Leftover Turkey Pot Pie

One of my favorite things to do with leftover chicken, or turkey in this case, is making a pot pie. They are incredibly versatile and can use up all sorts of leftovers. And, they can be assembled relatively easily.

Since I am making this before Thanksgiving, the only leftovers I have are turkey. I combined the shredded turkey with frozen mixed vegetables and some fresh cranberries. I made the sauce out of homemade turkey stock for maximum turkey flavor. And to keep it easy, I used premade frozen puff pastry. Usually, I make my own pie crust, but since I’m using leftovers combined with frozen veggies, I figured why not. Use any homemade or already prepared pie crust or puff pastry.

I doubled this recipe to make three smaller pot pies to put in the freezer for those lazy nights when I just don’t feel like cooking. Normally, I use a 9-inch x 9-inch square ceramic baking dish, which is large enough for the three of us to eat dinner (maybe with some even leftover). This time, I used three 8-inch disposable pie tins to be freezer-safe.

The single recipe of this pot pie uses a 16-ounce package of mixed frozen veggies with about 5 ounces of fresh cranberries and a little over half a pound of shredded turkey. The veggie mix had cauliflower, carrots, peas, corn, and green beans (fairly Thanksgiving-y) and the cranberries add bright pops of tartness between the richness of the rest of the pot pie. Mix everything together in a large bowl.

For the sauce, make a roux by melting 3 tablespoons of butter over medium heat and adding 3 tablespoons of all-purpose flour. Mix to get out the lumps in the flour and cook until the flour just starts to turn a light golden brown, about 3 minutes. Add in 3 cups of warm turkey stock and cook until the sauce thickens, another 5 or 6 minutes. Add in a pinch or two of dried sage and any other herbs or spices you would like.

Thinly roll it out your bottom pie dough or puff pastry and line your baking dish of choice. Pour the filling in and then pour over the thickened sauce. Cover with the top pastry and pinch the sides together to seal the filling in. Poke some holes in the top crust for the steam to escape.

At this point, I wrapped the pies in plastic wrap and then foil before sticking them in the freezer. And I’ll take them straight from the freezer and put them in the oven when we are ready to eat them. Note to self – take a photo of the finished product and post!

When you are ready to cook, either right after assembling or from frozen, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Bake about 35 – 40 minutes from room temperature and add about 10 – 15 minutes from frozen. Depending on the size of your baking dish, you may need to adjust this time. You want the crust to be a deep golden brown and the sauce to be bubbling. Let rest about 5 – 10 minutes after removing from the oven. Enjoy!