Looking for a great way to use your leftover turkey from Thanksgiving? This Cranberry Pecan Turkey Salad makes a light, flavorful, tasty lunch, and is easy to customize too!
So you have leftover turkey from Thanksgiving and are looking for innovative ways of enjoying it?
WELL. This Cranberry Pecan Turkey Salad repurposes your turkey leftovers into the dreamiest light lunch.
Tangy dried cranberries, crunchy pecans, and a creamy yogurt dressing comes together in 10 minutes or less, and results in a mouth-watering delicious protein-packed meal.
You’ll love it so much that you’ll want to make it year round! The great news is, you can always whip up my Cranberry Pecan Chicken Salad using rotisserie chicken at a moment’s notice.
Let’s discuss the simple ingredients for this easy turkey salad recipe.
Cranberry Pecan Turkey Salad Ingredients:
Roast Turkey: Shred or chop your leftover Thanksgiving turkey to act as the main ingredient here. You can use white meat or dark meat or a combination of the two.
I like repurposing turkey breast meat in this recipe because we moisten it back up and add flavor to the otherwise dull cut of meat.
Raw Pecans: Brings a lovely nutty crunch for a fun texture element.
Dried Cranberries: Adds sweet and tangy flavor, which offsets the savory flavors.
Red Onion and Fresh Garlic: Onion and garlic bring a refreshing zing. Play with the amount to your personal taste.
Plain Greek Yogurt (or Mayonnaise): The dressing is simply Greek yogurt or mayonnaise! I use Greek yogurt to keep the calories low, but mayo produces a richer result.
Lemon Zest: Adds a pop of citrus flavor for sunshine and vibrance. Add in a little lemon juice too if you like it.
Pure Maple Syrup: A little extra sweetness to level up the flavor profile.
Sea Salt and Black Pepper: Season the turkey salad with salt and pepper to your personal taste.
Additions and Customizations:
- Add ½ cup of finely chopped celery if you enjoy it.
- Swap the dried cranberries for raisins.
- Use one bunch of green onions instead of red onion for softer onion flavor.
- Sour cream or miracle whip work in place of the plain yogurt.
- Toss in 2 teaspoons of poppy seeds if you’re into them.
Now that we’ve covered the basic ingredients, let’s use up our Thanksgiving leftovers!
How to Make Turkey Salad:
Shred or chop your leftover turkey. We need 4 cups worth for the recipe. You can use a mix of light meat or dark meat, or choose whichever you have available.
Transfer the shredded turkey to a large bowl along with the rest of the ingredients. Stir well until everything is well combined. Season to taste using sea salt and pepper.
Taste the turkey salad for flavor and if you’d like, add more Greek yogurt (or mayo), garlic or lemon zest to your personal taste. Enjoy it as is, in a green salad, or as a sandwich.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Ways to Serve:
- As is: Enjoy the salad as is for a simple light meal.
- Salad: Scoop your desired amount of turkey salad over a bed of lettuce or your favorite greens with any other fresh veggies you enjoy. Drizzle balsamic vinaigrette or your favorite dressing over everything for a hearty, wholesome meal!
- Sandwich: Toast up your favorite bread or roll with a little smear of butter and load it up with your turkey salad!
- Wrap: Choose your favorite kind of tortilla and make a salad wrap with chopped greens and any additional veggies you enjoy.
Recipe Tips:
- If you’re using breast meat that is very lean and somewhat dry, I recommend using mayonnaise instead of Greek yogurt. You may consider adding more mayo too depending on the moisture content of the turkey.
- Feel free to double or triple the recipe if you have a lot of leftover turkey. This recipe is excellent for meal prep, and it tastes even better the next day!
And that’s it! A brilliant method for turning dull leftovers into a flavorfest! This is my new post-holiday favorite lunch, and such an easy go-to for those of us who monitor our protein intake!
If you’re looking for more ideas to use up your Thanksgiving leftovers, also try out these gems.
More Recipes For Thanksgiving Leftovers:
- Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey Breakfast Casserole
- Cranberry Crumb Bars
- Leftover Turkey Soup
- Cranberry Sauce Bourbon Cocktail
Protein salad, let’s go!
Cranberry Pecan Turkey Salad Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 cups roast turkey shredded or chopped
- ⅔ cup raw pecans chopped
- ⅔ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup red onions finely chopped
- ⅓ cup (5 ounces) plain Greek Yogurt*
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- 1 small clove garlic minced, optional
- 1 to 2 tsp pure maple syrup optional
- 1/2 tsp sea salt to taste
- ½ tsp black pepper
Instructions
- Shred or chop your leftover turkey. We need 4 cups worth for the recipe. You can use a mix of light meat or dark meat, or choose whichever you have available.
- Transfer the shredded turkey to a large bowl along with the rest of the ingredients. Stir well until everything is well combined. Season to taste using sea salt and pepper. Taste the turkey salad for flavor and if you’d like, add more Greek yogurt (or mayo), garlic or lemon zest to your personal taste. Enjoy it as is, in a green salad, or as a sandwich.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Notes
Nutrition
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! Simply chop or shred 4 cups worth of leftover chicken and use it instead.
Fresh cranberries do work, but be forewarned that fresh cranberries are incredibly tangy and not at all sweet. For this reason, I recommend adding pure maple syrup or honey to your personal taste to offset the sour flavor. When using fresh cranberries, slice them in half with a sharp knife first.
I just made this salad! So easy and tasty! I used the dark meat and almost forgot to add the maple syrup. I made it with cashew yogurt instead of Greek yogurt so it’s dairy free.
That sounds amazing! I couldn’t get enough of the salad! I wished I had more leftovers to make another batch, lol. Thanks for sharing your changes 🙂