• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Vindulge

BBQ and Grilling Recipes with Wine Pairings

  • Home
  • About
    • About Mary
    • Portfolio
    • TV Appearances
    • Work With Me
  • Cookbook
  • Wine
    • Food and Wine Pairing
  • All Recipes
  • Travel
  • Resources
    • Fundamentals For Learning How to Grill
    • Guide to Pellet Grills – Common Q and A
    • Best Pellet Grill – MAK Two Star General – Versatile American Made Pellet Smoker
    • Blogger Resources
  • Contact
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • About
  • Shop Wines
  • Cookbook
  • All Recipes
  • Travel
  • Wine Guides
  • Blogging Resources
  • Connect with us!

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    You are here: Home » Food » My Mama’s Green Chili Turkey

    My Mama’s Green Chili Turkey

    December 27, 2018 By Mary 11 Comments

    Sharing is caring!

    192 shares
    • Facebook18
    • Twitter
    Jump to Recipe
    Green Chili Turkey Pinterest Pin
    Green Chili Turkey Pinterest Pin
    Green Chili Turkey Pinterest Pin
    Green Chili Turkey Pinterest Pin

    Green Chili Turkey is sautéed onions, bell peppers, and roasted Anaheim chilies combined with leftover turkey. It’s rich and wholesome and perfect served over rice or as a filling for tacos, burritos or filling for enchiladas. It’s been a family tradition for generations.

    This is a great leftover turkey recipe idea.

    Green Chili Turkey in a large pot

    This is a dish my mom has made every single year for both Thanksgiving and Christmas since I can remember. In fact, growing up my mom cooked two turkeys every year for each holiday – one completely dedicated to this dish, the other to roast (or smoke) and serve traditionally. Guess which one was gone first?

    Jump to:
    • So what is Green Chili Turkey?
    • How to make Green Chili Turkey
    • How to serve Green Chili Turkey?
    • Other Chili Recipe Ideas
    • Green Chili Turkey Recipe

    So what is Green Chili Turkey?

    It’s kind of like a combination of a turkey stew, and filling for burritos. It’s not as liquid or soupy as a soup. It has more of a gravy-like consistency and it’s great to serve over rice, or as a filling for tacos or burritos. It has an earthy and rich flavor, but is also light and quite healthy (which is nice following a holiday full of indulgence!).

    It’s my absolute favorite use for any leftover turkey we have after Thanksgiving Day. I just serve it up with some rice and it makes for a light and delicious post-holiday lunch. Sometimes I like to serve it with tortillas on the side to make mini tacos.

    Green Chili Turkey in a bowl with a tortilla as a side.

    How to make Green Chili Turkey

    It’s incredibly easy to make.

    You start by heating up a tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet set to medium heat. Add onions and bell peppers and cook about 5 minutes, just to soften them. Add garlic, cook one more minute.

    Green Chili Turkey step 1

    Next, make a quick slurry. While the onions and peppers are softening, mix 2 tablespoons of flour with ½ cup of water and shake until the flour is dissolved into the water. Add to the peppers/onion mixture. Add the bouillon now and let it dissolve.

    My mom has a thing for bouillon cubes. She swears by them in many of her recipes. This one is no exception. I have at least converted her to using organic gluten free bouillon with no MSG. And I don’t ask questions when it comes to moms cooking, I just eat it. 

    Alternatively, I use any leftover gravy in place of the slurry to get it to that rich consistency I’m looking for. 

    Green Chili Turkey step 2

    Add more water.  Let it simmer until the sauce starts to thicken (about 5 minutes).

    Finally, add the leftover turkey, sliced roasted green chilies, spices, and let simmer some more.

    Green Chili Turkey step 3

    Adjust seasonings and level of heat to your preference.

    Done!

    Green Chili Turkey

    How to serve Green Chili Turkey?

    • My favorite way to serve this dish is alongside rice. The rice soaks up the juicy and flavorful broth. It makes for a light, fresh, and flavorful lunch.
    • I also like to serve them with corn tortillas and a side of home cooked beans and salsa and make mini tacos.
    • Use as a filling for burritos.
    • It makes for a killer huevos ranchero for a hearty breakfast.
    • Green Chili Nachos… mmmmm.  Need I say more?
    • This also makes for an excellent topping for cheese enchiladas!  Just roll up some corn tortillas with shredded cheddar, top with the green chili turkey and some extra cheese, and bake in a 375 degree oven for about 15 minutes, or until the cheese starts to get bubbly. We made these for dinner last night and the family devoured them.
    Green Chili Turkey Enchiladas

    To all my family and friends back home, and to all my amazing and supportive readers, have a very happy Thanksgiving!

