Transform Thanksgiving leftovers into cheesy turkey enchiladas! They’re quick, flavorful, and saucy—perfect for an easy, delicious meal.
Got leftover turkey? Turn it into these delicious turkey enchiladas! Tender turkey wrapped in tortillas, smothered in enchilada sauce and topped with gooey melted cheese.
Cooking a whole turkey for Thanksgiving usually leaves plenty of leftovers. While turkey wraps, sandwiches and soups are classics, turkey enchiladas are an unexpected and delicious way to reinvent those extra pieces. Whether your turkey is roasted, smoked, or fried, it works perfectly in this recipe.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Turkey: About a pound of chopped leftover Thanksgiving turkey, white or dark meat – whatever you have.
- Tortillas: we use flour tortillas for a soft, hearty base or corn tortillas for an authentic flavor.
- Enchilada Sauce: For the best flavor, opt for homemade enchilada sauce (see recipe below), or use canned if you’re short on time.
- Cheese: You’ll need about 2 cups of shredded cheese—a Mexican cheese blend, Cheddar cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, or Queso Fresco works well.
Topping Suggestions
- Sour cream
- Fresh cilantro, chopped
- Pickled jalapenos
- Chopped green onions
- Lime wedges
- avocado slices
How to Make Turkey Enchiladas
- Prep the Turkey: Chop the turkey into small pieces and mix with a portion of the cheese.
- Assemble the Enchiladas: Lightly warm the tortillas to make them pliable. Fill each tortilla with the turkey and cheese mixture, roll them up, and place seam-side down in a baking dish.
- Add Sauce and Cheese: Pour enchilada sauce over the rolled tortillas, ensuring they’re fully covered. Sprinkle generously with the remaining cheese.
- Bake: Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake at 375 degrees F for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 10 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and slightly browned.
How to Serve
Serve the enchiladas hot with your favorite toppings. A dollop of sour cream adds creaminess, while fresh cilantro and lime juice provide brightness. Add pickled jalapeños for a bit of heat and pair with chips and salsa for a complete meal.
Not Enough Leftover Turkey?
No worries! You can stretch the filling by adding black beans, refried beans, or sautéed vegetables like onions and peppers. Mixing turkey with beans in a 50/50 ratio ensures every bite is flavorful and filling.
The Enchilada Sauce
For the best results, make my homemade enchilada sauce. An excellent homemade sauce starts with chili puree, tomato paste, cumin, and Mexican oregano for a rich, bold flavor. If you’re short on time, you can use chili powder instead of chili puree—still delicious! Make the sauce ahead and store it in the fridge for a quick weeknight meal.
Recipe Tips
- Prevent Soggy Tortillas: Lightly fry them in a hot skillet before filling to keep them from becoming soggy.
- Cheese Blend: For the best flavor and texture, use a mix of cheeses like Monterey Jack, Oaxaca, and Queso.
- Seam Side Down: Place enchiladas seam-side down in the baking dish to keep them intact.
- Foil Tip: Bake covered with foil first, then uncover for the last few minutes to brown the cheese.
Freezing Turkey Enchiladas
Turkey enchiladas freeze beautifully, making them a perfect meal prep option for busy days! If your cooked turkey has not been frozen, use the following steps to freeze them:
- Assemble the enchiladas: Prepare them as instructed, but do not bake them.
- Wrap and Store: Cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil or transfer individual portions in a zip-top bag or airtight container. For extra protection, wrap the dish in plastic wrap before adding the foil.
- Freeze: Store the enchiladas in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Reheating Frozen Enchiladas:
- Thaw overnight in the fridge, then bake at 375 degrees F until heated through (about 25-30 minutes). You can also reheat straight from the freezer and bake covered at 375°F for 40-45 minutes, uncovering for the last 10 minutes to melt and brown the cheese.
Turkey enchiladas are a delicious way to transform Thanksgiving leftovers into a new meal that’s anything but boring. With just turkey, tortillas, enchilada sauce, and cheese, you’ve got a dish that’s hearty, flavorful, and incredibly easy to make.
Try turkey enchiladas this holiday season – you may look forward to leftovers even more than the main event!
With love and flavor,
Easy Turkey Enchiladas
Ingredients
- 1 pound cooked turkey meat chopped (white or dark meat)
- 6 tortillas corn or flour
- 2 ½ cups enchilada sauce divided
- 2 cups cheese shredded (divided) – any Mexican blend and/or Queso Fresco
Topping Suggestions:
- sour cream
- fresh cilantro chopped
- lime wedges
- pickled jalapenos
- green onion chopped
- avocado sliced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Ladle 1 cup of the enchilada sauce into a deep 9×12 baking pan or dish, and set aside.
- In a plate large enough for the tortilla to lay flat; ladle about ½ cup of the enchilada sauce to cover the bottom of the plate. (Use more if needed)
- Warm the tortillas, per package instructions or warm over a gas burner.
- Place a prepared tortilla on the plate into the enchilada sauce and press down to coat. Flip and coat the other side; both sides should have enchilada sauce. Place the coated tortilla onto another clean plate or work surface.
- Divide the turkey and 1 cup of the cheese into six equal portions. Add one portion of each to each sauce-coated tortilla.
- Roll up the tortilla and place the enchilada seam side down into the enchilada sauce inside the baking dish or pan. Repeat until you have made all 6 enchiladas.
- Pour the remaining cup of enchilada sauce over the enchiladas. Smooth over the sauce with a spatula spoon making sure to coat each enchilada completely and top with the remaining cup of cheese.
- Cover the pan with aluminum foil and place the enchiladas inside the preheated oven. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and everything is warmed through. Optional: Remove the foil turn on the broiler for about 3 minutes to brown the cheese.
- Serve warm garnished with your toppings of choice.
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