This easy leftover turkey fricassee turns cooked turkey into a comforting dinner with mushrooms, peas and a creamy garlic and thyme sauce. Ready in around 20 minutes, it's delicious served with rice, mashed potatoes or crusty bread.
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Quick Summary - Leftover Turkey Fricassee
I've made this turkey fricassee many times, using both breast and thigh meat. The sauce has a lovely coating thickness, which is exactly what I aim for-enough body to cling to the turkey without becoming too thick. Beth (Effortless Foodie)
🕒 Ready In: 20 minutes
👪 Serves: 4
🍽 Calories: 547
🥣 Main Ingredients: Cooked turkey, mushrooms, peas, stock and cream.
👩🍳 Difficulty: Easy
👌 Why this recipe? This easy leftover turkey fricassee turns Christmas or Thanksgiving leftovers into a comforting meal in just 20 minutes, with a creamy mushroom sauce that coats the turkey beautifully.
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The traditional French fricassee is made by browning chicken pieces (or other meats) in butter before simmering them in a rich, creamy white mushroom sauce.
This leftover turkey fricassee offers a twist on the classic recipe, using pre-cooked turkey. This not only makes it quicker, but also incredibly easy to prepare!
More turkey leftovers? Try my easy leftover turkey curry, leftover turkey pasta bake or air fryer turkey toastie next!
Jump to:
- Quick Summary - Leftover Turkey Fricassee
- Why you'll love this recipe!
- Ingredient notes
- Need to substitute an ingredient?
- Using leftover turkey safely
- Variations
- Make it even better
- How to make leftover turkey fricassee
- Beth's top tips
- Serving suggestions
- Storage
- Troubleshooting guide
- Turkey fricassee FAQs
- More turkey recipes
- Recipe
- 💬 Comments
Why you'll love this recipe!
- Uses already-cooked turkey: You only need to make the sauce and gently heat the turkey through.
- A sauce that coats the meat: A little flour thickens the stock and cream without making the sauce overly heavy.
- Everything cooks in one pan: Less washing-up after a busy Christmas or Thanksgiving.
- Flexible ingredients: Use breast or thigh meat, leave out the wine, or swap the cream depending on what you have available.
Ingredient notes
A full ingredients list along with Metric and US Customary measurements, can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
Cooked Turkey - Use leftover cooked turkey breast, thigh meat or a mixture, cut into bite-sized pieces. Remove any bones before adding it. This recipe is designed for cooked turkey, rather than raw turkey.
Butter - For cooking the mushrooms and making the sauce. Unsalted butter gives you more control over the seasoning.
Chestnut Mushrooms (Cremini or Baby Bella Mushrooms) - Slice before cooking. White button mushrooms also work well.
Garlic - Three cloves, peeled and thinly sliced.
Thyme - Fresh thyme leaves add flavour to the mushroom sauce. If using dried thyme, start with ½ teaspoon instead of the 2 teaspoons of fresh leaves.
Plain Flour (All-Purpose Flour) - Thickens the sauce so it coats the turkey.
White Wine - Use a dry white wine. Replace it with the same volume of additional stock for a wine-free version.
Chicken or Turkey Stock (Broth) - Homemade or prepared stock both work. Choose lower-salt stock if your turkey is already well seasoned.
Double Cream (Heavy Cream or Heavy Whipping Cream) - Gives the sauce a creamy finish. US heavy cream works as a substitute, although it has a lower fat content than UK double cream.
Frozen Peas - Add straight from frozen and cook thoroughly.
Parsley - Freshly chopped parsley to finish the dish.
Parmesan - Optional, but adds extra savoury flavour. Finely grate it before serving.
Salt and Black Pepper - Taste before adding salt, particularly if using salted stock and Parmesan.
Need to substitute an ingredient?
Have an allergy or dietary preference? Let AI customise the recipe for you.
Using leftover turkey safely
Use turkey that was properly cooked, cooled and refrigerated promptly. UK Food Standards Agency guidance is to refrigerate leftovers within two hours, eat them within 48 hours or freeze them, and reheat only once until steaming hot throughout.
Making this fricassee counts as reheating the turkey. Make only the amount you intend to eat at this meal, rather than planning to chill or freeze the finished dish for another reheating. Turning leftover turkey into a new dish does not reset its storage time.
For a later meal, freeze suitable portions of the original cooked turkey promptly, before reheating it. Defrost in the fridge before using
Variations
- Add a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg to the sauce.
- Use different cooked meats such as chicken.
- Add in leftover vegetables. Cooked broccoli and cauliflower would work well.
- Wilt in a handful of baby spinach leaves at the end of cooking. The heat of the sauce will quickly wilt the baby leaves.
- Add a squeeze of lemon juice to cut through the richness of the sauce.
- Finish with grated Parmesan for extra flavour.
- Swap the double cream for creme fraiche.
- Make turkey fricassee in your slow cooker.
Make it even better
Add Fibre - Serve with brown rice or wholewheat pasta and extra vegetables.
Manage Salt - Choose lower-salt stock, season after tasting and use the optional Parmesan sparingly.
How to make leftover turkey fricassee
One: Melt the butter in a large frying pan (skillet) or shallow casserole over a medium heat. Add the mushrooms, garlic and thyme. Cook, stirring, until the mushrooms are tender. Reduce the heat if the garlic starts to brown too quickly.
Two: Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring so there are no dry patches.
Three: Pour in the white wine and let it bubble briefly, stirring it into the mushroom mixture.
Four: Gradually stir in the stock. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook until the sauce begins to thicken, stirring regularly.
