• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
An Edible Mosaic™
  • about
    • contact
    • accessibility
    • privacy policy
    • terms and conditions
  • cookbooks
  • recipes
  • world cuisine
    • arabic and middle eastern
    • asian
    • british
    • buffalo foods
    • czech
    • dutch
    • ethiopian
    • french
    • german
    • greek
    • indian
    • irish
    • italian
    • jamaican
    • jewish
    • latin
    • polish
    • russian and ukrainian
    • swedish
    • tex mex
    • thai
    • west african
  • Nav Social Menu

menu icon
go to homepage
  • about
  • fall recipes
  • recipes
  • cookbooks
  • subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • about
    • fall recipes
    • recipes
    • cookbooks
    • subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Type » Main Courses » Chicken

    Low-Carb Cheesy Leftover Turkey (or Chicken) Jalapeno Popper Casserole {Gluten-Free}

    Published: Nov 21, 2016 · Modified: Jan 20, 2022 by Faith · This post may contain affiliate links · 14 Comments

    This gluten-free Low-Carb Cheesy Leftover Turkey (or Chicken) Jalapeno Popper Casserole can be made ahead using leftover turkey or chicken; make a double batch (in two casserole dishes) so you have dinner set for another night too!

    low-carb-cheesy-leftover-turkey-or-chicken-jalapeno-popper-casserole-gluten-free-1

    I know by this point you’re probably sick of being bombarded with every manner of Thanksgiving recipe, but I come bearing a little inspiration on what to do with leftover turkey after the big day.

    I realize every family has a few staple recipes using leftover turkey that absolutely have to get made every year; maybe it’s your grandma’s Turkey Barley Vegetable Soup, Turkey Tetrazzini, Turkey Pot Pie, or even the world’s best Turkey Sandwiches with Cranberry Sauce. But I’d wager that even after you make your family’s favorite leftover turkey recipe, you’ll still be left with turkey to spare and that’s where a few fresh ideas are always welcome.

    low-carb-cheesy-leftover-turkey-or-chicken-jalapeno-popper-casserole-gluten-free-2

    At my house we usually like to do one meal of leftovers as another Thanksgiving dinner, so basically, mashed potatoes, stuffing, green beans, squash or sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, turkey, and gravy. But after the second full Thanksgiving dinner, we all tend to get a little bored with it, and so I try to reinvent our leftovers into completely new meals.

    This meal is just about as different from a classic Thanksgiving turkey dinner as you can get, other than the fact that there’s turkey in both. Here I pulled inspiration from a classic appetizer: Jalapeno Poppers! I’ll admit, I’m not much of a fan of spicy-hot food, but I’ve always enjoyed the flavor of poppers. The addition of cream cheese here mellows the heat of the jalapenos, and you can add more or less jalapeno to suit your own preference.

    low-carb-cheesy-leftover-turkey-or-chicken-jalapeno-popper-casserole-gluten-free-3

    The great thing about this casserole is that it can be made ahead of time; before baking, you can keep it in the fridge for up to three days, or keep it in the freezer for up to three months. And the recipe is easy to double so you can whip up two casseroles just as easily as you can whip up one, and that way you have dinner set for another night as well.

    Serve this casserole along with steamed broccoli or a nice big green salad to make it a meal!

    low-carb-cheesy-leftover-turkey-or-chicken-jalapeno-popper-casserole-gluten-free-4

    Print
    Low-Carb Cheesy Leftover Turkey (or Chicken) Jalapeno Popper Casserole {Gluten-Free}
    Prep time:  10 mins
    Cook time:  35 mins
    Total time:  45 mins
    Yield: Yields 1 (1.5-quart) casserole dish, about 4 to 5 servings
     
