Main dish

Turkey Pot Pie Mac and Cheese

Two classic dinners in one! Turkey Pot Pie and Mac and Cheese! This is the ultimate way to use up those turkey leftovers this Thanksgiving!

To recipe
How about a huge scoop of turkey pot pie mac and cheese for dinner?
Recipe insights & TIPS

A mash-up of two of my favorite comfort foods, Turkey Pot Pie and Mac and Cheese. Could life be any better?

How about a huge scoop of turkey pot pie mac and cheese for dinner?

This is one of those recipes that I couldn't wait to post. I'm beginning to see the internet fill up with ideas for leftover Thanksgiving dinner items, and we all know that leftovers are sometimes just as important as the dinner itself, right?

Making turkey pot pie came to my mind and then abruptly left because there are a million turkey pot pie recipes out there. But what if I added pasta to it, wait...what if I added cheese? And that's how this dish appeared in front of you now. You can even make it all year long with chicken when your turkey is gone!

I had to be careful though because when you're mashing two super-loved and crazy tasty recipes together, you don't want one of them to overpower the other. I wanted to keep that creamy turkey pot pie flavor, and if I was going to add mac and cheese to the title, it better taste like it too!

turkey pot pie mac and cheese!

Making my turkey pot pie pie recipe

Both recipes always start with a flour and butter roux, so no changes there. Mac and cheese only uses milk as the liquid but I usually use half milk and half chicken stock for my turkey pot pie. I went with that and then added some sharp cheddar but not nearly as much as I'd have added if it was mac and cheese I was making. With the sauce complete, I just had to add the mixed veggies and the shredded turkey along with the elbow macaroni.

The final part of my mash-up had me thinking hard. Turkey pot pie has flaky pastry involved. I thought about laying it on top like the traditional way but didn't love the idea. I ended up baking a frozen pie shell, then crumbling it and mixing it with more shredded cheddar. The result is a creamy, cheesy pasta bake with a buttery, crunchy cheesy topping!

I think when you make it you'll email me and send me all sorts of love and internet high fives. There's just no way you're not going to love it, guaranteed!

Classic turkey pot pie with pasta and cheese!
Creamy Turkey Pot Pie Mac and Cheese! All the flavors of two classic comfort foods!!
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Recipe

An epic version of mac and cheese with all of the flavors of turkey pot pie.

Course:
Main dish
COOKing TIME:
25 minutes
Total TIME:
45 minutes
CUISINE:
American
PREP TIME:
20 minutes
SERVINGS:
6

Ingredients

  • 1 ¼ cups dried elbow pasta
  • 1 frozen 9 inch pie crust
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 3 tbsp all purpose flour
  • 2 cups whole milk divided
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp black pepper
  • 6 oz Colby Jack cheese grated
  • 1 10oz bag frozen mixed veggies
  • 2 cups shredded leftover turkey
  • 1 ¼ cup white sharp cheddar grated

Ingredient Swaps

Instructions

  1. Butter a 9×13 inch baking pan and set aside. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Cook the pasta as per the directions on the pack, drain and set aside.
  3. Bake the pie shell in the oven following the instructions on the package. Set aside while you make the rest of the recipe.
  4. In a large pan, melt the butter and add the flour.
  5. Whisk over a medium heat until the mixture turns slightly golden.
  6. Gradually start to add 1 1/2 cups of the milk whisking all of the time to avoid any lumps.
  7. Add the chicken broth and bring to a simmer.
  8. Once the sauce starts to become slightly thicker, add the salt, pepper and grated Colby cheese.
  9. Whisk until all of the cheese has melted and the sauce is smooth.
  10. Add the frozen veggies and shredded turkey and stir through.
  11. Add the cooked pasta and the remaining 1/2 cup of milk and turn the heat to low while you prepare the topping.
  12. In a bowl crush the baked pie crust with your hands trying to keep it with some larger chunks, you don’t want to crush it too finely.
  13. Add the grated white sharp cheddar and toss together.
  14. Transfer the pie filling to the prepared pan and spread out evenly with a spatula.
  15. Sprinkle the pie topping over the filling and bake in the oven for 25 minutes.
  16. Serve at once.

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