Leftover Turkey Corn Chowder
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Quick and easy soup recipe that’s perfect for using up leftover turkey! Loaded with flavor from the turkey, roasted bell pepper, green chiles, corn, cheese and more. It makes a hearty dinner recipe that will be devoured at your dinner table.

Looking for a delicious way to use up your leftover roast turkey? This turkey corn chowder is the perfect way! Corn chowder is one of those classic comfort foods that’s always good. Add leftover turkey to it and it’s just next level!
It has green chile, corn, bell pepper, smoked paprika, and, of course, lots of shredded turkey. Add some cheese, and you get a cozy and hearty soup that everyone will love!
This is an Easy Soup Recipe!
- This turkey soup doesn’t need hours to simmer – once you have the ingredients prepped, it’s ready in about 30 minutes!
- When you use the leftover meat, you cut the work in half – it’s so easy.
- This turkey corn chowder is thick, cheesy, and filling! The perfect way to repurpose leftovers so that they taste great.
If you want a delicious way to use up those leftovers, this is the soup recipe you need to try. It’s always a hit and always delicious!

Notes about the Ingredients
Turkey: The star ingredient is your leftover turkey! Just shred it and it’s ready to go in the soup. If you are craving this and don’t have leftover turkey you can also use shredded chicken!
Vegetables: I use a mix of fresh and frozen/pantry veggies for this recipe to make it easy. I usually have leftover onions, garlic and celery from Thanksgiving – this is a great way to use them up!
Broth: The soup is made with chicken broth and seasoned with salt, pepper, and smoked paprika to give it an amazing flavor.
Thickener: Instead of simmering the soup for hours to thicken it, I make a slurry with flour and milk. Once you add it to the soup it works its magic and the soup thickens in about 15 minutes.
All the cheese, please! Shredded cheddar cheese is added at the end and it takes the soup over the top! It melts into the thickened broth creating a cheesy, delicious turkey chowder soup.




How to Make Leftover Turkey Soup
Saute: Cook the onion and celery in a large saucepan over medium heat. Cook them for five minutes, and then add the garlic, roasted red peppers, and green chiles. Continue cooking and stirring it all for a couple more minutes.
Simmer: Add the broth, bring it to a boil, and then lower the heat to simmer the soup for 10 minutes.
Thicken: Slowly whisk flour into a bowl of milk until smooth. Slowly pour the mixture into the soup, whisking continuously. Add the salt and pepper and cook the soup, frequently stirring, for 15 minutes or until it’s thickened.
Finish it: Add the turkey, cheese, and paprika. Stir until the cheese melts into the soup. Garnish each serving with green onions to finish it!
Serve this turkey corn chowder with homemade breadsticks or dinner rolls on the side!

Don’t let that leftover turkey go to waste this year! This turkey corn chowder is a delicious way to use it all up. My family devours it – I think your family will, too!
More Leftover Turkey Recipes
- Shepherd’s Pie is another way I love to use holiday leftovers. It’s cozy, filling, and so comforting!
- Turkey Pot Pie is a cozy comforting dinner! You can make it in a skillet – it has veggies, a rich and creamy sauce topped with a flaky crust.
- Skip the boring sandwiches and make my Cheesy Bacon Turkey Sliders. They are super easy to make and so delicious!
- My Pot Pie Casserole is always a hit! Just swap the chicken for leftover turkey, and you get an amazing dinner everyone will love.
- Turkey and Rice Soup is a quick recipe that’s great for using up leftovers!
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Turkey Corn Chowder
Ingredients
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion diced
- 1 stalk celery diced
- 1/2 c. roasted bell pepper diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 4 oz can diced green chiles
- 4 c. low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 c. frozen corn kernels
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp ground pepper
- 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
- 2 c. milk
- 2 1/2 c. cooked and shredded turkey
- 3/4 c. shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/2 tsp smoke paprika
- green onion thinly sliced for garnish
Instructions
- Heat olive oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and cook for 5 minutes or until they begin to soften. Add garlic, roasted bell pepper and green chiles and cook for 1-2 more minutes.
- Pour in chicken broth, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
- Add the corn and simmer an additional 3 minutes.
- Put flour into medium bowl. Slowly whisk in milk until mixture is smooth.
- Slowly whisk in milk mixture to soup, along with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until soup is thickened, about 15 minutes.
- Stir in turkey, cheddar cheese and smoked paprika. Stir until cheese melted and turkey is warm.
- Serve garnish with green onions if desired.
JB says
Love your recipes!!
Can I use canned corn instead of frozen?
Julie says
Yes!
Jane Saunders says
Sp pleased I’ve found this recipe – it’s just what my family will enjoy a few days after Christmas Day when I’m after something easy and nutritious to make after the indulgent few days beforehand.
Julie says
Yes! I hope you enjoy it!
Gina says
I was looking for something to do with the leftover turkey to come and this recipe is perfect! Looks creamy and comforting but totally different from the flavors we’ll have on thanksgiving which is perfect!
Julie says
YES!! It’s one of our go-to leftover turkey recipes! Hope you enjoy!
Alicia says
Where did you get those fluted bowls?! They’re awesome! (The chowder looks delicious too).
Julie Evink says
I think Target!
Keith @ How's it Lookin? says
Looks delicious. I haven’t had a chowder in a while, thanks for sharing
Kelly says
So glad you got some alone time 🙂 So needed for us moms that do it all. I’m the same way and rarely take my mom’s offer to babysit but I think I need to more often too. And I’ll take a big bowl of this chowder too please 🙂
Ashley - the recipe rebel says
You have no idea how familiar that sounds. LOL! My hubs is busy from about July until snow — which we still don’t have! — and I’m single momming it 5-6 days a week. Still. I am just begging the forecast to show me some snow! Lol. This looks so hearty and perfect for chilly days!
Julie Evink says
It’s slated to happen here on Friday!!! Now we move into snow plowing season for the hubs… I can’t win can I?