    This gluten-free Low-Carb Cheesy Leftover Turkey (or Chicken) Jalapeno Popper Casserole can be made ahead using leftover turkey or chicken; make a double batch (in two casserole dishes) so you have dinner set for another night too!
    Ingredients
    • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the dish
    • 1 medium onion, chopped
    • 2 large stalks celery, chopped
    • 1 large cloves garlic, minced
    • 1 to 2 jalapeno peppers, de-seeded and minced (more or less to taste; I use about ¼ cup minced for about a “medium” heat level)
    • 8 oz (227 g) cream cheese, at room temperature
    • ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream
    • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
    • 2 cups cooked, chopped leftover turkey or chicken
    • 6 oz (170 g) cheddar cheese, shredded, divided
    • 2 scallions, green and white parts, thinly sliced (for garnish)
    Instructions
    1. Lightly butter the inside of a 1.5-quart casserole dish.
    2. Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat; once melted, add the onion and celery and cook until softened, but not browned, about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
    3. Turn the heat down to low, add the garlic and jalapeno, and cook 1 minute more, stirring constantly.
    4. Stir in the cream cheese, heavy cream, Worcestershire, salt, and black pepper, whisking until combined.
    5. Pour the cream cheese mixture into a large bowl and stir in the chicken and ¾ of the cheddar. Transfer to the prepared casserole dish and sprinkle the remaining cheddar on top.
    6. At this point, the casserole can be cooled to room temperature, covered, and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months, or it can be cooked immediately. When you’re ready, cook it in a preheated 400F oven until warm and bubbling, about 20 to 25 minutes, and then run it under the broiler to let it brown for a few seconds.
    7. Sprinkle the scallion on top and serve.
    3.3.3070

    More Chicken

    • easy curried chicken salad recipe featured image
      10-Minute Curried Chicken Salad Recipe - This Coronation Chicken Will Be Your New Go-To Lunch
    • pulled chicken tacos recipe featured image
      Easy 10 Minute Creamy Chipotle Shredded (Pulled) Chicken Tacos Recipe
    • poached chicken featured image
      How to Poach Chicken (Makes the Juiciest Poached Chicken!)
    • crockpot thai peanut chicken featured image
      Easy Slow Cooker Thai Peanut Chicken Recipe

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

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

      Recipe Rating




      Rate this recipe:  

    1. Linda says

      November 24, 2017 at 9:52 pm

      The Low-Carb Cheesy Leftover Turkey (or Chicken) Jalapeno Popper Casserole recipe is definitely a keeper! I don't like turkey leftovers, but this took care of that. I made a couple small changes - added about 1/4 c cooked bacon; didn't have Worcestershire sauce, so added about 1 T of Dijon mustard instead; didn't have green onions so just used more diced jalapenos on top (mine were mild). Great recipe for after Thanksgiving!! Thanks!

      Reply
    2. Vicky says

      May 06, 2017 at 11:07 am

      Please provide the nutritional information. I made it last night and it was great.
      TIA

      Reply
      • Faith says

        May 08, 2017 at 9:03 am

        Vicky, I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed this recipe! I don’t calculate nutritional information for my food, but there are several free online tools that will help you with this. Calorie Count for one is a pretty useful tool. Hope this helps!

        Reply
    3. Kristy says

      February 18, 2017 at 8:26 pm

      This was delicious!!! We used Turkey. I used a little more cheese than it called for and used Mexican mixed cheese. My family inhaled it. no leftovers...

      Reply
    4. Kelly says

      December 12, 2016 at 2:41 pm

      This was delicious! Definitely a make-again. Thanks!

      Reply
    5. Samantha says

      November 24, 2016 at 5:57 pm

      This looks delicious, but I have a question: this recipe is labeled as gluten free, but calls for 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce. Worcestershire sauce is not gluten free, so what did you sub for the gluten free version of the recipe? Or did you just leave it out altogether.

      Reply
      • Faith says

        November 29, 2016 at 8:11 am

        Samantha, I use Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce, which is gluten-free (here's their website where they give more info on their product if you're interested: http://www.leaperrins.com/products/the-original-worcestershire-sauce.aspx). I know there are other GF Worcestershire sauces on the market, but I really like this one. If you can't find a GF product in your area, you could always make homemade GF Worcestershire (there are tons of recipes out there if you want to do a quick Google search), or just omit it from this recipe. I use it for depth of flavor, but there's just a tiny amount in this recipe so it shouldn't be missed too much. Hope this helps!

