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Honey Garlic Ground Turkey

Honey garlic ground turkey is a glossy, sticky skillet dinner where crumbled lean turkey is caramelized and coated in a honey garlic soy sauce. Served over rice with sesame seeds and green onion for an easy weeknight rice bowl ground turkey meal.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Asian-American
Calories: 640
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Lean ground turkey
  • 1.5 lb lean ground turkey
Aromatics and sauce base
  • 5 garlic cloves
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger grated
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
Honey garlic soy sauce
  • 0.25 cup honey
  • 3 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 0.5 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tbsp water
  • 2 tbsp water for cornstarch slurry
Serving
  • 1 sesame seeds for topping
  • 1 green onions sliced, for topping
  • 1 cooked rice white rice, for serving

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Cook the turkey
  1. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 1.5 lb lean ground turkey, and cook until no longer pink, breaking into crumbles.
  2. Add 5 garlic cloves (minced) and 1 tbsp fresh ginger (grated), and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
Make it sticky with honey garlic sauce
  1. Whisk together honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes, then pour the mixture over the turkey.
  2. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook for 2–3 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the turkey, turning glossy as it reduces.
Serve
  1. Serve the honey garlic turkey over cooked rice, then garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions.

Notes

For the best caramelization, keep the skillet at medium-high and let the turkey sit briefly between stirs so it browns before you add garlic and ginger. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; reheat in a skillet with a splash of water until hot. Freeze the cooked turkey (sauce included) for up to 2 months, then thaw overnight in the fridge and rewarm. For a lower-sugar option, use a sugar-free honey substitute or reduce honey by 1–2 tbsp and add an extra splash of rice vinegar for balance.