Introduction

These crispy baked ground turkey tacos are a flavorful twist on a classic favorite. Packed with seasoned turkey, black beans, and melty cheese, they’re baked to crispy perfection and served with a creamy avocado sauce. Perfect for a satisfying weeknight dinner or casual gathering.

A white plate holds five folded tacos arranged overlapping in a fan shape, each taco showing a browned, crispy corn tortilla shell. Inside the shells, the filling consists of cooked ground meat mixed with black beans, visible with a textured and slightly chunky look, filling the bottom half of each taco. On top of the tacos, there are several dollops of light green creamy sauce that appears smooth with tiny herbs mixed in, and a few cilantro leaves are placed as garnish. Next to the tacos is a white bowl filled with the same green sauce, with a spoon resting inside. The whole scene is set on a white marbled surface. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

1/2 medium avocado
1/4 cup sour cream
1 tbsp. fresh lemon or lime juice
1/4 cup (packed) cilantro leaves
1/2 tsp. kosher salt (plus more to taste)
2 tbsp. water (plus more as needed)
2 tsp. avocado oil (or olive oil)
8 oz. lean ground turkey
2 1/2 tsp. homemade taco seasoning
1/3 cup chopped onion (yellow or white)
3/4 cup canned black beans (drained, not rinsed)
4 oz. green chiles
2 tbsp. finely chopped cilantro
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. Mexican oregano (or Italian oregano)
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. smoked paprika
1/4 tsp. chili powder
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)
Cooking or baking spray (or avocado oil, for brushing the tortillas)
6 fajita-sized flour tortillas (6″)
1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Instructions

Step 1: Make the creamy avocado sauce by combining half of a ripe avocado, sour cream, fresh lime juice, cilantro leaves, kosher salt, and water in a mini food processor. Blend until smooth, adding more water if needed. Taste and adjust salt or lime juice as desired, then cover and refrigerate.
Step 2: Heat avocado oil in a large non-stick pan over medium heat. Add the ground turkey, half of the taco seasoning, and chopped onion. Cook, breaking the turkey into small pieces, for 4-5 minutes until browned and cooked through.
Step 3: Stir in black beans, green chiles, the remaining taco seasoning, water, and chopped cilantro. Mix well and reduce heat to medium-low. Let the mixture simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.
Step 4: Stir the filling again. If there is excess liquid, increase heat to medium and cook for a few more minutes, stirring frequently, until most liquid evaporates. Remove from heat.
Step 5: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Spray a large rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray or brush with avocado oil. Arrange tortillas on the sheet, slightly overlapping if needed. Spread about 1/4 cup shredded cheese evenly over each tortilla.
Step 6: Spoon 1/4 to 1/3 cup of the turkey mixture onto one half of each tortilla.
Step 7: Bake for 1-2 minutes until the cheese melts. Carefully fold the tortillas in half, then brush or spray the tops with avocado oil.
Step 8: Bake for another 10-12 minutes until the tortillas are golden brown and crispy.
Step 9: Serve immediately with the creamy avocado sauce on the side. Enjoy your crispy baked turkey tacos!

Tips & Variations

For extra heat, add more cayenne pepper or a dash of hot sauce to the taco filling.
Substitute corn tortillas for a gluten-free option, but watch baking time as they may crisp faster.
Make the taco seasoning homemade by mixing cumin, oregano, garlic powder, smoked paprika, chili powder, cayenne, and salt to control sodium and flavor.
Leftover taco filling works great as a topping for nachos or mixed into a salad.

Storage

Store leftover taco filling and avocado sauce separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat the filling gently in a skillet over medium heat until warmed through. Reheat assembled tacos in the oven at 350°F for 5-7 minutes to maintain crispiness. The avocado sauce is best served fresh but can be stirred before serving if stored.

How to Serve

The image shows five folded tacos neatly arranged on a white plate placed on a white marbled surface. Each taco has a golden-brown crispy outer shell encasing a filling of cooked ground meat mixed with black beans, giving the filling a dark brown and black textured appearance. Drizzled over the tacos in a scattered manner is a creamy light green sauce with small specks of herbs. Fresh cilantro leaves garnish the tacos, adding a fresh green touch. To the right side of the plate is a small white bowl filled with the same creamy green sauce, with a metal spoon resting inside it. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use ground chicken instead of turkey?

Yes, ground chicken is a great substitute and will work similarly in this recipe. Just cook it until fully browned and adjust seasoning if needed.

How do I make my tacos more crispy?

Brushing the tortillas with oil and baking at a high temperature helps create a crispy texture. Avoid overcrowding the baking sheet so heat circulates evenly.