After the holiday feast, you’re often left with a fridge full of delicious remnants, and the question always arises: what to do with all that leftover turkey and stuffing? This easy skillet pot pie offers a delightful and incredibly comforting answer. It transforms those holiday staples into a brand new, hearty meal that feels both familiar and exciting.

Easy Leftover Turkey Pot Pie Skillet with Stuffing Topping 16

This recipe is designed for maximum flavor with minimal effort, perfect for busy weeknights when you still crave something warm and satisfying. It’s a complete meal in one pan, making cleanup a breeze, and it’s a guaranteed crowd-pleaser for all ages.

What You’ll Love About This Quick And Easy Recipe
Everything You Need To Make This Recipe Without Stress
Time Needed From Start To Finish
How To Make It Step By Step With Visual Cues
Easy Variations And Serving Ideas That Fit Real Life
Common Slip-Ups And How To Avoid Them
How To Store It And Make It Ahead Without Ruining Texture
Questions People Always Ask Before Making This Recipe

What You’ll Love About This Quick And Easy Recipe

This recipe is a true weeknight hero, especially after a big holiday. It’s perfect for anyone looking to repurpose leftovers into something completely new and exciting, rather than just reheating the same meal. You’ll love how quickly it comes together, transforming what might otherwise be forgotten ingredients into a rich, creamy turkey filling topped with a savory, golden stuffing crust. This dish is ideal for a cozy family dinner, a casual gathering with friends, or even as a comforting meal prep option for lunches throughout the week. It’s a fantastic way to extend the life of your holiday cooking and enjoy those flavors in a fresh, creative way without spending hours in the kitchen.

Everything You Need To Make This Recipe Without Stress

Gathering your ingredients before you start cooking makes the whole process smoother and more enjoyable. This recipe uses common pantry staples alongside your holiday leftovers, ensuring you won’t need to make a special trip to the store.

INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup milk (whole or 2%)
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
3 cups cooked leftover turkey, shredded or diced
4 cups cooked leftover stuffing
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish, optional)

For simple substitutions, you can easily swap out the vegetables based on what you have on hand. Frozen mixed vegetables work wonderfully if you don’t have fresh carrots, peas, and celery. Any type of milk will work, though whole milk will yield a creamier sauce. If you don’t have dried thyme, a “poultry seasoning” blend can be a good substitute. For the chicken broth, vegetable broth can be used for a slightly different flavor profile. The key is to use up those delicious leftovers, so feel free to adapt!

Time Needed From Start To Finish

This recipe is designed for speed and convenience, making it perfect for those busy days when you want a homemade meal without a lot of fuss.

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 20-25 minutes
Total time: 35-40 minutes

How To Make It Step By Step With Visual Cues

Creating this comforting turkey pot pie skillet is straightforward. Follow these steps for a delicious meal every time.

Sauté the aromatics: In a large, oven-safe skillet (preferably cast iron or another heavy-bottomed skillet), melt the butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, about 5-7 minutes. The onions should become translucent, and the carrots tender-crisp.
Create the roux: Sprinkle the flour over the cooked vegetables in the skillet. Stir constantly for 1-2 minutes, allowing the flour to cook out a bit – this is your roux, which will thicken the sauce. It should form a thick paste with the butter and vegetables.
Whisk in liquids and seasonings: Gradually whisk in the chicken broth, a little at a time, until smooth and no lumps remain. Then, slowly whisk in the milk. Add the dried thyme, black pepper, and salt. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring frequently. The sauce will begin to thicken as it heats.
Add turkey and peas: Once the sauce has thickened to your desired consistency (it should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon), stir in the shredded or diced leftover turkey and the frozen peas. Continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes, ensuring the turkey is heated through and the peas are tender. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
Top with stuffing: Remove the skillet from the heat. Evenly crumble the leftover stuffing over the top of the turkey mixture, creating a generous crust. You can gently press it down slightly, but don’t pack it too tightly.
Bake until golden: Place the skillet in a preheated oven at 375°F (190°C). Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the stuffing topping is golden brown and crispy, and the filling is bubbling around the edges.
Serve immediately: Carefully remove the skillet from the oven (remember the handle will be hot!). Let it rest for a few minutes before garnishing with fresh parsley, if desired, and serving directly from the skillet.

