Oriental Turkey Salad

This is what to do with leftover Thanksgiving turkey breast once you can’t face another sandwich. The cooked turkey gets sliced into strips and tossed with snow pea pods, red bell pepper, carrot, and scallions in a creamy dressing pulled toward an Asian flavour profile with soy sauce and ground ginger.

The dressing trick is mixing the soy sauce and ginger into the mayo first, before anything else goes in the bowl. That gives the soy a moment to dissolve into the mayonnaise instead of pooling on the bottom of the salad once vegetables and turkey are added.

Slice everything thin and on the bias. Pea pods lengthwise, carrots diagonally, peppers into strips. The thin cuts make the salad easier to eat with a fork and let the dressing coat more surface area for better flavour in every bite.

Chef Tips

• Blanch the snow peas for 30 seconds in boiling water and shock in ice water before adding. Raw they’re tough; partially cooked they keep crisp colour and snap.
• Use freshly grated ginger instead of ground if you have it. The flavour is brighter and more aromatic. Use a half teaspoon if subbing fresh.
• Chill the salad at least 30 minutes before serving. The flavours come together as the dressing seasons the vegetables.
• This is a great use for rotisserie chicken too if you don’t have leftover turkey.

Variations

• Add a tablespoon of toasted sesame oil to the dressing for a deeper, nuttier flavour.
• Sprinkle the finished salad with toasted sesame seeds or chopped peanuts for crunch.
• Substitute mango or pineapple chunks for the bell pepper for a tropical twist.