Easy Leftover Turkey Curry Recipe

This easy turkey curry is packed with flavour and is one of the best ways to use up leftover roast turkey after Christmas or Thanksgiving. You can also make it with cooked chicken if that’s what you have on hand.

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Post updated September 2026

A fantastic way to use up that endless supply of leftover turkey. If you prefer a curry without coconut milk, try my leftover chicken curry (made without coconut milk) .

This curry has a gently sweet flavour from the brown sugar, which you can easily adjust to taste. It’s beautifully balanced with warm spices and creamy coconut milk.

Don’t be put off by the long list of ingredients — most of them are simple spices, and the recipe is very easy to make.

Important – please read!

Because the turkey has already been cooked and reheated, this recipe is not suitable for freezing or reheating.

Money‑saving tips

I use Mutti tinned tomatoes. If you can, buy good‑quality tinned tomatoes — they make a noticeable difference to the finished dish.

Mutti and Cirio can be pricey, but they’re often half‑price at Tesco or Waitrose. When they are, I stock up!

Right after Christmas (or even on Christmas Eve), supermarkets often reduce frozen turkeys to half price. You can cook them and freeze the meat for later use.

For more festive ideas, take a look at my Seasonal & Holidays recipes.

But before you freeze anything, don’t forget that turkey sandwiches are absolutely the way to go on Boxing Day.

Ingredients you'll need

🧅 Onion

🫚 Fresh ginger

🧄 Garlic

🌶️ Red chillies

🧂 Ground coriander

🧂 Ground cumin

🔥 Chilli powder

🧂 Ground cinnamon

🍅 Tomato purée

🥫 Tinned tomatoes

🥥 Coconut milk

🍯 Soft brown sugar

🍗 Cooked turkey

🍗 Chicken stock

🧂 Salt & black pepper

🌿 Chopped coriander

How to make it

If you enjoy curry recipes, you might also like my Chinese Chicken Curry — a proper British takeaway-style favourite.

Fry the onions, chilli, garlic, and spices until softened and fragrant. Add the tomato purée and cook for another minute.

Pour in the tinned tomatoes and coconut milk. Simmer until slightly reduced, then stir in the cooked turkey.

No leftover turkey?

You don’t have any leftover turkey or chicken 😧

No worries — you can use a ready‑cooked rotisserie chicken from the supermarket. Just avoid the ones cooked in BBQ or other sauces.

One of my favourite Boxing Day dinners with leftover turkey is mashed potatoes served with Piccalilli and pickled onions 😋 What’s yours?

If you love a proper Boxing Day spread, here’s my Homemade Pickled Onions — they go brilliantly with leftover turkey.

Storage

Because the turkey has already been cooked once and reheated in the curry, this dish is not suitable for freezing or reheating.

Serving suggestions

Serve with fluffy basmati rice, naan bread, or even chips for a cosy Boxing Day dinner. A sprinkle of fresh coriander finishes it beautifully.

Notes

If you prefer a spicier curry, add extra chilli powder or fresh chillies. If you prefer it less sweet, reduce the brown sugar.

Have you tried this recipe?
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leftover turkey curry, turkey curry recipe, curry with coconut milk, what to make with leftover turkey, easy turkey curry

Christmas, Boxing Day, Curry, Mains

British

Yield: 4

Author: Jan Bennett

Leftover Turkey Curry

A fantastic way to use up leftover turkey after Christmas or Thanksgiving. This curry is easy to make, full of flavour, and ideal for turning cooked turkey into a comforting meal. It has a slightly sweet, creamy sauce that you can adjust to taste, and it’s ready in no time.

Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 35 MinTotal time: 40 Min

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon ghee or vegetable oil
• 1 large onion
• 2 teaspoons fresh ginger
• 2 fat garlic cloves
• 2 red chillies
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1–2 teaspoons chilli powder
• 2 teaspoons garam masala
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon tomato purée
• 1 × 400g (14oz) tin good‑quality tomatoes
• 400ml (14oz) full‑fat coconut milk
• 2 teaspoons soft brown sugar
• ½ Knorr chicken stock cube
• 4 small handfuls cooked turkey
• Salt and black pepper
• Chopped coriander (cilantro) to serve

Instructions

1. Prepare the ingredients: Peel and finely dice the onion. Peel and very finely chop the ginger. Peel and mince the garlic. De-seed and finely chop the chillies.
2. Heat the ghee or oil in a large frying pan and cook the onion for about 10 minutes until softened but not browned.
3. Add the ginger, garlic, chillies, ground coriander, cumin, chilli powder, garam masala, cinnamon, and tomato purée. Cook for 2 minutes to release the flavours.
4. Add the tinned tomatoes (including the juice), coconut milk, and brown sugar. Crumble in the stock cube, add a good pinch of black pepper, and bring to a boil.
5. Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning — add more sugar or salt if needed.
6. Add the cooked turkey and simmer for 5 minutes until heated through.
7. Serve immediately with rice and chopped coriander.

Notes

IMPORTANT: This recipe is NOT suitable for freezing or reheating again, as the turkey has already been reheated once.

If the sauce seems thin, simmer longer to reduce.

Adjust sweetness to taste.

You can swap turkey for cooked chicken.

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