Creamy turkey a la king makes a complete meal when served atop biscuits, egg noodles or mashed potatoes. This classic dish offers a way to use up Thanksgiving turkey leftovers, or you can make it year-round with fresh turkey. Your turkey can be cooked with vegetables and a sauce, either made from scratch or with gravy leftovers or gravy from a jar for a shortcut dinner.
Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. The amount of butter depends on the amount of turkey a la king you wish to make, requiring about 1 tablespoon of butter for every 1 cup of liquid.
Saute diced onions in the butter until soft. Add shredded or diced turkey and your choice of raw vegetables, such as diced bell peppers or mushrooms.
Add herbs and spices to flavor the mixture. Try spices such as salt, pepper, sage and tarragon.
Stir in just enough flour to absorb the butter -- roughly equal to the amount of butter. Stir to coat the vegetables and turkey with the butter and flour mixture, called a roux. Cook for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly, to cook off the raw flour flavor.
Add turkey or chicken broth to the skillet a little at a time while stirring frequently to incorporate the ingredients. Use roughly 1 cup of liquid for every tablespoon of flour in the roux. Substitute milk for part of the liquid to make a creamier gravy base.
Stir in your choice of fresh or frozen vegetables, such as peas, carrots or broccoli. Pimentos are also common in turkey a la king.
Simmer the gravy, stirring occasionally, until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Serve immediately over your choice of biscuits, noodles or potatoes.
