This recipe for Low-Carb Leftover Turkey Casserole boasts loads of bacon, broccoli, and blue cheese! It’s a delicious way to give leftover turkey a fresh, new, facelift. This turkey casserole can work for low-carb, keto, gluten-free, grain-free, diabetic, LC/HF, and Banting diets.
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I have been focusing on Thanksgiving recipes lately. If you’re still looking for ideas for a low-carb Thanksgiving dinner, you might want to check our our recipes for cranberry sauce, mashed cauliflower, and pecan stuffing. We also have lots of Thanksgiving dessert options, including recipes for Low-Carb Pumpkin Mousse Pie, Low-Carb Carrot Cake with Maple Pecan Cheesecake Filling, and Low-Carb Slow-Cooker Pumpkin Custard.
Now, I’ve chosen to focus on something many of us will have in our refrigerator in a few days–a big tub of leftover turkey! I love eating Thanksgiving leftovers, but sometimes eating the same thing can get repetitive. I’ve tried to come up with some ideas to use up the turkey that take the boring out of Thanksgiving leftovers. One recipe I’ve developed that uses up leftover turkey is my Leftover Turkey (or Chicken) Soup.
If you’re more in the mood for a casserole than a soup, this recipe for Low-Carb Leftover Turkey Casserole will fit the bill! This casserole is loaded with turkey, bacon and broccoli surrounded by a creamy sauce. The sauce is scented with garlic and chocked full of blue cheese flavor. The casserole is topped off with even more blue cheese.
If you don’t care for blue cheese, you can substitute your favorite cheese. It’s your chance to be creative. Just be sure to use a cheese that melts well.
This recipe for Low-Carb Leftover Turkey Casserole doesn’t just work for leftover turkey. Substitute the turkey with leftover roast chicken, or some rotisserie chicken and make it anytime of the year. Enjoy!
-Annissa
Low-Carb Leftover Turkey Casserole
This recipe for Low-Carb Leftover Turkey Casserole boasts loads of bacon, broccoli, and blue cheese! It's a delicious way to give leftover turkey a fresh, new, facelift. This turkey casserole can work for low-carb, keto, gluten-free, grain-free, diabetic, LC/HF, and Banting diets.
Ingredients
- 1 pound cooked turkey or chicken
- 12 ounces broccoli florets fresh or frozen
- 4 strips bacon sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
- 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1/2 cup chicken stock low-salt
- 1 cup blue cheese crumbles quantity divided
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt or to taste
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350º Fahrenheit. Grease an 8" X 8" baking dish or 6-8 cup casserole dish with butter or coconut oil. Line a plate with a paper towel.
Spread cooked chicken or turkey evenly in the prepared baking dish.
Fill the lower part of a steamer with 1 1/2 to 2 inches water. Bring to a simmer.
Place broccoli in the top part of the steamer. Sprinkle lightly with salt. When water in the lower steamer comes to a simmer, place the top portion of the steamer on top and cover.
Steam broccoli for 7-10 minutes or until crisp tender. Transfer to the prepared baking pan. Stir the turkey/chicken and broccoli gently a few times to mix.
Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. When skillet is hot, add bacon. Cook bacon until crisp, then transfer to the paper towel lined plate to drain. Sprinkle cooked bacon over the chicken and broccoli mixture.
In a large mixing bowl, whip cream cheese until smooth using a mixer. Blend in the vinegar, garlic, and onion powder. Gradually add the stock, a tablespoon or two at a time, blending between each addition. Stir in 1/2 cup of the blue cheese crumbles.
Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly over the turkey, broccoli, and bacon. Sprinkle with the remaining blue cheese. Bake for 30-37 minutes or until cheese has melted and casserole is bubbly in the center.
If the top is not as browned as you would like, place the dish under the broiler for a few minutes. Allow to cool 5-10 minutes before serving.
Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1/9th of the casserole
Per serving:
Calories: 310
Fat (g): 25
Carbs(g): 5
Fiber (g): 1
Protein (g): 16
Net Carbs (g): 4
This looks absolutely amazing!
Thank you.
Thank you!
-Annissa
I’m not a fan of blue cheese? Would another kind work just as well?
Tara,
Absolutely!Use any cheese you like.
-Annissa
Can u use just white vinegar instead of white wine vinegar??
You could use white vinegar, red wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or lemon juice. Each of them will change the flavor slightly.
Annissa
Excellent recipe! I’m keeping this as a favorite.
Thanks!
Any suggestions for a veggie other than broccoli (or cauliflower)?
Green beans would probably work.
I used carrots, chopped asparagus, brussel sprouts and chopped cabbage. And then I used beef bone broth and instead of 8 oz cream cheese I did 4 oz and then 4 oz heavy whipped cream. And used monzarella instead of blue cheese. It is to die for
So good! I didn’t have blue cheese, so I used gruyere. Turned out amazing! Thank you for the recipe.
I love gruyere! Glad you enjoyed it!
I made this tonight with our leftover turkey and broccoli from yesterday’s Thanksgiving dinner. It was wonderful, and I wasn’t tempted to cheat on the leftover desserts we still have! Thanks for creating this recipe, it’s a keeper! I’m trying your Leftover Turkey Soup recipe tomorrow night!
Thanks! Hope you love the soup as well!
This was very good, and a bit different from a lot of the low carb casserole recipes available online, which is appreciated. I think I’ll try it with buffalo chicken next time to pair with the blue cheese. Thanks for the recipe
What a great idea! I love buffalo chicken paired with blue cheese!
-Annissa
Made this for dinner last night……AMAZING!!! SO delicious!!! Thank you for sharing!
Yay! Glad you loved it!
-Annissa
Hi this looks good but I don’t like blue cheese – what would you suggest I might replace it with?
You could replace it with feta or any other cheese. If you use a hard cheese, you may want to shred it first.
-Annissa
This was delicious! Low carb and gluten free… We have a gluten allergy in our family. Tried it with turkey, and can’t wait to try with chicken also. Thanks!!
I love providing delicious recipes that make recipe that everyone can enjoy!
-Annissa
in the oven now, anxious to try out, and hope that my husband likes it as he can be a picky eater….
I hope you both loved it!
-annissa
What can I use in place of cream cheese and blue cheese to make this dairy free? I was thinking coconut cream in place of cream cheese?
I’m not really sure, but maybe some other people will be able to help you out. My first thought is coconut cream, but I’m not sure that you will enjoy a tropical flavor in your turkey casserole! I know that some people use cashews in instances such as this and the flavor is good, but the cashews will elevate the carb content a little bit.
-Annissa
Unfortunately we were out of bleu cheese, so we made it with cheddar (and turkey stock instead of chicken). Was quite tasty. Thanks!!
Glad to hear! Thanks for sharing your experience with using cheddar.
-Annissa
White wine vinegar? Does white vinegar work?
White vinegar has a little bit sharper taste, but I think it will work fine. Lemon juice or red wine vinegar are other options that would work.
-Annissa
I may have missed it….how is this for freezing leftovers?
I haven’t tried freezing this casserole. I’m a bit hesitant because the sauce might separate.
-Annissa