Turkey Tacos with Mango Avocado Salsa
Inroduction
About this Recipe
By: Caitlin Greene
The ease and versatility of this turkey taco meat is a huge perk! Make a taco salad, taco spread, taco bowl, burritos or my favorite—taco sweet potato boats. The turkey is spiced and savory and the salsa is sweet and tangy. You can use this taco meat as a protein prep to create wraps, tacos, burritos, bowls or salads throughout the week. The spice blend in the meat is just perfect!
I adapted this turkey recipe over time until I finally reached the perfect balance of flavors. It is a quick meal to make on a weeknight or prep on Meal Prep Sunday. I use fresh tomatoes instead of tomato paste in the meat, as it adds a nice fresh element and allows the juices to infuse the dish. I use ground turkey, because the mild flavor of the turkey really absorbs the spices, and finish it off with lime juice and fresh cilantro, a nice little zest. The turkey simmers with a little water to get the onions and tomatoes to soften, creating the perfect texture. The salsa is one I have made for years on its own, adapted from my brother’s recipe. It is easy to prep and pairs well with the savory meat. Plus, the prep time is only about 10 minutes!
Why Ground Turkey?
- Lean Protein – Compared to ground beef and pork, turkey tends to be lower in fat and calories. I typically buy lean 93/7 turkey.
- Mild Flavor – It has a mild taste, which makes it a great versatile base for different seasonings and cuisines.
- Cooks Quickly – It cooks fast, making it perfect for meal prep batch cooking and quick, easy meals.
- Budget-Friendly — it is often cheaper than ground beef or pork, making it a great option to save some money.
Turkey Tacos and Mango-Avocado Salsa is a perfect way to meal prep turkey, tacos, burritos, bowls or salads for the week also prep lunches.
What is Turkey Tacos and Mango-Avocado Salsa?
The name is straightforward. We prep a big batch of taco meat and a complementary salsa to pair it with, using a Mexican-inspired spice combination of cumin, chilis and paprika–some of my favorite go-to spices that pair extremely well together. The addition of fresh tomatoes and lime juice allows the turkey to cook in the acidic juices, creating a tender and flavorful turkey taco filling. The mango-avocado salsa is sweet, zesty, tangy and delicious even on its own! I like to use leftover salsa as a fish topping. Sounds good right? So let’s get cooking!
How to make Turkey Tacos and Mango-Avocado Salsa?
It’s a very easy recipe and requires only 10 minutes of prep time, plus another 10 minutes or so of hands on time cooking the turkey. First, we prepare the salsa and then let is sit in the refrigerator to absorb the flavors. Next, we make the turkey over the stove, and once all of the ingredients are added, simply let it simmer! You can easily prep the salsa in advance until you are ready to cook the turkey and serve. Just be sure to cover it and refrigerate it if you do.
What you’ll need:
- Mangoes – ripe juicy mangoes for the sweet and tangy salsa.
- Avocado – ripe avocado to add a creamy element to the salsa.
- Red onion – key for the salsa.
- Jalapeño – for a little spice in the salsa.
- Ground turkey – I recommend using 93/7 lean turkey here to get the best texture.
- Yellow onion – again, we finely chop for texture.
- Garlic – I find fresh garlic is key for added flavor.
- Fresh cilantro – a fresh element key for the salsa especially.
- Cherry tomatoes – used raw in the salsa and cooked in the turkey!
- Cumin, chipotle chili powder, paprika – for flavor.
- Lime juice – key for the zest in the salsa and an acidic element in the turkey.
- Honey – just a tad to balance out the acid in the turkey.
What to serve with Turkey Tacos and Mango-Avocado Salsa
Personally, I love using this turkey recipe as a protein filling for tacos, taco bowls, taco salads, burritos and stuffed sweet potatoes. For tacos, just grab your favorite tortillas and taco additions, or for a bowl simply add some rice or veggie rice. My favorite way is to roast some whole sweet potatoes and stuff them with the meat and top with the salsa. It is a great meal to make for a crowd and leave serving options open ended by serving rice, lettuce and tortillas on the side. I also love making the stuffed sweet potatoes as a lunch prep for the week. For a low carb meal, serve it over some cauliflower rice or as lettuce wraps.
Tips:
- To store this chicken, I recommend storing the taco meat in a Pyrex or glass container and reheating later.
- Be sure the mangoes and avocados are ripe, but not overly ripe. You really want that sweetness from the mango and that creaminess from the avocado.
- I prefer the spice from chipotle chili powder here, but red chili powder works just as well.
Turkey Tacos with Mango Avocado Jalapeno Salsa
Ingredients
For the salsa:
- 2 ripe mangoes, chopped
- 2 rip avocados, chopped
- 1 1/2 cups chopped cherry tomatoes
- 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and minced
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- Juice of 2 limes
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
For the turkey:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 1/4 lb ground turkey
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1 cup chopped cherry tomatoes
- 1 1/2 tbsp cumin
- 1/2 tbsp chipotle chili powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp salt or more to taste
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tsp honey
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Make the salsa. Add the mangos, avocado, red onion, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice, salt and pepper to a large bowl and toss to combine. Cover and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
- Make the turkey. Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high. Add the olive oil, onions, and garlic and sauté for about 5 minutes, until the onions are translucent. Add the ground turkey and break it apart, cooking for about 5 minutes until browned. Reduce the heat to medium and add the cumin, chili powder, paprika, salt, pepper, lime juice, and tomatoes and toss to combine. Add the water, cover and simmer on low for about 10 minutes, tossing halfway. Remove the pan from the heat.
- Serve the turkey and salsa with tortillas, salad, rice, sweet potatoes or cooked plantains as desired.
Notes
*If you prefer to use regular red chili powder, this can be used as a substitution.
*To store, simply store in glass containers, covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
*To reheat, simply add the turkey to a sauté pan and heat over low until warm.
