Turkey a la king is one of those comfort foods that is perfect for using up leftover turkey. The dish has tender chunks of turkey in a creamy sauce with mushrooms and peas. The rich and savory cream sauce is thickened with a roux and finished with dry sherry.
This versatile dish can be served over rice, noodles, or biscuits. Your family will love it. They may even lick the plate!
LEFTOVER TURKEY A LA KING INGREDIENTS
- Butter: Unsalted
- Onion, Celery, Carrot: Called mirepoix, this is the trio of veggies that are the base for the sauce.
- Mushrooms: White (or button), cremini, or canned, use your favorite.
- Thyme: Thyme adds so much fresh flavor. Fresh is preferred, but dried can be used too. If using dried, use one-third the amount of fresh.
- Salt + Black Pepper: Table salt and fresh cracked black pepper
- Flour: All Purpose
- Low-Sodium Turkey or Chicken Stock: Use either, whatever your dietary preference. This ingredient makes a tasty sauce.
- Heavy Cream: Or also known as heavy whipping cream, makes the sauce creamy.
- Cooked Turkey: The star of the dish! Use your leftover turkey.
- Frozen Peas: Green peas add the right snap and texture to the dish.
- Dry Sherry: A little makes so much difference in the sauce. It transforms the sauce from good to great! You can substitute it with a dry white wine like Pinot grigio or Sauvignon blanc.
- Parsley: For garnish
- Cooked Rice, Biscuits, or Hot Buttered Egg Noodles: Choose your favorite!
TIPS
- Extras! Add red peppers or pimentos during Step 1 if you like.
- Got Chicken? If you don’t have turkey, use rotisserie chicken.
- Puff Pastry: You can also use puffed pastry shells. Bake as directed, then fill them for a pretty presentation.
SERVING RECOMMENDATIONS
Serve this with rice, biscuits like cat head biscuits, butter swim biscuits, Bisquick biscuits, and 7-Up biscuits, or buttered egg noodles.
HOW TO MAKE TURKEY A LA KING
- Saute the onions, celery, and carrots until tender.
- Stir the mushrooms, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook and stir until the mushrooms are tender.
- Sprinkle flour over the vegetables.
- Stir in the stock, then pour in the heavy cream and simmer.
- Stir in the turkey, green peas, and sherry.
- Cook until the turkey is heated through. Sprinkle with parsley.
- Serve over rice, biscuits, or buttered noodles.
***See the full instructions below.
STORING + FREEZING + MAKE-AHEAD
- How Long Can You Keep This in The Fridge? Your turkey a la king will last up to four days in the fridge.
- Can You Freeze This? Store turkey ala king in a freezer-safe container. The dish will last up to 3 months in the freezer. When ready to eat, thaw in the refrigerator overnight and warm on the stovetop at low-medium heat or microwave oven at 50% power.
- Make-Ahead: Yes, you can make this ahead of time. Just warm and serve.
- Food Safety: If you’d like more info on food safety check out this link.
MORE TURKEY RECIPES
- Crockpot Turkey Breast
- Leftover Turkey Soup
- Turkey Pot Pie
- Turkey Carcass Soup
- Instant Pot Turkey Chili
- Turkey Chili
- Mole Turkey Chili
- Air Fryer Turkey Burgers
- Turkey Tetrazzini
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Turkey a la King
Turkey a la king is a comfort food that is perfect for using up leftover turkey. The dish has chunks of turkey in a creamy sauce with mushrooms and peas.
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup onion, minced
- 1/4 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped (optional)
- 2 stalks celery, finely chopped
- 1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
- 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
- salt
- black pepper
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup low-sodium turkey or chicken stock,
- 3/4 to 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups chopped cooked turkey
- 1 cup frozen peas, thawed and well drained
- 2 tablespoons dry sherry
- 1 tablespoon parsley, finely chopped
Serve Over:
- 2 cups hot cooked rice, cooked biscuits, or hot buttered egg noodles
Instructions
- On a 12-inch skillet, melt butter (4 tablespoons) over medium heat. Add onion (1/2 cup), red bell pepper (1/4 cup), celery (2 stalks), and carrots (1) then cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are very tender, about 8 minutes.
- Stir the mushrooms (8 ounces), thyme leaves (2 teaspoons), 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper into the skillet and continue to cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms are tender, about 3-5 minutes.
- Sprinkle flour (1/4 cup) over cooked vegetables then stir until vegetables are evenly coated. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, for 1-2 minutes or so to cook out flour taste.
- Slowly stir in the turkey or chicken stock (1 cup), stirring down to the bottom of the skillet to lift up any brown bits. Pour in heavy cream (3/4 to 1 cup) and simmer, stirring often, until sauce thickens, about 3-5 minutes.
- Stir in the turkey (2 cups), green peas (1 cup), and sherry (2 tablespoons). Cook on low until turkey is heated through. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Sprinkle with fresh parsley (1 tablespoon) and serve over rice, biscuits, or buttered noodles.
Notes
- Extras! Add red peppers or pimentos during Step 1 if you like.
- Got Chicken? If you don’t have turkey, use rotisserie chicken.
- Puff Pastry: You can also use puffed pastry shells. Bake as directed, then fill them for a pretty presentation.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 437kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 30g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 127mg | Sodium: 147mg | Potassium: 705mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 4365IU | Vitamin C: 34mg | Calcium: 79mg | Iron: 2mg
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My oh my, we loved this so muchhh! I gotta make this this weekend again.
Yaaaay! That’s awesome, Rhea 🙂 It’s worth repeating, right? Hehe. Thanks for the positive feedback and 5 star rating!!