Chipotle Turkey Taco Salad

Submitted by Spongebob Chefpants

"This is taco salad calabasitas style!! I created this recipe for the Craze-E cooking contest #2, Summer 2009. Enjoy!!"

 

• Ready In: 40mins
• Ingredients: 18
• Yields: 1 large bowl

ingredients

• FOR THE CHIPOTLE SLAW

• 5 1⁄2 cups freshly shredded green cabbage (about 1/2 a large cabbage)
• 1⁄2 cup green onion, chopped (about 6 onions)
• 2 chipotle chiles in adobo (2 large ones out of a small can)
• 1 cup real mayonnaise
• 4 tablespoons clover honey
• 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lime juice (about 1 small lime)
• 3⁄4 teaspoon kosher salt (for the cabbage dressing)

• FOR THE TURKEY CALABASITAS

• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped (2 cups chopped onion)
• 1 1⁄4 lbs ground turkey (85/15 lean to fat content)
• 4 cups fresh zucchini, cubed small (about 3 small zucchini)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt (for the turkey-calabasitas mix)
• 1⁄2 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper

• TO ASSEMBLE SALAD

• 1 (11 1/8 ounce) bag original Fritos corn chips
• 1 (16 ounce) brick longhorn style mild cheddar cheese, freshly shredded
• 1 fresh summer slicing tomatoes, cubed and with seeds removed
• 1 avocado, cubed

directions

1. Shred the cabbage in a food processor with the shredding blade. Place the cabbage with the chopped green onions into a large bowl.
2. Rinse out the cabbage from the food processor and change to the regular chopping blade. Put the 2 chipotle peppers in and process until they form a smooth paste. Add to that the mayonnaise, honey, lime juice, and salt.
3. Pour the chipotle dressing into the cabbage mix and toss to coat. Set aside in the fridge until ready to assemble salad.
4. Heat the canola oil in a large Texas skillet. Add the yellow onions, turkey meat, and zucchini. Sprinkle the mix with the garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
5. Cook on medium heat, stirring often, until the turkey is no longer pink and the onions and zucchini have cooked down and gotten soft. (About 10 minutes).
6. Remove the turkey from heat and keep warm to assemble the salad.
7. Assemble the salad by placing some of the Frito chips around the edges of a plate and put some turkey mix in the middle of the chips, then some of the chipotle cabbage slaw, cheese, tomatoes, and avocado. Garnish with some optional cilantro if desired.

Reviews

[EmmyDuckie]

I thought this was a nice recipe, and the presentation is very creative. It reminds me a little of a Frito pie, which I really love. The slaw was amazing, and I have a feeling I'll make that part often. I felt the turkey calabasitas part was a little bland when I tasted it, so I added some cumin, chili powder, and a little hot sauce, and felt that improved the flavor greatly. I did love the amount of produce you managed to squeeze into a Frito Pie type recipe, though, the zucchini, tomato, and avocado are all great twists that add a lot of nutrition to the dish.

 

[Susie D]

I really like some parts of this recipe more than others and more than it assembled together as a salad. I appreciated the effort & thought that went into the creation of the recipe and am sure my my Texas roots are influencing my opinion of the flavor profile. The chipotle slaw was the highlight of the recipe to me. I liked the lime, the honey, & the chipotle flavors in the dressing & on the cabbage. I had more dressing than needed, but my head of cabbage was on the small side. I added cracked black pepper & if I were to serve the slaw on it's own I might even add grated carrots or cilantro. The taco filling was lacking in flavor in my opinion and I felt it would have benefited from additional seasonings. I served this as suggested, but both of this thought it would be better served as soft tacos. Thank you for sharing your recipe!