Leftover Turkey Fajitas

Turn those turkey Thanksgiving leftovers into easy and quick to make Mexican fajitas. Simple. Delicious.

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Want an alternative to a turkey sandwich with your leftovers this year?

Most of the time people use either chicken or beef for fajitas, but I say why not turkey! I figure you can use turkey for anything that you would use chicken for.

These fajitas are meant to be simple as once most people have cooked a turkey they aren't looking to cook a complex meal the next day 🙂

Jump to:

• 🛒 Ingredients
• 💡 Top Tips
• 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 How Much Does It Make
• 🌶️ Fajita Pans
• 🦃 More Turkey Recipes
• Leftover Turkey Fajitas

🛒 Ingredients

With some leftover turkey (white meat and/or dark meat) already in hand (this is my favorite turkey recipe), here is what else you will need to make these simple fajitas.

• Diced Onion
• Thin strips of Bell peppers (any color you like, we like a red pepper)
• Chopped Fresh Cilantro
• Cotija cheese
• Warm tortillas

The only real special ingredient here is the Cotija cheese. It's a Mexican cheese that easily crumbles. You can get it in most supermarkets and I highly recommend it here over cheddar or those bagged Mexican cheese mixes that really aren't mostly Mexican cheese.

We are trying to keep these simple, yet tasty. But if you want to add more ingredients here are some additional suggestions

• Ground Cumin
• Chili powder
• Cayenne pepper
• Black pepper
• Pepper flakes
• Sour cream
• Crema
• Guacamole
• Black Beans
• Garlic Powder
• Paprika
• Oregano
• Taco or hot sauce

If you wanted to bring the Thanksgiving flavor more into, you can use sage. Or maybe you have some leftover corn, throw that in as well. Got some leftover cranberry sauce? You could even try throwing that one top as well. I haven't but you surely could try it! Fajitas can be one of those cleaning out the fridge dishes.

💡 Top Tips

You want to get some caramelization on those peppers and onions. For that I cook it on a cast iron skillet that distributes heat very well. I use an induction cook top which heats up the skillet lightning fast. It was stunning to see how fast it was the first time I used it.

If you notice that your peppers and onions are starting to burn more than turn brown, lower your heat. Better to take your time than to burn your food.

Add the leftover turkey in when the veggies are done. You just need to reheat the turkey. You don't want to cook it long or you could dry it out.

Once the food is finished, you can leave it on the skillet and serve it directly from. Cast iron stays hot for a while so it helps keep your food warm. Plus it gives you that fajita restaurant experience with the sizzling skillet coming to your table.

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 How Much Does It Make

The recipe you will find below is enough for 3 tortillas worth of fajitas, which is one hungry person. Scale up to cook for more people.

🌶️ Fajita Pans

While certainly not required, it sure is fun to have your very own fajita pan like they serve in Mexican restaurants. One fall I got to visit the Lodge Cast Iron store in Tennessee. I picked up my very own fajita pan set, with the cast iron skillet and wood holder. I would make a great Christmas gift 🙂

Not as practical for families but great if you have are a small household or having a date night at home with your spouse. I test different steak recipes for my blog, so when I cook up a single steak I like to use it.

🦃 More Turkey Recipes

These are some other recipes you can make with leftover turkey:

• Cranberry BBQ Leftover Turkey Sliders
• Mini Turkey Shepherd's Pie

These are some recipes for cooking a turkey:

• Dry Brined, Butterflied Turkey
• Instant Pot Turkey Breast