9 Tasty Turkey Dishes to Get You Ready for Thanksgiving
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available – View the current offers here.
To take advantage of Chase Sapphire Preferred's lucrative offer of 3x points on dining on the first Friday of every month — until January 2016 — we regularly round up the best in food and drink. To kick off November, TPG Contributor Betsy Mikel suggests nine of the best turkey dishes that will prepare your tastebuds for Thanksgiving. Note that this First Friday bonus will no longer be offered as of January 2016, so now's the time to take advantage of those 3x points on dining!
With Thanksgiving just around the corner, we're getting antsy for some turkey — and a single day dedicated to this dish is hardly enough. So why wait until the big meal on November 26 when you can get to gobbling today? Thanks to the following nine restaurants across America, you can grab a turkey burger, meatloaf, chili, pot pie and other scrumptious poultry dishes any time of year.
1. Colonial Turkey Pot Pie
The City Tavern — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Take a seat and/or a bite at The City Tavern and you'll feel like you're stepping back in time, since the entire menu here is inspired by authentic tavern fare from the 1770s. In fact, the original First Lady of the United States inspired Chef Walter Staib's turkey pot pie. In Martha Washington's Booke of Cookery, she suggests serving turkey pot pie with a side of egg noodles — so The City Tavern does just that. You'll even eat this savory pie out of a pewter dish, just as the Founding Fathers did.
Every pot pie is made fresh from scratch daily, starting with the roasting of whole turkeys. The resulting pie is chock-full of mushrooms, early peas, red potatoes and turkey that is tossed gently in a creamy sherry sauce and then covered with a flaky pastry crust. And hooray, it's served for both lunch ($13.95) and dinner ($21.95).
2. Turkey Meatloaf
Kitchenette — locations in New York City and High Falls, New York
For homestyle comfort food, look no further than Kitchenette. Take a seat in the brightly painted dining room at a tabletop constructed from a reclaimed wood door. Open up the menu to find an extensive offering of Southern-style dishes such as biscuits, chicken and waffles and the signature Kitchenette dish: turkey meatloaf.
Why is it such a popular menu item? Kitchenette owners Lisa Hall and Ann Nickinson, who've been serving meatloaf for 22 years, say that their classic meatloaf is "like a gray flannel suit that never goes out of style." They attribute their particular 'loaf's deliciousness to fresh ingredients and a focus on seasoning and depth of flavor. Served with mashed potatoes and gravy, Kitchenette's meatloaf is $17.50 at the New York City location and $16 at the High Falls restaurant.
3. Jumbo Turkey Leg
Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida / Disneyland Park in Anaheim, California
Described as "Disney's latest megahit," these jumbo turkey legs served at the entertainment conglomerate's Florida and California theme parks have even made an appearance in the New York Times. Each ginormous, 1.5-pound drumstick is crispy on the outside with moist, tender meat inside. They're available at various stands across the parks and prices may vary by a dollar or two, depending on where you snag a leg. At Toluca Legs Turkey Co. at Hollywood Studios, for example, a turkey leg with chips will run you $11.99.
It's not entirely clear how the JTL became such a popular food item at Disney, but social media seems partly responsible — after all, who can resist an Instagram selfie with an almost comically huge turkey leg? If snapping a photo's not enough to help you remember this tasty treat, though, be sure to pick up turkey leg souvenirs to bring back home.
4. Turkey By-the-Pound
CorkScrew BBQ — Old Town Spring, Texas
Show up early to get your fill of CorkScrew BBQ's wood-smoked barbecued meats. Because once they sell out for the day, not a shred of meat remains. Will and Nicole Buckman fire up the pit at 5pm to prep the next day's brisket, pulled pork, link sausage, pork spare ribs and turkey. And every single day, it all gets gobbled up by hungry customers who wait hours to sit at CorkScrew's giant communal picnic tables and feast on family-style plates piled high with the raved-about barbecue.
CorkScrew BBQ's turkey is all natural white meat breast that's smoked for five hours in their top-secret special seasoning mix. They'll serve it up in almost any way you want. Grab a turkey sandwich loaded with a half-pound of meat for $7.75, or order it by the pound for $14 per pound. Everything — sauces, brines, seasonings, cobblers, you name it — is homemade daily. You won't find fresher barbecue in the state of Texas.
