These super tasty Leftover Turkey Carnitas are my favorite way to use up leftover turkey meat! My turkey carnitas are the best use of your leftover turkey from holidays, hands down! Your family is sure to love these easy street-style tacos any night of the week, and any time of the year!
Leftover Turkey Carnitas Recipe {with Crock Pot Instructions}
I take great pride in making leftover recipes that rival any dish in quality, and these tasty carnitas are no exception! They're super simple, but also incredibly perfect. Can you tell I love this leftover recipe?!
You can use leftover turkey meat from your holiday turkey, or cooked chicken meat like a deli rotisserie chicken, too! I frequently cook down my turkey legs for these carnitas, and just go ahead and start them cooking while I tear apart my turkey carcass.
Refrigerate the turkey ( or chicken ) meat once simmered and shredded. You can save the browning for when you're ready to serve up these fabulous tacos!
How To Make Leftover Turkey Carnitas
Place your leftover turkey meat in a stockpot, Dutch oven, or pot large enough to hold the meat and liquids. Add the chicken broth or turkey stock, then enough water to cover the meat, if needed.
With the exception of the cooking oil or fat, add the rest of the ingredients ( quartered orange, rough chopped onion, chicken bouillon cube, minced garlic, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, salt, and pepper ) to the stockpot and bring the broth to a simmer over medium heat. Cook at a simmer for about one hour, or until the turkey meat is tender and can be shredded easily.
When done, remove from heat and transfer the turkey meat to a plate to cool. Once cooled, shred the meat until you have fine pieces to use for filling your tacos.
Heat a large non-stick or cast iron skillet with the olive oil ( or lard, or the turkey fat drippings reserved from roasting your turkey ) to medium high heat. Once the oil or fat begins to shimmer, add the shredded turkey meat and spread it evenly throughout the skillet.
Brown and crisp the meat on the first side for about 5 minutes, then stir to incorporate the crispy bits and spread again. Repeat as needed until you reach your desired level of crispiness in the turkey carnitas meat.
Remove the skillet from heat and serve the carnitas in small flour, corn, or white corn tortillas garnished with fresh pico de gallo.
Crock Pot Turkey Carnitas
To make your carnitas meat in a crockpot, follow the instructions above for simmering the meat. Combine all ingredients in your crockpot ( except for the olive oil ) and cover.
Simmer on low heat for 1 - 2 hours, or until the turkey meat is tender. Continue to browning the meat in a skillet as directed above, when ready to serve.
Starting with Raw Turkey Meat
If you are making your turkey carnitas from uncooked turkey meat, then the simmering time is longer. I would check the turkey meat at 90 minutes, pull it apart some, and continue to cook until tender.
Wild turkey meat may take longer to get the desired tender turkey meat, as store-bought commercially raised turkeys are more tender to begin with. Cook your raw, wild turkey meat for up to 4 hours at a simmer.
Check out all of my fantastic leftover turkey recipes on this index page with all of my latest additions! It's an ever-growing list so be sure to bookmark the page!
📖 Recipe Card
Leftover Turkey Carnitas
Ingredients
- 1 pound turkey meat (about 3 cups - use dark meat, or a combination of dark and white meat)
- 1 quart chicken broth (1 32 oz carton - chicken or turkey stock)
- 1 orange (quartered)
- 1 small white onion (rough chopped)
- 1 cube chicken bouillon
- ½ tablespoon garlic (minced)
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 bay leaves
- ½ teaspoon each, salt & pepper (or to taste)
- 2 tablespoon olive oil (or lard, or turkey fat)
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
Stove Top Instructions
- In a large pot, or Dutch oven, add the turkey meat and chicken or turkey stock then enough water to finish covering the meat, if needed. Add the remaining ingredients, with the exception of the olive oil, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook at a simmer for about an hour, or until the meat is tender and easily shredded.
- Remove from heat and transfer the cooked turkey meat to a plate to cool. Shred the meat once cooled, until it is fine enough for using for taco filling.
- Heat the olive oil (or lard, or turkey fat) in a non-stick or cast iron skillet over medium high heat until the oil or fat begins to shimmer. Add the shredded leftover turkey meat and spread evenly in the skillet.
- Leave in place until well browned and beginning to crisp, usually about 5 minutes. Stir to distribute the crispy bits, and spread evenly repeating as needed to get your desired level of crispiness in the turkey carnitas meat.
- Remove the turkey meat from heat and serve immediately, garnish with fresh pico de gallo.
Crock Pot Instructions
- Follow the instructions in step 1 as given above: combine the turkey meat with broth and add water if need to completely cover the turkey meat. Add all remaining ingredients, except for the cooking oil or fat. Cook on low for 1-2 hours, or until the turkey meat is tender and easy to shred. Continue as directed above in steps 2-5. Enjoy!
Lauren Stutts says
We had a lot of leftover turkey after Easter and were craving tacos. We had never considered turkey meat for tacos, but wow! My fiancé and I were surprised at how awesome this was! It honestly didn’t even taste like turkey! I even dipped the tortillas in the liquid from the carnitas before warming them up in the pan. We will definitely make this again when we find ourselves with leftover turkey 🙂
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
I love hearing when my leftover dishes are a hit. Thank you for sharing your results!
Beth says
I would never have thought to use my leftover turkey to make carnitas but this really works. And give you a flavor profile so different than traditional Thanksgiving day. And sometimes we are all ready for that right?
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
We are always so ready for a change of flavors after the holidays (even though a quick turkey sandwich is still amazing)! Thanks Beth!!