Thanksgiving leftovers? Make classic Mexican dishes with that extra turkey

Published November 16th, 2021

It’s almost Thanksgiving, and in the food world (at least in the United States), that means turkey time.

And while in some parts of Mexico turkey isn’t regularly on the menu, in the Yucatán, wild turkeys are very much part of the local cuisine. They were domesticated and eaten by the Aztecs and Maya hundreds (maybe thousands) of years ago, and Spanish conquistadors shipped them back to Spain.

Those wild ocellated turkeys, found today in the Yucatán Peninsula forests in Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize, are a far cry from the highly domesticated ones sold in modern-day grocery stores.

They’re a different species, smaller and brilliantly colored with distinctive iridescent patterned feathers and bright blue heads. And they don’t make the classic turkey “gobble.”

In Mazatlán, where I live, it’s difficult (if not impossible) to find whole turkeys, and if you do, they’ll be frozen. That said, there’s no shame in roasting the biggest chicken you can find for your Día de Acción de Gracias celebration.

Years of habit have accustomed many of us who celebrate to a week of leftover turkey, and the things we do with it are as much a part of our Thanksgiving traditions as the cranberry sauce and mashed potatoes. We all have our favorites: sandwiches, soup, the classic layered Thanksgiving meal-in-a-goblet.

I thought to change it up a bit and share some Mexican-inspired recipes for leftover turkey or chicken. Enjoy!

Easy Turkey Enmoladas

These are so easy and delicious! Use whatever kind of store-bought or homemade mole you like.

• 4-8 corn tortillas, warmed till soft
• Leftover roast turkey or chicken (¼ cup per tortilla)
• 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• Salt
• ¼ cup mole sauce per tortilla
• 1 Tbsp. crema per tortilla
• For serving: cotija cheese, sliced white onions, minced fresh cilantro, lime wedges

In each tortilla, place about ¼ cup of meat in a line, a bit off-center. Don’t fill them too much!

Roll tightly into a cigar shape and rest seam-side-down. Repeat with remaining tortillas and meat.

Heat oil in a cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium.

Add enchiladas seam-side-down in a single row. Cook without moving until crisp on the first side, 2–3 minutes.

Carefully turn with tongs; cook on the second side until crisp. Remove from pan; drain on paper towels.

Season with salt immediately. To serve, spread half of the sauce on a plate. Top with enchiladas, spoon remaining sauce on top. Drizzle with crema.

Sprinkle with cotija, onions, and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.

Turkey Tortilla Soup

For a milder flavor, omit one ancho and one pasilla chile and replace 1 cup stock with one (14.4-ounce) can of diced tomatoes with juice.

• 2 pasilla chiles
• 2 ancho chiles
• 2 whole canned chipotle chiles in adobo plus 1 Tbsp. sauce
• 2 quarts chicken or turkey broth
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 1 whole poblano pepper, seeds and stem removed, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Salt
• 2 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 lb. leftover turkey or chicken, shredded
• For serving: tortilla strips or chips, minced cilantro, diced avocado, jalapeño, and scallions, lime wedges

Combine pasilla, ancho, and chipotle chiles in a medium-sized saucepan. Add half the broth.

Simmer over medium heat until tender, about 15 minutes. Transfer to blender; process until completely smooth.

Heat oil in a large saucepan over high heat. Add onions and poblano pepper and cook, stirring, until softened but not browned, about 2 minutes.

Add garlic and cumin and cook for about 30 seconds. Add remaining broth and chile purée. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce to simmer, add meat and cook for about 5 minutes.

Season to taste with salt. Serve hot, with tortilla strips, scallions, cilantro, avocado, jalapeños as garnishes at the table, plus lime wedges.

Turkey Carnitas

Substitute these for the pork carnitas in any recipe. Delicious in tacos, burritos, or quesadillas or on top of nachos.

• Any amount leftover cooked dark-meat turkey/chicken (thighs and drumsticks)
• Salt
• Per lb. of meat: 1 orange, 1 medium onion, 2 bay leaves, 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil, chicken/turkey fat

Combine meat (with bones if available), orange, onion, and bay leave in a pot that fits everything snugly. Add enough water to cover halfway. Cover, bring to boil, then reduce to a bare simmer and cook about 1 hour until turkey is fall-off-the-bone tender.

Discard orange, onion, and bay leaves; drain turkey well. Shred meat; discard bones.

Heat oil or fat in a cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add meat, and spread into an even layer. Cook without moving about 5 minutes until meat is well browned and crisp on the bottom. Then stir to incorporate the crisp bits and move new soft bits to the bottom. Continue this process until the meat is as crisp as you like it. Season to taste with salt.

Turkey Pozole

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 large poblanos, cut into ¼-inch pieces
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tsp. ground cumin
• 3 Tbsp. tomato paste
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 (29-oz. can) hominy, rinsed
• Salt
• 2 cups leftover shredded turkey/chicken
• ½ cup minced fresh cilantro, plus more for serving
• For serving: corn tortilla strips, radishes, avocado, cotija cheese, lime wedges

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and poblanos. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, 5–6 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, and tomato paste; cook, stirring, 2–3 minutes. Stir in broth, hominy, and ½ tsp. salt; bring to boil.

Reduce heat, simmer for 10 minutes. Add meat and cilantro; cook about 3 minutes until hot.

Serve topped with tortilla strips, radishes, avocado, cilantro, cotija, and a squeeze of lime.