When it comes to Thanksgiving main dishes, it’s usually all about the big, beautiful, golden turkey. That’s how we usually celebrate the day. Over the years though, there have been times when, for one reason or another, we aren’t all getting together on the day, so our Thanksgiving meal is smaller and a whole turkey seems a bit much. For times like those, these Turkey and Bread Stuffing Phyllo Packets are the perfect dish.
These phyllo packets are filled with all the flavours of Thanksgiving, from the cranberry sauce, to the cooked turkey and homemade bread stuffing. Served with a Browned Butter Sage gravy, you’ll never miss the big bird. It’s Thanksgiving in a pretty packet!
This turkey dish can start with left-over turkey, turkey cooked and cut from a simple turkey breast or you could even use chicken, if you like. Add in some homemade or store-bought cranberry sauce and an easy and delicious sage bread stuffing, then wrap it up in buttered phyllo. Serve with a simple Sage Gravy (or again, store-bought, if you prefer), for the entire Thanksgiving experience.
Ingredients
Gravy (or you can use store-bought):
Stuffing:
Parcels:
Instructions
These phyllo packets are filled with all the flavours of Thanksgiving, from the cranberry sauce, to the cooked turkey and homemade bread stuffing. Served with a Browned Butter Sage gravy, you’ll never miss the big bird. It’s Thanksgiving in a pretty packet!
This turkey dish can start with left-over turkey, turkey cooked and cut from a simple turkey breast or you could even use chicken, if you like. Add in some homemade or store-bought cranberry sauce and an easy and delicious sage bread stuffing, then wrap it up in buttered phyllo. Serve with a simple Sage Gravy (or again, store-bought, if you prefer), for the entire Thanksgiving experience.
Ingredients
- Cranberry Sauce (or you can use store-bought):
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 cups fresh cranberries
- 1/2 tsp. orange zest (optional)
Gravy (or you can use store-bought):
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup finely chopped sweet onion or shallots
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups (900ml) chicken broth
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh sage leaves (or 2 tsp. dried sage leaves)
- 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4-1/2 tsp. salt
Stuffing:
- 5 Tbsp. butter
- 3/4 cup finely chopped sweet onion or shallots
- 1/3 cup sliced button or cremini mushrooms
- 1 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh sage leaves (or 1 tsp. dried sage leaves)
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
- 4 cups toasted fresh bread cubes, including crust
Parcels:
- 8 sheets of thawed phyllo dough
- 5 Tbsp. butter, melted
- 2 cups cooked turkey or chicken, in chunks or small slices
Instructions
- Cranberry Sauce: Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and allow to boil, stirring occasionally, until cranberries have mostly popped and sauce has thickened. Remove to a bowl, allow to cool completely at room temperature or cool slightly, then cover and refrigerate until needed if making ahead.
- Gravy: Heat butter in a large saucepan over medium heat for 3-4 minutes or until nutty brown and fragrant. Add onion. Cook for 30 - 45 minutes. Add flour and cook, stirring, for 30-45 seconds. Using a whisk, add about 1/3 of the stock and stir until smooth. Then add remaining broth, wine and sage. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring frequently until thickened. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper, as needed. Cover and turn off heat (to re-warm before serving) or transfer to a bowl, cover and refrigerate if making ahead.
- Stuffing: Toast bread slices, then cut in to cubes. Place in to a large bowl and set aside. Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and mushrooms and cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in parsley, sage and salt and pepper. Pour mixture over bread cubes and stir and/or gently squeeze butter mixture in to bread cubes. Taste and add additional salt and pepper, to taste.
- To make parcels: Have butter melted and a brush ready. To make the first parcel, lay one sheet of phyllo in front of you, with the long side closest to you. Butter the sheet and then place another sheet over-top. Butter that sheet as well. Using a sharp knife, cut the right 1/3 of the phyllo off, from top to bottom (so you will have a large square-ish piece and a smaller, narrow piece). Take the smaller, narrow two-layer piece and place it in the centre of the square piece (so you have two-layer thick on the right and left side and 4 layers thick in the middle).
- Place a dollop of cooled cranberry sauce in the very centre. Top with several pieces of cooked turkey (or chicken), then using a tea cup or 1 cup measuring cup, pack stuffing in, then place a dome of stuffing over-top turkey, pressing it together in to a mound. Lift the two right corners of the outside edge of the phyllo and bring it up in to the centre, pleating as needed. Bring the two left corners up to the centre as well and pinch together with the other side, twisting to lock them together. Transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining phyllo and fillings to make 4 parcels. (You can cover and refrigerate at this point for up to a day or parcels can be frozen. Defrost in wrapping before baking).
- To bake: Preheat oven to 350 F. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until richly golden and filling is hot. Serve with gravy.