Five: Add the cream and frozen peas. Cook gently until the peas are thoroughly cooked and the sauce has a coating consistency.
Six: Stir in the cooked turkey and heat gently until steaming hot throughout. Stir regularly and add a splash of stock if the sauce becomes too thick. Taste, season and serve with parsley and optional Parmesan.
Beth's top tips
- Cut the turkey into similar-sized pieces so it heats evenly.
- Make the sauce before adding the turkey to avoid cooking the meat longer than necessary.
- Keep the heat gentle once the cream and turkey are added.
- Adjust the sauce with a splash of stock if it becomes too thick.
- Check the turkey is steaming hot throughout. Its size and starting temperature affect how long it takes to heat.
Serving suggestions
Serve the leftover turkey fricassee with rice, mashed potatoes, polenta, or fresh crusty bread.
For extra vegetables, add a side of air fryer Brussels sprouts, roasted Tenderstem broccoli, or air fryer green beans.
Storage
Storage - As this recipe reheats already-cooked turkey, make only the amount you plan to eat at this meal. Following UK food-safety guidance, leftovers should only be reheated once, so don't refrigerate or freeze the finished fricassee for reheating again.
Freezing - Freeze portions of the original cooked turkey before reheating it, then defrost in the fridge before making the fricassee. Use refrigerated turkey within 48 hours of its original cooking; making a new dish does not reset that time.
Troubleshooting guide
Sauce too thin? Before adding the turkey, simmer the sauce uncovered for a little longer, stirring regularly, until it thickens enough to coat a spoon.
Sauce too thick? Stir in extra chicken or turkey stock, a tablespoon at a time, until you reach your preferred consistency.
Lumps in the sauce? Add the stock gradually, stirring well between additions. Press any small flour lumps against the side of the pan with your spoon.
Turkey turning dry? Keep the heat gentle and avoid prolonged simmering. Add the cooked turkey towards the end and serve once it is steaming hot throughout.
Turkey fricassee FAQs
1. Turkey Curry
2. Turkey Pasta Bake
3. Turkey Risotto
4. Turkey Fricassee
5. Turkey and Cheese Toastie
6. Turkey Frittata
7. Turkey Chowder
8. Turkey Fried Rice
This turkey fricassee is a creamy stovetop dish made with cooked turkey, mushrooms and a stock-based sauce finished with cream. It's a quick adaptation for leftover turkey.
Yes. Replace the 100ml white wine with 100ml additional chicken or turkey stock, giving you 400ml stock in total.
Yes. I've made this recipe with both. Remove the bones and cut the cooked turkey into bite-sized pieces before adding it to the sauce.
More turkey recipes
- Slow Cooker Turkey Crown
- Turkey Bolognese
- Leftover Turkey Curry
- Turkey Mince Curry
- Leftover Turkey Pasta Bake
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Recipe
Easy Leftover Turkey Fricassee
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Equipment
- Knife
Ingredients
- 40 g Butter
- 250 g Chestnut Mushrooms (Cremini) sliced
- 3 Garlic Cloves peeled and sliced
- 2 teaspoon Thyme Leaves chopped
- 1 tablespoon Plain Flour (All-purpose flour)
- 100 ml White Wine
- 300 ml Chicken Stock (Broth)
- 100 ml Double Cream (Heavy cream)
- 150 g Frozen Peas
- 600 g Leftover Turkey cubed
- 1 tablespoon Parsley
- 3 tablespoon Grated Parmesan optional
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Pepper
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large frying pan (skillet) or shallow casserole over a medium heat. Add the mushrooms, garlic and thyme. Cook, stirring, until the mushrooms are tender. Reduce the heat if the garlic starts to brown too quickly.40 g Butter, 250 g Chestnut Mushrooms (Cremini), 3 Garlic Cloves, 2 teaspoon Thyme Leaves
- Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute.1 tablespoon Plain Flour (All-purpose flour)
- Pour in the wine and let it bubble for 2 minutes.100 ml White Wine
- Gradually stir in the stock. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring regularly, until the sauce starts to thicken.300 ml Chicken Stock (Broth)
- Add the cream and frozen peas. Cook gently until the peas are thoroughly cooked and the sauce coats a spoon (about 5 - 6 mins)100 ml Double Cream (Heavy cream), 150 g Frozen Peas
- Stir in the cooked turkey and heat gently until steaming hot throughout. Add a splash of stock if necessary. Taste and season, then serve with chopped parsley and optional Parmesan.600 g Leftover Turkey, 1 tablespoon Parsley, 3 tablespoon Grated Parmesan, ½ teaspoon Salt, ¼ teaspoon Pepper
Video
Notes
- Turkey: Use cooked breast meat, thigh meat or both. This method is not suitable for raw turkey.
- Without wine: Replace the wine with 100ml extra stock. Use 400ml total stock-approximately 1⅔ US cups plus 1 teaspoon.
- Cream: Heavy cream, single cream and crème fraîche can replace double cream. Keep the heat gentle.
- Sauce consistency: Add a little stock if too thick, or reduce before adding the turkey if too thin.
- Timing: Allow around 20 minutes, but always give the turkey enough time to become steaming hot throughout.
- Food safety: This recipe reheats cooked turkey. Make only the quantity needed for this meal and follow the advice to reheat leftovers only once.
Angela says
Just made this recipe. Absolutely delicious 😋 and flavours were amazing. You know its good when they ask for second helpings! Thanks Beth!!
Jen says
This was delicious! I used heavy cream instead of double cream as it was what I had in stock but a great way to use our leftover turkey!
Sheila says
Perfect recipe for those turkey leftovers. The whole family loved it.