There’s no doubt that Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. There’s no other opportunity for me to stuff my face with turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, pecan pie, cranberry sauce, macaroni and cheese, and biscuits in one meal. Anything loaded with carbs and butter belongs on the table and eventually in my mouth. My family tends to have a big lunch, enjoys the beauty of feeling bloated, and then grazes on the leftovers for the rest of the day while we watch football and take necessary food coma naps. While it’s the perfect recipe for holiday relaxation, there is something about Thanksgiving that isn’t my favorite – days upon days of leftover turkey. While I love the classic turkey sandwich, after a couple of days, I’m ready for something that doesn’t taste like Thanksgiving. This chowder is the cure.

Leftover turkey is the star in this recipe, but if you have leftover corn on the cob and baked potatoes, you can empty your Thanksgiving fridge with one swoop. The mild turkey and potatoes are given a lift with the sweet onions and corn and the spicy garlic, cumin, and cayenne. The chowder has a nice kick without being overpowering.

A word about yogurt: it’s not just for breakfast smoothies. It feels weird to put plain yogurt on top of savory dishes, but I promise that it works. Not only does it work, it adds a bright, tangy component to this chowder (and many other recipes) that can’t be matched. Finish that with a sprinkling of fresh cilantro, and you have a doesn’t-taste-anything-like-Thanksgiving recipe that your entire family will love.

Turkey Corn Chowder

Ingredients from your kitchen:
1 tablespoon canola or vegetable oil
      ½ yellow onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 baking potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes
4 cups of chicken stock
2 cups of cooked turkey, shredded or diced
½ cup plain yogurt
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Ingredients to purchase:
2 ears of corn (may substitute 1 cup frozen corn)
½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Directions
In a large soup pot, sauté corn and onion in oil over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and black pepper. Add garlic. Cook an additional 2 minutes.

Add potatoes, salt, black pepper, and 1 teaspoon of cumin. Stir and sauté for 2 minutes.

Add 3 cups of chicken broth to cover potatoes. Raise heat, and simmer for 10-15 minutes. Use a potato masher, a fork, or wooden spoon to slightly mash the cooked potatoes.

Add cooked turkey, 1 teaspoon cumin, cayenne pepper, more salt if needed, and the remaining cup of chicken stock. Simmer another 3 minutes.

Top soup with a dollop of plain yogurt and chopped cilantro.