Leftover Turkey Tacos

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These Leftover Turkey Tacos are a fun and flavorful way to enjoy your Thanksgiving leftovers. With just a few simple ingredients, you can whip up a satisfying meal in no time!

312 CAL 37g CARBS 10g FAT 22g PROTEIN 6
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This Leftover Turkey Taco recipe is one of my favorite ways to repurpose leftover turkey after the holidays! The leftover turkey meat is seasoned with cumin and garlic, stuffed into soft tortillas, and topped with your favorite toppings.

The key to making the perfect leftover turkey tacos is the zesty cranberry jalapeño relish! It's a fun twist on cranberry sauce and adds a sweet flavor to the savory meat. Whether you have leftover turkey meat or made some Crockpot Boneless Turkey Breast or Baked Turkey Tenderloin, you can make these easy turkey tacos! They are also delicious with ground turkey, rotisserie chicken, or any other protein you like.

Not a taco person? Make these Leftover Turkey Quesadillas instead!

Why We Love This Turkey Tacos Recipe

Here’s why this turkey taco recipe will win your heart:

  • Quick and Easy: Let's be real—nobody wants to spend hours cooking after a big holiday meal. Turkey tacos are quick and easy to throw together, making them perfect for a satisfying dinner on busy nights!
  • No Waste: No need to toss those leftovers out! With this recipe, you can repurpose leftovers in a delicious way.
  • Jazzes Up Leftovers: Adding seasonings and pairing leftover turkey meat with a cranberry jalapeño relish incorporates holiday flavors in a new, unique way!

Shredded leftover turkey tacos with all toppings being served.

Turkey Taco Recipe Ingredients

Here’s a simple list of must-have ingredients for whipping up these delicious turkey tacos:

  • Leftover shredded turkey: Use whatever leftover turkey meat you have! If it's not shredded, warm up the meat in the microwave with a splash of broth and shred it with a fork. If you don’t have leftover turkey, this recipe would also work with rotisserie chicken!
  • Spices: I add a little cumin and garlic powder for flavor. If you’re not a fan of these spices, you can use poultry seasoning, taco seasoning, or even cajun seasoning to dress up the turkey meat. However, if your turkey is already super flavorful, you can skip the seasoning.
  • Corn or flour tortillas: Use whatever kind you like! You can also use lettuce wraps, or make bowls or salads with the leftover turkey meat.
  • Cranberry jalapeño relish: This homemade relish is a fun twist on Thanksgiving cranberry sauce! It's totally optional but highly recommended!
  • Queso fresco: Slightly salty and tangy. If you can't find it, you can use Oaxaca cheese, Mexican blend cheese, cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack, goat cheese, feta cheese, or any other type of cheese you like!
  • Optional toppings: Add some shredded lettuce, sour cream, avocado, and fresh cilantro.

Ingredients for turkey tacos, including cheese, relish, turkey and veggies sitting on the counter.

How to Make Turkey Tacos

Making leftover turkey tacos is a tasty way to use up your Thanksgiving turkey! Here's how to do it:

1. Prep

Start by heating some olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Just enough oil will give your turkey a nice sear when it hits the pan.

2. Cook Turkey

Next, add your shredded turkey along with some cumin and garlic powder. These spices really amp up the flavor! Don't forget to sprinkle in a bit of salt and pepper to taste. Cook everything together for a couple of minutes until the turkey is warmed through.

Shredded turkey being warmed in a pan on the stove.

Tip: Only cook the turkey until it’s warmed through so it doesn’t get tough!

3. Make the Cranberry Relish

If you have cranberry jalapeño relish, great! If not, you can quickly mix together canned cranberry sauce with a diced jalapeño, chopped cilantro, a squeeze of lime juice, and a pinch of cumin for a simple substitute. This adds a nice kick to your tacos!

4. Warm Up Tortillas

Once your turkey is heated and the relish is ready, warm up your tortillas. Fill each tortilla with the turkey mixture, add the relish, and sprinkle on some queso fresco. If you like, you can also add your favorite taco toppings like shredded lettuce, sour cream, or avocado!

Delicious Toppings to Add to These Tacos

Here are some other delicious toppings for this taco recipe:

Turkey Taco Recipe Variations & Substitutions

Get creative with your turkey tacos by trying out these fun variations and substitutions:

  • Seasonings: Add different seasonings like chili powder or smoked paprika for extra flavor!
  • Change it up: Ditch the tortillas and make a taco salad, nachos, loaded fries, or anything else you like!
  • Add sweetness: Give the turkey meat a sweeter flavor profile by adding a splash of orange juice.
  • Use chicken: This recipe will also work with leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken.

Frequently Asked Questions

This is what people are asking about these tacos!

Add a splash of chicken broth to the turkey in the skillet to add some moisture!

 

If you use corn tortillas and use gluten-free toppings, then yes!

A hand grabbing a turkey taco off a plate.
The Recipe
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Leftover Turkey Tacos

312 CAL 37g CARBS 10g FAT 22g PROTEIN 6
PREP TIME: 10 Min
COOK TIME: 10 Min
TOTAL TIME: 20 Min
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Ingredients

US METRICS
  • 2 cups leftover shredded turkey (I used turkey breast)
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 8 corn tortillas (or flour tortillas)
  • 1/2 cup cranberry sauce (I recommend cranberry jalapeno relish, see recipe below)
  • 1/2 cup queso fresco

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Instructions

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1

Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the shredded turkey, cumin, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Cook for a couple of minutes until just warmed through.

2

Serve the turkey in warm tortilla with cranberry jalapeno relish, queso fresco, and your favorite toppings. 

Equipment

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Nutritional Facts
Serving Size: 2 tacos
Amount Per Serving
Calories 312
Calories from Fat 87
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 10g
15%
Saturated Fat 3g
14%
Monounsaturated Fat 1g
0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
0%
Cholesterol 52mg
18%
Sodium 243mg
11%
Total Carbohydrate 37g
12%
Dietary Fiber 4g
14%
Sugars 12g
Protein 22g

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

The Nutritional Values provided are estimates only and may vary based on the preparation method.

Notes

Shortcut cranberry relish: If you don’t have cranberry jalapeno relish: Mix together 1/2 cup of canned whole berry cranberry sauce with 1 diced jalapeno, 2 tbsp cilantro, juice of 1 lime, a pinch of cumin, salt, and pepper. 
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About the author Meet Kristen McCaffrey
Hi, I’m the cookbook author, recipe developer, and food enthusiast behind Slender Kitchen. I am obsessed with making healthy food that is easy to prepare and absolutely delicious. Meal planning is my secret weapon and I hope I can make meal time easier for you with our tried and tested recipes and foolproof meal plans. Learn More
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