TURKEY TACO BAKE

Who needs a quick dinner for the family…. like several times a week? 😛 That’s me right now! This Turkey Taco Bake is a quick and easy dish that the whole family will love. I feel good about being able to give my family a healthy wholesome meal even when things are often overwhelming and busy. It just takes a little pre planning and a little prep work and I can stay on top of it!

When ground turkey is on sale, I opt to use that. It’s a lot healthier than ground beef… and we eat our share of beef, so I welcome the change. Ground turkey can be mushy and not as tasty for some recipes, but when you add taco seasoning, you can’t even tell! Don’t tell you husband or kids and just go with it. I doubt they’ll even notice. 🙂

To keep ahead of things and make life a little easier, I like to have cooked shredded chicken and cooked taco meat or ground beef or turkey stocked in my freezer. Spending a few hours one day each month and getting meat cooked and portioned and put in the freezer can be a life changer for a busy mom! Tacos, chili, soups, nachos, etc equal quick easy dinners!

For ways to use pre cooked chicken, check out this post.

This TURKEY TACO BAKE is a breeze to make. Use a pound of that already cooked and seasoned taco meat from your freezer to make it even quicker. Layer everything in a pan, then pop it in the oven for about 1/2 hour. My kids gobbled this up!! And we used the leftover casserole and stuffed it in flour tortillas for a yummy burrito lunch the next day.

How to Make 7-Layer Turkey Taco Bake:

Start with a cooked packet of Knorr Sides Mexican Rice. It will be the bottom of the casserole.

Next comes the black beans…..

Then spread out the turkey taco meat….

(On top of the meat, I pour a 8 oz can of tomato sauce to add moisture.)

Next throw on the corn and the peppers (both add a such a yummy burst of flavor!!)….

Now for the cheese….

And finally, top it off with crushed tortilla chips.

That’s it. Pop it in the oven.

I like to serve mine topped with lettuce and sour cream. You could also top it with salsa and guacomole!

7-Layer Turkey Taco Bake

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

1 Knorr Sides Mexican Rice packet, cooked
1 lb. ground turkey, cooked and seasoned with taco seasoning
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can corn, drained
1 orange or red bell pepper, diced
8 oz can tomato sauce
2 cups shredded cheese
1 cup crushed tortilla chips

Instructions

Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.
Spread the rice to cover the bottom on the pan.
Top with the beans, then the meat.
Drizzle the tomato sauce evenly over the meat.
Top with the corn and peppers.
Sprinkle the cheese over, then end with the chips.
Bake at 375° for 30-35 minutes.
To serve, top with your favorite taco toppings, such as sour cream, salsa, lettuce, cilantro or guacomole.