Description

This Leftover Turkey Pumpkin Enchilada Skillet is a comforting and flavorful one-pan meal that repurposes your leftover turkey with a creamy, smoky pumpkin enchilada sauce. Perfect for an easy weeknight dinner, it combines tender turkey, roasted vegetables or greens, crispy tortilla strips, and melty cheese, all broiled to golden perfection. Garnished with sour cream, fresh jalapenos, and cilantro, this hearty skillet is both nutritious and delicious.

Ingredients

Scale

Pumpkin Enchilada Sauce (Makes 4 1/4 cups)

1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 15-ounce can chopped tomatoes
2 chipotle chilis in adobo sauce or 2 tablespoons pureed chipotle in adobo (from 1 can)
4 teaspoons chili powder
2 garlic cloves (smashed)
1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
Fresh black pepper (to taste)

Assembly

1/2 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 large onion (sliced; yellow or red onion would work)
Kosher salt (to taste)
1 1/2 cups leftover vegetable sides (such as roasted butternut squash or Brussels sprouts, cut into bite-size pieces, or 1 bunch of hardy greens like spinach or kale, roughly chopped)
4 cups (15 ounces) shredded leftover turkey breast or chicken breast
4 6-inch corn tortillas, cut into bite-size strips
3 ounces shredded cheese (Mexican cheese blend, Monterey Jack, or mozzarella)

Garnishes (Optional)

Sour cream
Sliced fresh jalapeno
Chopped fresh cilantro

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Preheat Broiler: Move a rack about six inches below the broiler and heat the broiler to high to prepare for finishing the skillet with melted cheese.
Make the Enchilada Sauce: In a blender, combine the pumpkin puree, chopped tomatoes, chicken broth, chipotles in adobo sauce, chili powder, smashed garlic cloves, and kosher salt. Season with fresh black pepper to taste. Blend until the sauce is completely smooth and set aside.
Sauté Onions: Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a large black iron or ovenproof skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the sliced onion and a pinch of kosher salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion becomes translucent, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Cook Vegetables or Greens: Add your leftover roasted vegetables or roughly chopped greens to the skillet with the onions. Stir often and cook until vegetables are heated through or greens are wilted, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
Add Turkey and Tortillas: Stir in the shredded leftover turkey and chopped tortilla strips. Pour in all of the prepared pumpkin enchilada sauce and mix well to coat all ingredients evenly with the sauce.
Simmer: Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes to heat everything through thoroughly. Then remove the skillet from heat.
Add Cheese and Broil: Evenly sprinkle the shredded cheese over the top of the skillet contents. Transfer the skillet to the rack close to the broiler. Broil for 1 to 2 minutes until the cheese is melted and starting to brown in spots. Watch closely to prevent burning.
Cool and Garnish: Let the skillet cool off for 5 minutes to settle. Top with dollops of sour cream, sliced fresh jalapeno, and chopped fresh cilantro according to taste before serving.

Notes

You can vary the leftover vegetables based on what you have; roasted squash, Brussels sprouts, kale, or spinach all work well.
If you don’t have chipotles in adobo, you can substitute with a smoky chili powder and a small amount of liquid smoke.
Using a heavy cast iron or ovenproof skillet ensures even heating and allows easy transfer to the broiler.
Broiling times may vary depending on your oven; watch carefully to avoid burning the cheese.
For a vegetarian version, substitute turkey with beans or a plant-based protein and use vegetable broth in the sauce.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 350
Sugar: 6g
Sodium: 550mg
Fat: 12g
Saturated Fat: 5g
Unsaturated Fat: 6g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 32g
Fiber: 6g
Protein: 30g
Cholesterol: 75mg