A fun alternative to chicken salad, this turkey salad is full of shredded turkey, cranberries, walnuts, and goat cheese! Perfect for entertaining, and using up Thanksgiving turkey leftovers! Serve on a sandwich or with crackers.
Funny thing about my family: We take food pretty seriously. So much so that if I happen to luck out on Thanksgiving, my mom and husband will feel the need to rival one another's poultry skills, and two birds will be served on the big day. And, yes. That really happens.
IF we are lucky, after Thanksgiving Day, we will be left with a heaping pile of turkey meat. And, while I love to reach into the fridge and pick out a nibble or two of cold turkey, or make myself a next-day, leftovers hodgepodge plate, sometimes there's just more than enough turkey to go around. And, I can only eat the exact same dish for so many days in a row, regardless of how delicious it is.
Lucky for me, I've got a few recipes under my belt to dress up the dueling bird leftovers. One of them being this chopped turkey salad. It starts with a sauce infused with creamy goat cheese, herbs, and vibrant lemon. Shallots and celery make for a refreshing crunchy texture. The walnuts bring in an additional savory note and the dried cranberries add just the right amount of sweetness. It's guaranteed to take to take your turkey leftovers to a whole 'nother level. Please, enjoy.
Chopped Turkey Salad | Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 2 tablespoons crumbled goat cheese
- Juice of half a lemon
- 1 ½ teaspoons freshly minced thyme
- 1 ½ teaspoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups cooked and chopped turkey breast
- 2 stalks of celery roughly chopped
- 1 shallot roughly chopped
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- To make the dressing, in a small bowl whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, goat cheese, lemon juice, thyme, sugar, salt and pepper. Set aside until ready to use.
- In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, pulse the turkey breast until shredded but not pureed, about 4-6 times. Alternatively, shred the turkey by hand. Transfer the turkey to a large mixing bowl.
- Add celery and shallot to the food processor and pulse until minced. Alternatively, mince by hand. Transfer to the mixing bowl with the turkey. Add the dressing, cranberries, and walnuts and stir until well-mixed. Serve atop a bed of spinach, alongside whole-wheat crackers for spreading or as a sandwich filling and enjoy.
Notes
Nutrition
Holly says
Is it wrong to enjoy Thanksgiving leftovers more than the meal itself? I just LOVE making dishes after Thanksgiving-- maybe the pressure of the big day is over and there is no crowd waiting for the meal to be served. Leftovers are the best! You've created a perfect dish here.
Jenna says
I love easy to make recipes with mayonnaise. They keep well in the fridge. And with turkey, mayo is great for keeping it longer. YUM!
Kelly Anthony says
Thank you so much, Jenna! Same here 🙂
Andrea Metlika says
I've actually never thought to make a salad out of left over turkey. This looks Amazing! Pinning this for later.
Kelly Anthony says
Thank you so much, Andrea!
Sharon says
I love chicken salad but this turkey salad upgrade looks so good. I can't wait to try this recipe soon.
Marie says
What a fantastic way of using up leftover turkey! This looks delicious and would be a hit in my household. I love how quick and easy this comes together too.