• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header left navigation
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to site footer
  • About
    • Meet Tracy!
    • Contact Me
    • Disclaimers & Disclosures
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Cookie Policy
    • Privacy Policy
  • Holidays
    • New Years Eve
    • Valentine’s Day
    • St. Patrick’s Day
    • Easter
    • Fourth of July
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
    • Christmas
  • es_ES
Oh, The Things We'll Make!

Oh, The Things We'll Make!

Make it yourself so that you control the ingredients!

  • Recipes
    • Appetizers & Snacks
    • Soups & Salads
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch & Dinner
    • Desserts & Sweets
    • Breads & Wraps
    • MIY Pantry Basics
    • Condiments & Sauces
    • Beverages & Smoothies
    • Story Archives
  • Make it Yourself
    • Arts & Crafts
    • Face & Body
      • cleansers, soaps, & gels
      • Deodorants
      • Hair
      • Skin Care
      • Oral Care
      • Baby & Toddler Care
    • Home & Garden
      • Cleaning & Laundry
      • Garden & Hens
    • Soap Making
    • Upcycling
  • search
Closeup of a turkey soup with celery, carrots, and turkey pieces in view.

Thanksgiving Leftover Soup: Turkey Rice Soup With Everyday Chicken Alternative

You are here: Home / Recipes / Soups & Salads / Thanksgiving Leftover Soup: Turkey Rice Soup With Everyday Chicken Alternative
Last Modified: November 26, 2020 // by Tracy Ariza, DDS // November 26, 2020 I may receive a commission if you purchase through links in this post. Learn more here.

es_ES EspaƱol

Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

Don’t throw away the skin, bones and leftover turkey pieces, make this turkey rice soup, the best Thanksgiving leftover soup idea! You can also do this any time of year with leftover roasted chicken!

bowl of turkey rice soup served with baked sweet potato

What can you do with Thanksgiving leftovers?

So, you’ve gotten over the intimidation of roasting the perfect turkey, and now you have a bunch of leftover turkey!

Heating up the leftovers and eating the same meal over and over again for the next 3 days just isn’t going to cut it.

What if I told you, though, that you can transform the leftover skin and bones from your turkey, along with other veggie scraps and leftovers, into one of the best soups imaginable!

Unlike my son, who loves turkey sandwiches and eats them daily until it’s gone, I get sick of leftover turkey. Once I found how wonderful leftover turkey soup can be, though, I look forward to having Thanksgiving leftovers each year.

Everyday chicken soup alternative

It isn’t Thanksgiving?

No worries…Perhaps you’ve roasted a whole chicken instead, Don’t let those bones go to waste either! Make chicken rice soup using the same concept.

No waste idea…

Any time that you roast a turkey or chicken, instead of throwing away the skin, bones and other uneaten bits, they can be converted into a delicious and nourishing soup! (That’s the main takeaway from this post!)

In the past, I never loved eating Thanksgiving leftovers, but ever since I started making this soup, I have to admit that I look forward to the day after Thanksgiving. 🙂

How to make turkey stock from a turkey carcass

While most people think of making poultry stock from raw bones and veggies, you can also use the bones from already roasted turkeys and chickens to make a tasty soup.

In my post about roasting a turkey, I showed you how to roast the turkey whole, how to spatchcock it, and how to break it down into pieces. No matter which method you used to roast your turkey, you should have some bones from which to make this delicious soup.

With the latter two methods, you’ll have some raw bones that you can roast on a tray with vegetables before making a delicious stock. (I show you how in that post.) In all of the methods, you’ll have some bones leftover after you finish eating the roasted turkey.

  • Overhead view of roasted turkey carcass on a tray with roasted vegetables
  • A roasted turkey carcass in a slow cooker next to an empty baking tray.
  • Using a spatula to release the browned bits stuck to a baking tray with water.
  • Overhead view of a slow cooker with turkey bones and stock.

Make a turkey stock

Save those bones, along with any skin, tendons, or anything else leftover. Separate and set aside any leftover meat, and throw the rest into a slow cooker with enough water to cover it.

How long should you cook the turkey stock?

While you can get a lot of flavor from the bones, enough to make a decent soup, after simmering it for a couple of hours, I prefer to use a slow cooker. (If you’re short on time, an Instant Pot or electric pressure cooker would also be a great option!)

On Thanksgiving day, I’m not normally in the mood to do a lot of work after such a big meal, so I throw everything into the slow cooker with some water and leave it to do its thing all evening and overnight.

Not only do I find it easier that way, but the longer you cook it, the more nourishment you will extract from the bones. You can even use some of the stock, add more water, and keep simmering. It’s amazing how much stock you can obtain from a few bones!

  • A pan with leftover turkey bones
    Add the bones to a slow cooker.
  • Turkey bones in a slow cooker
    Add water to the pan.
  • Pouring water over the bones in the slow cooker
    Pour the water over the bones.
  • Adding more water to the bones in the slow cooker to cover them
    Add enough water to cover them.
  • Overhead view of a slow cooker with the top on.
    Cook on low overnight.

