chicken with our roasted turkey.

Even if your turkey turns out a little dry, infusing it with warm Indian spices and that creamy sauce it will be unrecognizable.

Let’s do this! 🦃

Instead of marinating the raw chicken, your turkey can be cubed and mixed with the traditional marinade of yogurt, cumin, garam masala, cayenne, fresh ginger, garlic and quickly seared off in a hot pan to lock in those flavors.

From there, the delicious flavors left in that pan can be used to create your sauce for the tikka masala with your spices, onion, diced tomatoes and heavy cream.

After that has simmered, back in with your turkey to create a quick thanksgiving turkey tikka masala!

Although this spiced curry is typically served with naan, swap it out with any leftover dinner rolls to soak up that delicious flavor!

Treat yourself kindly this season, slow down when you can, and nourish yourself well.