Leftover Turkey Tamale Pie – Sorry, Pumpkin, There’s a New Thanksgiving Pie in Town
Even if your turkey is perfectly cooked, the reheated leftovers can be a little dry and uninteresting, especially since the gravy always runs out before all the meat is gone.
That's why soup is such a popular choice for using up the last remnants of your bird, but this tamale pie will serve the same purpose, only in a significantly more exciting, and flavorful way.
There are two basic types of tamale pie. One features a cornbread topping, which is like eating chili with cornbread, and the other a traditional masa dough, which is like eating chili with polenta on it. Here, I wanted to create something that gives us the best of both, and I was very happy with how this came out.
While I'm branding this as a post-Thanksgiving leftover turkey recipe, it's really a "how to make tamale pie" video, since you can sub in virtually any other meat and/or vegetable, and it should work just as well. In fact, I'm actually thinking of doing a version using cubed butternut squash as a turkey-adjacent side dish. Regardless of what you use, I really do hope you give this easy and delicious tamale pie a try soon. Enjoy!
Ingredients for 6 Portions Turkey Tamale Pie:
- (I used a 9" X 12" baking dish)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
- 1 red bell, diced
- 2 poblano peppers, diced
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 can (7-oz) chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
- 3 to 4 cups diced cooked turkey or chicken
- 4 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese (about 1 packed cup)
- 1 jar (15.5-oz) red enchilada sauce
- 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
- For the crust:
- 1 1/4 cups cornmeal
- 3/4 cup self-rising flour*
- 2 tablespoons white sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 4 ounces grated sharp cheddar cheese for the top
- - Bake at 375 F. for about 45 minutes, or until the topping is browned and a toothpick comes out clean.
- * If you don’t have self-rising flour, you can use 3/4 cup all-purpose flour sifted with 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon fine table salt.
- -->