It's a few days after Thanksgiving and we are stuffed from overindulging during holiday festivities. There are still leftovers in the refrigerator but the dry turkey sandwiches just aren't cutting it anymore. Any of this sounding familiar? I found the best way to use up any leftover roasted turkey or rotisserie chicken is by using it in a soup. You can keep it light and simple as I did with the recipe below, or make it hearty and filling by adding dumplings and more veggies. Either way, it's never dry; just easy and satisfying comfort food.
Ingredients:
- 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1/2 medium yellow onion, diced small
- 1 stalk celery, diced small
- 1 carrot, diced small
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- 1/2 cup corn (frozen, canned or leftover)
- 1-2 cups cooked turkey or chicken, shredded or diced
- 6 cups water
- 2 Tablespoons low sodium Better Than Bouillon chicken paste*
- 1/2 cup orzo or whole grain blend (I used Wegmans Golden Jewel blend)
- Juice from 1/2 lemon (about 1-2 Tablespoons)
- thinly sliced lemon slices for garnish (optional)
- salt and pepper to taste
*You can substitute 6 cups of low sodium chicken broth for the water and paste.
Directions:
In a large stockpot, melt the butter into the olive oil. Gently sauté the onion, celery and carrots until the onions are soft and translucent. Add the broth or water/paste combo and the turkey, bring to a boil. Add the orzo or grains and cook according to box directions (about 10 minutes). Next add the corn, peas and lemon juice, simmer for 3-5 minutes until they are warmed through. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls and float a thin lemon slice on top. Enjoy!
serves 4-6