    Now I have a question for you? What is your favorite use of leftover Thanksgiving turkey?

    Other Chili Recipe Ideas

    • Smoked Brisket Chili
    • Texas Chili – Spicy!
    • Smoked Turkey Chili
    • Chicken Chili
    • Ground Beef Chili

    If you like this recipe we’d truly appreciate it if you would give this recipe a star review! And if you share any of your pics on Instagram use the hashtag #vindulge. We LOVE to see it when you cook our recipes. 


    This recipe was first published in 2013 and updated in 2018 with new photos and information. 

    green chili turkey in a bowl

    Green Chili Turkey Recipe

    This can be a great use for leftover turkey, or as a main meal. Serve over rice or as a filling for tacos or burritos. 
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Pin Rate Save Saved!
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes
    Total Time: 25 minutes
    Servings: 4 -6 servings
    Calories: 184kcal
    Author: Mary Cressler | Vindulge
    Cost: $20.00

    Ingredients

    • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
    • ½ large onion, sliced or 1 small onion, sliced
    • 1 medium sized green bell pepper, sliced
    • 2 large garlic cloves, minced
    • 2 tablespoons flour, all purpose or gluten free AP mix
    • 1 ½ cups water, separated in half
    • 1 vegetable bouillon cube, or bouillon substitute
    • 4 cups of leftover turkey, shredded
    • 1 4-ounce can green chilis
    • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    • ½ teaspoon coarse black pepper
    • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional to add additional heat
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • In a large skillet heat 1 tablespoon olive oil to medium heat. Add onions and bell peppers and cook about 5 minutes, just to soften them.
    • Add garlic, and cook one additional minute.
    • While the onions and peppers are softening, make the slurry. Mix the two tablespoons of flour with ½ cup of water and shake until the flour is dissolved into the water). Add to the peppers/onion mixture. Add the bouillon now and let it dissolve. Let it simmer until the sauce starts to thicken (about 5 minutes).
    • Add the remaining 1 cup of water, turkey meat, and green chilies, and mix to combine.
    • If the sauce is too thick, add more water (or chicken stock) to thin out to a consistency you desire.
    • Season with the salt and pepper and red pepper flakes.

    Notes

    In place of bullion cube you can substitute chicken or turkey stock. Just mix the stock with the flour to make your slurry versus water. 
    You can also add a couple tablespoons of leftover gravy for added richness and umami flavor. 
    Find the perfect wine pairing at the Vindulge Wine Shop

    Nutrition

    Calories: 184kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 72mg | Sodium: 732mg | Potassium: 310mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 240IU | Vitamin C: 31mg | Calcium: 24mg | Iron: 1mg
    Tried this recipe? We would love to see!Mention @vindulge or use the hashtag #vindulge
    « Smoked Brisket Grilled Cheese Sandwiches — Uses for leftover brisket
    Spicy Chicken Tacos with Avocado Crema (Grilled) »

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Melanie says

      March 09, 2019 at 11:39 pm

      5 stars
      I made this today with chicken and added some cumin. It was really delicious!

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Mary-Cressler-Sept-2015-smI'm Mary, a wine/food/travel writer, Certified Sommelier, mom of twins, former vegetarian turned BBQ fanatic, runner, and founder of Vindulge and author of Fire + Wine cookbook.  Thanks for stopping by!

    Learn More...

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter

    Fire and Wine Cookbook Cover.

    Get Ready for Summer

    Smoked Brisket

    What’s on our Grill

    The Best Gluten Free Drop Biscuits – 5 Ingredients

    Smoked Hot Honey Ribs Recipe

    Vegetarian Chorizo Recipe with Cauliflower

    Hot Honey Pizza on a serving dish

    Hot Honey Pizza with Prosciutto and Ricotta

    More

    As Seen On

    Products we love

    taking the temperature of a porchetta roast on the grill
    We use Thermoworks Signals BBQ Alarm to monitor the internal temperature of the meat while it’s cooking, then double check with an instant read thermometer, like the Thermapen One.

    Vindulge Wine Club

    join the wine club side bar

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Portfolio
    • TV Appearances
    • Work with Me

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2021 Vindulge

    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
    Cookie SettingsAccept All
    Manage consent

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
    CookieDurationDescription
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
    viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
    Functional
    Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
    Performance
    Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
    Analytics
    Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
    Advertisement
    Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
    Others
    Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
    SAVE & ACCEPT
    192 shares
    • 18