Our Ground Turkey Tacos are big on flavor and perfect for your next taco fix! This turkey taco recipe skips the packet and uses a handful of common spices to bring that classic, bold taco flavor you love.
Y’all know that I am a Certified Taco Fanatic.
I will literally eat tacos every day of the week and I will never grow tired of them.
Usually, we just do the standard American taco that I grew up with – ground beef seasoned with a packet of taco seasoning + shredded lettuce + shredded cheddar + a soft tortilla. If I’m feeling fancy, I’ll toss on some sour cream or diced tomatoes.
Of course, our fried tacos are a major favorite too, especially dipped in our cilantro lime dressing.
Lately, though, we’ve been trying to eat a little lighter and so I started making turkey tacos.
You guys. We are all converts. Turkey taco converts.
This ground turkey taco recipe is literally the best. I snagged the recipe from America’s Test Kitchen, sooooo you know I’m right when I say THE BEST.
Are you ready to do this?
Table of Contents
Ingredient Notes:
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Turkey – You’ll need a pound of lean ground turkey for these turkey tacos. This recipe also works well with ground chicken and you really won’t even notice the difference. I use the two interchangeably pretty regularly, depending on what’s on sale at my grocery store.
Veggies – Some diced sweet onion, minced garlic, and diced green chilis will add loads of flavor and a little heat to these turkey tacos.
Seasoning – The perfect taco meat is made with just the right seasoning. For these turkey tacos you’ll need some chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, ground coriander, and salt.
Sauce – Along with the seasoning you’ll also mix together a simple and flavorful sauce that the ground turkey will cook in. It’s a mix of tomato sauce, chicken broth, apple cider vinegar, and a little brown sugar!
What Readers are Saying!
“My husband and teenage son who are normally disappointed when I don’t make tacos with beef or pork, were really happy with the flavor of these turkey tacos! A few extra ingredients added a ton of flavor. ” – Lisalen
How to Make Turkey Tacos:
Turkey: First, we’re going to cook the lean ground turkey, garlic, and diced onion in a little bit of oil. I’m really loving avocado oil lately, but you could also use olive oil.
Seasoning: Once the meat is cooked through, add in the green chiles and the taco seasoning. We’re skipping the packet today and instead using plenty of chili powder, cumin, coriander, salt, and cayenne pepper. So much flavor!
Helpful Tip!
We don’t think these turkey tacos are overly spicy, but if you are concerned you can simply add less of the green chiles and cayenne pepper to reduce the spiciness.
Sauce: Stir it well to really coat the ground turkey taco meat in the seasonings and then add in some tomato sauce, chicken broth, and apple cider vinegar with a little brown sugar and bring that mixture to a boil.
Simmer: Reduce to a simmer and let the meat cook for about 10 minutes or until the mixture has thickened.
Serve: These ground turkey tacos seriously pack some flavor! You won’t miss the beef or the seasoning packet, promise.Serve these tacos with some tortillas or over lettuce. See below for some suggestions on taco toppings!
We like these turkey tacos because there are no funky ingredients, you know exactly what is going into your meat, and the seasoning is spot on.
I am not above using a seasoning packet, but I find that for turkey tacos you just need something more to amp up the flavor.
This recipe does that thanks to the spices and tomato sauce!
Turkey Taco Toppings:
You can top your ground turkey tacos with all the same toppings you’d use for traditional beef tacos!
Our favorites include shredded lettuce, shredded cheddar, my restaurant style salsa, and our favorite hot sauce: Cholula!
Slices of avocado, a squeeze of lime juice, and some fresh cilantro add bright, fresh flavors to these tacos.
We never say no to homemade guacamole either!
FAQs:
Can I store taco meat?
Yes, this taco meat will store pretty well in the refrigerator. You can keep the turkey taco meat in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.
Can I make turkey tacos with a packet of taco seasoning?
Absolutely, you can make turkey tacos using a packet of your standard taco seasoning. That said, turkey tends to have a bit less flavor than beef, so we prefer to use our homemade mix of seasonings with a few extra ingredients tossed in to make these turkey tacos flavorful and tasty.
MORE TACO RECIPES!
- Taco Casserole: Layered like a lasagna with all the flavors of tacos!
- Air Fryer Tacos: Tacos made in the air fryer are super easy perfectly crispy!
- Crockpot Chicken Tacos: Easiest recipe ever!
- Keto Taco Salad: A great way to enjoy all that taco flavor without the carbs!
- Chicken Taco Soup: Zero weight watchers points!
- Taco Stuffed Shells: Pasta + tacos!
- Slow Cooker Ground Beef: Cook your beef right in the crockpot and turn it into taco meat!
Recipe
Turkey Tacos
Ground turkey tacos packed with so much flavor! No seasoning packet needed!
4.45 from 18 votes
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Prep5 minutes minutes
Cook25 minutes minutes
Total30 minutes minutes
Serves 8 tacos
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons avocado oil
- 1 pound lean ground turkey
- 1 small sweet onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 4 ounces diced green chiles from a can
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 4 ounces tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
Instructions
Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat.
Add the ground turkey, diced onion, and garlic to the skillet and brown the turkey, breaking it up as it cooks.
When turkey is cooked through, add the green chiles, chili powder, cumin, coriander, salt, and cayenne pepper. Stir well to coat the meat.
Add the tomato sauce, chicken broth, apple cider vinegar, and brown sugar to the pan and stir to combine.
Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes or until thickened.
Serve with tortillas or over a bed of lettuce with your favorite taco toppings.
Tips & Notes:
Feel free to add more cayenne pepper or swap the diced green chile for jalapeno if you’d like your taco meat to have more spice.
Nutrition Information:
Serving: 2tacos| Calories: 104kcal (5%)| Carbohydrates: 6g (2%)| Protein: 14g (28%)| Fat: 2g (3%)| Cholesterol: 31mg (10%)| Sodium: 486mg (21%)| Potassium: 349mg (10%)| Fiber: 1g (4%)| Sugar: 3g (3%)| Vitamin A: 715IU (14%)| Vitamin C: 5.7mg (7%)| Calcium: 29mg (3%)| Iron: 1.5mg (8%)
Author: Karly Campbell
Course:Main Course
Cuisine:Mexican
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