Easy Variations And Serving Ideas That Fit Real Life

This turkey pot pie skillet is incredibly versatile and can be adapted to suit various tastes and occasions. For a kid-friendly twist, you can add a little shredded cheddar cheese to the stuffing topping before baking, which creates a delicious cheesy crust. If you’re short on fresh vegetables, a bag of frozen mixed vegetables (corn, green beans, carrots, peas) can be tossed in directly with the turkey and peas.

Consider adding a splash of white wine to the sauce after the flour for an extra layer of flavor, letting it simmer for a minute before adding the broth. For a bit of heat, a pinch of red pepper flakes can be stirred into the sauce. This dish is hearty enough to be a complete meal on its own, but it pairs wonderfully with a simple green salad with a light vinaigrette to cut through the richness. It’s also excellent alongside some cranberry sauce for a continued taste of the holidays.

Common Slip-Ups And How To Avoid Them

Even simple recipes can have common pitfalls. Being aware of these can help ensure your turkey pot pie skillet turns out perfectly every time.

Over-thickening the sauce: If your sauce becomes too thick too quickly, it might be due to adding the liquids too fast or over-reducing it. To fix this, simply whisk in a little extra chicken broth or milk until it reaches your desired consistency.
Lumpy sauce: Lumps usually occur when the flour isn’t fully incorporated into the butter before adding liquids, or when liquids are added too quickly. To avoid this, whisk the flour and butter together thoroughly to form a smooth paste (roux), then add the broth and milk gradually, whisking constantly until smooth.
Dry stuffing topping: If your stuffing is too dry to begin with, it might become overly crisp or hard when baked. If your leftover stuffing seems dry, you can lightly moisten it with a tablespoon or two of chicken broth before crumbling it over the filling.
Burning the bottom: Cooking the filling over too high heat can cause it to stick or burn. Keep the heat at medium and stir frequently, especially when the sauce is thickening. Using a heavy-bottomed, oven-safe skillet helps distribute heat more evenly.
Not seasoning enough: It’s easy to under-season when using leftovers. Taste the sauce after the turkey and peas are added and adjust the salt and pepper as needed. Remember, the stuffing topping is also seasoned, so consider that balance.

How To Store It And Make It Ahead Without Ruining Texture

This turkey pot pie skillet is fantastic for meal prepping or enjoying later.

Storing leftovers: Once cooled, transfer any leftover pot pie to an airtight container. It will keep well in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. The stuffing topping might soften slightly, but the flavors will still be delicious.
Reheating: To reheat individual portions, microwave until heated through, stirring halfway. For larger portions, you can reheat it in an oven-safe dish at 350°F (175°C) for 15-20 minutes, or until bubbling and hot. If the stuffing topping seems too soft, you can finish it under the broiler for a minute or two (watch carefully!).
Make-ahead option: You can prepare the turkey pot pie filling (steps 1-4) a day or two in advance. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When ready to bake, transfer the filling to your oven-safe skillet, top with the leftover stuffing, and bake as directed. You might need to add an extra 5-10 minutes to the baking time if starting with a cold filling. Freezing is not recommended for the fully assembled dish, as the texture of the stuffing can become mushy upon thawing and reheating.

Questions People Always Ask Before Making This Recipe

Here are some common questions that often come up when making this delicious leftover turkey pot pie skillet.

Can I use fresh turkey instead of leftover? Yes, you can! Simply cook and shred or

FAQs

Can I make these ahead? Yes—prep ahead, refrigerate, then serve when ready.
How long do leftovers last? Store covered in the fridge for 3–4 days for best texture.
Can I adjust sweetness? Yes—add more or less sweetener to taste.
Can I change the fruit? Yes—swap strawberries for blueberries, raspberries, or sliced banana.