Lazy Turkey Salad {Slow Cooker Leftovers}

It's the day after. You made too much food.

It could be the day after Thanksgiving, Christmas or any day you have made a wonderful slow cooker turkey breast. You have so much (sooo much!) leftover turkey meat! Now what?

Whatever day it is, it is the perfect time of year for Lazy Turkey Salad. This easy recipe will turn your turkey leftovers into the stuff of legends.

📝Shopping list

To make this delicious turkey salad you will need:*

• Cooked Turkey breast- Leftover thigh meat will work as well, but breast meat makes for a cleaner salad
• Pine nuts - toasted for extra flavor
• Grapes - red grapes add a great depth of flavor to this recipe, but green would work as well.
• Garlic salt - you can substitute with plain salt if you aren't a garlic fan
• Pepper 
• Mayonnaise  - reduced fat is great, but you can use whatever you prefer

*exact quantities can be found in the recipe card below

🥣Instructions

1. Shred turkey. This can be done using two forks. Some people prefer to use a potato masher or even a handheld mixer for this task.

2. Place pine nuts on a baking tray or foil sheet. Roast nuts in a 350º F oven (or toaster oven) for 5 minutes or so.

It is important to keep an eye on these towards the end of the cooking time. Toasted pine nuts add a ton of flavor to this dish. However, burnt nuts can be bitter. These nuts can quickly go from toasted to burned.

3. Set aside nuts and allow them to cool.

4. Cut grapes into halves or quarters

5. Add turkey breast and all other ingredients into a large bowl and mix to fully combine. Be gentle when stirring, grapes can be easily damaged.

🍽Serving suggestions

This dish makes great turkey sandwiches. Turkey lettuce wraps are also a wonderful, lighter, and easy meal. If serving after a traditional Thanksgiving dinner, it is great with leftover mashed potatoes, green beans, or sweet potatoes. And of course, it is just right when followed by some leftover pumpkin pie;)

Other delicious sides include zucchini and squash parmesan, leftover cranberry sauce, pasta salad, and/or a fresh garden salad. Any easy soup recipe would be great with a turkey salad sandwich. My favorite is tomato soup (and it gets bonus points for being one of my favorite slow cooker recipes!). All combos are delicious and make for a very different kind of turkey dinner.

Hint:  Leftover dinner rolls are awesome for making smaller sandwiches. A perfect on-the-go lunch if Black Friday happens to be the next day!!

Storing

Store leftover turkey salad in an airtight container or bag. It will last 2-3 days in your refrigerator (depending on when the turkey was cooked). Technically, this dish can be frozen. However, I wouldn't recommend it. It will separate and become watery upon defrosting. If you do choose to freeze it, be sure to stir well upon defrosting.

Alternatively, If you have so much turkey left that it would make way more turkey salad than you need, freeze it! Cooked, frozen turkey breast is easy to defrost and perfect for making tons of tasty leftover turkey recipes.

😉Hints and hacks

1. Toasting pine nuts stovetop is also an option, if you prefer.
2. Wondering what to do with leftover chicken breast? This simple recipe is the best way to make chicken salad too!
3. I always suggest the use of a slow cooker liner for easy clean up. I like to buy mine in bulk for a cheaper per-piece price.
4. In the market for a new crock pot? I love mine! The built in thermometer is especially helpful with this recipe!