Tacos al pastor are delicious, BUT… they’re hard work, y’all! I gathered all of the ingredients for what sounded like an awesome recipe (minus the spit it would take to slow roast the pork…) then realized the pork I had in the freezer was in fact a pork tenderloin, not a pork shoulder butt. Fail. So, I did what any person determined to use the ingredients they have would do in the middle of an all time high inflation… I asked the Google. I found what seemed to be a fairly easy recipe that might get a bit of the flavor of original tacos al pastor using ground turkey. I needed fast and easy, and to make use of the ingredients I currently had on hand. Unfortunately, my cilantro had wilted beyond repair, so I had to use dried cilantro, but I made it work. If you have fresh on hand, definitely use the fresh ingredients! This recipe uses 2 lbs of ground turkey because we love leftovers in this house, but it can easily be halved to use 1 lb of ground turkey. While this definitely isn’t true tacos al pastor, it’s a quick and easy alternative in a pinch. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 2 lb ground turkey
• 3/4 cup diced pineapple
• 2 chipotle peppers (I didn’t have any on hand, so I used 1 Tbsp of paprika, which is a similar flavor to chipotle peppers)
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 Tbsp cilantro, chopped
• 1 Tbsp cajun seasoning
• 1 Tbsp chili powder
• 1/2 Tbsp black pepper
• 1/2 Tbsp garlic powder
• 1/2 Tbsp onion powder
• 1/2 Tbsp oregano, crushed
• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• corn or flour tortillas
• Toppings: Monterey Jack cheese, salsa, diced pineapple, lettuce, sour cream, avocado

Directions

1. In a small bowl, mix cajun seasoning, chili powder, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and oregano to create a seasoning blend. Set aside.
2. In a blender or food processor, add pineapple, chipotle peppers, and garlic. Blend until pureed and set aside.

3. Add extra virgin olive oil to a pan heated to medium high heat. Add onion and saute about 5 minutes. Add 1 tsp of seasoning and blend and mix well.
4. Add ground turkey to pan and mix well. Season with 2 tablespoons of season blend, reduce heat to medium, and cook for approximately 10 minutes, breaking up turkey with a spoon or spatula. Season with the remaining seasoning blend and mix well.
5. Add chipotle, pineapple, and garlic puree. Mix well, reduce heat to low, and cook for approximately 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally. Add cilantro and mix well.

6. Serve in soft or crispy taco shells with desired toppings.

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