Go Back
Easy Leftover Turkey Enchiladas Recipe (Quick & Flavorful)

Easy Leftover Turkey Enchiladas

Shredded leftover turkey is combined with onion, garlic, green chiles, warm spices, and salsa, then rolled in corn tortillas and baked beneath enchilada sauce and melted cheese. It is a quick, flavorful dinner for using holiday leftovers.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Turkey Filling
  • 3 cups Cooked leftover turkey, shredded or chopped
  • 1 tablespoon Olive oil
  • 1 small Small yellow onion, finely diced
  • 2 cloves Garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 4-ounce can Diced green chiles, drained
  • 1 teaspoon Ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon Chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt, plus more to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon Black pepper
  • 1/2 cup Salsa or enchilada sauce
Assembly
  • 8 6-inch tortillas Corn tortillas
  • 2 cups Red or green enchilada sauce
  • 1 1/2 cups Monterey Jack, Cheddar, or Mexican-blend cheese, shredded
Optional Toppings
  • To taste Sour cream, chopped cilantro, sliced green onions, diced avocado, or lime wedges

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Heat the oven to 375°F and lightly grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
  2. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until softened, then add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.
  3. Stir in the turkey, drained green chiles, cumin, chili powder, kosher salt, black pepper, and 1/2 cup salsa or enchilada sauce. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, just until the filling is hot, then taste and adjust the seasoning.
  4. Warm the tortillas in a skillet, microwave, or wrapped in foil until flexible. Keeping the tortillas warm helps prevent cracking as they are filled and rolled.
  5. Spread about 1/2 cup of the remaining enchilada sauce over the bottom of the prepared baking dish.
  6. Fill each tortilla with roughly 1/3 cup of turkey mixture and a small handful of shredded cheese. Roll each tortilla tightly and place it seam-side down in the baking dish.
  7. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the rolled tortillas, making sure the tops are covered without leaving the enchiladas submerged. Sprinkle the remaining cheese evenly over the sauce.
  8. Cover the dish loosely with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for another 5 to 10 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbling.
  9. Let the enchiladas rest for 5 minutes before serving. Finish with your choice of sour cream, cilantro, green onions, avocado, or lime wedges.

Notes

Warm corn tortillas thoroughly before rolling. Briefly frying them in a little oil makes them especially flexible and helps prevent tearing. Covering the dish during the first part of baking helps keep leftover turkey moist. Green enchilada sauce, turkey, green chiles, and Monterey Jack make an especially good combination.