Turkey à la King Is the Most Delicious Way to Use Leftover Turkey

2023-10-10
Turkey à la King Is the Most Delicious Way to Use Leftover Turkey
Prep Time:
15 mins
Cook Time:
10 mins
Total Time:
25 mins
Servings:
6
Yield:
4 1/2 cups

A creamy sauce, tender vegetables, and chopped turkey are the highlights of turkey à la king. It's a creamy skillet dinner that's typically served over puffy pastry, toast, or biscuits. Our Test Kitchen perfected the recipe with a splash of lemon juice, fresh parsley, and dry white wine. Customize the dish with your favorite vegetables. We chose mushrooms and peppers but it's great with spinach, broccoli, and green beans.

Turkey à la King Ingredients

This recipe for turkey à la king starts with cooked turkey. It's a great way to use up leftover Thanksgiving turkey. Here are the rest of the ingredients you'll need.

  • Butter: Sautéing the vegetables in butter is the first step of making turkey à la king. Use salted or unsalted butter, simply adjust the salt based on which you use.
  • Vegetables: This recipe includes mushrooms and bell peppers. Any type of mushrooms will work, just ensure they are thinly sliced.
  • Half and Half: Thicken the sauce and give the dish extra-creamy texture with half and half. Milk will also work.
  • Eggs: Whisked eggs help thick the sauce.
  • Lemon Juice: A splash of fresh lemon juice does wonders to brighten up the sauce and balance the rich flavors.
  • Cooked Turkey: Any chopped, cooked turkey (or chicken) will work in this recipe. For the most flavor, use a mix of light and dark meat. Our Test Kitchen doesn't recommend using deli turkey in this recipe.
  • White Wine: Just a tablespoon of dry white wine or sherry adds depth to the sauce. Substitute chicken or turkey stock instead.

How to Make Turkey à la King

This turkey à la king recipe is a great weeknight dinner because it cooks in just one pan. This skillet meal comes together in just 25 minutes total.

  1. Sautee the vegetables in butter until they are golden brown and tender.
  2. Add flour and cook for a few minutes. Add the half and half to create the sauce.
  3. To thicken the dish, add the egg and lemon juice mixture and cook until thick.
  4. Toss in the cooked turkey, pimentos, dry wine, and fresh parsley.
  5. Once heated through, the dish is done.

How to Serve Turkey à la King

Turkey à la king is often served over pastry shells, toast, or pasta. It's also great dished over biscuits or even baked dinner rolls. You can also serve turkey à la king over potatoes, steamed veggies, and rice. Try adding a fresh green salad to round out the meal.

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup butter

  • 1 cup thinly sliced fresh mushrooms

  • 1/3 cup finely chopped green sweet pepper

  • 2 tablespoons all purpose flour

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

  • 2 1/2 cups half and half or milk

  • 3 egg yolks

  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika

  • 3 cups chopped cooked turkey

  • 2 tablespoons diced pimiento, drained

  • 1 tablespoon dry sherry or dry white wine

  • 6 baked puff pastry shells or toast points

  • Fresh snipped parsley (optional)

Directions

  1. In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat until melted. Add mushrooms and sweet pepper; cook until tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in flour and salt. Gradually stir in half-and-half. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly.

  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks, lemon juice, and paprika. Gradually whisk about 1 cup of the hot half-and-half mixture into egg yolk mixture; return mixture to skillet. Cook and stir over medium heat until bubbly. Stir in turkey, pimiento, and sherry; heat through. Serve over baked puff pastry shells, split and toasted croissants, or toast points. Top with parsley, if desired.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

579 Calories
29g Fat
44g Carbs
34g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 6
Calories 579.3
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 29.3g 38%
Saturated Fat 14.9g 75%
Cholesterol 252.9mg 84%
Sodium 420.1mg 18%
Total Carbohydrate 44g 16%
Dietary Fiber 2.9g 10%
Total Sugars 5.9g
Protein 33.5g 67%
Vitamin D 1mcg 5%
Vitamin C 11.2mg 12%
Calcium 149mg 11%
Iron 3.5mg 19%
Potassium 506.3mg 11%
Fatty acids, total trans 0.9g
Vitamin D 40.9IU
Alanine 1.6g
Arginine 1.7g
Ash 2.9g
Aspartic acid 2.5g
Caffeine 0mg
Carotene, alpha 13.7mcg
Choline, total 190mg
Copper, Cu 0.3mg
Cystine 0.4g
Energy 2422.5kJ
Fluoride, F 15.9mcg
Folate, total 115.7mcg
Glutamic acid 6.1g
Glycine 1.4g
Histidine 0.8g
Isoleucine 1.2g
Leucine 2.4g
Lysine 2.1g
Methionine 0.8g
Magnesium, Mg 58.8mg
Manganese, Mn 0.5mg
Niacin 9.9mg
Phosphorus, P 401.6mg
Pantothenic acid 2.4mg
Phenylalanine 1.3g
Phytosterols 1.4mg
Proline 2.4g
Retinol 217.9mcg
Selenium, Se 65.6mcg
Serine 1.5g
Starch 27.3g
Theobromine 0mg
Threonine 1.2g
Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) 1.1mg
Tryptophan 0.4g
Tyrosine 1g
Valine 1.4g
Vitamin A, IU 1031IU
Vitamin A, RAE 233.2mcg
Vitamin B-12 1.2mcg
Vitamin B-6 0.6mg
Vitamin K (phylloquinone) 4.1mcg
Water 251.5g
Zinc, Zn 3.3mg

*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

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