Turkey Biryani
4.8
(4)
The real post-Thanksgiving puzzle is figuring out what the hell to do with all the leftover turkey. Soups, sandwiches, pot pies, and casseroles are all worthy transformations in their own ways, but after such a heavy (and largely spiceless) meal, I crave something with a bit more kick. My solution to this conundrum is to resurrect the bird as a big pot of fragrant turkey biryani.
A simple yogurt marinade flavored with garam masala, cumin, coriander, and chile powder breathes new life into cooked turkey. Twenty minutes in the oven allows the flavors to penetrate the rice as well as the meat, helping it regain some of its lost moisture. The onions are the most laborious part of this recipe, but all of that work—which can be completed while the rice soaks—transforms them into bittersweet frizzled bits that are just so good.
A few parting tips: If you have leftover turkey wings, throw them in with the whole spices and rice during the par-cooking process (step 4) to up the turkey flavor. And note, people have varying preferences for salt in their Thanksgiving turkey, so I recommend tasting the cooked meat and adjusting the amount of salt in the yogurt marinade accordingly. You can use dark or white meat (or a combination of the two) to make this recipe and you don’t have to wait for leftover Thanksgiving turkey to make it. Feel free to swap in rotisserie chicken for an easy weeknight meal during any season.
What you’ll need
5.5 Quart Dutch Oven
$435 At Amazon
Garam Masala
$15 At Spicewalla
Basmati Rice
$20 At Amazon
Recipe information
Total Time
1 hour 25 minutes
Yield
6–8 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Rinse 2 cups basmati rice in a mesh sieve or a colander under cold running water until water runs clear. Transfer to a medium bowl and pour in cold water to cover by at least 1"; let sit at room temperature 30 minutes.
Step 2
Meanwhile, mix 2 lb. cooked turkey meat, chopped into bite-size pieces (about 6 cups), 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped, one 2" piece ginger, peeled, finely chopped, 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt, 2 Tbsp. plus 2 tsp. garam masala, 1 Tbsp. Diamond Crystal or 1¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt, 1 Tbsp. tomato paste, 1½ tsp. ground coriander, 1 tsp. Kashmiri or other chile powder (such as cayenne), and 1 tsp. ground cumin in a medium bowl. Taste and season with more salt if needed; set turkey mixture aside.
Step 3
Melt ⅔ cup ghee in a large Dutch oven or other heavy pot over high heat. Add 4 medium onions, thinly sliced, and cook, stirring often, until dark golden brown and just starting to crisp, 25–35 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer half of onions to paper towels with a slotted spoon; let drain. Set remaining onions aside in pot.
Step 4
Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 350°. Pour water into a medium saucepan to fill by three quarters; salt generously. Drain rice and place in saucepan. Add 2 dried bay leaves, one 2" cinnamon stick, 6 whole cloves, and 5 green cardamom pods. Set over high heat and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce heat to medium and simmer until rice is mostly cooked (it should still have some chew in the center), about 5 minutes. Drain rice and rinse under cold running water. Shake sieve to remove excess water from rice; set aside.
Step 5
Add remaining 2 Tbsp. ghee to reserved onions in pot and melt over medium heat. Add reserved turkey mixture and cook, gently stirring occasionally, until turkey is warmed through and starting to brown in a few spots, about 4 minutes. Stir in 1 cup whole milk and bring to a gentle simmer. Add reserved rice, arranging in an even layer, and top with ⅔ cup golden raisins. (Do not stir; you want to keep layers distinct.) Cover and bake 20 minutes.
Step 6
Remove pot from heat and let biryani sit, covered, 8 minutes. Uncover, top with ⅓ cup unsalted roasted cashews, coarsely chopped, 2 cups coarsely chopped mint, and drained fried onions. Mix biryani thoroughly, scraping bottom, to serve.
Do Ahead: Turkey mixture can be made 12 hours ahead. Cover and chill.
Recipe notes
Back to topSee Related Recipes and Cooking Tips
Post-Holiday Biryani Is the Glow Up Your Leftover Turkey Deserves
Sure, soups, sandwiches, and pot pies are all great options for leftover turkey. But giving it the biryani treatment breathes new life into the notoriously dry protein.
