This year, even if my family makes a turkey breast, I know we are going to have left overs. I actually am tempted to make a full roast turkey so that Nathan can have dark meat and I can freeze lots of leftover turkey and make soups and casseroles! I will definitely make this Turkey Tortilla Soup. It is the perfect leftover turkey recipe. The combination of ingredients and spices make for a delicious flavor that will be a lovely break from the flavors of Thanksgiving day. I love the smokey taste that the chipotle peppers bring to this recipe. This is an easy soup recipe that I know you will fall in love with.
How to Make Turkey Tortilla Soup
Turkey Tortilla Soup comes together in just minutes on the stove and is such a hearty, fulfilling meal. Your home will smell delicious and cozy as the soup simmers. Check out the recipe card for all the ingredient measurements but here’s all you need to do:
Keeping Turkey Leftovers on Hand
Thanksgiving turkey leftovers will stay good in the refrigerator for up to three days, but you can easily freeze the turkey too! It’ll keep in the freezer for up to six months. Thawing is simple; just allow it to thaw in the refrigerator for a few hours, then slice, dice and add to all kinds of recipes. Follow my instructions on how to freeze turkey for all the details!
What are Chipotle Peppers?
If you’ve never cooked with chipotle peppers, this is a perfect recipe to start with. The chipotle is a smoke-dried jalapeño chili pepper that packs a nice spicy punch. I like to buy chipotle peppers that are packed in a flavorful adobo sauce made with tomatoes and spices. The sauce is to die for! You can add a little of the sauce to this soup for an extra kick.
Controlling the Spiciness of Turkey Tortilla Soup
This tortilla soup has a spicy kick to it, but you can control the heat with the amount of chipotle peppers you add. For less spicy, cut back to one chipotle pepper. For an extra dose of spice add a third.
Perfect Tortilla Soup Toppings
A steaming bowl of this soup tastes perfect on its own, but you can add all sorts of flavors and textures with some of these toppings:
Shredded cheeseCrumbled cotija cheeseSour creamSliced avocadoDiced cilantroExtra tortilla chipsSliced olivesLime wedge
And I love having this with a piece of my Cornbread!
