Transform leftover turkey (or rotisserie chicken!) into a top-rated recipe for Leftover Turkey Pot Pie with Cheddar Biscuit Crust.
My family lives by one very simple motto when it comes to cooking during holidays: Leftovers are just as important as the main event!
It may come as no surprise that cooking for eight people this Turkey Day is more like cooking for 28, so we can guarantee ample extras to repurpose into all of our favorite recipes for Thanksgiving leftovers.
In the off chance the eight of us don’t actually eat the 7.4 pounds of turkey, two types of stuffing, six side salads and gallon of gravy we’re making, we will have just enough to whip up this Leftover Turkey Pot Pie with Cheddar Biscuit Crust.
Just because The Big Feast hasn’t happened yet doesn’t mean we can’t already be putting together a game plan for the post-feast feast.
Leftover mashed potatoes? Turn them into pancakes! Leftover stuffing? Hello, stuffing waffles! Leftover cranberry sauce? Cranberry-apple crisp is served! And so many more creative ways to turn ordinary leftovers into something extraordinary.
Best of all, this recipe for leftover turkey pot pie does double poultry duty and will make a mean chicken pot pie during turkey-less times. The biscuit crust is loaded with cheese and scallions, making this the ultimate one-pan meal!
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Ingredients
For the filling:
- 1 medium onion, small dice
- 2 large carrots, peeled and small dice
- 2 celery ribs, small dice
- 1 large parsnip, peeled and small dice
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 pound mushrooms, trimmed and quartered
- 3 1/2 cups low sodium turkey or chicken stock
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups roast turkey (or chicken) meat, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed
For the biscuit crust:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups coarsely grated cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 3/4 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 1/4 cups well-shaken buttermilk
Instructions
Make the filling:
- In a large heavy-bottomed stock pot or Dutch oven set over medium heat, combine the onion, carrots, celery, parsnip, thyme, butter, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
- Stir until the butter melts then cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are almost tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
- Add the mushrooms and cook, uncovered, stirring, until tender, 5 to 7 minutes.
- Sprinkle the vegetables with the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Stir in the stock, scraping up any brown bits, and bring it to a boil, stirring. Simmer the mixture until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes.
- Stir in the turkey and peas. Taste and season the mixture with salt and pepper to taste.
- Transfer the filling to a 13x9" baking dish. (See Kelly's Notes.)
Make the biscuit crust:
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
- In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pepper. Add the cheeses and toss to coat.
- Blend in the butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles wet sand.
- Add the buttermilk and stir just until a dough forms. Drop the biscuit dough onto the pot pie filling in 8 large mounds, leaving spaces between biscuits.
- Bake the pot pie until the biscuits are puffed and golden brown and the filling is bubbling, 35 to 40 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Kelly's Notes:
- Place the baking dish on a sheet tray before baking in the event any filling spills over.
- The filling and biscuit dough can be made one day in advance and stored separately. Reheat the filling over low heat just before topping with biscuit dough and baking.
- The fastest way to chicken pot pie is to make the most of a store-bought rotisserie chicken.
- ★ Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to give it a star rating below!
Nutrition
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Recipe by Kelly Senyei of Just a Taste. Please do not reprint this recipe without my permission. If you'd like to feature this recipe on your site, please rewrite the method of preparation and link to this post as the original source.
Made this treat tonight. NOT disappointed! Cut recipe in 1/2 for hubby to heat up @ Man Camp. There was enough to make a single meal for myself. Way good. *made minor adjustments.
So glad you enjoyed it!
This is a family favorite for leftover turkey or chicken. I add one or two peeled, chopped Yukon Gold potatoes and use frozen peas and carrots that I cook with the potatoes in chicken broth before adding to the roux. Everyone loves this!
I’m so glad you’re all enjoying it, Melanie!
Great recipe. I used fresh steamed cut green beans in lieu of peas. ( had in fridge and need to cook) Added a large diced cooked potato as I had no parsnips. Added garlic powder and more sea salt at end of simmering as it was missing something. Added a can of condensed cream of mushroom soup as I had no mushrooms and I wanted it creamier. Cheated on cheddar biscuits. Had and used the boxed Red Lobster cheddar biscuits available in the grocery store. I always double the cheese (use 1 cup). I also had made my own turkey stock in my instapot a couple days earlier. It was scrumptious!!!
