This spicy turkey rice bowl with avocado crema is an easy and delicious weeknight dinner recipe. With subtle hints of orange and plenty of spices, this meal is a true crowd-pleaser.
This spicy turkey rice bowl comes together so quickly and you only need a handful of ingredients.
The best part of this dish? The spicy. creamy avocado crema piled on top of each dish. Another great part of this meal is that most of the recipe comes together while the rice cooks. Let the rice stand for about 10 minutes, covered after it has cooked and it’ll be ready just in time for the rest of the ingredients.
How to make this spicy turkey rice bowl:
First, make the rice. As the rice cooks, prepare the turkey. Simply brown ground turkey in a pot. Remove it from the pot and then add butter. Cook the mushrooms in the butter for a solid 12-15 minutes until completely golden brown. Remove the mushrooms and add to the bowl of turkey.
Next, cook a diced onion and diced bell peppers. Add your spice mixture which consists of:
- Chili powder
- Adobo powder
- Smoked paprika
- Sweet paprika
- Cayenne powder
Lastly, return the cooked turkey and mushrooms to the pot and toss to coat in the spices. To finish the dish, simply add the orange juice and water and let the mixture simmer for 10–15 minutes.
Spicy Turkey Rice Bowl
Equipment
- Wide pot
- Small pot with lid
- Food processor
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons neutral oil
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 8 ounces baby bella mushrooms sliced
- 1 yellow onion peeled and diced
- 3 bell peppers trimmed, seeded, and diced
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1 tablespoon adobo powder
- 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon cayenne powder plus more to taste
- 1 orange juiced
- ½ cup water or chicken stock
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Cooked white rice for serving
Avocado crema:
- 1 jalapeño seeds removed if preferred
- ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 2 avocados
- 1 lime juiced
- 1 cup sour cream
- Salt to taste
Instructions
Brown the turkey:
- Heat the neutral oil in a wide pot over medium high heat. Once hot, add the ground turkey and cook for 15 minutes until cooked through. Season with salt and pepper and transfer to a bowl.
Cook the mushrooms:
- Melt the butter into the pot and add the mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 12-15 minutes or until the mushrooms turn a deep golden brown. Season with salt and transfer the bowl with the turkey.
Cook the aromatics:
- Add the onions to the pot and cook 5 minutes. Add the diced bell peppers and cook an additional 5 minutes.
Bloom the spices:
- Add the chili powder, adobo, sweet and smoked paprika, and cayenne powder and toss to coat the onions and peppers in the spices. Cook for 45 seconds.
Finish the turkey:
- Add the cooked turkey and mushrooms to the pot. Add the orange juice and toss to coat. Add the water and bring it to a boil. Once bubbly, reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.
Prepare the avocado crema:
- Combine all of the ingredients except the salt in a food processor. Blend until completely smooth. Taste and season with salt. Add water, if you prefer a thinner consistency.
