Mexican
Lean Turkey Taco Bowls
Lean ground turkey simmers with chili and tomato, then goes over rice with lettuce, beans, and a spoon of yogurt. It is a taco bowl, not a skillet of cheese.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 15 min
- Total
- 30 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
Why you’ll love it
- Turkey stays lean if you do not add a pile of cheese.
- Beans raise the protein and the fiber.
- The spice is chili powder you measure.
- Yogurt cools it without sour cream.
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.
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Instructions
- 1
Heat the oil in a skillet over medium. Cook the turkey with the salt, breaking it up, until no longer pink, about 6 minutes.
- 2
Stir in the chili powder and cumin for 30 seconds.
- 3
Add the tomato sauce and beans. Simmer 6 minutes.
- 4
Divide the rice among bowls and top with the turkey, lettuce, and yogurt.
- 5
Serve with hot sauce if you want more heat.
Pro tips
- Lean turkey needs the oil or it sticks and dries.
- Taste the chili powder. Some brands are saltier.
- Keep the lettuce off until you eat if you are packing lunch.
Easy substitutions
- Ground turkey
- Lean ground chicken
- Yogurt
- Salsa
- Rice
- Greens, for a lower-carb bowl
Storage and reheating
Storage
Refrigerate the turkey mixture up to 4 days.
Reheating
Rewarm the turkey and beans. Add lettuce and yogurt cold.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 430
- Protein
- 36 g
- Carbs
- 42 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Fiber
- 7 g
Budget friendly · Stovetop · High Protein
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From the kitchen
Kitchen tools we love
Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.
A heavy 12-inch skillet
Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.
An air fryer with a real basket
The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.
A half-sheet pan
Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.
A sharp chef’s knife
These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.
A large cutting board
Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.
Dry cups and a liquid cup
Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.
An instant-read thermometer
Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.
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