Turkey is often thought of as a holiday meat to be enjoyed roasted along side your typical holiday trimmings and while it is delicious in these settings, it can also be enjoyed in many other fabulous ways…
Ground turkey is a lean, healthy choice that can be used wherever ground chicken, pork or beef is called for. It is high in protein, low in fat and calories and full of B vitamins, iron, magnesium and choline, which helps maintain our memory and mood. Turkey is a great addition to our diet for many reasons.
This ground turkey fajita rice bowl combines warmly seasoned turkey with sautéd vegetables, rice, shredded lettuce and your favorite fajita garnishes. It is wonderful for lunch or dinner and is great for meal prepping.
Let’s get started…
Begin by gathering 16 ounces of ground turkey, a large onion, some sweet bell pepper, garlic, spices and fresh cilantro. I am using white rice today, but feel free to use brown or wild rice if you prefer.
For the seasoning, I am using a blend of garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, paprika and chili powder, but feel free to substitute your favorite taco seasoning or add some cayenne, if you want your turkey fajita rice bowl to have a little kick.
Start by cooking your preferred rice according to manufacturers instructions. This recipe makes 4 servings, so I cook about 3/4 cup per serving, but feel free to adjust this amount or leave the rice out altogether.
Place a large skillet over medium heat, add a splash of olive oil and your diced onion and sweet bell peppers. Season the onions and peppers with salt and black pepper and cook for 6-8 minutes or until softened.
Transfer the softened onions and peppers into a bowl and set them aside for now.
Place 16 ounces of ground turkey into the skillet and season with 2 tablespoons of tomato paste, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1 teaspoon of onion powder, 1 teaspoon of cumin, 1 teaspoon of paprika and 1/2 teaspoon of chili powder. You can add salt and black pepper now or wait until the turkey is cooked through and taste to see if it is necessary.
Cook the turkey until it is browned and cooked through and broken into small pieces.
Once the turkey is done, add the softened onions and peppers along with about 1/4 cup of finely chopped fresh parsley and a pinch of salt and black pepper, if necessary. Mix until everything is evenly distributed and transfer the skillet off of the heat.
I love garnishing my turkey fajita rice bowls with a dollop of sour cream, some diced tomatoes, crumbled queso fresco and a few lime wedges. Gather your favorite garnishes and get ready to assemble your bowls…
I like to start with the rice and shredded lettuce and then add a generous scoop of the turkey mix.
Top with diced tomatoes, a little bit of finely chopped cilantro, some crumbled queso fresco or your favorite cheese and a dollop of sour cream or crema.
A nice squeeze of fresh lime juice adds a little acid that brightens the whole bowl up perfectly and adds a bit of Latin inspired flavor.
I like to let my turkey get a little extra browned and crispy on the edges while it is still in the skillet and those edges with all of the seasoning and the sautéd onions and sweet peppers are such a delicious combination.
Sometimes ground turkey gets a bad reputation for being dry, but with the shredded lettuce, fresh herbs, a little sour cream and the texture of the softened vegetables, I feel comfortable using the leanest ground turkey for these bowls.
These turkey fajita rice bowls make wonderful lunches, weeknight dinners or meal preps.
They are essentially taco bowls, so feel free to get creative when it comes to your garnishes. If I don’t have queso fresco on hand, shredded sharp cheddar, monterey jack or mozzarella works great too.
Add a little salsa, hot sauce, some guacamole or pico de gallo. Whatever you would add to your tacos, add to these bowls!
If you are looking for a healthy rice bowl that is full of flavor, a great source of protein and ready in less than 30 minutes then I would love for you to try these ground turkey fajita rice bowls.
You are going to love them!
Turkey Fajita Rice Bowls
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon of olive oil
- salt and black pepper
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 1 large sweet bell pepper, diced
- 16 ounces of ground turkey
- 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon of onion powder
- 1 teaspoon of cumin
- 1 teaspoon of paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon of chili powder
- 3 cloves of garlic, finely minced
- 1/4 cup of fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- 3 cups of rice, cooked
- 2 cups of lettuce, shredded
Optional Add-Ins
- queso fresco, crumbled
- fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- tomatoes, diced
- sour cream or salsa
- lime wedges
Instructions
- Add a tablespoon of olive oil into a large skillet over medium heat
- Add the diced onion and peppers, season generously with salt and black pepper and cook for 6-8 minutes
- Transfer the onions and peppers onto a plate and set aside for now
- Add 16 ounces of ground turkey into the skillet and season with tomato paste, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, paprika and chili powder
- Cook until browned, cooked through and broken into small pieces
- Add 3 cloves of minced garlic and cook while stirring for 60 seconds
- Add the softened onions and peppers and 1/4 cup of finely chopped fresh cilantro and mix until everything is evenly distributed and transfer off of the heat
- Add rice and shredded lettuce into bowls and top with the ground turkey mixture
- Garnish with diced tomatoes, crumbled queso fresco and sour cream
