Turkey Tortilla Soup is the perfect recipe to use your leftover turkey. This hearty soup is full of delicious flavor – something the whole family will love.
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:
- Start by sautéing diced onions, garlic and chipotle peppers in a deep, heavy pot.
- Then add the rest of the spices, chicken stock and tomatoes.
- Bring the soup to a boil, then let it simmer for abut ten minutes.
- Stir in your diced turkey, beans and corn, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Finally, serve the soup with tortilla chips any toppings you like. So good!
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.
Storing Leftover Chipotle Peppers
You can freeze the rest of the can of chipotle peppers individually in an ice cube tray, then use them for other recipes.
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 cheese
- Crumbled cotija cheese
- Sour cream
- Sliced avocado
- Diced cilantro
- Extra tortilla chips
- Sliced olives
- Lime wedge
And I love having this with a piece of my Cornbread!
Turkey Tortilla Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce diced
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 3 cups chicken stock (or turkey stock)
- 15 ounces diced tomatoes
- 16 ounces kidney beans drained and rinsed
- 15 ounces black beans drained and rinsed
- 1 cup corn
- 2 cups cooked turkey
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat the olive oil in a large stock pot over medium heat. Add in the garlic, onion, and chipotle peppers. Then add in the chili powder, kosher salt, and paprika. Saute until the garlic and onions are soft, about 5 to 7 minutes.
- Add the chicken stock and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook uncovered for 10 minutes. Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.
- Stir in the black beans, kidney beans, corn, and turkey.
- For serving, stir in tortilla strips. Top with sour cream, cilantro, avocado, and shredded cheese.
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