Turkey Enchiladas

Turkey Enchiladas are a great way to enjoy your favorite Mexican dish, but in a healthier way. This recipe calls for ground turkey rather than ground beef. That alone can save you calories and fat grams that you can put towards something else such as a tasty Black Jack Margarita. Who eats Mexican food without margaritas? I guess a lot of people, but I highly recommend trying that raspberry flavored margarita, if you get a chance!

Ground Turkey

Ground turkey is ground up turkey that is a mixture of dark and light turkey meat. It also can consist of skin and fat that has not been completely separated from the meat itself. It should not be surprising that the ground meat also includes additives to bind it together and to give it a more “appealing” color.

Ground turkey has been deemed a healthier alternative to ground beef because it is lower in fat and calories. Both ground meats have similar texture making them great alternatives for each other in recipes.

Some people think that there is barely a difference in taste between ground turkey and ground beef. However, others feel strongly that there is a huge difference in taste and prefer one over the other.

Personally, I think in most recipes, the 2 ground meats are interchangeable. If you are a reasonably good cook, you can make healthy ground turkey taste as satiable as some delicious ground beef and without going too heavy on the unhealthy ingredients. Flavorful ingredients will be key.

Ingredients Needed

Here is what you will need:

• 2 lbs Ground Turkey
• 1 can Black Beans Rinsed well
• 1 can Fire Roasted Corn Drained
• 12 oz Salsa
• 1 can Enchilada Sauce
• 2 cups Cheddar Cheese
• 10 Tortillas

Taco Seasonings

• 2 tbsp Cumin
• 2 tbsp Garlic Powder
• 1.5 tsp Onion Powder
• 1 tsp Chili Pepper

How To Make

As previously mentioned, these healthy turkey enchiladas are easy to make. Just follow these quick steps and you will be all set!

• Preheat Oven to 375 degrees F.

Enchilada Filling

• In a large skillet, brown ground turkey over medium heat so that it is cooked thoroughly.
• While turkey is cooking, mix taco seasonings together in a small bowl.
• Drain ground turkey and return to pan. Add in the taco seasoning, black beans, corn, and salsa. Mix well.

Making Enchiladas

• Cover bottom of 9×13 pan with enchilada sauce.
• Lay tortilla flat. Add 1 to 2 tbsp of enchilada filling to the middle of the tortilla and then top with some cheese. Roll tortilla up tightly. Lay it seam down in the pan. Repeat until all tortillas are used. If you have leftover enchilada filling, you can use additional tortillas, serve it with nachos,or freeze it.
• Top enchiladas with cheese.
• Cook uncovered for approx 20-25 minutes (bottom of the pan will start bubbling at the sides, when done.

Enchiladas For All

Turkey enchiladas are a great choice for all different kinds of dinners. You can serve them on a weeknight or serve them at dinner parties. Most people don’t have to cook large quantities of food at dinner time. In my house, however, there are 8 hungry mouths to feed each day! Cooking dinner can be time consuming, but not if you are organized and efficient.

If you do find yourself making these yummy turkey enchiladas for a large group and you don’t have a lot of time, you can prep them the day before. Just cook up the turkey mixture, roll them in the tortillas, add the sauce and cheese, then store them in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake them. So if you have more time to prep the day before, you can have a quick meal on the day of! How is that for being organized and efficient?

Another time saving trick is you can make a large batch of the turkey mixture and freeze it. Yes, you can freeze this! Then when you are ready to make this delicious Mexican dinner, you thaw it, roll it up, add the sauce and cheese, then bake.

However you decide to prepare these, you can be sure that you will want to eat these turkey enchiladas again and again!