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Creamy turkey and broccoli casserole with a golden cheddar-and-breadcrumb topping in a vintage floral baking dish.

Rest of the Bird Casserole

The leftover turkey gets a second life under a curry-kissed cream sauce, while the broccoli keeps a little bite. A cheddar-and-crumb top browns into the crunchy finish that makes this casserole worth repeating.

By Betty Lou Gardner55 minUpdated 2026-08-25

This Rest of the Bird Casserole layers tender leftover turkey and crisp-tender broccoli beneath a creamy, curry-kissed sauce, then finishes it with cheddar and buttery bread crumbs. It is a practical, comforting supper that makes the day-after-holiday leftovers feel like a new meal.

Betty Lou Gardner in a family archival photograph

Granny’s Kitchen Notes

From Betty Lou Gardner

This is usually the casserole I make when there is still half a turkey sitting in the refrigerator after the holiday meal. Curry powder sounds unusual with turkey, but somehow it works better than people expect once everything bakes together.

How to Make Rest of the Bird Casserole

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Bright green broccoli florets steaming in a metal steamer basket.
01

Prepare the Broccoli

Steam the broccoli only until bright green and crisp-tender, then drain it thoroughly.

Cooked turkey cubes and broccoli florets arranged in a brown rectangular baking dish.
02

Layer the Turkey and Broccoli

Spread the turkey evenly in the prepared baking dish and arrange the broccoli over the top.

Creamy curry sauce in a mixing bowl beside mayonnaise, condensed cream of chicken soup, curry powder, and lemon juice.
03

Make the Creamy Sauce

Whisk together the mayonnaise, condensed cream of chicken soup, curry powder, and lemon juice until smooth.

Creamy curry sauce being poured over turkey and broccoli in a brown baking dish.
04

Sauce the Casserole

Pour the creamy sauce over the turkey and broccoli and spread it to the edges.

Turkey and broccoli casserole topped with grated cheddar and bread crumbs before baking.
05

Add the Cheddar and Breadcrumbs

Sprinkle cheddar over the sauce, then finish with bread crumbs tossed in melted butter.

Turkey and broccoli casserole baking in the oven with a bubbling golden topping.
06

Bake Until Bubbling

Bake uncovered until the sauce is bubbling, the topping is golden.

Creamy turkey and broccoli casserole with a golden cheddar-and-breadcrumb topping in a vintage floral baking dish.

Rest of the Bird Casserole

The leftover turkey gets a second life under a curry-kissed cream sauce, while the broccoli keeps a little bite. A cheddar-and-crumb top browns into the crunchy finish that makes this casserole worth repeating.

By Betty Lou Gardner

Prep10 minCook40 minTotal55 minDifficultyEasy
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Ingredients

Scale

Scaling note: Ingredient quantities scale in this recipe. Review equipment capacity, batch arrangement, and cooking time when changing the yield.

Topping

Instructions

  1. Nonstick cooking spray, 4 cups broccoli
  2. 4 cups cooked turkey, 4 cups broccoli
  3. 1 cup mayonnaise, 2 cans condensed cream of chicken soup, 1 teaspoon curry powder, 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  5. ½ cup cheddar cheese, ½ cup bread crumbs, 1 tablespoon melted butter

Nutrition (Approximate Per Serving)

Yield

8 servings — Serving size: 1/8 of the casserole

Some ingredients could not be modeled and may meaningfully change the totals. Treat these values as a rough estimate.

Calories
450
Carbohydrates
14 g
Protein
26 g
Fat
32.5 g
Saturated Fat
7.5 g
Cholesterol
100 mg
Sodium
880 mg
Fiber
1.5 g
Total Sugars
2 g

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Betty Lou Gardner

Betty Lou Gardner

Betty Lou Gardner’s family recipes are preserved in Granny’s Recipe Box.

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