From Scratch Leftover Turkey Pot Pie

Crafting the Perfect Leftover Turkey Pot Pie

As someone who strongly dislikes wasting food, I am constantly on the lookout for innovative and delicious leftover recipes, especially after holidays when there’s an abundance of turkey, chicken, or even ham. This pot pie is a shining example of how to repurpose those precious leftovers into a meal that feels entirely new and incredibly satisfying.

While often associated with holiday feasts, this particular recipe is a fantastic year-round staple. By preparing a tender air fryer turkey breast or a traditional oven-baked turkey, you can ensure a supply of lean, flavorful meat to enjoy throughout the week. It’s not only an economical choice but also a healthy and hearty option for your family.

You can certainly adapt your go-to chicken pot pie recipe to feature turkey, but if you’re in need of a reliable guide, we’re here to help. Both turkey and chicken yield a wonderfully rich and comforting pie. For added convenience, a store-bought precooked rotisserie chicken can be diced and used, allowing you to easily double the recipe and make a batch of four pies to enjoy now or freeze for later.

Essential Ingredients for Your Cream-Free Turkey Pot Pie

One of the best aspects of this recipe is its wholesome, from-scratch filling, which achieves a rich and creamy texture without relying on canned cream of chicken soup. Here’s what you’ll need to create this comforting classic:

1. Diced Cooked Turkey: Approximately 4 cups. This is the star of our leftover recipe.
   • Leftover ham also works beautifully as a substitute.
   • For a creative twist, consider using browned ground beef for a different flavor profile.
2. Milk: 1.5 cups, whole milk is recommended for the richest flavor and creamiest texture.
3. Chicken Broth: 3 cups, either boxed for convenience or homemade for deeper flavor.
4. Frozen Mixed Vegetables: 1 cup peas and 1 cup corn are classic choices, adding sweetness and color.
5. Carrots: 2 cups, cut into uniform dials for even cooking.
   • If you’re a true carrot enthusiast, feel free to increase this amount by about half a cup.
6. Potatoes: 2 cups, peeled and diced into small, bite-sized pieces.
7. Refrigerated Pie Crusts: 4 sheets are needed, as this recipe yields two pot pies, each requiring a top and bottom crust.
   • Alternatively, you can prepare our simple homemade pot pie crust for an authentic touch.
8. Butter: 1 cup, sliced, forms the base of our flavorful roux.
9. Onion: 1 cup, finely diced, provides an aromatic foundation.
10. All-Purpose Flour: 1 cup, used to create the roux and thicken the filling.
11. Salt and Pepper: 1 3/4 tsp salt and 3/4 tsp pepper, to taste, for fundamental seasoning.
12. Additional Seasonings: 1 tsp thyme is suggested in the recipe card, but feel free to add other herbs and spices of your preference (e.g., rosemary, sage, garlic powder).

Of course, you’ll also need a pie plate for baking. If you plan to make multiple pies for freezing, disposable aluminum pie pans are a practical choice for easy storage and reheating.

A Look at Variations: With Cream of Chicken Soup

While this recipe emphasizes a from-scratch, cream-free filling, it’s worth noting that a similar dish can be made using cream of chicken soup, much like our Chicken Pot Pie Recipe with Cream of Chicken Soup. The beauty of this turkey version, however, lies in its fresh ingredients and comprehensive freezer meal instructions, making it ideal for efficient meal planning and batch cooking. Preparing several pies at once ensures you have delicious, homemade dinners ready to go whenever you need them.

Simplifying with a Bisquick Pie Crust

For an even quicker and simpler approach to pot pie, you can use this rich turkey filling with our Bisquick pot pie crust. This variation typically uses just a single crust on top, reducing preparation time without sacrificing flavor.

In this particular batch, we opted for Russet potatoes, which become wonderfully tender and absorb the flavors of the filling beautifully. However, red potatoes can also be used if you prefer a slightly firmer texture in your cooked vegetables. Ultimately, the choice of potato comes down to personal preference. The goal is a comforting, flavorful filling every time.

Fresh vs. Frozen Vegetables: What’s Best for Pot Pie?

When it comes to the vegetables in your pot pie, a combination often yields the best results. For this recipe, we’ve used a mix of fresh carrots and potatoes, alongside convenient frozen peas and corn. It’s important to consider that the vegetables will undergo two cooking phases: an initial par-boil and then baking within the pie. To ensure they achieve the perfect tender-crisp texture without becoming mushy, slice your carrots into moderately thin dials and dice your potatoes uniformly. If cut too thin, they risk disintegrating during the prolonged cooking process.

For the turkey component, any pre-cooked leftovers are perfect. In our case, pressure cooker turkey was utilized, offering tender white and dark meat. The key is to use whatever cooked turkey you have readily available, as I always say, make the most of what’s on hand!

