This Leftover Turkey Rice Casserole is a great way to use up holiday leftovers, and tastes amazing too. Make your own cream of chicken soup for a healthier creamy texture, and enjoy this delicious family favorite!
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword leftover turkey rice casserole
Prep Time 25 minutesminutes
Cook Time 30 minutesminutes
Total Time 55 minutesminutes
Servings 8servings
Calories 470kcal
Author Sue Ringsdorf
Ingredients
4cupsleftover turkey- combo of white and dark meat
4cupscooked long grain white rice
1 ½cupmayonnaise with olive oil
1cupfrozen peas
1Tablespoonolive oil
1/2mediumonion- chopped
3clovesgarlic- minced
For the homemade cream of chicken soup
1¼cupslower-sodium chicken broth
1cupmilk
1/3cupflour
1/2teaspoononion powder
1/2teaspoonkosher salt- to taste
1/2teaspoonblack pepper
For the cracker topping
2Tablespoonsunsalted butter- melted
20Ritz crackers- crushed
Instructions
Make the cream of chicken soup mixture. Combine milk and chicken broth in a saucepan over medium heat. When it's hot (not boiling), add the flour, one tablespoon at a time, whisking continuously. Add the onion powder, salt, and pepper - and continue whisking until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat.
In a saute pan, add olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook until softened, about 3-4 minutes. Then add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds. Remove from heat.
In a large bowl. combine turkey, cooked rice, the cream of chicken soup mixture, mayonnaise, frozen peas, and sautéed onions and garlic. Stir well and pour into a 9x13 casserole dish.
Combine crackers and melted butter and add to casserole.
Bake casserole for 30-45 minutes, or until hot.
Notes
Leftover turkey is normally good for 3-4 days, if properly stored in the refrigerator. You can also freeze it for a couple of months, and thaw it out to use later.
You can prep this casserole a day before baking. Store it covered in the refrigerator and then bake until hot.
You can freeze the leftover casserole, if desired. You can also freeze it before baking, but I'd wait to add the cracker topping.