Mexican Fajita Spiced Turkey Stew

An Unusual Twist on Both Turkey and Fajitas Recipes

Turkey stew with Mexican fajitas spices and mixed peppers

This recipe was very much a spur of the moment creation when I was browsing my local supermarket a few nights back, seeking inspiration. It occured to me that I hadn't eaten turkey for a while and when considering how to cook it, I remembered the fajitas spice I had in my cupboard needing used up. So the idea was born and it really did prove to be very tasty.

Principle spicy turkey stew ingredients

Ingredients (Serves Two)

1/2 pound turkey breast steak
2 tablespoons vegetable or sunflower oil
Generous handful mixed sliced bell peppers
1/2 medium red onion, peeled and finely sliced
1 small green chilli, seeded and finely sliced
1 small red chilli, seeded and finely sliced
1 large garlic clove, peeled and finely sliced, for stew and 1 small clove, peeled and grated, for rice
1 teaspoon Mexican fajitas spice mix
1 pint fresh chicken stock
1 tablespoon freshly chopped coriander/cilantro for stew and 1 teaspoon for rice
6 ounces basmati rice (or as desired)
Salt 

Turkey breast is diced for stew

Chop the turkey breast steak in to around one inch chunks. Heat the oil in a large stew pot and add the turkey pieces and fajitas spice. Stir fry for a minute or so until the turkey pieces are all sealed all around.

Turkey and spices are firstly browned and sealed in oil

Be careful but do try to slice the red onion and garlic as thinly as you can.

Sliced red onion and garlic

Add the onion and garlic to the pot and fry for another minute or so.

Red onion and garlic are added to the browned turkey

It's worth mentioning the seeds in the chilli peppers. You could leave them in if you wish but be sure to know the strengths of the peppers. Remember, it is the membrane which contains the seeds (lighter in colour than the pepper flesh) which contains the heat and not the seeds themselves.

Seeded and sliced chilli peppers

Add all the peppers to the pot and stir well.

Mixed peppers are added to turkey

Pour the chicken stock in to the pot and turn up the heat until the liquid reaches a simmer. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for thrity minutes.

Chicken stock is added to cover all ingredients

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Ten minutes before the stew is due to be ready, wash the rice and add it to the pot. Simmer for ten minutes.

Rice is washed under running cold water

Just before it is ready, stir the coriander through the turkey stew.

Coriander is added to the spicy turkey stew

Drain the rice, return to the empty pot and stir through the coriander and garlic.

Coriander and garlic are added to the drained rice

Divide the rice between two plates, flatten as beds and ladle on the turkey stew.

Tucking in to fajitas spiced turkey stew with rice

Roast Turkey Thigh Salad

Roast turkey thigh slices are served with a simple salad and a granary roll

We're approaching that time of year when turkeys will be bought and consumed in their millions - be it at Thanksgiving or at Christmas - but I always wonder why so many of us confine the enjoyment of turkey to just one special time of year. I buy turkey year round but rarely if ever in the form of a whole bird. I buy breast steaks for frying, diced breast meat for stir frying and perhaps most often of all, turkey legs and thighs for roasting. I bought this turkey leg and thigh last week and stuck the leg for the moment in my deep freeze. On what was an unseasonably warm Autumnal day, I roasted the thigh and served it cold as part of a simple but really delicious salad.

Turkey drumstick and thigh

Ingredients (Serves Two)

1 whole turkey thigh (bone in)
Olive oil
Salt and pepper
4 generous handfuls of mixed salad (or as required)
2 granary bread rolls
Butter for the rolls (optional)
Homemade rowan and apple jelly to serve (or jelly of choice)

Elasticated webbing removed from turkey thigh

Directions

If your turkey thigh comes with elasticated webbing like this one, you should remove this prior to cooking. This will allow you to open up the thigh and season the flesh side with salt and pepper.

Turkey thigh ready for roasting

Your oven should be preheated to 400F/200C/Gas Mark 6.

Lightly oil a roasting tray and lay the thigh on it, seasoned flesh side down. Rub the skin with more oil and season with salt.

Turkey thigh is pierced at thickest part

Put the turkey thigh in to your oven for one hour. Unless the thigh is exceptionally large, this should be long enough to fully cook it but it is vital to ensure this is the case in every instance. The way I do this is by sticking a metal skewer deep in to the thickest part of the thigh, right through to the bone.

Checking turkey juices run clear

Remove the skewer and use it to lightly press down right next to the hole you have made and check the escaping juices are running completely clear. Any trace of red or pink whatsoever and you should put it back in to the oven for ten more minutes before testing again in the same way.

Roast turkey thigh

When you have ensured the thigh it fully cooked, lift it with a large spatula and carving fork to a deep plate.

Roast turkey thigh is covered and left to rest

Cover the turkey thigh and leave it for at least fifteen minutes to rest.

Carving roast turkey thigh

The turkey thigh should be carved on a board. It can then be served immediately if you wish but I re-covered the sliced meat and left it to cool completely.

Roast turkey thigh slices are plated

Divide the turkey slices between two serving plates before adding the salad and roll (buttered if desired). The jelly I served with this meal is homemade rowan and apple jelly which is more commonly served with beef or wild game but I think it worked very well with the turkey.

Granary rroll and salad are plated with roast turkey thigh slices