Step-by-Step Guide: How to Make Pot Pie with Leftover Turkey

Creating this delicious turkey pot pie is a rewarding culinary experience. Follow these steps for a perfect, comforting meal:

• Begin by preheating your oven to a robust 425 degrees Fahrenheit. This ensures your pie crust bakes to a beautiful golden crispness.
• Place your diced carrots and potatoes into a pot, cover them with water, and bring to a boil. You could even add some halved fresh green beans at this stage if desired.
• Boil the vegetables until they are tender but still retain a slight firmness, or “al dente.” This crucial step prevents them from turning to mush in the final bake. Once softened, carefully drain the water and set the vegetables aside.
• Be mindful not to overcook them; you want distinct pieces, not mashed potatoes and mushy carrots.
• In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Once melted, add the diced onions and sauté until they become translucent and tender, releasing their sweet aroma.
• Stir in the all-purpose flour and your chosen seasonings (salt, pepper, thyme) with the softened onions and butter. Mix continuously for a couple of minutes to create a rich, golden roux.

Understanding the Magic of a Roux

A roux is a fundamental thickening agent in many savory dishes, and it’s essential for achieving the luscious consistency of our pot pie filling. Essentially, a roux is a mixture of fat (in this case, butter) and flour cooked together. As the flour cooks in the fat, its starch molecules expand and absorb the liquid you add later, creating a smooth, thick sauce. This method provides a much richer depth of flavor and a more desirable texture than simply adding flour directly to liquid.

• Gradually incorporate the chicken broth and milk into the roux, stirring constantly to prevent lumps. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, allowing it to thicken into a smooth, creamy sauce.
• Once thickened, stir in your diced cooked turkey meat, the par-boiled potato and carrot mixture, and the frozen peas and corn.
• Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the frozen vegetables are fully warmed through. Then, remove the pot from the heat.

Preventing a Soggy Bottom Crust: Expert Tips for Pot Pie Perfection

A common concern with pot pies is a soggy bottom crust. To combat this, you have a few options. If you find your crust consistently too soft, you can pre-bake the bottom crust for about 5 minutes before adding the filling. When working with refrigerated pie dough, it’s beneficial to use parchment or wax paper. Place one sheet of pie crust between two pieces of paper and gently roll it out a bit larger with a rolling pin. This prevents sticking and ensures your crust will extend beyond the edges of your pie tin.

This extra step of enlarging the crust is vital. The overhang on the edges of the pie tin provides a secure anchor for the top crust, allowing you to pinch them together tightly. This seal is essential to prevent the delicious, bubbly filling from seeping out and overflowing during baking. Now, repeat this process for the top pie crust, ensuring it also drapes generously over the sides of the tin, as shown in the images below.

Homemade vs. Store-Bought: Crafting Your Pot Pie Crust

For those who enjoy baking from scratch, transforming this into a double-crust pot pie with homemade layers is a wonderful option. While my husband excels at making incredible homemade apple pies, often using his own scratch-made crust, I personally find the convenience of ready-made crusts to be a perfectly acceptable and delicious alternative for pot pies. It truly comes down to personal preference and how much time you wish to invest. If you’re eager to go all out, our linked homemade pie crust recipe provides excellent instructions for a buttery, flaky foundation.

Baking and Freezing Your Pot Pie: Storage and Cooking Times

Once your pot pie is filled and sealed, create four medium-sized slits in the top crust. These vents are essential for allowing steam to escape, preventing the crust from becoming soggy and ensuring even baking. If you plan to cook your pot pie immediately, place it on a baking sheet and bake for 35-40 minutes at 425 degrees Fahrenheit, or until the top crust achieves a beautiful golden-brown color.

Often, one pot pie is plenty for a single meal, leaving you with extra. This recipe is designed to make two, making it perfect for freezing! Freezing allows you to enjoy homemade convenience whenever you desire. The detailed instructions for freezing and reheating are provided below in the recipe card, ensuring your future meals are as delicious as the fresh-baked version.

More Delicious Leftover Turkey Recipes to Explore

If you find yourself with even more leftover turkey after making this incredible pot pie, don’t let it go to waste! There are many other fantastic ways to transform it into new and exciting meals. Here are some of our favorites:

• Our turkey pot pie soup offers all the comforting flavors of pot pie in a hearty, soul-warming bowl.
  • For another quick and easy dinner idea, try its cousin, the chicken pot pie soup.
• If you prefer a handheld treat, our leftover turkey turnovers are a perfect choice for a quick lunch or snack.
• For a classic pasta dish, use your leftover turkey in our Instant Pot turkey tetrazzini or follow our traditional oven-baked leftover turkey tetrazzini recipe.
• You might also enjoy other easy recipes after mastering this leftover turkey pot pie, such as the Ninja Foodi chicken pot pie, which offers a different method for a similar comforting meal.