For turkey, it takes much longer, but with chicken, the bones begin to disintegrate some time after 12 hours. After around 24 hours, even the larger chicken bones start to completely fall apart.

Reuse the bones

When I make turkey stock from my turkey leftovers, I often save some of the larger bones in the freezer after obtaining my stock. The larger bones can be reused in your next batch of stock. Even the larger turkey bones eventually will disintegrate.

After the bones have disintegrated, and after I have strained out my stock, I save the broken-down skin and bones to feed to my dogs. They love it. You’ve probably heard that you shouldn’t feed cooked chicken bones to dogs and other pets. That’s because poultry bones can splinter and be dangerous for them. Once the bones begin to completely fall apart and no longer splinter, though, you can safely give the bone mush to your pets. 😉

closeup view of spoon with turkey, carrot slice and celery over bowl of turkey rice soup

Ingredients

While the main part of this soup is the homemade turkey stock, you can dress up the stock with a few more ingredients. I like adding just a few simple veggies like celery and carrot slices. Herbs like fresh sage also add flavor.

For turkey rice soup, I normally use long grain rice. Short grain rice works well too, though. If you prefer, you could add some noodles instead for a turkey noodle soup.

To thicken up the soup and add flavor, optionally add some of your other Thanksgiving leftovers like stuffing and/or gravy.

Making turkey rice soup

Once you have obtained your stock, making the rest of the soup is simple.

To shorten the cooking time, I like to pre-soak the rice while I cut the veggies and get everything together.

Then I simmer the turkey stock with some cut up vegetables like celery, onion, and carrots. When the veggies start to get tender, I add in the pre-soaked rice. If you are using a brown rice that takes longer to cook, add it in at the beginning of cooking.

Near the end of the cooking time, shred the leftover meat and add it into the soup so that it warms before you serve it.

  • Overhead view of rice in a strainer, soaking in water
    Pre-soak the rice.
  • Straining turkey stock into a small pot next to the slow cooker
    Strain out some turkey stock.
  • Overhead view of sliced celery and carrots next to a pot of turkey stock
    Slice some veggies.
  • Adding rice to a pot of turkey soup
    Add the pre-soaked rice.
  • Removing sage from the soup on a spoon.
    Remove large pieces of herbs.
  • A pan of leftover turkey next to a pot of turkey soup
  • Adding turkey pieces to the soup
    Add leftover turkey pieces.

How to use other Thanksgiving leftovers

If you’re making this soup on the day after Thanksgiving, you can throw in all sorts of other Thanksgiving leftovers.

Sweet potatoes make a lovely addition to the soup, as does leftover stuffing. Not only does the stuffing help thicken the soup slightly, but it also adds a wonderful flavor to the soup that lets you relive your Thanksgiving feast. Just throw the leftovers into your soup at the end of the cooking time to warm them.

Saving leftover stock

You’ll likely have made more than enough stock. Leftover stock can be strained into jars to use later. I like to strain the stock into heat-resistant glass jars while still hot. If you close the lid tightly and flip it over, the jar will normally vacuum seal shut. This helps preserve the stock longer.

  • Overhead view of a turkey broth in a slow cooker being spooned up into a ladle, ready to be strained into a jar.
    Strain into jars.
  • 4 jars of turkey stock upside down.
    Flip upside down
  • closeup of vacuum sealed lid.
    Lid should vacuum seal.

If it’s not sealed well, some turkey stock will normally drain out when you flip the jar. You’ll have to flip it right-side-up and try to close it tighter. Then, try again. Some jars won’t seal properly and you’ll have to try a new jar or use the stock within a few days.

Because this isn’t “proper” canning, store the stock in the fridge and use it relatively soon.

To freeze the stock for longer-term storage, leave several inches of space at the top (for expansion) and place it in the freezer.

Video

Craving more?Subscribe to my newsletter for the latest recipes and tutorials!
Closeup of a turkey soup with celery, carrots, and turkey pieces in view.

Thanksgiving Leftover Soup: Turkey Rice Soup

4.6 from 15 votes
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Cook turkey stock: 12 hours
Total Time: 12 hours 35 minutes
Servings: 8 bowls
Calories: 204kcal
Author: Tracy Ariza, DDS

Ingredients

For turkey stock

  • 1 turkey carcass
  • veggie scraps

For turkey rice soup

  • 1 onion
  • 2 celery stalks
  • 2 carrot sticks
  • 2 cups rice
  • 3 sprigs thyme
  • 1 bunch sage leaves
  • 1 cup turkey meat (Or more, as desired)
  • pepper
  • salt

Instructions

  • Remove bits of meat off the carcass and set them aside for later.

