Taiwanese Turkey Rice

Taiwanese Turkey Rice is the perfect use for your Thanksgiving turkey leftovers! This quick and easy recipe is bursting with flavor - from its rich, savory sauce to its crispy fried shallots. So skip the takeout tonight and enjoy this healthy, homemade meal that takes just 30 minutes!

Jump to:

• 🍗 What Is Taiwanese Turkey Rice?
• 🦃 The Best Leftover Turkey Recipe
• 🧂 Ingredients
• 👩🏻‍🍳 How To Make Taiwanese Turkey Rice
• 💭 Top Tips
• 🥡 Storing & Freezing
• 📖 Recipe FAQs
• 🍽 Looking For More Asian Recipes?
• 📋 Recipe

🍗 What Is Taiwanese Turkey Rice?

Taiwanese Turkey Rice comes from the southwestern Taiwanese city of Chiayi, where turkey rice has been a popular staple since the 1950s. During World War II, there was an abundance of turkeys brought into Taiwan. Due to their affordability and similarity to chicken, turkey's popularity quickly exploded in the area. Restaurants began serving turkey over rice with a delicious sauce made of turkey drippings. The popular Taiwanese Turkey Rice remains an important cultural dish and was even featured in a Netflix series called "Street Food"! 

This easy turkey rice bowl is packed with all things cozy and delicious. Taiwanese Turkey Rice seems simple - it's basically a bowl of rice topped with shredded turkey. But the magic is in the sauce! Turkey rice is bathed in an incredible sauce that's savory, sweet, and wonderfully aromatic thanks to the ginger and onion. The dish is finished with bright herbs and crispy shallots, filling each bite with a perfect combination of flavor and texture. 

🦃 The Best Leftover Turkey Recipe

This classic Asian rice and turkey dish is comforting, hearty, and delicious! It's also a unique and easy way to use up those Thanksgiving turkey leftovers. The irresistible sauce breathes new life into the leftovers, making them even more enjoyable. If you don’t have leftover turkey, rotisserie chicken is an easy substitute! There are a number of ways to enjoy this Asian dish and so many reasons to keep coming back to this super tasty recipe.

Another delicious leftover recipe to try is Turkey and Egg Sandwich! Have leftover potatoes too? Try my Air Fryer Potato Croquettes for a crunchy snack that can be made with leftover mashed potatoes. And for more 30 minute recipes, try my Air Fryer Honey Garlic Wings, Instant Pot Dakdoritang (Spicy Korean Chicken Stew), or Lemon Basil Rice.

Why You'll Love It

• Healthy: Taiwanese Turkey Rice is full of lean protein. Turkey meat contains vitamins and nutrients and is lower in saturated fat than beef. It also has more protein and less fat than chicken.
• Perfect for leftovers: Don't let those leftovers go to waste! This simple dish uses them to the fullest and switches up the flavors, making them feel new again. This recipe is a great way to use that leftover Thanksgiving turkey without eating the same meal each time. No leftovers? Check out this easy roast turkey recipe that will give you plenty of meat to make Taiwanese turkey rice again and again! 
• Affordable: Turkey rice bowls are super budget-friendly. The recipe uses a lot of pantry staples, making it a great meal prep or kid-friendly dinner option.

🧂 Ingredients

• Shallots: One of the signature components of Taiwanese Turkey Rice. They fry beautifully into a sweet and crispy topping, and the shallot oil provides additional richness and flavor in the sauce.
• Frying oil: Neutral frying oils with high smoke points work best. My favorite is avocado oil but canola, vegetable, or peanut oil will also work.
• Green onion: Another mild onion that won't overpower the turkey. We use it two ways in this recipe: lightly sautéed in the sauce and as a fresh garnish.
• Ginger: Ginger adds so much flavor and a subtle heat to this dish. When buying ginger, be sure it feels firm to the touch and doesn’t have wrinkles.
• Turkey broth: The base of our sauce. Feel free to use chicken or vegetable broth as a substitute. I always recommend low sodium or unsalted for better control of the seasoning.
• Sugar: Just a touch to round out the sauce.
• Soy sauce: The main flavoring component of the sauce. I recommend low sodium.
• Shaoxing cooking wine: A staple in Asian, especially Chinese, cooking. This amber-colored wine adds depth and complexity to a dish, like when you add white wine to risotto or pasta. To create authentic-tasting Chinese dishes at home, I highly recommend having Shaoxing wine as a staple in your pantry.
• Turkey: You can use either white or dark turkey meat in Taiwanese Turkey Rice. This recipe is also great for any leftover or rotisserie chicken.
• Rice: This easy staple is an excellent base for your bowl. Feel free to use any rice you already have on hand. Traditionally unsalted white jasmine or Calrose rice is used in turkey rice bowls.
• Cilantro: A fresh garnish to brighten up the dish.

