Ground Turkey Taco Casserole

Ground Turkey Taco Casserole

from theroastedroot.net
60 min
8 servings

A dreamy, cheesy casserole featuring lean ground turkey, rice, beans, an abundance of taco flavor and plenty of cheese! The whole family will love this hearty weeknight meal!

Ingredients

  • 1 Tbsp avocado oil (or olive oil)
  • 1 yellow onion (diced)
  • 1 lb ground turkey
  • 1 red bell pepper (chopped)
  • 4 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 3 Tbsp chili powder
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup salsa*
  • ⅔ cup white rice
  • 1 (15-oz) can black beans, drained
  • 1 (7-oz) can green chilis
  • 1 tsp sea salt (to taste)
  • 3 cups grated colby jack cheese
  • 1 ripe avocado (sliced)
  • 3 stalks green onion (chopped)
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • ½ cup to 1 cup salsa

Directions

  1. 1

    Preheat the oven to 375 and spray a 13” x 9” casserole dish with cooking spray.

  2. 2

    Heat the avocado oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté until softened, about 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the raw ground turkey to the skillet and use a spatula to chop it into bite-sized bits. The ground turkey doesn’t need to be cooked through just yet, but cook it until much of the pink is gone. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt.

  3. 3

    Transfer the chopped bell pepper, minced garlic, chili powder, chicken broth, salsa, uncooked white rice, drained black beans, green chiles and sea salt to the prepared baking dish. Stir everything well until combined.

  4. 4

    Stir in the ground turkey and onion mixture and sprinkle the cheese on top.

  5. 5

    Cover the casserole dish with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes.

  6. 6

    Remove the baking dish from the oven and remove the foil.

  7. 7

    Place the oven on the High Broil setting and broil the casserole for 5 to 8 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and turns slightly golden brown. Initially, the casserole will look slightly liquidy, but this liquid will absorb into the rice the longer the casserole sits.

  8. 8

    Serve the casserole with your choice of toppings such as chopped or sliced avocado, guacamole, black olives, corn chips, sour cream, salsa, shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, olives, pico de gallo, extra shredded cheese, etc.