Turkey Biryani
This festive turkey biryani recipe is the BEST way to use up your holiday turkey.
I’m honestly reluctant to call this a leftover turkey recipe because, really, this recipe is worth setting aside cooked turkey to make. So if you’re wondering what to do with leftover turkey or even leftover cooked chicken, this recipe will absolutely blow you away.
The Best Way to Use Leftover Turkey:
Now I hope you made one of my whole turkey recipes – Masala Turkey or Tandoori Turkey. But if not, no worries, this biryani recipe will work perfectly with any cooked turkey.
This turkey biryani has everything you’d expect to find in regular biryani: whole spices, ground spices, caramelized onions, ginger, and garlic.
My recipe also calls for several toppings. Because this is a “leftover recipe,” I think fresh herbs are essential here. Use plenty of fresh cilantro and mint to make this biryani feel bright and new.
And for a final festive touch, top the biryani with chewy red cranberries and crunchy green pumpkin seeds. These red and green toppings are a bit of a change from the usual ghee-coated cashews and raisins, though if that’s what you’ve got, you can’t go wrong, so go ahead and use them. I bet golden raisins or green pistachios would look and taste great too.
Turkey Biryani Ingredients:
- Cooked Turkey (or Chicken): remove the skin, and if possible, use dark meat to avoid over cooking any meat. I’ve also tried this with a combination of dark and white meat and it turns out great.
- Basmati Rice
- Oil
- Onion
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Whole Spices: cardamom pods, cloves, bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cumin seeds, fennel seeds
- Ground Spices: coriander, paprika, salt, garam masala, cayenne, turmeric
- Garnish: dried cranberries or golden raisins, pumpkin seeds or pistachios, cilantro, mint
Suggested
How to Make Turkey Biryani
Cook the whole spices in some oil, stir, then add the onions and cook until golden/caramelized.
Add the ginger, garlic, stir, then add the cooked turkey and ground spices and mix well.
Add water and rice and mix, then cook.
When it’s done, sprinkle with garnishes like cilantro and mint as well as dried cranberries and pumpkin seeds for a festive touch.
What to Serve with Turkey Biryani
To round out this festive (leftover) meal, serve this biryani with my bright reddish-pink Beet Raita and my sweet, spicy, and tangy Cranberry Chutney.
Instant Pot Holiday Turkey Biryani (leftover turkey recipe)
Instant Pot Holiday Turkey Biryani (leftover turkey recipe)
Ingredients
- 1 pound chopped cooked turkey skin removed (preferably dark meat)
- 1 cup basmati rice rinsed
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 onion thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
Whole spices:
- 5 cardamom pods
- 4 whole cloves
- 2 bay leaf
- ½ cinnamon stick
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
Ground spices:
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili or paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt adjust to taste
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- ¼ – ½ teaspoon cayenne adjust to taste
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- 1 cup of water
Later:
- ½ cup dried cranberries (or golden raisins)
- ¼ cup pumpkin seeds and/or pistachios
- Fresh cilantro leaves chopped
- Fresh mint leaves chopped
Instructions
- Press the sauté button and adjust the heat to the highest setting. Add the oil to the pot and once it’s hot, add the whole spices and stir. Once the cumin seeds turn brown add the onions. Stir-fry for 6-7 minutes or until the onions begin to brown.
- Add the garlic, ginger, and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes, then add cooked turkey and ground spices and mix well.
- Add the water and rice and mix well, then secure the lid, close the pressure valve and cook for 6 minutes at high pressure.
- Naturally release pressure for 10 minutes. Open the valve to release any remaining pressure.
- Sprinkle with cilantro, mint, dried cranberries, and pumpkin seeds.
Chris White says
Followed to the letter
After 3 minutes warm up time BURN FOOD warning came on so I put another cup of water in and deglazed the pot
Try again on low heat setting for 10 minutes, 3 minutes into warm up time BURN FOOD warning again.
Turned the whole lot into a pan and tried to salvage it, unfortunately I have now produced inedible turkey porridge and one very burnt instant pot.
Not happy
Karen D says
This was a fantastic use of leftover Turkey. We loved it!
Ashley - My Heart Beets says
Karen, I’m so glad to hear that! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out 🙂
Jackie P says
Thanks for this recipe. It transformed our leftovers into a delightfully disguised leftover dinner. To be honest, I didn’t even cook it in the Instant Pot. I had leftover rice, so I just sauteed the onion and whole and powdered spices in oil. Then I added some broth and some fresh chopped broccoli and carrots to steam them. Then I added the turkey and my leftover rice. This was warming and delicious and super easy. We loved it.
Jackie P says
Also, the cranberries and the pumpkin seeds made it colorful and appealing with great texture.
My Heart Beets says
Jackie, that’s awesome – great that you used leftover rice too! I’m so glad you liked it 🙂
Diljit Karayil says
Can’t wait to try this
My Heart Beets says
Thanks, Diljit! Hope you love it! 🙂
Nidhi says
Excited to try this, this evening! How many servings will this make? I have a lot of leftover turkey!
Is it possible to double it– if so double all ingredients? Change cooking time? Thanks!
My Heart Beets says
Hi Nidhi, I’m sure you can double it – I’d double all of the ingredients but keep the pressure cook time the same 🙂 Let me know how it goes!
Nidhi says
Turned out amazing! Thank you for the recipe!
My Heart Beets says
Nidhi, I’m so glad you liked it! Thanks for letting me know how it turned out for you 🙂
Sherrh says
How much Cinnamon, cumin, fennel? It says 1/2 in front of each of these ingredients
My Heart Beets says
Hi, the cinnamon is half a stick and the cumin and fennel should have the word teaspoon in there – thank you for asking, I’ve updated the recipe card!
PB says
It turned out delicious. Thanks Ashley for another great biryani recipe. 👍👍
My Heart Beets says
Happy to hear that 🙂