Turkey Chorizo Recipe (2024)

By: Sarah NevinsPosted: 7/6/21

A leaner, lightened up version of a highly seasoned and delicious Mexican-style chorizo! Made with ground turkey, a blend of herbs and spices and a punch of vinegar – this Turkey Chorizo is as easy as it is delicious. It’s perfect for adding to eggs, tacos, burritos, bowls and more! | Naturally low carb, keto friendly and dairy free

Turkey Chorizo Recipe (1)

Smokey, spicy and generously seasoned – this turkey chorizo makes up in flavour what it lacks in added calories! While Mexican chorizo is typically made with various cuts of pork or ground beef, this chorizo uses ground turkey for a lighter and healthier option that’s perfect for everyday cooking.

FYI: Spanish Chorzio vs Mexican Chorizo

Spanish Chorizo is typically a smokey, cured meat that does not need to be cooked before serving. Mexican Chorizo sausage is a much spicier, uncured meat that needs to be cooked before eating.

How to Make This Turkey Chorizo

Altogether this recipe is entirely simple and straightforward. Summed up:

  1. Blend herbs & spices. Mixing the spices together before adding it to the turkey ensures that you are able to evenly mix and distribute the spices all over the meat.
  2. Mix it all up. Use your hands to thoroughly mix the meat, spices and vinegar together.
  3. Marinate (optional). This step is totally optional. When time permits, I like to let my mince marinate in the fridge for at least an hour to a full day. Prepping this meat ahead of time makes the cooking process go by even fast since most of the work is already done. That extra time also helps to infuse a little extra flavour into the chorizo
  4. Cook. Place turkey in large skillet with a little bit of olive oil and brown all over. Cook time will take about 7-10 minutes over a medium-high heat. Break up the meat with a wooden spoon as it cooks. Alternatively, you could form the meat into patty or sausage shapes before cooking.
Turkey Chorizo Recipe (2)

Tips, Questions & Substitutions

Substitutions

  • Swap out the turkey for ground chicken.
  • Instead of white vinegar you can use red wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar or lime juice.
  • Use 2-3 fat cloves of garlic in place of the garlic powder for an extra punch of flavour.
  • When it comes to paprika – use whatever you have. Hot, smoked, sweet or regular paprika all work. Keep in mind that the overall flavours of this turkey chorizo will be influenced by the type of paprika you use so choose what you enjoy.

What type of chili powder is best?

  • Typically Mexican style chorizo is made using ancho chili powder which is made with 100% ancho chili flakes. Most chili powders that you find in store is actually made up of a blend of spices as opposed to just one spice. If you have ancho chili powder on hand – use that. If don’t you can use a standard chili powder instead. It might not be the most authentic recipe, but then we’re already making a turkey chorizo recipe so why not?

Freeze for Later

If you don’t want to use this right away, you can pack up the seasoned raw-meat in a freezer safe bag or container and store in the freeze for up to four months. Technically you could safely keep this in the freezer for up to a year, but after about four months the meat is more likely to come out a little dry.

Turkey Chorizo Recipe (3)

Serving Suggestions

  • Chorizo con huevos: AKA – scrambled eggs with chrozio.
  • Tacos, Tostadas Burritos: Use as a filling inside tacos and burritos or serve on top of crispy tostada shells along with your favourite taco toppings. Start the day off with some protein packed egg tacos or turkey chorizo breakfast burritos coming up so keep an eye out. This would also be a great time to make your own homemade corn tortillas!
  • Nachos: Pile some chorizo over a bed of tortilla chips along with some fresh herbs and queso. Keep it dairy free with my vegan nacho cheese and whole30 compliant with sweet potato nachos.You can also easily make a queso fundido (chorizo cheese dip) by mixing this cooked chorizo in with melted cheese.
  • Chilis & Stews: Swap out your typical, unseasoned ground meat with this turkey chorizo to make soups, chilis and stews even an more flavour packed dish!

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

Yield:4 servingsPrep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes Total Time: 25 minutes

Rate

Made with ground turkey, a blend of herbs and spices and a punch of vinegar - this Turkey Chorizo is as easy as it is delicious. It's perfect for adding to tacos, burritos, bowls and more!

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons paprika
  • 2 tablespoons ancho chili powder (or regular chili powder)
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt + more to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • pinch of ground cloves
  • 2 tablespoon white vinegar
  • 1 pound turkey mince, aim for about 7% fat
  • 1-2 tablespoons olive oil (or a neutral flavoured cooking oil)

Need help converting to weights? Check out my cups to grams Conversion Guide.

Instructions

  1. Spices: In a small bowl combine all the spices: paprika, chili powder, cumin, oregano, coriander, garlic powder, salt, cinnamon and cloves. Mix together until evenly combined.
  2. Turkey: In a large mixing bowl add the turkey, vinegar and the combined spices. Use your hands to mix everything together well.
  3. (Optional) Marinate: Cover the bowl and let rest/marinate for up to 24 hours.
  4. Cook: Add the oil to a large skillet and warm over a medium-high heat. Add the turkey and cook for about 7-10 minutes, stirring and breaking up the meat. Cook until browned, crumbly and fully cooked. Taste and season with more salt as needed.
  5. Use or Store: Use right away or store for later. If storing, let the meat cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Notes

  • You can freeze the raw, seasoned turkey mince for 3-4 months until ready to use. Defrost fully in the fridge over night before cooking.
  • Ground chicken can be used in place of turkey.

Nutrition Information

Yield: 4

Serving Size:

1/2 cupCalories: 224Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 1gCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 2gSugar: 1gProtein: 22g

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.

