Green Enchiladas with Ground Turkey
These Green Enchiladas are a great way to change up your next fiesta! They’re filled with ground turkey, corn and poblano peppers, and are smothered in a flavorful green enchilada sauce and plenty of cheese. The filling comes together in no time, making this the easiest enchilada recipe ever!
Mexican food is something that I never get tired of. I love tacos, burrito bowls, and guacamole is my signature dip.
While I’d never turn down these sweet potato enchiladas or chicken enchiladas, these Green Enchiladas have my whole heart.
Green enchilada sauce is what makes these extra special for me. The sauce is fresh and vibrant, and is a welcome change from the deep flavors in my red enchilada sauce.
My chicken enchilada bake utilizes my green sauce in a layered, non-traditional way, but this recipe follows the traditional method of filling and rolling tortillas.
I filled these with a mixture of ground turkey, corn and my favorite poblano peppers, which works so well with the flavors of the sauce.
They’re topped with cheese and plenty of chopped cilantro for the whole enchilada. 🙂
Why you’ll love this recipe:
- This green enchilada recipe is complete with a delicious ground turkey filling, a fresh, flavorful green enchilada sauce, and plenty of cheese.
- The filling comes together in minutes so you can roll them up and pop them in the oven!
- The sauce may be made up to a week in advance or frozen for up to 3 months, and the filling may be prepped 1-2 days in advance to make this recipe easier for busy weeknights.
- Use gluten-free tortillas to make this recipe gluten-free, and omit the cheese to make them dairy-free.
Recipe ingredients
The ingredients for these ground turkey enchiladas can be customized any number of ways depending on what you have on hand.
Ingredient notes
- Ground turkey. I’m a huge fan of ground turkey, and it’s the perfect compliment to the vibrant flavors in the sauce. You may substitute it with ground chicken, shredded chicken or pork carnitas if you prefer.
- Enchilada sauce. I use my homemade green enchilada sauce for this recipe, but you can substitute it with your favorite store bought brand.
- Tortillas. This recipe was developed using 7″ soft taco size tortillas. Keep in mind that you will get more or less enchiladas depending on the size of the tortillas that you use.
- Poblano pepper and corn. I love the combination of poblano peppers and corn, but they may be omitted altogether or substituted with your favorite veggies.
- Cheese. Use your favorite grated cheese or omit to make this recipe dairy-free.
How to make green enchiladas
This green enchilada recipe is extremely easy to put together. The filling comes together quickly so you can roll them up and get them in the oven as quickly as possible!
Pro tip: Make the filling 1-2 days in advance. The sauce can also be made up to a week in advance or frozen for up to 3 months.
See the recipe card for full instructions.
- Prepare the ground turkey filling.
- Spray a baking dish with cooking spray and spread 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce over the bottom.
- Divide the filling evenly between the tortillas, roll them up and place them in the prepared baking dish.
- Pour the enchilada sauce evenly over the enchiladas, sprinkle with cheese and bake!
FAQs
The difference lies in the sauce. Red enchilada sauce has a deep, spicy flavor from red chilis and spices, while green enchilada sauce has a fresh, acidic flavor from tomatillos, cilantro and green chili peppers such as poblanos or jalapeños.
Typically green enchiladas are tortillas filled with shredded chicken, but they’re also delicious with ground chicken, ground turkey or pulled pork. They’re smothered in a fresh, vibrant green enchilada sauce for the ultimate dinner!
Serving suggestions
There are a number of ways to serve up these delicious green enchiladas.
- Serve with a dollop of pico de gallo and sour cream or Greek yogurt.
- They’re great served with a crisp, fresh butter lettuce salad or Mexican caesar salad.
- Serve with Mexican rice and black beans for a complete meal!
Recipe notes
- Pro tip: The ground turkey filling can make the rolling process a bit tedious, which is why I’ve added 1/2 cup enchilada sauce to the filling. You can also add 1/2 cup or so of sour cream or Greek yogurt into the filling to thicken it even further, and it also adds richness and a bit of tang.
- Make the filling 1-2 days in advance. The sauce can also be made up to a week in advance or frozen for up to 3 months.
- Sub the ground turkey with ground chicken, shredded chicken or pork carnitas if desired.
- Use gluten-free tortillas to make this recipe gluten-free, and omit the cheese to make them dairy-free.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
More Mexican recipes you’ll love:
- Cilantro lime rice
- Fish taco bowls
- Grilled fish tacos
- Homemade refried beans by Tastes Better From Scratch
- Mango salsa
- Mexican corn salad
- Mexican rice casserole
- Pineapple salsa
- Tomatillo salsa
Did you try this recipe? If so, be sure to leave a review below and tag me @flavorthemoments on Facebook and Instagram
Green Enchiladas with Ground Turkey
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lb. ground turkey
- 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper or to taste
- 1 small onion chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 poblano pepper chopped
- 1 cup corn fresh or frozen
- 8 7" tortillas use flour, corn or your favorite blend
- 3 cups green enchilada sauce (2) 15 ounce cans if using store bought
- 1 cup grated cheese
- chopped cilantro and jalapeno, for garnish optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9×13" baking dish with cooking spray. Spread 1/2 cup of the green enchilada sauce over the bottom of the dish and set aside.3 cups green enchilada sauce
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground turkey, salt and pepper to the pan, then break the turkey up into chunks with a wooden spoon and cook for 3 minutes. Add the onion to the pan and cook for 4-5 minutes more or until softened. Add the garlic and cumin to the pan and cook for 30 seconds more. Add the poblano pepper and corn to the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes until softened. Remove the skillet from heat and stir in 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce. This will help hold the filling together for rolling.1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 lb. ground turkey, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, 1 small onion, 3 cloves garlic, 2 teaspoons ground cumin, 1 poblano pepper, 1 cup corn
- If the tortillas are not pliable, heat for 10-15 seconds in the microwave. Place the tortillas on a work surface and divide the ground turkey filling evenly between them.8 7" tortillas
- Roll the enchiladas and place seam side down in the prepared baking dish. Pour the remaining sauce over the tortillas, then sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese has melted. Top with chopped and cilantro and sliced jalapeño if desired. Enjoy!1 cup grated cheese, chopped cilantro and jalapeno, for garnish
Notes
- Pro tip: The ground turkey filling can make the rolling process a bit tedious, which is why I’ve added 1/2 cup enchilada sauce to the filling. You can also add 1/2 cup or so of sour cream or Greek yogurt into the filling to thicken it even further, and it also adds richness and a bit of tang.
- Make the filling 1-2 days in advance. The sauce can also be made up to a week in advance or frozen for up to 3 months.
- Sub the ground turkey with ground chicken, shredded chicken or pork carnitas if desired.
- Use gluten-free tortillas to make this recipe gluten-free, and omit the cheese to make them dairy-free.
- Store green enchiladas in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