Substitutions & Variations

• This meal is perfect to make from leftovers, but you don’t have to limit yourself to roasted turkey. Ground turkey, rotisserie chicken, or leftover shredded chicken make great substitutes. 
• Feel free to use store-bought fried shallots to save time. But to be honest, nothing beats homemade fried shallots. It's more aromatic and affordable. Plus, the shallot oil adds subtle sweetness and richness to the sauce.
• Don’t have any Shaoxing wine? Dry sherry, sake, or mirin would be the next best thing. Keep in mind that mirin is sweeter, so reduce the sugar in the recipe slightly. If you're looking for an option with no alcohol content, consider a small splash of rice wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar. While these don't have the same taste or effect as Shaoxing wine, they'll add a little bit of acid and depth of flavor to your sauce.
• Instead of shallot oil, you can use leftover turkey drippings in the sauce.
• Feel free to add 1-2 minced garlic cloves to your sauce. Simply add them when sautéing the green onion and ginger. Just be sure to watch it closely; garlic can burn quickly.
• Try out a different grain! Swap out the rice for brown rice, couscous, orzo, or even vermicelli noodles.
• Short on time? You can skip the soy sauce, sugar, shaoxing wine and replace it with ¼ cup teriyaki sauce.
• To add some spice, top this dish with a drizzle of spicy chili oil, Sriracha, or sambal.
• To make this turkey rice gluten-free, use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce and omit or substitute the Shaoxing wine.

👩🏻‍🍳 How To Make Taiwanese Turkey Rice

⬇️ Please scroll down to the recipe card to see full ingredient amounts and instructions.

STEP ONE: Prepare your ingredients. I recommend using a mandolin to thinly slice your shallots. Also chop the green onion and ginger, and shred the turkey.

STEP TWO: Next, fry your shallots.

1. Heat oil to 275ºF and add all of your shallots.
2. The shallots will first steam as it dehydrates, then slowly begin to shrink 5 minutes later. Maintain the oil temperature around 225-275ºF and don't be tempted to increase the heat, even if it takes a while. Shallots burn very quickly so be patient.
3. As soon as the shallots start to turn golden (a total of 8-12 minutes later, depending on the thickness of your shallots), use a spider or slotted spoon to transfer the shallots to a paper-lined plate. They will continue to darken as they cool.

STEP THREE: Spread the shallots out into a single layer and lightly salt. Let cool completely.

STEP FOUR: Finally, make your sauce. Transfer 2 tablespoon of the frying oil you used for the shallots to a large skillet. Heat over medium and add the green onion and ginger. Lightly sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant, stirring constantly.

STEP FIVE: Add the broth, sugar, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, salt, and pepper. Bring to a gentle boil, then turn the heat down to medium. Simmer for 8-10 minutes until lightly reduced, stirring often. Season to taste.

STEP SIX: To assemble the Taiwanese turkey rice bowls, scoop cooked rice into a bowl and top with shredded turkey. Ladle in the sauce and then top with fried shallots, cilantro, and green onion. Feel free to adjust the amounts to your liking but here is a good guideline: ½ cup (125g) rice + 1 cup (140g) shredded turkey + ⅓ cup sauce + garnish. Serve immediately.

💭 Top Tips

• Use a mandolin for uniform slices of shallot, which will help them fry more evenly. I used the 2mm setting on my mandolin.
• Be patient when frying the shallots. Timing will depend on the size and quantity of shallots but don’t be tempted to crank up the heat. The thinly sliced shallots burn in a quick second!
• Must-have tools for frying are a thermometer to manage the oil's temperature and a spider, which is basically a large scooped slotted spoon. I also using an enamel-coated cast iron braisier or pot (like a Dutch oven) that will maintain the oil temperature well.
• Lightly salt the fried shallots as soon as you take it out of oil. This is a great tip when frying anything! It'll "absorb" the salt better when it's still a little wet from the oil.
• When you're done with the frying oil, you can discard it or save it for your next cooking adventure. In either case, it's essential to let it cool completely. To discard it, place it into an empty bottle or container with a lid and throw it away. To save it, strain it with a fine mesh strainer, then store it in a glass jar with a lid. You can reuse it 2-3 more times.
• Season the sauce to your taste preference. Keep in mind that the sauce will be diluted with rice and turkey, so I usually season it to be almost salty.

What To Serve With Taiwanese Turkey Rice

• Since this recipe already contains protein and carbohydrates, all you need is a side of veggies to complete the meal. I love serving it with Bang Bang Brussels Sprouts or Vietnamese Chayote Squash with Beef.
• This dish goes well with steamed or sautéed vegetables like broccoli, green beans, and peppers. 
• Serve it for breakfast! Top it with a sunny side or poached egg for more protein and richness.

🥡 Storing & Freezing

Storing: I recommend storing the fried shallots in a separate container to maintain its crisp. Store Taiwanese Turkey Rice in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Freezing: This simple recipe is very easy to make, so I don't recommend freezing it. Instead, you can make a large batch of sauce and fried shallots for a quick assembly whenever you're craving Taiwanese Turkey Rice.

Reheat: Assemble your bowl with rice, turkey, and sauce. Microwave in 1 minute intervals until heated through. Then top with fried shallots and fresh herbs.

Make Ahead: All of the elements of Taiwanese Turkey Rice stores well, so this is a great make-ahead dish for meal prep or parties. Cook the rice, turkey, sauce, and shallots 2-3 days in advance and assemble day-of.

📖 Recipe FAQs

🍽 Looking For More Asian Recipes?

Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card below and consider leaving a comment. It's always greatly appreciated!

📋 Recipe