I’ve been on a turkey kick lately, and not just during Thanksgiving. I now smoke whole turkeys during the summer, for dishes just like these smoked pulled turkey tacos.
Read my full post on thawing, brining and smoking turkey so you can end up with pounds of leftovers for a twist on your weeknight meal rotation.
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Table of Contents
Seasoning turkey taco meat
This recipe is simple, because it’s made with leftover turkey. I store my leftovers in quart-size bags in the freezer, which equals about 4 cups.
When I’m planning to make tacos, I let the bag thaw in the fridge, and then I heat it in a skillet with a little bit of oil.
Once it’s warmed through, that’s where the taco seasoning comes in. Add 1 tablespoon seasoning and 1/4 cup water to the skillet. Stir it so it coats the turkey and helps add more moisture.
Then, just heat the tortillas in a microwave, oven or on a griddle top.
Toppings for turkey tacos
The best thing about tacos is that there is no wrong way to top them. This recipe uses traditional toppings like lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, jalapeños, onions, salsa verde and chipotle crema. But if you feel like adding avocados and pineapples, I won’t judge.
As for the tortillas, go with the street taco size. They’re the smaller ones. That way you can eat a few and mix and match your toppings for each one.
Make it a taco party
Because everyone likes their tacos topped a little differently, it’s fun to make a taco bar, so everyone can have an interactive experience and be part of the meal prep.
If you only want to wash one dish, just pile all the toppings together on a board like you would for charcuterie. Or put them all in little bowls.
These pulled turkey tacos are great for parties, too. Just double or triple the batch. Each batch makes 16 tacos, and most people will eat 3-4.
Do I have to make the taco seasoning
I buy the large bottle of Spiceology Taco Seasoning. It’s one of my top 10 most-used blends. You just sprinkle a tablespoon into a pound of cooked meat with 1/4 cup of water and dinner is ready.
If you want to make your own, have at it. Just mix up some salt, pepper, paprika, granulated garlic, granulated onion, chile powder and cumin. You can add a touch of sugar, too, if you’d like.
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Pulled Turkey Tacos
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp oil
- 4 cups pulled turkey
- 1 tbsp taco seasoning
- 1/4 cup water
- 16 flour or corn street taco tortillas
- 1 cup shredded lettuce
- 1/2 cup diced tomatoes
- 1/2 cup shredded cheese
- 1 jalapeno, sliced
- 2 green onions, sliced
- 1/2 cup salsa verde
- 1/2 cup sour cream or crema
Instructions
- Season turkey. Place a large skillet on the stove over medium heat. Add the oil. Once warm, add the turkey. Stir until the turkey is warmed through. Add the taco seasoning and water and stir to coat, until the liquid dissolves.
- Heat tortillas. Place the tortillas on a griddle over medium heat. Cook 30-60 seconds per side to warm.
- Build tacos. Layer some turkey on a tortilla and top with your favorite condiments like lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, jalapenos, onions, salsas or crema.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
