Yucatan Citrus Turkey Bowls

Ingredients

• 1 cup jasmine rice
• 2 mandarin oranges
• 2 limes
• 2 red onions
• 2 poblano peppers
• ½ oz cilantro, chopped
• 2 packets Tex-Mex paste
• 2 tablespoons Southwest Spice Blend
• 2 teaspoons ancho chili powder
• 8 tablespoons smoky red pepper crema
• 20 oz ground turkey
• ½ teaspoon sugar
• Butter, optional
• Cooking oil
• Salt and black pepper

Instructions

1. Wash and dry the produce. Zest and quarter the mandarins and lime. Halve, peel, and thinly slice the onions. Core and thinly slice the poblanos, and chop the cilantro.
2. In a small bowl, combine the Tex-Mex paste, mandarin zest, juice from both mandarins, juice from two lime wedges, half the Southwest Spice Blend, half the ancho chili powder, and ¼ cup water.
3. Combine the rice, 1½ cups water, the remaining Southwest Spice Blend, and a pinch of salt in a small pot. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce to low, and cook until tender, 15–18 minutes. Keep covered off the heat.
4. Place half the sliced onion in a microwave-safe bowl with the juice from half the limes, sugar, and a pinch of salt. Microwave for 60 seconds, then stir occasionally. In another bowl, mix the smoky red pepper crema with water a teaspoon at a time until drizzly.
5. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the poblanos and season with salt and pepper. Cook until slightly softened, 3–4 minutes. Add another drizzle of oil, the remaining onion, and the cilantro. Season and cook until tender, 4–6 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
6. Heat another drizzle of oil in the pan. Add the turkey, season with salt and pepper, and cook, breaking it into pieces, until browned and cooked through, 4–6 minutes. Stir in the citrus sauce and cook until the mixture is saucy, 1–2 minutes. Return the vegetables to the pan and warm through.
7. Fluff the rice and stir in the butter if using. Divide between bowls and top with the turkey and vegetables, smoky crema, and drained pickled onion. Serve with lime wedges.

More rice bowls

For a ground-pork version of dinner with poblano and smoky crema, try Saucy Pork Burrito Bowls. For shawarma spices and lemony white sauce, try Street Cart–Style Chicken Shawarma Bowls.