I’ll always eat a day-after-Thanksgiving sandwich. But there are always a lot more leftovers to use up. Because I don’t want to just have another pale facsimile of Thanksgiving that grows thinner by the moment or blaspheme the name of the day-after-sandwich by making two, I like to pile high a plate of nachos using turkey and whatever tweaked ingredients are left in the fridge. The combination of ingredients, plus some spices and a minimal amount of cooking, leads to a plate of leftovers that pairs perfectly with a day of binge-watching/online-shopping. The best part of Thanksgiving nachos is that you can throw whatever the hell you want on top of them. Turkey is a must. But anything else is your call. Want to throw in some classic Tex-Mex ingredients like salsa or jalapenos? Go for it. Want to make it more traditional leftover-y? That’s fine too. It’s a really fun tradition, one that kids enjoy being a part of as well. The first thing I do is set a pan over medium heat, add a glug or two of oil, and throw in a bunch of shredded white turkey meat. I season it with a bit of salt, some cayenne, garlic powder, chipotle powder, and a good drizzle of honey. I let that crisp up for about 5-6 minutes, stirring to make sure it doesn’t stick and then set it aside. Then, I tear open a bag of tortilla chips and dump a layer on a baking sheet lined with foil. I layer some of the crisped turkey as well as some scoops of stuffing, sliced Brussels sprouts, some chopped up butternut squash or sweet potatoes (if there are any leftover), a few dollops of cranberry sauce, and sprinkle some shredded cheese on top. If I have them, I’ll probably toss in some sliced red onion and pickled jalapenos. Then, I add more chips and repeat the layer of toppings and finish with more cheese. That’s it. The tray goes into the oven at 425 for 10-15 minutes or so and then you have an easy-to-throw together communal Thanksgiving leftover meal that offers a different spin on the same flavors and textures. Thanksgiving nachos are delicious, quick, and also defeat the “turkey…again?” syndrome that might strike in the days after the holiday. It deserves a place beside the coveted sandwich in the leftovers hall of fame.
