Written by: Chris
Every now and again I come across a recipe or creative way to use an ingredient that really gets me thinking – like infusing chocolate with herbs. Infusing chocolate isn’t new, but it certainly was when I created this Chocolate Rosemary Tart nearly 10 years ago. The flavors are pretty adventurous, so the recipe can be a hit or a miss (especially if you introduce it before the trend really takes off!).
So how about adding apple juice to savory recipes? I’ve added it to quinoa, chicken, salmon, and even beef empanadas. But I’ve never thought of adding it to tacos. So when this Tacos to Go recipe came through for testing, I couldn’t wait to dive in. Would it taste like apple? Would it be too sweet? What benefit could there be?
Apple juice is added to the skillet with lean ground turkey and cooked until the apple juice is nearly gone. The turkey takes on just a hint of sweetness, which complements the turkey perfectly. The apple juice adds moisture too, making it great for leftovers. So to answer my questions above, it’s not too sweet and it doesn’t taste like apple. The real benefits I see are the delicate flavor and the ability to keep the lean turkey moist.
For a delicious weeknight meal, simply serve in tortillas with assorted toppings. Or, take it on the go! For those of us who struggle with school lunches (that would be me), this is a wonderful solution!
Baked taco shell cups really hold up well in lunch boxes and kids absolutely love them. All you need to do is cut circles out of your tortillas, press into a muffin tin and bake. To keep the turkey filling hot, it’s best to preheat your thermos. Simply fill your thermos with piping hot water, put on the lid and seal it. Empty the thermos after letting it sit for several minutes, and then fill with the taco filling. Place all of the toppings in sealed containers with an ice pack. Easy peasy.
Here’s a look at the ingredients. I like to add a clove of finely chopped garlic when cooking the turkey, but this is completely optional.
Tacos To Go
Ingredients for 6 servings (2 taco cups per serving):
TACO FILLING
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound lean ground turkey
1 tablespoon MAGGI Granulated Chicken Flavor Bouillon
1 cup Apple NESTLÉ® JUICY JUICE® 100% Juice
TACO SHELLS
6 (8-inch) soft taco-size whole wheat flour tortillas
Nonstick cooking spray
Toppings of your choice: chopped tomatoes, lettuce, shredded cheese, sour cream, salsa
Directions:
FOR TACO FILLING:
HEAT oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add turkey and bouillon; cook, stirring frequently, for 5 to 7 minutes or until no longer pink.
POUR apple juice over turkey. Increase heat to high; bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; cook for 10 minutes until almost all of the juice is absorbed.
FOR TACO SHELLS:
PREHEAT oven to 400° F.
CUT tortillas into twelve 4-inch circles using a cookie cutter or the top of a glass. You will cut 2 circles out of each tortilla.
SPRAY a 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. Press tortilla circles into each cup.
BAKE for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden and crispy.
FILL taco shells with taco filling and your choice of toppings.
Short cut: instead of baking the taco shell, cut rounds out of a tortilla and serve like a soft taco.
Now it’s your turn. What unique uses for ingredients have you come across?
JUICY JUICE® is a registered trademark of Société des Produits Nestlé S.A., Vevey, Switzerland.
Related Recipes:
Juicy Juice Apple
Pork Chops
Mixed Greens with Apple
Vinaigrette
Filed under: Kids Love It, Main Dishes Tagged: apple juice, chicken, easy dinners, lunchbox ideas, tacos