Skinny Turkey Tacos Recipe

Prep

Finely dice 1/2 cup onion and mince 2 garlic cloves. Measure spices and have tomato paste and broth ready.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. When oil shimmers, add the diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 4–5 minutes.

Add the minced garlic to the skillet and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30–45 seconds—do not let it brown.

Increase heat to medium-high and add 1 pound lean ground turkey. Break the meat into small pieces with a spatula and cook, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink, about 5–7 minutes.

Sprinkle in 1 teaspoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, and 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano. Stir to coat the turkey and toast the spices for 30 seconds to 1 minute to release their aroma.

Stir in 1 tablespoon tomato paste, then add 1/2 cup low-sodium broth. Scrape any browned bits from the pan with a wooden spoon. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until the liquid mostly reduces and the mixture thickens, about 3–4 minutes.

Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes if using. Taste and adjust salt, lime, or heat as desired. Remove from heat and let rest 2 minutes.

Warm tortillas: heat a dry skillet over medium-high heat. Warm each corn tortilla for about 20–30 seconds per side until pliable and lightly charred in spots. Stack and wrap in a clean towel to keep warm. Alternatively, warm tortillas in a 350°F (175°C) oven wrapped in foil for 8–10 minutes.

Season tortillas lightly with 1/4 teaspoon salt while warm (optional).

Make quick yogurt sauce: in a small bowl combine 1/2 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt with 1 teaspoon hot sauce (or to taste) and a pinch of salt. Stir until smooth. Taste and adjust heat or lime if desired (you can add 1/2 teaspoon lime juice if you like it tangier).

Assemble tacos: divide the turkey filling evenly among 8 warmed tortillas (about 2 tablespoons of cooked turkey per tortilla if evenly divided; roughly 2–3 tablespoons each depending on portion). Top each with shredded lettuce, a sprinkle of diced tomatoes, a few pieces of diced red onion, 1–2 tablespoons reduced-fat shredded cheese, and a sprinkle of chopped cilantro.

Drizzle each taco with about 1 teaspoon yogurt sauce and finish with a squeeze of lime wedge. Serve immediately while hot.

Leftover storage: refrigerate leftover turkey filling in an airtight container for up to 3–4 days. Reheat gently in a skillet with a splash of broth to loosen before serving. Store tortillas separately at room temperature in their package.