All you need is leftover cooked chopped chicken or turkey and some leftover roasted/cooked veggies to make this speedy meal! Simply crisp up the chicken/veggies in a skillet with ginger and garlic, then pour in a sweet and salty soy sauce to get it nice and caramelized and sticky. It’s delicious as a light meal in lettuce cups or served over a warm bed of rice.
P.S. This recipe is designed to use up Thanksgiving leftover turkey and veggies.
If you don’t have leftovers, simply roast a full sheet pan of veggies (about 7 cups worth) and roast a 5 lb chicken (5 lb whole chicken will give you about 4-5 cups meat). Or you can cook boneless chicken – 2.5-3lbs will give you 4-5 cups of meat. That will be enough to use for multiple meals.
If you’re in a pinch with the meat and veggies, simply cook ground meat in the skillet. Then remove and cook some veggies. Then make the recipe!
Servings 3 or 4 with rice
Prep Time 5 minutes 
Cook Time 8 minutes Ingredients
- ¼ cup soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar or lime juice
- 2-3 tsp maple syrup
- 2 tsp toasted sesame oil
- 1-3 tsp chili crisp or sriracha (optional)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cups chopped cooked turkey or chicken*
- 2-3 cups chopped leftover roasted veggies (brussels sprouts, carrots, sweet potatoes, squash, etc…)*
- 1-2 cloves garlic, grated
- 2 tsp grated ginger (optional)
- 1 cup chopped cilantro
To serve:
- Butter lettuce leaves and/or cooked rice
- Chopped peanuts
- Chopped scallions, cilantro, and/or mint
- Lime wedges
- *If you don’t have leftover cooked veggies, chop raw veggies nice and small and cook them in some oil and salt until they are cooked. Then add the cooked protein and follow the recipe as is.
- *If you don’t have leftover cooked protein, cook 1 lb ground meat in the skillet, then add the cooked veggies.
- Note! ~ I prefer this served over rice or in lettuce cups with rice. The meat/veg mixture has a very strong flavor that the rice balances out.
Instructions
- Cook rice (if using).
- In a small bowl, stir together soy sauce, rice vinegar, maple syrup, sesame oil, and chili crisp or sriracha (if using).
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- To the skillet, add the chopped turkey and roasted veggies, spread them out evenly, and cook, undisturbed, for 2–3 minutes or until starting to turn golden in spots. Turn the heat down to medium low, stir in the ginger and garlic for just a few seconds, then pour in the soy mixture. Stir to coat, scraping up any bits stuck to the skillet.
- Cook for another 2–3 minutes, stirring halfway, until caramelized. If it looks too dry, add a splash of water. Turn off the heat and stir in the cilantro.
- Spoon the mixture into lettuce leaves or serve over warm rice (my preference!) or add rice to the lettuce cups. Top with peanuts or sesame seeds, fresh herbs, and a squeeze of lime.
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Mix together the soy mixture.
- Grate 2 tsp ginger and 1-2 cloves garlic
- If you don’t have any leftovers:
- Cook 1-1.5 lbs boneless chicken, then chop it up (this will give you about 2 cups) OR roast a 4-5 lb chicken! You’ll have leftover meat that you can use in other recipes (see Quick Creamy Miso Ramen).
Substitutions:
- To make vegetarian, substitute 2 cups worth of finely chopped tofu.
- Use any leftover cooked meat – just chop it up nice and small.
Storage:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2-4 days or freeze for up to 2 months
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- Warm up the mixture in a skillet with a splash of water or in the microwave until warmed through. Assemble your lettuce cups or rice bowls with all the toppings.
- Make fried rice! Add leftover cooked rice to an oiled skillet and crisp it up. Then stir in the meat/veg mixture etc…
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