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Honey Garlic Ground Turkey Recipe

4.9 from 98 reviews

This Honey Garlic Ground Turkey recipe is a quick and flavorful dish, combining lean turkey with a savory-sweet sauce made from honey, garlic, soy sauce, and a touch of spice. Perfect for a healthy weeknight dinner, it’s easy to prepare in a skillet and pairs wonderfully with rice, noodles, or lettuce cups for a versatile meal.

Ingredients

Scale

Protein

  • 1 lb ground turkey (lean or extra-lean)

Sauce

  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • ¼ cup honey
  • ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • ½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)

Garnish and Cooking

  • 2 green onions, sliced
  • 1 tbsp neutral oil (canola or avocado)
  • Sesame seeds (optional, for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Heat the Skillet: Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the neutral oil (canola or avocado) to start heating it up for cooking the turkey.
  2. Cook the Ground Turkey: Add the ground turkey to the skillet. Break it apart with a wooden spoon while stirring constantly until the meat is golden brown and no longer pink, which should take about 6 to 7 minutes.
  3. Sauté Garlic: Reduce the heat to medium and add the minced garlic to the skillet. Stir constantly and cook for about one minute, making sure the garlic does not burn.
  4. Prepare the Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, low-sodium soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes until all ingredients are well combined.
  5. Add Sauce to Turkey: Pour the sauce mixture into the skillet with the cooked ground turkey. Stir thoroughly to coat the meat evenly with the sauce.
  6. Simmer the Mixture: Let the sauce and turkey mixture simmer for 3 to 5 minutes. This allows the sauce to thicken slightly and cling to the turkey, enhancing flavor.
  7. Incorporate Green Onions: Stir in most of the sliced green onions, leaving a small portion aside for garnish, then remove the skillet from heat.
  8. Serve and Garnish: Serve the honey garlic ground turkey hot over rice, noodles, or wrapped in lettuce cups. Garnish with the reserved green onions and optional sesame seeds for added flavor and presentation.

Notes

  • You can adjust the amount of red pepper flakes to control the heat level or omit them for a milder flavor.
  • Use lean or extra-lean ground turkey to keep this dish healthy and lower in fat.
  • This dish pairs well with steamed rice, quinoa, noodles, or fresh lettuce cups for a low-carb option.
  • For more depth of flavor, consider adding a splash of fresh lime juice before serving.
  • Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days and reheated gently on the stovetop.

Keywords: honey garlic ground turkey, quick turkey recipe, healthy turkey skillet, easy weeknight dinner, Asian turkey dish