        Reply
    6. Kevin | Keviniscooking says

      November 24, 2016 at 11:46 am

      Loving all the ingredients, especially the celery. This looks cheesy good and a great way to use up leftovers. Thanks Faith!

      Reply

    Trackbacks

    1. Keto Chicken Meal Prep - The Keto Queens says:
      April 6, 2019 at 10:55 am

      […] Turkey or Chicken Jalapeno Popper Casserole […]

      Reply
    2. 15 Mouthwatering Low Carb Chicken Recipes - The Keto Queens says:
      January 7, 2019 at 8:50 pm

      […] Low-Carb Cheesy Leftover Chicken Jalapeño Popper Casserole – An Edible Mosaic […]

      Reply
    3. Use Your Leftover Turkey To Make A Great Meal Tonight says:
      November 27, 2018 at 9:16 am

      […] sure to please your entire family. I can’t take all the credit though, the recipe came from An Edible Mosaic blog and sadly, I forgot to take my own picture of the finished product, but she has one on her […]

      Reply
    4. Low Carb Lasagna with Easy Meat Sauce and Cabbage Noodles says:
      July 16, 2018 at 3:01 am

      […] Low Carb Cheesy Leftover Chicken (or Turkey) Jalapeno Popper Casserole from An Edible Mosaic […]

      Reply
    5. 50 Keto Thanksgiving Recipes - Fitness Crest says:
      November 13, 2017 at 6:11 pm

      […] 42) Low-Carb Cheesy Leftover Turkey Jalapeno Popper Casserole {Gluten-Free} […]

      Reply
    6. 13 Creative ways to use your Thanksgiving leftovers (That aren't soup!) - Fox and Briar says:
      November 25, 2016 at 2:14 pm

      […] Cheesy Leftover Turkey Jalapeno Popper Casserole by An Edible Mosaic because you may have gone into a carb coma yesterday. Did your Thanksgiving dinner involve a ham? […]

      Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    faith photo with welcome

    Hi, I'm Faith!

    I’m the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind An Edible Mosaic. It’s my goal to inspire you to get in the kitchen, try something new, and find a favorite you didn’t know you had. Welcome to An Edible Mosaic!

    More About Faith →
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
    • RSS Feed

    Popular Recipes

    • boba milk tea featured image
      How to Make Bubble Tea (Easy Boba Tea Recipe)
    • mini victoria sponge cakes featured image
      Mini Victoria Sponge Cake Recipe - Fit for Royalty & Easy to Make as Cupcakes! {video}
    • canned chicken salad featured image
      Canned Chicken Salad Recipe
    • low carb chicken casserole featured image
      Keto Spinach Artichoke Chicken Casserole - Based on the Dip! {video}

    Seasonal Recipes

    • pear kale salad featured image
      Simple Pear Kale Salad with Candied Almonds and Crumbled Feta
    • slow cooker enchiladas featured image
      Really Easy Crockpot Enchiladas (Ground Beef Slow Cooker Enchilada Casserole)
    • baked brie featured image
      20-Minute Elegant Baked Brie Recipe with Honeyed Grapes
    • caramel apple popcorn featured image
      Easy Caramel Apple Popcorn Recipe and a Fall-Themed Movie Night Snack Board

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Contact
    • Accessibility Policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms & Conditions
    an edible mosaic stamp logo 1200 square

    SEE RECIPE INDEX

    Social

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
    • RSS Feed

    My Other Blogs

    • Daily Desserting
    • The Keto Queens

    An Edible Mosaic is monetized in part though affiliate links, and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This means that if you click on an affiliate link and/or purchase an item after clicking on an affiliate link, I may receive a percentage of the sales price. I only recommend products that I use and love.

    Copyright © 2023 An Edible Mosaic