Green Chile Ground Turkey

FOLLOW ALONG! Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates, recipes and content.

This simple skillet Green Chile Ground Turkey is an explosion of flavor! Well-seasoned ground turkey with savory black beans, crisp corn, and a saucy fire-roasted green chiles base make an easy, 30-minute (or less) weeknight meal!

Course Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine American, Healthy

Keyword Green Chile Ground Turkey

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Servings servings

Calories 656kcal

Author Chelsea Lords

Cost $9.42

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil
1-1/2 cups finely diced red onion (1 large onion)
1 red pepper, diced
1 pound (93/7) ground turkey (Note 1)
Fine sea salt & pepper
1 tablespoon each: ground chili powder, ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon each: paprika, dried oregano
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 can (4 oz) mild fire-roasted diced green chiles, drained
3/4 cup mild green enchilada sauce OR 3/4 cup mild salsa verde (Note 2)
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained & rinsed
1-1/2 cups frozen corn, optional
1-1/2 cups freshly grated pepper Jack cheese (Note 3)
Optional: 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
Optional toppings: extra cilantro and/or lime wedges, thinly sliced avocado, fat-free or lite sour cream, crispy tortilla strips

US - Metric

Instructions

ONION AND TURKEY: Place a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 1 tbsp. oil and once hot, add in diced onion and red pepper. Sauté until becoming tender about 5-7 minutes. Press veggies to edges and add ground turkey in the center of the pan. Season with salt and pepper (I add 1/4 teaspoon each here). Crumble ground turkey with a wooden spoon, breaking it down as you cook.
SEASONINGS: Once mostly cooked through (about 5-7 minutes), drain off any excess liquid in pot (if needed) and then add in the seasonings (1 tbsp chili powder, 1 tbsp cumin, 3/4 tsp paprika, 3/4 tsp oregano) and salt & pepper to taste (I add 3/4 tsp salt & 1/4 tsp pepper). Add in 1 tbsp. minced garlic. Cook, stirring constantly, until very fragrant, 2-3 more minutes.
SIMMER: Add in drained green chiles and 3/4 cup green enchilada sauce or salsa verde, scraping the bottom of the pan to release any browned bits. Bring to a simmer and then reduce the heat to low. Add 1 can (drained and rinsed) black beans and 1-1/2 cups of frozen corn. Stir until warmed through about 3-4 minutes. Mix through 2 tbsp lime juice and 1/4 cup cilantro, if using. Then remove the pot from the heat. Cover evenly with pepper Jack cheese and cover the pot with a lid (or foil). Let stand for 5-7 minutes or until nicely melted. Remove the lid and dig in!
FINISHING: Top bowls with desired optional toppings such as extra cilantro and/or lime, thinly sliced avocado or scoop of guac, sour cream, and crispy tortilla strips.

Video

Notes

Note 1: Ground turkey: Choose turkey sold in a carton, rather than in a chub. Chub-style ground turkey is the kind that comes in the plastic tube and it tends to be less flavorful and more watered down, so you’ll likely need to drain off the meat after browning.

Note 2: Green enchilada sauce: We like Old El Paso® mild sauce best. Use a hotter sauce if you’d like some heat. And if you’re feeling ambitious, try making your own green enchilada sauce! We have also tested this recipe (and loved the results) using Herdez's mild salsa verde in place of the enchilada sauce.

Note 3: Cheese: We love Pepper Jack here, but Monterey Jack, sharp white Cheddar, or sharp Cheddar would be delicious! Even better? A combo of 2-3 types of cheeses.

Nutrition