It’s time for another Turkey Tuesday recipe, folks! And this one for Turkey Enchiladas is a sure-fire winner because 1) I taste-tested it on our good friends, Teresa and Scot, who came over for dinner last Saturday; and 2) it’s a version of a Pioneer Woman recipe.
If you know me, then you know my love for The Pioneer Woman. Teacher man jokes that he knows he can always find me in the kitchen on Saturday morning, watching her show on The Food Network. (True.) He also says most of the new recipes I try tend to be from her website or two of her cookbooks I own. (Also true.)
I’m not ashamed. I don’t think any of her recipes have failed me yet – delicious and fun to cook, without being over-the-top on fancy ingredients I can’t pronounce or buy in my local grocery store. Plus, I think we’re kindred spirits because we both have an obsession a love for heavy cream and tunics, which I realize are two completely different – but equally important – things. And her husband’s name is Ladd, and my brother’s name is Ladd. Crazy, right? I am sure this means we should hang out.
So this Turkey Enchiladas recipe. It’s yet another perfect option for switching to turkey. I just love these JENNIE-O® Extra Lean Boneless Turkey Breast Tenderloins – and when I saw my local Walmart had restocked them, I bought 4 packages straight away to have in my freezer. This product was perfect in these enchiladas.
(Did you know? Jennie-O has a great feature on its website that lets you plug in your zip code and search to see where you can buy products.)
Full disclosure: when I saw the recipe called for roasting my own peppers, I gave some thought to skipping that step because, well, I can be kind of lazy in the kitchen. (Sometimes true.) But then I decided to go for it and found, much to my surprise, that roasting my own peppers wasn’t difficult at all – aside from just taking about 45 minutes from start to finish.
I served these with Zesty Lime Rice (via The Pioneer Woman), black beans (I used Bush’s brand), and Mango Margaritas (yep, The Pioneer Woman). All elicited positive comments from our dinner guests on Saturday – and the leftovers weren’t too bad either on Sunday. 🙂
Go forth, purchase turkey, and make these enchiladas.
– Lara –
Turkey Enchiladas
- 1 green bell pepper
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 yellow bell pepper
- 2-3 jalapeno peppers
- 1 large onion, diced
- 1 jalapeno, seeded and finely diced
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 2-1/2 cups cooked turkey, diced or shredded (I used JENNIE-O® Extra Lean Boneless Turkey Breast Tenderloins and seasoned with chili powder, cumin and Cajun seasoning)
- 3 cups low sodium chicken broth, plus more as needed
- 1-1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- Dash of salt
- 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2-1/2 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese
- 1 cup sour cream, plus more for serving
- 12 (8-inch) flour tortillas
- Cilantro, for serving
- Salsa, for serving
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
On a medium baking sheet, arrange the turkey tenderloins and season with chili powder, Cajun seasoning and cumin. Bake for approximately 25 degrees – until a meat thermometer registers 165 degrees F. Cool slightly, then dice turkey into cubes (you don’t have to be perfect – see my photo above), and set aside in refrigerator.
Roast the bell peppers and jalapenos under the broiler (or on a grill) until the skin is mostly black. Throw the peppers/chilis into a plastic storage bag and seal it. Let them steam inside the bag for about 30 minutes.
Core and seed the peppers, then scrape off the black skin. Chop them, then set them aside.
In a large skillet over medium heat, saute the onion and jalapeno in canola oil until the onion is translucent – about 3 minutes.
Add the turkey, stir in 1 cup of the chicken broth, and 1 cup of the heavy cream. Add 1/2 teaspoon of the paprika and salt. Then add half of the chopped peppers. Stir the mixture around and let it cook for a couple of minutes, then set it aside.
In a separate skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Sprinkle in the flour and whisk it together to combine. Cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute. Then pour in the remaining 2 cups of chicken broth, stirring constantly for about 1-2 minutes until the mixture is smooth. Then pour in the remaining 1/2 cup heavy cream, 1/2 teaspoon of paprika, and 1-1/2 cups of the Monterey Jack cheese. Finally, stir in the sour cream and the rest of the chopped peppers.
Warm the tortillas in the microwave until they’re very soft.
Place a small amount of the turkey mixture and a little cheese in the center of the tortilla. Fold over the edges and place the tortilla, seam side down, in a baking dish. Once all tortillas are filled and in the baking dish, pour the sauce over the top. (Note: I used one 9×13 metal pan for 8 enchiladas, and a smaller glass baking dish for the remaining 4 enchiladas, and split the sauce accordingly.)
Sprinkle the top with the remaining 1 cup of grated cheese and bake for about 25 minutes, or until bubbly.
Note: I am part of Jennie-O’s Switch Circle of bloggers, but I do not get paid for my posts. I do receive some complimentary turkey products to try upon occasion. Opinions and topics are entirely my own.