YUM! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Claire!
Absolutely delicious!! Always rave reviews. Sometimes I half the recipe and bake in 9X9 pan. I also found that it works well if I can flatten the biscuits a bit first (if not too sticky) but still leave room in between in pan.
I’m so thrilled you’ve been enjoying the recipe, Sandy!
I look forward to this dish on Saturday as much as the Thanksgiving turkey on Thursday! I think this will be the third or fourth year in a row for our household in 2021. :)
Love reading this! I’m so thrilled you’ve been enjoying the recipe, Victor!
would it still taste good if i make this and leave it in the deep freezer for few weeks/months and then take it out to thaw and then bake.
That should work!
Love the recipe I’ve never had Parsnips before and I have to say it was actually a good addition to add to this dish. It was tasty and a great way to use up some of our left over turkey.thank you
You are so welcome! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Judy!
I made this from leftover turkey. There was a couple of changes that I made. I didn’t have parsnips and I left out the mushrooms. I added a can of mushroom soup and a package of chicken gravy, mixed frozen vegetables, potatoes, parsley and bay leaf. I used bisquick and added the cheese to the biscuit mix. It turned out very tasty. A nice change from using pastry on the top.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Brenda!
you didn’t make the original recipe at all, Brenda!
Would you freeze this with or without the biscuit topping?
Hi Melissa! I’ve never tried freezing this recipe before but I worry that if you freeze it prior to baking, the biscuit dough will become too soggy. Therefore, I’d recommend freezing it without the biscuit dough. Let me know if you give it a shot!
I only needed the topping, but it was delicious. I baked the topping in a pan on parchment paper for 10 minutes because we don’t like soggy bottom. Then transferred to the pot pie and cooked for another 20 minutes. Thanks for the recipe! I will definitely use again.
You are so welcome, Pam! I’m thrilled you enjoyed it!
Made this with some veggie adaptations based on what I had on hand. Kelly – this was delicious and beautiful! Thanks for a great recipe!
You are so welcome, Jeni! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe!
It was great, easy
3/2020 my husband loved it but want to add corn next time
Corn would be a great addition, Jacqueline!
Did this recipe change? I have had this recipe saved and have been making this for years (but not extremely often) and I could swear it used to have mushrooms in it. I made it last night and now I think I’ve lost my mind because there are none listed in the ingredients, but I definitely recall chopping them tiny last time to hide them in it for the kids! Also didn’t recall scallions in the biscuits… hmmm. The filling could definitely use some celery seed in my opinion, I will add them and some mushrooms next time!
Hi Laura! Yes, I had updated the recipe but have no fear! I have reverted it back to the original. I’m so glad you are enjoying it :)
Made it without parsnips, added corn and extra onion. Had no heavy cream so used some sour creme. Was a real hit. Will make it again.
Awesome! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
MEUS PARABÉNS!!!!!!!
DEUS ABENÇOE SUAS MÃOS HUM TUDO MARAVILHOSO RECEITAS FANTÁSTICAS…..
AMEI DE PAIXÃO HUM DELICIA!!!!!!!!
Can you freeze this once the biscuit is on the top
Hi Linda – I’ve never tried freezing this recipe before, but I worry that if you freeze it prior to baking, the biscuit dough will become too soggy.
Made it for supper tonite using potatoes instead of parsnips. Amazing! Everyone loved it!
Thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Laurie!
I made this for supper tonight and loved it. The man in my life cannot have gluten so to make it gluten free I thickened the turkey part with cornstarch instead of flour and used my favourite gluten free biscuit recipe for the topping. Delicious!
Awesome! I’m so thrilled to hear this, Caroline!
Just made this for dinner, but instead of parsnips I used rutabaga. It was very tasty. Mom loved it for mothers day dinner.
So glad to hear this, Lara!
Made this tonight and my family loved it!
