Turkey Biryani

The real post-Thanksgiving puzzle is figuring out what the hell to do with all the leftover turkey. Soups, sandwiches, pot pies, and casseroles are all worthy transformations in their own ways, but after such a heavy (and largely spiceless) meal, I crave something with a bit more kick. My solution to this conundrum is to resurrect the bird as a big pot of fragrant turkey biryani.

A simple yogurt marinade flavored with garam masala, cumin, coriander, and chile powder breathes new life into cooked turkey. Twenty minutes in the oven allows the flavors to penetrate the rice as well as the meat, helping it regain some of its lost moisture. The onions are the most laborious part of this recipe, but all of that work—which can be completed while the rice soaks—transforms them into bittersweet frizzled bits that are just so good.

A few parting tips: If you have leftover turkey wings, throw them in with the whole spices and rice during the par-cooking process (step 4) to up the turkey flavor. And note, people have varying preferences for salt in their Thanksgiving turkey, so I recommend tasting the cooked meat and adjusting the amount of salt in the yogurt marinade accordingly. You can use dark or white meat (or a combination of the two) to make this recipe and you don’t have to wait for leftover Thanksgiving turkey to make it. Feel free to swap in rotisserie chicken for an easy weeknight meal during any season.