Over the years, these enchiladas have become such a family favorite that they are the number one requested meal from my college-aged daughter every single time she comes home. And if she’s home long enough, she’ll usually request them again as her “going away” meal. Sushi and enchiladas, usually sushi from one of her favorite restaurants, are the two requests I can count on every single time.
This is a recipe I love because it’s flexible and built around pantry staples. I almost always keep enchilada sauce on hand, with Siete mild enchilada sauce and Hatch red enchilada sauce (mild or medium) being my go-to options. Over the years I’ve made these with corn tortillas, soft taco-size flour tortillas, large burrito-size tortillas when that’s what I have, and even baby fajita tortillas when I’m cleaning out the refrigerator. They all work.
I’ve used both red and white onion, swapped grass-fed 93% lean ground beef for ground turkey, and played around with the beans – refried black beans, refried pinto beans, or whole black beans that are slightly crushed into the filling. There are so many ways to make these enchiladas, and they taste great every single time.
Instead of the typical side of rice, I usually serve these with roasted Brussels sprouts or steamed broccoli drizzled with olive oil and fresh lemon. If I’m going a more traditional route, I’ll make a “smart rice” by mixing steamed jasmine rice with frozen Spanish cauliflower rice (Whole Foods has a great 365 brand option).
Either way, it was time to get this recipe written and published so my daughter can make it on her own, even though I secretly know that dishes like this are part of what keeps them coming home.
Cheers,
Christina
Easy Ground Turkey Enchiladas
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 1 tbsp avocado oil
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 1 packet mild taco seasoning Siete preferred
- 1 15 oz can refried beans any variety works
- 2 cans fire-roasted Ortega green chiles undrained
- 1½ cups shredded Jack & Cheddar cheese blend divided
- 8 soft taco-size flour tortillas
- 1 10 oz can mild enchilada sauce (Siete mild recommended)
- Fresh cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F and lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish.
- Pour about ¼ cup of the enchilada sauce into the bottom of the prepared baking dish and spread it out evenly. Set aside.
- Heat avocado oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onion and sauté until softened, about 4–5 minutes.
- Add ground turkey and cook, breaking it up, until fully cooked.
- Sprinkle in the taco seasoning, 2 tbsp water and stir to evenly coat the meat.
- Stir in black beans and fire-roasted green chiles. Cook 2–3 minutes until warmed through, then remove from heat.
- Stir in 1 cup of the shredded cheese, reserving ½ cup for topping.
- Spoon filling evenly into tortillas, roll tightly, and place seam-side down in the baking dish.
- Pour the remaining enchilada sauce evenly over the filled enchiladas and sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
- Cover loosely with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake another 5–10 minutes until bubbly and lightly golden.
- Let rest for 5 minutes, garnish with fresh cilantro, and serve.