Turkey Tetrazzini
Use your Thanksgiving leftovers deliciously by making this easy Turkey Tetrazzini! This perfect weeknight dinner is made with tender linguine mixed with ingredients like garlic, fresh thyme, plenty of cheese, leftover turkey, and SO much more.
Turkey Tetrazzini
The day (or few days, if we’re honest) after Thanksgiving, it can be hard to get back in the kitchen and make big meals. It kind of feels like a cooking hangover, if you ask me! However, that doesn’t mean that you should just zap all your leftovers in the microwave and enjoy them that way. No, instead, use your leftover turkey in delicious and super easy recipes like this cheesy tetrazzini!
I’m obsessed with this recipe for a few different reasons. First off, I love that it makes enough to actually feed my family. Speaking of family, they all can’t seem to get enough of it! It’s just like our Chicken Tetrazzini but makes great use of those turkey leftovers.
Even the pickiest little eaters at the table gobble this dinner down in no time flat. It’s flavored to perfection with plenty of seasonings, herbs, and fresh garlic, all while the consistency couldn’t be more creamy and decadent. On top of all that, it’s a total cinch to make in just a little over half an hour.
So while it may seem annoying to hop back into the kitchen so soon after turkey day, I promise that recipes like this one make it all worth your while. It gets rid of that leftover turkey in your fridge in a truly scrumptious way, feeds your whole happy family, and the steps to whipping it up really couldn’t be much more simple.
Plus, if you have leftovers of this leftover-inspired dinner, they’re also SO good when reheated! Of all the things I’m thankful for this month, this tetrazzini recipe tops the list.
How to Make It
Heat it up. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Prepare the turkey. Place the turkey in a very large bowl, set aside.
Heat the oil. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
Saute the mushrooms. Add the mushrooms and saute over until the liquid from the mushrooms evaporates and the mushrooms become golden brown, about 12 minutes.
Saute the aromatics. Add the onion, garlic, and thyme, and saute until the onion is translucent, about 8 minutes.
Move the mixture. Transfer the mushroom mixture to the bowl with the chicken.
Whisk together more ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the cream of chicken soup, milk, sour cream, 1/2 the butter, garlic powder and nutmeg.
Mix in the pasta. Add the egg noodles, sauce, peas, 1 cup mozzarella and parsley to the chicken mixture. Toss until the sauce coats the pasta and the mixture is well blended.
Place the pasta in the dish. Transfer the pasta mixture to a baking dish coated with cooking spray.
Make it cheesy. Stir the remaining cheese, breadcrumbs and butter together in a small bowl. Sprinkle the cheese mixture over the pasta.
Bake. Bake, uncovered, until golden brown on top and the sauce bubbles, about 25 minutes.
Can this recipe be used with chicken?
Yes! If you don’t have any turkey, chicken can definitely be substituted. I recommend shredding the meat of a cooked rotisserie chicken from the grocery store for the easiest option.
Can I use dried parsley?
I prefer using fresh parsley for this recipe, as it’s the most aromatic. However, you could also use dried parsley in a pinch. Just keep in mind that dried parsley is a bit more potent in flavor, so you may want to not use as much.
How long will turkey tetrazzini stay fresh?
In an airtight container in the refrigerator, any leftovers you have of this pasta dish will stay fresh for up to 3 days. The best part is that it reheats wonderfully in the microwave! Just let it heat in 30 second increments until it’s warmed through.
Have any more leftovers in your fridge?
Ross Geller’s Thanksgiving Leftover Turkey Sandwich
Cheesy Turkey Sliders with Cranberry
For more easy thanksgiving leftover ideas, follow us on Instagram and Facebook!
Get the Recipe: Turkey Tetrazzini
Ingredients
- 4 cups cooked turkey breast, chopped
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 pound white mushrooms, sliced
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
- 2 10 ounce can Cream of Chicken Soup
- 3 cups whole milk, room temperature
- 1/2 cup sour cream, room temperature
- 1/2 cup melted butter, divided
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 pound egg noodles, cooked al dente
- 3/4 cup frozen peas
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
- 1 cup grated Parmesan
- 1/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Equipment
- baking dish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
- Place the chicken in a very large bowl, set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat.
- Add the mushrooms and saute over until the liquid from the mushrooms evaporates and the mushrooms become golden brown, about 12 minutes.
- Add the onion, garlic, and thyme, and saute until the onion is translucent, about 8 minutes.
- Transfer the mushroom mixture to the bowl with the chicken.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the cream of chicken soup, milk, sour cream, 1/2 the butter, garlic powder and nutmeg.
- Add the noodles, sauce, peas, 1 cup mozzarella and parsley to the chicken mixture. Toss until the sauce coats the pasta and the mixture is well blended.
- Transfer the pasta mixture to a baking dish coated with cooking spray.
- Stir the remaining cheese, breadcrumbs and butter together in a small bowl.
- Sprinkle the cheese mixture over the pasta.
- Bake, uncovered, until golden brown on top and the sauce bubbles, about 25 minutes.