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These ground turkey tacos are packed with bold flavor thanks to a homemade spice blend (it’s easy!) and a simple tomato-based sauce that makes the meat incredibly juicy and flavorful. Lighter than beef tacos but just as satisfying and delicious.

Y’all know that I am a Certified Taco Fanatic and here we are with some of the best turkey tacos!
Turkey Tacos That Actually Get You Excited
I’ll be honest – for the longest time, I thought turkey tacos were just the sad, health-ified version of the real thing. Like, do they actually taste good or are you just eating them as a sad substitute?
Turns out, ground turkey tacos can actually be seriously delicious. You won’t miss the beef at all, because these pack in big, bold flavor.
I found this recipe from America’s Test Kitchen way back in the day and I’ve been loving them ever since.
The secret is in the seasoning blend and that little bit of tomato sauce and brown sugar that makes everything taste rich and flavorful instead of dry and boring. So much better than a packet with just a smidge more work.
This filling works great in our fried tacos, too. Drizzle on some cilantro lime dressing for the ultimate drippy taco messy eating experience.
3 Reasons You’ll Love These Turkey Tacos
- More flavorful than beef tacos. The homemade spice blend and tomato sauce combo creates deeper, richer flavor than regular ground beef with packet seasoning.
- Lighter but still satisfying. Turkey is leaner than beef but these tacos are just as filling and satisfying thanks to all that bold seasoning.
- No weird packet ingredients. You know exactly what’s going into your taco meat, and it tastes way better than anything from a packet.
What Readers are Saying!
“My husband and teenage son who are normally disappointed when I don’t make tacos with beef or pork, were really happy with the flavor of these turkey tacos! A few extra ingredients added a ton of flavor. ” – Lisalen
Ingredient Notes:
Turkey – You’ll need a pound of lean ground turkey for these turkey tacos. This recipe also works well with ground chicken and you really won’t even notice the difference. I use the two interchangeably pretty regularly, depending on what’s on sale at my grocery store.
Veggies – Some diced sweet onion, minced garlic, and diced green chilis will add loads of flavor to these turkey tacos.
Seasoning – You’ll need some chili powder, cumin, cayenne pepper, ground coriander, and salt.
Sauce – Along with the seasoning you’ll also mix together a simple and flavorful sauce that the ground turkey will cook in. It’s a mix of tomato sauce, chicken broth, apple cider vinegar, and a little brown sugar!
Notes From My Kitchen
Over the years I’ve made this recipe at least 100 times. Here are some of the things I’ve learned as we’ve perfected it:
Spice Level Tips: These aren’t really spicy, but if you’re cooking for sensitive palates, start with half the cayenne. You can always add more next time!
Turkey vs. Chicken: I use ground turkey and ground chicken interchangeably in this recipe – whatever’s on sale at the grocery store. Honestly can’t tell the difference in the final dish.
Make It Saucier: Some people love their taco meat really saucy (my husband), others prefer it drier (my kids). Add a little pour of taco sauce to these at the end for extra sauciness.
The Brown Sugar Secret: Don’t skip this! It seems weird but it balances the acidity from the tomato sauce + vinegar and makes everything taste more complex and rich.
Prep Ahead Win: This taco meat actually tastes better the next day after all the flavors have time to meld. We usually double this one to ensure we have leftovers.
Serving Suggestions
Tacos – Pile the meat into your favorite tortillas and load them up with your favorite toppings, like homemade guacamole and pico de gallo.
Bowls – Add our Instant Pot Mexican Rice to a bowl, top with taco meat + all the fixings. We like to top it off with our restaurant style salsa.
Burritos – A giant tortilla, some cilantro lime rice, and whatever else you love inside a burrito!
Storage
Store leftover taco meat covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop with a splash of broth.
Freezes well for up to 3 months in freezer-safe containers.
More Taco Recipes:
- Taco Casserole: Layered like a lasagna with all the flavors of tacos!
- Air Fryer Tacos: Tacos made in the air fryer are super easy perfectly crispy!
- Crockpot Chicken Tacos: Easiest recipe ever!
- Keto Taco Salad: A great way to enjoy all that taco flavor without the carbs!
- Chicken Taco Soup: Zero weight watchers points!
- Taco Stuffed Shells: Pasta + tacos!
- Slow Cooker Ground Beef: Cook your beef right in the crockpot and turn it into taco meat!
Turkey Tacos
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons avocado oil
- 1 pound lean ground turkey
- 1 small sweet onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 4 ounces diced green chiles from a can
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 4 ounces tomato sauce
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat.
- Add the ground turkey, diced onion, and garlic to the skillet and brown the turkey, breaking it up as it cooks.
- When turkey is cooked through, add the green chiles, chili powder, cumin, coriander, salt, and cayenne pepper. Stir well to coat the meat.
- Add the tomato sauce, chicken broth, apple cider vinegar, and brown sugar to the pan and stir to combine.
- Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes or until thickened.
- Serve with tortillas or over a bed of lettuce with your favorite taco toppings.
Helen Sibley says
My favorite taco recipe!
Karly says
Oh, that’s awesome! Thanks, Helen!
Michelle says
This recipe is the best tasting tacos! Definitely will be my go to recipe for sure!
Karly says
Love to hear that! ๐
Ella says
So yummy! Perfect flavor, will be my to-go recipe for turkey taco meat!
Sharmel henderson says
This recipe was a hit. My kids loved it! Will be using this all the time
Karly says
Thanks, Sharmel!
Rick says
Second time making this recipe and it was even better the second time!
Karly says
Love to hear that!
Rayna McClinton says
this was sooo good. Some of the ingredients i wouldn’t normally use in tacos but WOW! soooo good.
Karly says
Thanks, Rayna!
Shannon says
Why the chicken broth, apple cider vinegar and brown sugar?
Karly says
They all add flavor to the dish.
Lisalen says
My husband and teenage son who are normally disappointed when I don’t make tacos with beef or pork, were really happy with the flavor of these turkey tacos! ย A few extra ingredients added a ton of flavor. ย
Sarah t says
Are the calories just for the turkey or for the avacado and tortilla wrap too?ย
Karly says
Hi Sarah! The nutrition info is for everything listed in the ingredients list – so no tortillas or toppings, since everyone uses different toppings/sizes and types of tortillas.
Kim says
THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY TASTY IF THE SALT CONTENT WAS LESS. I KNEW IT SEEMED TOO MUCH BUT I FOLLOWED THE RECIPE. WAY TOO OVERPOWERING A D RUINED THE RECIPE FOR ME, UNFORTUNATELY
Mireille | The Tortilla Channel says
Karly, I love turkey tacos!!! These look so delicious. Pinned it to my tacos board!
Karly says
Thanks, Mireille!
Robert Gantt says
The only thing I would change is to use whole wheat tortillas
Valentina @Valentina's Corner says
Karly, these turkey tacos look amazing. I love that you added a homemade seasoning, I can just smell the aroma! Pinning for later. ๐
Bell says
This is one of our favorite recipes…so easy and healthy, and great flavor! I typically use less oil, more turkey (16oz), and more veggies. Sometimes I substitute the peppers with whatever I have on hand. I always use a couple of tomatoes because we like extra. We usually ditch the taco shells and serve with cilantro lime rice and black beans. Thanks for the great recipe! It’s a keeper!!