Make turkey stock

  • Add the carcass, along with skin and other non-eaten bits from the turkey, to a slow cooker. At this point, you can also add in some garlic, veggie scraps or Thanksgiving leftover veggies to add some nutrients and flavor to the stock.  
  • Completely cover the carcass and veggies with water, and cook on low heat overnight.
  • If you choose to use an Instant Pot or electric pressure cooker instead, use the soup setting of your cooker and increase the time to 120 minutes. Cook and, once finished, allow the pot to depressurize before opening.

Make the turkey rice soup

  • 30-45 minutes before lunchtime, rinse and soak the rice in water.
  • Begin preparing the veggies for the soup. Rinse them all. Peel the carrots and onion, and thinly slice the onion, carrots, and the celery stalks.
  • Strain the stock from the bones and cooked veggies, and add the strained stock to a medium pot along with the sliced veggies and herbs. You want to have around 8 cups of broth, so add water if needed.
  • Cook at medium heat until it reaches a boil, and then simmer for a couple of minutes.
  • Remove the bunches of herbs.
  • Strain the rice from the water and add it to the boiling stock. Continue to simmer at low to medium heat for around 15 minutes, until the rice is fully cooked.
  • Add in salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste.
  • Remove the soup from the stove and serve immediately!

Notes

To thicken the soup and add flavor, you can optionally add in other leftovers like gravy and/or stuffing. 
Nutritional information depends upon the amount of meat and other leftovers added to the soup. The given information assumes stock obtained from the bones along with rice and veggies. Added meat and other added ingredients will need to be figured in to obtain more accurate information.
 
 
Course Soups
Cuisine autumn/winter, Thanksgiving
Special Diets Gluten Free, Low Calorie
Keyword leftovers, soups, Thanksgiving recipes
Other Diets Dairy free, Gluten free
Tried this recipe? Tag me today!Mention @thethingswellmake or tag #thethingswellmake!
Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 204kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 42mg | Potassium: 195mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 2610IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 37mg | Iron: 1mg

Update Information

This post was originally published on December 19, 2013. It was rewritten and republished in November of 2020 with new photos, more information, and video.

Category: Soups & Salads, Thanksgiving

About Tracy Ariza, DDS

Tracy Ariza, B.A., D.D.S., left dentistry and the United States to found Oh, The Things We'll Make!, writing to you from the Spanish Riviera. She loves making things herself in order to keep control of what goes in them. While far from perfect, she strives each day to live a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle.

Previous Post: « A whole roasted turkey on a platter How to Roast a Perfect Turkey
Next Post: Snowman Cheese Ball A snowman cheese ball surrounded by crackers. »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Sidebar

Search

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Hello, I’m Tracy!

I love making my own natural products like soaps and lotions and my own pantry items like yogurt and salad dressings.
Why do I do it? Sometimes to save money, sometimes because it's healthier, but I always love having control of the ingredients!​
Oh, the things we'll make!...

More about Tracy

Read in Spanish

es_ES EspaƱol

I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking toĀ Amazon.comĀ and affiliated sites.

Featured on Buzzfeed, Lifehacker, Fitness, Shape, Country Living, Healthline, Redbook, Redfin

Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe
Closeup of 4 bars of homemade soap. Two of them have been wrapped in brown paper, which is secured with ribbons.

Making an Easy, Basic Beginner Soap, and Then Making it Fun!!

Homemade prawn crackers on a plate in front of uncooked homemade prawn crackers and a roll of prawn crackers dough.

Prawn Crackers from Scratch

Impress your friends and save money by making your own soy sauce from scratch. Today we'll learn how to make a homemade shoyu, a fermented Japanese soy sauce made from soybeans and wheat berries. #shoyu #soysauce

How to Make Soy Sauce (Homemade Shoyu)

Take control of the ingredients that go into your hair products by making them at home. This easy, DIY hair conditioner uses natural ingredients to leave your hair feeling soft and tangle free, and is light enough to use as a leave-in conditioner too. #DIY #Conditioner #haircare #natural #essentialoils

Easy DIY Hair Conditioner for Natural Hair

Unlike sugar scrubs made with only oils and sugar, emulsified sugar scrubs become a creamy exfoliating lotion upon contact with water, leaving no oily residue, but only soft, supple skin behind.  #sugar #scrub #sugarscrub

Easy Emulsified Sugar Scrub

Making a homemade tomato paste from scratch is easier than you may think. It's the perfect way to conserve excess tomatoes from your garden. It can be made on the stove top, in your oven, or in a slow cooker. Learn how to make it, and how to conserve it for later. #thethingswellmake #miy #tomatopaste #tomatosauce #tomatorecipes #tomatoes #freezing #canning #preservingfood #homesteading #homesteadingskills #pantrybasics

Easy Homemade Tomato Paste Recipe

Featured on Buzzfeed, Lifehacker, Fitness, Shape, Country Living, Healthline, Redbook, Redfin
White logo for Oh, The Things Well Make! website

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Copyright © 2021 Tracy Ariza · Disclaimers and Disclosures · Privacy Policy · Cookie Policy

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.Ok