© A Saucy Kitchen, Sarah Nevins

Course: MainsCuisine:Mexican & Tex Mex

More Turkey Recipes

  • One Pot Ground Turkey Pasta
  • Roasted Eggplant Lasagna With Turkey
  • Turkey Chorizo Breakfast Burritos
  • Gluten Free Leftover Turkey Pot Pie
  • Sweet Potato Paleo Chili With Turkey
  • Paleo Turkey Burgers With Spinach – Low FODMAP
  • Honey Sriracha Turkey Meatballs

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About Sarah Nevins

Hi, I'm Sarah! Welcome to my little gluten free corner of the internet. I like eating vegetables, but sometimes I get distracted by cookies...

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Reader Interactions

Leave a Review!

  1. Brian says

    Used ground venison, worked out very well

    Reply

    • Sarah Nevins says

      Oh, excellent! Thanks, Brian – so glad you enjoyed it!

      Reply

  2. Nanette says

    Ohhh… This was so good. I was making a Mediterranean fish stew with chorizo. My husband doesn’t do pork so I found your recipe. Soooo good!!! I used 2 tbl of paprika & 1 of smoked paprika & let it sit for 3 hours. Very very good. Thank you!!

    Reply

    • Sarah Nevins says

      Yay! So glad to hear you guys enjoyed this! Thanks for taking the time to come back and let me know what you thought 🙂

      Reply

Turkey Chorizo Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is turkey chorizo made of? ›

Turkey, water, spices, vinegar, sea salt, granulated garlic and onion powder.

Is there such a thing as healthy chorizo? ›

Chorizo is usually made from cuts of pork, vinegar, and spices. Using leaner turkey or even ground chicken cuts back on the fat but still has plenty of great flavors. Just be sure to use 93% turkey rather than 99%, which will be far too dry. This healthy chorizo is so easy and versatile.

What's the difference between andouille and chorizo? ›

What Is the Difference Between Chorizo and Andouille Sausage? Unlike chorizo, which is always made of animal meat trimmings, andouille consists of animal innards, usually the small intestine of pigs and tripe, the stomach lining of beef.

How do you get chorizo crispy? ›

Traditional Spanish chorizo is a dry-cured sausage and doesn't require cooking before eating. However, if you're after a crispy, crunchy outside and soft but firm inside, pan frying is the way to go.

What organs are in chorizo? ›

This feature is what makes different Spanish chorizo from other sausages elsewhere. The sausage is stuffed into pork guts, whether the small intestine and the large (for instance), in our time are used edible skin of non-animal origin.

Is chorizo a processed meat? ›

Red meat includes beef, lamb and pork. Cut out processed meats altogether or keep them to an absolute minimum. Processed meats include bacon, ham, devon, frankfurts, chorizo, cabanossi and kransky. Cutting down on red and processed meats will reduce your cancer risk.

Why is Mexican chorizo so good? ›

Because Mexican chorizo is flavored with peppers, it has a slightly spicier taste compared to smoky Spanish chorizo. Additionally, Mexican chorizo is sold fresh and must be cooked before consuming; you can either buy loose chorizo or remove the meat from the casing, or you can cook the links whole.

Is chorizo anti inflammatory? ›

Foods to avoid or limit

Red meats such as burgers and steaks and processed ready meals containing red meat, all of these have high levels of saturated fat which is pro-inflammatory, so eat only small amounts. Processed meats such as salami, ham, sausages, bacon and chorizo. Deep fried foods such as chips and takeaways.

Why is chorizo so cheap? ›

Some of the cheapest commercial chorizos use offal stuffed in inedible plastic casing to resemble sausage links, rather than muscle meat.

What sausage is closest to chorizo? ›

Chouriço is the most versatile Portuguese sausage and a staple petisco in the local tascas. Made with pork meat, it's similar to Spanish chorizo, but has less paprika than its neighbor to the east, and tastes a bit smokier.

Is kielbasa similar to chorizo? ›

Chorizo (Spain): A spicy, fermented sausage made from pork, flavored with paprika and garlic. Kielbasa (Poland): Smoked sausage made from pork or a combination of meats, seasoned with garlic, marjoram, and black pepper. Andouille (France): A smoked sausage made from pork, seasoned with garlic, wine, and various spices.

What are the two types of chorizo? ›

Based on the production area, there are mainly two types of chorizos - Spanish and Mexican. You'll also find other variants from across the world, but they can be categorized as Spanish or Mexican.

How to tell if chorizo is done? ›

No matter which method you choose, remember to always cook your chorizo to a minimum internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit. You can use a meat thermometer to check for this.

Do you slice chorizo before or after cooking? ›

Chorizo should be sliced or chopped before cooking. To prevent sliced chorizo curling up during frying, use a knife to score the casing of the sausage before you slice it.

What is chorizo casing made of? ›

Making Chorizo is not unlike making Salami. First, you grind the meat and fats together and then mix the seasonings, and fermentation agents (if used), stuff the mixture into, ideally, a natural casing made from animal intestines.

What is chorizo traditionally made of? ›

Spain. Generally, Spanish chorizo is made from coarsely chopped pork and pork fat, seasoned with garlic, pimentón – a smoked paprika – and salt. It can be classed as either picante (spicy) or dulce (sweet), depending upon the type of pimentón used.

Is chorizo made from lymph nodes? ›

From the Package

PORK SALIVARY GLANDS, LYMPH NODES AND FAT, CHORIZO SEASONING (PAPRIKA, SALT, SPICES, MUSTARD, GARLIC POWDER), PORK, VINEGAR, SOY GRITS, SODIUM NITRITE.

Is turkey sausage healthy? ›

Is turkey sausage healthy? Compared to pork sausage, absolutely. It's significantly lower in calories and saturated fat while retaining that precious protein content.

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