Shredded turkey so tender it falls apart, bathed in a piquant tomatillo sauce, and oozing with cheese. These enchiladas make a killer Tex Mex meal for any night of the week… but are especially good on the days after Thanksgiving.
Let’s be brief. After the main event, everyone is SOOO done with cooking. Been there, done that… every bit of energy spent on a spectacular Thanksgiving feast.
But, what to do with the TON of leftover turkey? Let’s put it to good use.
To go with the theme, I’ll keep this concise. In this post you won’t find me spotlighting cockamamie ideas floating around on the Internet for turning your leftover stuffing into waffles, cranberry sauce into pop tarts, or mashed potatoes into pizza.
Nope. We’re talking turkey, here- straight up. And what you’re gonna get is a bang up, simple as pie, enchilada recipe that will put that poultry to GREAT use.
Put a pin this recipe for later, and let’s help you feed your lingering after-holiday house guests.
AND you’ll put a smile on your face, as you create yet ANOTHER amazing meal- and this one in no time flat.
I like to shop for any additional ingredients that I’ll need for the rest of the week on Tuesday while picking up last minute items for the big T-Day event. This saves circling back to the grocery when I’m all grocery-ed out…
BUT I will say if you’d rather wait, there is something to be said for having an excuse to get yourself out of the house and away from the zaniness. ?
OR, maybe a better reason to wait, send Uncle “Pete” on an errand and get him out of your hair – ha! ?.
Are there tasty add-ins?
- Add a chopped jalapeno to the turkey mixture for some extra heat.
- Crumble some queso fresco on top when serving
- Serve with Mexican hot sauce
Any other Tips?
- You can substitute shredded chicken in place of the turkey if it’s not Thanksgiving time.
- You can make this ahead. Assemble the enchiladas in the baking dish, and refrigerate for up to 6 hours before baking. Pop in the preheated oven directly from the fridge, adding on about 5 minutes of baking time to make sure they are heated through.
- The salsa on the bottom of the pan is to keep the tortillas from sticking to the dish. The amount is not exact, just make sure that there is a coating of salsa on the bottom.
- Ditto for the salsa on top of the tortillas – the amount is not precise, just spoon a little on each one to keep it from drying out in the oven.
- The amount of cheese can be dialed up or down, depending on how oozy-goozy you like your enchiladas. I like mine with a light-to-medium amount, which is about a half cup. But by all means pile it on if you love cheese!
Watch me make this recipe
Leftover Turkey No-Fuss Enchiladas
Ingredients
- 2 cups shredded turkey or use chicken
- 24 ounces 2 cups jarred tomatillo salsa, your favorite brand and heat level
- ½ cup white onion chopped
- ½ cup cilantro chopped
- 2 limes
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ - ¾ cup shredded cheese such as mild cheddar or Monterray jack
- 8 flour tortillas
- Sour cream for serving optional
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine 1 ¼ cups of the salsa, onion, cilantro, salt, and juice from one lime. Stir in the turkey and mix to combine.
- Spoon ¼ cup of the remaining sauce into the bottom of a 9 x 13” baking dish to coat the bottom. Fill a tortilla with some of the turkey mixture, roll up and place seam-side down in the baking dish. Repeat with the remaining turkey and tortillas, filling the dish.
- Spoon the remaining salsa on top of the tortillas. Top with the cheese, then place in the preheated oven. Bake for 20 minutes, or until heated through and cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve warm, with the optional sour cream and remaining lime cut into wedges on the side.