5. Turkey & White Bean Chili
Slim's Last Chance Chili Shack — Seattle, Washington
The real start of fall is that first time you have a taste for a hearty bowl of chili. The chili aficionados at Slim's Last Chance Chili Shack can hook you up. The Georgetown neighborhood eatery has appeared on Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives and has been named one of the top chili spot by Bon Appetite, as well as having appeared on the Travel Channel's Food Paradise: Chili.
Owner Celeste Lucas added the the Turkey & White Bean Chili to the menu because she wanted to create a lighter and leaner chili. But she still wanted to keep it traditional with ground meat and Texas-style chili peper. She says most leaner chilis use vegetables or turkey chunks.
Slim's starts the chili off with sautéed chili peppers, onions and garlic, then adds fresh natural ground turkey, their in-house spice blend and organic turkey stock. It's slowly simmered for at least 90 minutes to ensure a melding of flavors.
Slim's serves cups for $6 and bowls for $9. You can order it served over jalapeno mac n' cheese, cheesy grits or warm cornbread. Or, order "the works," which includes all toppings: cheddar and pepperjack cheeses, whole grilled jalapeno pepper, sour cream, chives, tortilla strips, diced tomatoes and diced onions.
6. Turkey Burger
Epic Burger — Chicago and Skokie, Illinois
Even if you're off the red meat train, you can still bite into a mouth-watering burger. Epic's Turkey Burgers are served on buns that are baked fresh daily, and they're available at all seven Chicagoland locations. This delicious patty is made from all-natural ground turkey that's been humanely raised and harvested on small family Michigan farms. "We believe that with all the care in raising the turkey, the flavor of the poultry really shines when we cook it perfectly," says Aaron Langguth, the restaurant's business administrator.
Epic Burger's Turkey Burger Classic comes with lettuce, tomato, pickles, onions and house-made Epic sauce. There's a size for every appetite: $5.29 for a junior, $6.29 for a regular and $7.79 for a double. Add tasty toppings, such as premium Wisconsin cheese or a cage-free organic fried egg, for an additional $.99 each.
7. Turkey Dinner
Turkey Roost — Kawkawlin, Michigan
If you find yourself driving on I-75 and pass by Kawkawlin, stop at the Turkey Roost for a fast and hot meal. Inside, it's always Thanksgiving — and it has been since the Turkey Root opened its doors in 1955. This local institution is known not only for their standout turkey dishes, but also for their reasonable prices, vintage charm and lightning-quick service.
Some dedicated fans swear by the $8.25 turkey plate, complete with dark and white meat, dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, cooked vegetables, coleslaw, cranberry sauce and a buttermilk biscuit. Others recommend the $6.25 hot turkey sandwich stuffed with dark and white meat and served with mashed potatoes smothered in gravy.
8. Turkey Chili
Polly's Pies — 16 Southern California locations
Polly's Pies is a family-owned restaurant group that's been in business for more than 40 years — and just about every menu item they offer is made from scratch.
At joints with this particular name, of course you'll find several pies on each menu, but unexpectedly, one of the house favorites at both lunch and dinner is the turkey chili. Each serving has kidney beans, locally grown Foster Farms ground turkey and a mix of spices simmered in a hearty tomato base. The chili is then served over fresh-baked cornbread and comes topped with cheddar cheese, chopped sweet onions and sour cream. A cup is $4.79 and a bowl is $6.99.
9. Habanero Smoked Turkey Breast
Salt Lick Bar-B-Que — Round Rock, Texas
Head to Salt Lick Bar-B-Que to order up a plate stacked high with mouthwatering barbecued meats, all smoked over an open pit. Salt Lick is the only purveyor of turkey on this list that takes online orders and ships; order a three- to four-pound habanero smoked turkey breast or original smoked turkey breast for $49.95, plus shipping. To get 3x Ultimate Rewards with your Chase Sapphire Preferred, though, be sure to order today (or on the first Friday of December 2015).
If you live close by the Salt Lick, choose from one of their turkey plates ($13.95), a combo plate with turkey and another choice of meat ($14.95), a half-pound of turkey ($7.95) or a turkey sandwich ($8.95.) Note: Salt Lick's Driftwood location is cash only, so to benefit from the Chase First Friday bonus, swing by the Round Rock location, which takes cards.
What are your own favorite turkey dishes at American eateries?
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.