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crockpot turkey tacos

Crockpot Turkey Tacos

These Crockpot Turkey Tacos are lean and flavorful, perfect for a weeknight dinner taco night or to serve a crowd on game day.
5 from 1 vote
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Course: crockpot recipes, dinner, dinner recipe, slow cooker recipe
Cuisine: American, Mexican
Keyword: crockpot ground turkey tacos, crockpot turkey taco filling, crockpot turkey taco meat, crockpot turkey tacos
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 6 hours
Total Time: 6 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 14 people
Calories: 125kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 medium onions minced
  • 6 garlic cloves minced
  • ¼ cup of chili powder
  • 3 canned chipotle chilis in adobo sauce seeds removed and minced (this equals to about 2 tablespoons), add a little more if you like it real spicy.
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 (8-ounce) can of tomato sauce
  • 2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
  • 2 slices whole-wheat bread
  • ¼ cup 1% milk
  • 2 lbs ground turkey use 85/15 or 93/7 fat content
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ¼ cup chopped cilantro
  • 3 scallions white and part of the green sliced thin
  • Juice from half of a lime

Instructions

  • In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the onions, garlic, chili powder, chipotle chilis, oregano, and oil. Stir until all the ingredients are combined with the oil. Microwave on high for 5 minutes, stirring once at 2 ½ minutes. The onions will be translucent and there will be an aroma from the spices and chilis.
  • Stir in the tomato sauce and sugar into the onion and garlic mixture, then pour into the slow cooker insert.
  • Next, in a large bowl, combine the milk and bread slices. Use a fork or your hands to mash it up into a paste. Add the ground turkey, season with salt and pepper, and mix. You want to distribute the bread paste through the turkey without overmixing.
  • Place the ground turkey into the slow cooker with the other ingredients and mix using a large spoon. Break up any large pieces of ground turkey. You don’t need to brown the turkey for this recipe.
  • Place the lid on and cook for 4-6 hours on low. Whenever I make this recipe, it cooks perfectly at 6 hours. 
  • Use a spatula or spoon to break the cooked turkey filling up into small pieces. Stir in the cilantro, scallions, and lime juice. Taste for salt and pepper. Most likely, you’ll need to add ½ teaspoon - 1 teaspoon of salt at the end. This helps the other flavors pop.
  • Serve in your favorite Mexican-inspired recipe.

Notes

The serving size is about 1/4 cup.
How to Store the Recipe
  • You can make the recipe completely and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave and use in your favorite recipes.
  • You can also assemble the recipe the night before in the slow cooker insert and refrigerate. Put the insert in the crockpot the next morning and continue with the recipe.
To Freeze
  • This recipe can be made ahead and frozen in a couple of different ways. First, you could make it entirely and then portion it out and freeze to use later on in tacos, nachos, or other Mexican dishes.
  • You can put this together as a slow cooker freezer kit. To make this recipe as a Slow Cooker Freezer Kit, put together the tomatoes mixture, and after it cools mix with the ground turkey. Place half of a lime (wrapped in plastic wrap), cilantro, and scallions in a separate smaller bag. Label both bags and freeze.
  • When ready to cook, take the freezer kit out 24 - 48 hours or more before going into the slow cooker and let it thaw in the refrigerator. You don’t want it to be completely frozen when adding it into the slow cooker because of safety reasons. Continue with the recipe.
  • Don’t worry about the texture of the lime, cilantro, and scallions after thawing. The flavor still tastes the same.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 125kcal | Carbohydrates: 9g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 52mg | Sodium: 362mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g