Sometimes it's hard to get enthusiastic about making dinner when you're tired from work and other obligations. Leftovers would be great--if there were any--and take-out food is expensive and not very good for you. So, sometimes you just need something you can make quickly and easily, and that's tasty without being too foufou/gourmet. For me, turkey taco burgers fit the bill. Made with inexpensive, lean ground turkey, the burgers cook on the stove top in minutes. Yes, the meal requires a bit of vegetable chopping, but not much. After the turkey burgers brown, you use the same pan to saute vegetables to go with them. Add some rice (leftover rice is great here, if you have any), and then nestle the turkey burgers back in the vegetables to finish cooking. Top everything with some cheddar and jack cheeses. One pan and you're finished, done, ready to eat. You can serve the wonder burgers, vegetables, and rice alone or, if you like, with corn or flour tortillas. Don't have any rice or don't want to make any? Just omit it and serve the turkey burgers plain or with tortillas. Enjoy!
Tex-Mex Turkey Taco Burgers with Vegetables and Rice -- Serves 4+
1 -1 1/4 pounds of ground turkey (93 percent lean)
3 sweet bell peppers, preferably of different colors, 1/4 cup chopped and the rest sliced
2 green onions, chopped
1 teaspoon of garlic powder, divided
2 teaspoons of dried oregano, divided
2 teaspoons of ground cumin, divided
3 teaspoons of taco seasoning mix, divided
1/2 teaspoon of salt, divided
1 egg
1/2 - 3/4 cup of breadcrumbs (about 1-2 pieces of stale bread, crumbled well)
1 medium sweet onion, chopped
2 medium zucchini, sliced
1 15-16-ounce can of diced tomatoes
2 cups of cooked rice (preferably brown)
1 cup of shredded cheddar and jack cheese
Preheat a large skillet over medium heat and coat it with olive oil spray or non-stick cooking spray (or drizzle in a tablespoon of oil, if you'd prefer). While the pan is heating, in a large bowl, mix the ground turkey, about 1/4 cup of chopped bell pepper, the green onions, 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1 teaspoon of oregano, 1 teaspoon of cumin, 1 teaspoon of taco seasoning mix, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, the egg, and the breadcrumbs. Mix until everything is combined and the mixture coheres. When the pan is warm (it doesn't have to be super hot), form small patties 2-3 inches in diameter and an inch or two thick. Brown the patties for 5-6 minutes on each side. Remove the patties from the pan and place them on a plate. Add the onion, remainder of the bell peppers, and the zucchini to the pan and saute them for 5-10 minutes or until they begin to soften and brown a bit. Add the diced tomatoes, rice, and remainder of the garlic powder, oregano, cumin, taco seasoning mix, and salt and stir to combine everything. Add the turkey burgers back to the pan, nestling them among the vegetables and rice. Partially cover the pan and let everything cook for about 5 minutes more or until the turkey burgers are cooked through. Sprinkle the cheese over the turkey burgers, vegetables, and rice. Cover the pan again just until the cheese melts and then serve the turkey burgers with the vegetables and rice.
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