Leftover Turkey Tortilla Soup

When you tire of turkey sandwiches, shred a couple of cups of your leftover bird and make this fabulous Leftover Turkey Tortilla Soup!

Comforting with a nice hit of spices, this homemade turkey soup is a perfect post-Thanksgiving meal!

Why You’ll Love this Turkey Soup Recipe

• It’s a great way to use up Thanksgiving leftovers.
• Tortilla soup is easy to make, flavorful, and delicious!
• It’s perfect for lunch or dinner on a chilly day.

The hubby is happy zapping a plate of holiday leftovers night after night. By day three, I usually whip up a Turkey Tetrazzini, but this year I plan to shake things up. All that’s needed is a cup and a half of shredded turkey (I always add more!), a few items from the market, and some staples from the pantry. It’s an easy peasy recipe because who the heck needs to spend any more time in the kitchen after cooking up a Thanksgiving feast??!

Tips for Making Tortilla Soup

• Use leftover turkey, chicken, or even a rotisserie chicken to make it easy.
• If serving a crowd, keep it in your slow cooker so it’s nice and hot. It’s perfect for game day gatherings.
• Some chicken stock or broth is very salty. Taste before adding additional salt.
• Don’t forget the toppings!
• If you like a thicker soup, add some crushed tortilla chips. They’ll dissolve as they absorb the broth.
• Serve with lots of toppings, chips and guacamole, a corn salad, rice casserole or quesadillas to round out your meal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Ingredient Notes:

• Corn Tortillas – for garnishing, stale is best
• Vegetable Oil – don’t use olive oil, but any neutral flavore oil will work
• Onion – white or yellow
• Garlic Cloves, Jalapeno Pepper
• Chicken Stock – some are higher in sodium, low sodium won’t be as flavorful, so not recommended unless for health reasons.
• Can of Diced Tomatoes – Use your favorite brand
• Frozen Corn Kernels – these taste better than canned. Frozen fresh corn is best!
• Cumin, Oregano, Salt – Make sure your dried spices aren’t years old as they will lose potency.
• Shredded Turkey – use leftover turkey, chicken or even rotisserie chicken
• Avocado, Shredded Monterey Jack, Lime wedges, Fresh Cilantro – optional garnishes

More Recipes for Holiday Leftovers

Here are more wonderful recipes utilizing holiday leftovers. Make sure to pin this post so you can have all this delicious inspiration only a click or two away.

• Brie Cranberry Turkey Quesadillas by Food Lust People Love
• Cranberry Chipotle BBQ Chicken Pizza by A Mind “Full” Mom
• Cranberry Pork Tenderloin by The Crumby Cupcake
• Creamed Spinach Turkey Pasta by Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
• Turkey Grilled Cheese with Cranberry and Brie by Life Tastes Good
• More Leftover Turkey Recipes from Spend with Pennies
• Plus a terrific recipe for How to Brine a Turkey from Savory Experiments
• Curried Turkey Salad
• Homemade Turkey Tetrazzini
• More of the Best Soup Recipes 

Continue to Content

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The Recipe:

Turkey Tortilla Soup

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Yield 4 servings

An easy recipe which utilizes your leftover Thanksgiving turkey! Adapted from Simply Recipes.

Ingredients

• 6 corn tortillas, stale is best
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 jalapeno, minced
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste (varies depending on the saltiness of your broth)
• 1 1/2 cups shredded turkey
• 1 avocado, sliced or chopped
• 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• Chopped cilantro
• Lime, cut into wedges

Instructions

1. Cut tortillas in half then slice each into ¼ inch wide strips. Heat oil in stockpot and fry till lightly browned and crisp. Drain on paper towel-lined plate.
2. Add chopped onions to the pan and cook for a couple of minutes. Add chiles and garlic and cook just a minute more.
3. Add stock, tomatoes, corn, cumin, oregano, and salt to taste.
4. Bring to a boil and then lower to a simmer. Cover and cook for 15 minutes, then add chicken and cook till heated through.
5. Serve with avocado, cheese, cilantro, tortilla strips, and a sprinkle of lime juice if desired.

Notes

If you'd like a thicker soup, add some crushed tortilla chips, simmer, and stir when soft.

May use leftover turkey, leftover chicken or shredded rotisserie chicken.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 592Total Fat: 34gSaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 25gCholesterol: 75mgSodium: 894mgCarbohydrates: 46gFiber: 10gSugar: 11gProtein: 30g

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