One-Pot Leftover Thanksgiving Turkey and Brown Rice Pilaf
It’s official. One week from today is turkey day for all of you up in that little place I like to call the United States. The day when thousands of people will be sitting down to home-cooked feasts with friends and family and eating until they are so stuffed that they need to unbuckle their pants.
Growing up in the States, I never considered that there were people out there that didn’t celebrate Thanksgiving and follow the traditions that my family ( and everyone else I knew ) did. It just never crossed my mind. That seems kind of ridiculous to me now obviously. You know, because most of the world doesn’t celebrate it. My horizons have been expanded quite a bit from my small-minded American girl days.
Of course, my crazy family still likes to celebrate Thanksgiving here in Chile. You can’t just not celebrate a favorite holiday! I wonder if we’re the only crazy people out there who celebrate holidays from other countries. We’re weirdos. But then, come to think of it, there are many places in the U.S. where they celebrate Cinco de Mayo and that’s a Mexican holiday so there are bound to be others out there that are as crazy as we are.
That’s all beside the point anyway because you don’t have to have leftover Thanksgiving turkey to make this recipe. Use leftover Christmas turkey, most of the world celebrates that holiday right? Really though, you can use any meat that you want. I usually like to add chicken when I make this. It’s one of my favorite ways to use up all of those random veggies in the fridge and it’s so easy.
This is the perfect thing to throw together for a weeknight dinner. It takes about 1 hour from start to finish because of the brown rice but most of that is hands-off. Plus, it all happens in one little ol pot which makes this a very low maintenance (low dishes) dinner.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 5 medium carrots, chopped
- 1-2 cups any veggies you have on hand, chopped (There are no rules here. I used mushrooms, broccoli, cauliflower, and zucchini)
- salt & pepper
- 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- salt & pepper
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 2 cups uncooked brown rice
- 3 cups shredded turkey meat
Instructions
- In a dutch oven or heavy bottom pot with tight fitting lid, saute onions and carrots over medium heat for about 5 minutes until softened.
- Add garlic and chosen veggies and continue to cook for 2 to 3 minutes more. Pour in stock and add brown rice, rosemary, oregeno, and cumin. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 45 minutes or until rice is al dente.
- Stir in turkeyto warm and add salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve hot.
Categories: Autumn/Fall, Dairy Free, Egg Free, Gluten-Free, Holidays & Seasonal, Main Course, Soups & Stews, Sugar-Free