Woohoo! I’m thrilled you and your family enjoyed the recipe, Cindy!
I made this last night and turned out so well my husband wanted more but he was too full. The biscuits turned out amazing was worried as they were very sticky and I used less milk. Will def make it again
Thanks so much for rating the recipe, Lynne! I’m so glad you and your husband enjoyed it!
I have made this many times..great recipe! I use leftover mashed potatoes for a bottom crust–I cover the bottom of the pan with a layer of mashed potatoes-(1/2 inch thick) and heat them for 10 minutes in the oven -then I take it out of the oven and put the filling and biscuits on the potatoes..then back into the oven–so so good!
Awesome!
I made this with leftover turkey a few years back. It was delicious! The thyme really adds a fresh flavor. My in-laws are coming tomorrow to celebrate my daughter’s 3rd birthday. I’m making a turkey pot pie. I bought a huge turkey breast with skin. It’s baking now with butter and thyme. Thank you for such a yummy recipe!
Thrilled you’ve been enjoying the recipe, Julie! :)
I substituted 1 cup of all purpose flour for whole wheat. Was great, but I didn’t feel like I baked it enough; some of the dough touching the feeling was doughy. I added sage, parsley and cayenne to the filling which gave it a more distinctive taste since I don’t like peas.
So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Pat!
I was going to switch the flour to whole wheat b/c my father-in-law lives with us & won’t eat anything with regular white flour in it. Did you add any extra liquid or something else b/c of the flour switch?
I discovered this recipe the day after Thanksgiving last year and it is AMAZING. I’ve made it with Thanksgiving leftovers both years and even had to roast a chicken earlier this fall just to make this recipe with it. SO GOOD!!!
Thank you so much, Jen! I’m so glad you’ve been enjoying the recipe! :)
I made this last year and put leftover stuffing on the bottom it was AMAZING!
I made this tonight with leftover turkey from Christmas and it came out really good. My picky husband even had seconds! Going to use this again.
So thrilled you and your husband enjoyed the recipe, Lynn!
This recipe looks great! Would it freeze well, if I made the biscuits on top too?
Hi Stephanie! I’ve never tried freezing this recipe before, but I worry that if you freeze it prior to baking, the biscuit dough will become too soggy.
Just made the turkey pot pie recipe. OH MY! Delicious!!! In full disclosure, I had some of Ina’s stock left over (that cooks for hours) AND the chicken from that stock which is what I used instead of turkey. It was hands down the best recipe I’ve made in the last few days. Thanks Kelly!
Awesome! So glad you enjoyed the recipe, Kelli!
I made this for dinner tonight and I must say, it really was great! A definite keeper!
I made this recipe tonight and it was great! Definitely a keeper! Thanks!
a biscuit crust sounds amazing
You’re not the only family who cooks an army portion for thanksgiving. We still had turkey left believe it or not so I quickly made this pot pie and man was it good. So simple, so tasty, and now we have no more turkey to deal with yay! Thanks so much :)
What a fantastic recipe. I made this yesterday and it turned out perfectly. The only change I made was to pat the dough out and cut it into square bisquits. Thanks for sharing!
This recipe looks perfectly cozy. Comfort food at its best!
What a great use for Thanksgiving leftovers! In my family we always cook way too much food, holidays or not – my dad says he’s still trying to figure out how to cook for just him and my mom, even though my sister and I have been out of the house for 10 years.
This looks wonderful and I look forward to trying it. Do you think it would freeze well if I made up more than one?
I am definitely on board with eating leftovers this way. Those biscuits…oh my!!
I’m glad to read that I’m not the only person on the planet that has an excess amount of leftovers. I was planning to make turkey soup and turkey tettrazini but this just might be what I’m making instead! This looks fabulous!
Oh Kelly this looks amazing! I can’t wait to make it after Thanksgiving! Happy Turkey Day!
I like to see that I’m not the only one posting around 6 AM! ;) This looks delicious and makes me excited for the day after, which I usually dread if only because my favorite day of the year has run its course. Happy Thanksgiving!
Even though I don’t eat meat, I will gladly take those biscuits on top! Happy Thanksgiving! : )