Name: Ground Turkey Tacos Recipe (Quick and Easy)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1 teaspoon olive oil; 1 small onion (chopped); 1 jalapeno pepper (chopped); 12 ounces ground turkey; 2 tablespoons taco seasoning; Salt and black pepper (to taste); ½ cup water; 6 corn tortillas (lightly toasted); Fixings for toppings – I used a bit of crema, sour cream, Cojita cheese, picante sauce, roasted jalapeno peppers, diced avocado and chopped cilantro

A recipe for quick and easy ground turkey tacos that are juicy, healthy, and loaded with flavor, so easy to make any night of the week.

Easy to Make Turkey Tacos - with Real Flavor!

Most of you know my love for ground turkey by now. I'm in LOVE with turkey burgers (see one of my favorite turkey burger recipes) and we cook with turkey constantly.

As much as we both love beef, turkey is a lower calorie option that helps to keep the weight down. So! Bring on the Turkey Tacos. I can't say enough good things about turkey tacos.

They're healthy, low-calorie, inexpensive to make, super quick and easy to prepare, and flat out delicious. Seriously, you can have this recipe done in about 20 minutes or less.

The only thing holding you back is how many fixings you decide to serve up.

Turkey is your blank canvas protein that absorbs all the flavors you choose to bring to the plate. Choose wisely, though to be honest, it's really hard to mess this recipe up.

Why You'll Love MY Ground Turkey Tacos

Turkey tacos can be pretty boring and flavorless, but I build real flavor by cooking the ground turkey with peppers and onions first. Then I add a layer of seasonings and simmer it in a way that makes the ground turkey juicy and moist every time.

Honestly, you can make your turkey tacos as spicy as you want them.

This was always one our go-to recipes when we first got married, all those wonderful years ago.

I've adapted it a bit since then, but the base recipe remains the same for 2 people. 12 ounces ground turkey - use your favorite brand, but I tend to use the lower fat options, corn tortillas (gotta be corn!), avocado, jalapeno, some hot sauce or picante sauce. Taco seasonings.

YUM!

Seriously, once you have these, you'll start to crave them over beef or pork tacos, or at least as often. Come on, Taco Tuesday! We want turkey tacos!

Let's talk about how to make turkey tacos.

Ground Turkey Tacos Ingredients

Olive Oil.
Vegetables. Onion and jalapeno pepper. Use bell pepper for milder turkey tacos.
Ground Turkey. Use a lean ground turkey breast, or a blend of ground turkey, to your preference.
Taco Seasonings. Use my homemade taco seasonings for real taco flavor you'll love. Or use your favorite brand. Also, salt and pepper to taste.
Tortillas. Use corn tortillas or flour tortillas, or hard taco shells.
Taco Toppings. I used a bit of crema, sour cream, Cojita cheese, picante sauce, roasted jalapeno peppers, diced avocado and chopped cilantro

How to Make Ground Turkey Tacos - the Recipe Method

Cook the Onion, Peppers, and Ground Turkey. Heat a large pan to medium high heat. Add olive oil and swirl.

Add onion, jalapeno pepper and ground turkey. Cook it all together for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the turkey is nearly cooked through.

Add Seasoning and Simmer. Add taco seasoning and salt and pepper to taste. Stir and cook another minute to let the spices bloom.

Simmer the Taco Meat. Add water and stir. Reduce heat and allow to simmer at least 10 to 15 minutes, until most of the moisture reduces and the flavorings thicken up.

You can simmer longer to develop more flavor. Leave just a bit of the liquid in the pan to keep the turkey nice and juicy and moist.

Serve Them Up! Serve the seasoned turkey taco meat onto toasted or warmed tortillas and top with your favorite toppings like cilantro and lime!

The Key to Moist Turkey Tacos

The key to the moisture is simmering the ground turkey slowly in the water that you add along with your taco seasonings, and leaving just a bit of that water in the pan when you turn off the heat.

The moisture will absorb into the turkey and when you take a bite, you'll get that juicy deliciousness just like any great taco without all the fat. Hot sauce is good as well for an EXTRA burst of juiciness.

Who doesn't love hot sauce? We LOVE it!

Storage and Leftovers

Store any leftover turkey taco meat in a sealed container in the refrigerator. It will keep for up to 5 days. You can also freeze your taco meat in vacuum sealed containers for 3 months.

To enjoy them again, thaw and warm gently in a pan with a 2-3 tablespoons water. Use them for more turkey tacos or a taco salad.

Patty's Perspective

There are a few recipes that Mike makes so often, we're amazed we haven't yet shared them with you. This is one of them. I've always preferred ground turkey over ground beef, and I love the seasonings here, and the way Mike is able to make them truly juicy, not fatty. The surprise each time is the toppings he decides to use.

Try Some of My Other Popular Taco Recipes

If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you'll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don't forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I'll be sure to share! Thanks! -- Mike H.