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Let’s just talk about ground turkey meat, shall we? I am going to be so honest when I say that I don’t prefer it. Dry, dry, dry and oh-so bland. But people love it because it’s “lean” and it’s very much deemed healthy in the health food world. But it doesn’t have to be boring! Spice things up with these Crunchy Baked Turkey Tacos.
I am all about health foods but I will *never* sacrifice flavor when it comes to healthy eating. But I am also down for a task to make ground turkey a total rockstar and this recipe, I have done just that. The most wonderful turkey taco filling stuffed into grain-free tortillas and baked until crispy on the edges and soft in the center for the ultimate taco night!! These are a WINNER!
My entire family devoured these Crunchy Baked Turkey Tacos and I can’t wait to see you all cookin’ them up in your own kitchens.
Looking for more turkey recipes?
Turkey Taco Meatballs with Chipotle-Lime Aioli
Grain-Free Turkey and Black Bean Taquitos
Ingredients
- avocado oil (you'll use about 3-4 tablespoons total)
- 1/4 cup very finely diced white onion
- 1 lb ground turkey (preferably dark meat)
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1 [4-ounce] can diced green chiles (I use hot, but you can opt for the mild ones if you prefer)
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/4 cup chicken broth (can sub beef broth, veggie broth, or even water here also)
- 8 tortillas (I use Siete Foods grain-free tortillas and I prefer either the cassava blend or almond flour)
- 1/2 cup cashew queso (I use Siete Foods nacho flavor, you can also use shredded cheese here, if you are okay with a little dairy.)
- 1/2 cup finely shredded iceberg lettuce (about 1/4 head of lettuce), for serving
- 1 roma tomato, seeded and diced small , for serving
- 2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro , for serving
- your favorite hot sauce , for serving
- 1 lime, cut into wedges , for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Heat a large skillet over medium high heat with 1 tablespoon of avocado oil. Add the onions, ground turkey, salt and pepper and cook, breaking up the meat with the edge of a spoon, until it is cooked through and no longer pink, about 7 minutes. You want to really break up the meat so it's super small and there are no large chunks.
- Add the chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, and oregano and cook, stirring until spices are fragrant and incorporated into the meat, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Pour in the diced green chiles (undrained) and the tomato paste into the meat and toss until well combined with the meat.
- Pour in the broth and cook, stirring until well combined and there are no longer clumps of the tomato paste in the meat. Remove from heat, cover, and keep the meat mixture warm while you prepare the tortillas.
- In a small, separate non-stick skillet, heat 1/2 tsp of avocado oil over medium-high heat and quickly fry 1 tortilla (about 30 seconds on each side) until flexible and easy to fold. Set the tortilla on the prepared baking sheet and scoop about 2 tablespoons of the turkey mixture onto one side of the tortilla. Spread 1 tablespoon of the cashew queso across the other side of the tortilla and gently fold the tortilla in half, forming a taco. Continue frying, filling, and folding the tacos (adding more oil to the skillet as needed) until you’ve used all the filling.
- Transfer the baking sheet to the preheated oven and cook until the tacos are crispy and golden browned on the edges, about 10 minutes. (if for some reason the tops of your tortillas look dry, either brush or spray with avocado oil to ensure they will crisp up in the oven).
- Remove from oven and let cool just until you can handle the tacos. Using your hands, gently open the tacos to fill with the sliced lettuce, diced tomatoes, and chopped cilantro.
- Serve with lime wedges and your favorite hot sauce. Enjoy!
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi, I am curious what your other recommended tortilla is for this one – making this week!
From above: “8 tortillas (I use Siete Foods grain-free tortillas and I prefer either the cassava blend)” or…?
Thanks!!
Just updated the recipe! I use Siete’s Cassava or Almond Flour blend usually. You can use whatever tortilla you prefer
These tacos reallllly hit the spot! Nothing about them tastes GF or DF. I did sub siete almond flour tortillas because that’s what I had on hand and they worked just as well!
Curious how this works with flour or corn tortillas…enjoyed with the siete tortillas, but have the others in my pantry more often. Any feedback?
Thank you! So yummy
it works with all tortillas! For flour, you may need a little more cook time, and for corn a little less- it totally depends on the tortilla!
Hi! How many tacos does this make?
8 (it calls for 8 tortillas)
Making these for dinner with some friends, what are good side options to go with these?
I’d do a big salad + this rice recipe would be great:
https://thedefineddish.com/marthas-mexican-rice/
how do you keep the queso from melting out all over the pan? or does that just happen to everyone and we deal with it?? love these flavors just want to make sure I’m doing it right!
It does not usually happen but is of course possible! As long as you do not overfill the tortillas and keep away from the edges, you will be fine. Check out the video above to show how to fill! Enjoy!!
These were a hit with my inlaws! We used Siete Foods Almond Flour tortillas and they were sooo good. Also used a Siete Foods taco seasoning packet instead of the dry spices and it worked perfectly. Will definitely be saving this recipe in my virtual cookbook.
Holy wow! Made these tonight and seriously could have eaten the whole tray of them ❤️ Made with the Siete cashew flour tortillas and am already trying to figure out how soon I can put these on the meal plan again!!!
Hi! Do you think the tortillas will stay crispy the next day if I bake some extra for lunch? Without the filling of course :). I got the same that you suggested, Siete Foods Cassava!
Thanks!!
as far as leftovers go here, I just cook the entire batch the way that it is (minus the lettuce and tomato) and to reheat, stick it back in the oven to reheat (you can turn it on broil and just put the tacos on the bottom rack so they don’t burn)
OR heat them in a skillet over medium heat until hot.
They are fine in the microwave, they taste good and everything just not crispy!
Me eating these immediately after I made them tonight. So easy, so delicious. This is definitely going in my rotation! https://media2.giphy.com/media/RdFJEE7bii7F6/giphy.gif