Turkey Chorizo | For most of my life Obed and I have lived somewhere along the east coast or in Puerto Rico. We grew up eating chorizo but the chorizo we grew up eating was hard cured Spanish chorizo. It wasn’t until we moved to Tulsa, OK that we were introduced to ground Mexican chorizo.

When we first moved to Tulsa we went out to a local breakfast eatery. We were both excited and surprised to see a breakfast scramble with chorizo. But, when our plates arrived it wasn’t the cured chorizo that we were accustomed to but cook chorizo seasoned ground meat. Initially, we were disappointed but with time I have come to love Mexican chorizo.

Mexican chorizo is typically made with ground pork but I wanted to make a healthier version that I can enjoy at home in my breakfast burrito. I used dried chilis instead of chili powder to load up the turkey chorizo with as much flavor as possible. It worked like a dream. This turkey chorizo has all the flavor and spices of its pork counterpart with less fat.

Turkey Chorizo Recipe

2 dried ancho peppers
3 dried guajillo peppers
1/2 medium onion
4 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon coriander
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 lb ground lean turkey

I like to put turkey chorizo in my favorite breakfast burritos but, chorizo can be used in all different kinds of preparations. Make it in bulk to have on hand for tacos, enchiladas, nachos, or any of your favorite Mexican inspired preparations. Also, you can try turkey chorizo in some of my recipes such as Queso Fundido con Chorizo a la Tequila, Spicy Chorizo Burger with Pimento Cheese, or Walking Tacos with Chorizo and Tangy Slaw.

I’m not a huge fan of really spicy food, the peppers that I use for this recipe are very mild peppers. But, if you prefer your chorizo with a little more of a kick you can add some cayenne or chipotle chili powder to the mixture.

If you plan on preparing this turkey chorizo in bulk store it in plastic resealable bags in 1 lb – 1/2 lb portions, depending on your family’s needs. The pepper paste can also be used as a rub on any cut of your favorite protein.

more ground turkey love

• one pot penne pasta with turkey and spinach
• turkey meatloaf
• turkey black bean enchiladas
• blueberry balsamic turkey meatballs

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Yield: 8

Homemade Turkey Chorizo

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A healthier version of traditional chorizo with all the flavor. I make this part of my regular meal planning for easy breakfast tacos or burritos.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 dried ancho peppers, de-stemmed and seeded
• 3 dried guajillo peppers, de-stemmed and seeded
• 1/2 medium onion
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 teaspoon coriander
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1 lb ground lean turkey

Instructions

1. Heat a heavy bottom skillet over medium-high heat, quickly toast the dried peppers on the hot skillet for 30-60 seconds.
2. Place the chilis in a bowl and cover with hot water. Let them soak in the water for 15 minutes.
3. Drain the chilis reserving 2 tablespoons of water. Add the chilis to a blender with onion, garlic, oregano, cumin, coriander, salt, vinegar, and reserved water. Blend until pureed and a thick paste forms.
4. In a large bowl combine chili paste and ground turkey. Using a spoon or sturdy spatula mix turkey and paste until well combined. You can also use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment to mix turkey and chili paste.
5. Cook the turkey chorizo in a hot skillet until done or transfer turkey chorizo to a re-sealable plastic bag and freeze until ready to use.

Nutrition Information:

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 63Carbohydrates: 4gProtein: 8g

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