Turkey Taquitos With Cranberry Chipotle Salsa Recipe

This turkey taquito recipe switches things up from the typical beef or chicken taquito, and paired alongside a cranberry chipotle salsa, this dish repurposes Thanksgiving classics in a way that's fun and fresh. According to recipe developer Tess Le Moing, "This recipe was inspired by a jar of cranberry salsa I bought from a specialty food store. And I knew I wanted to make some sort of Mexican-Thanksgiving dish." 

Not only did Le Moing accomplish her goal of making a Mexican-style Thanksgiving dish, but she also accomplished a simpler goal of turning traditional taquitos into something quite special. "What sets these taquitos apart is the harmonious blend of flavors and textures," she explains. "Our favorite holiday dishes, like turkey and mashed potatoes combined with the sweet and smoky cranberry chipotle salsa, create a unique flavor that elevates these taquitos beyond the classic flavors." If taquitos are a staple in your household and you're ready to switch things up — or if you're simply looking to unload some leftovers — these savory-and-sweet roll-ups will certainly do the trick.

Ground turkey will serve as the meaty base for these taquitos, along with mashed potatoes that you'll make from Yukon gold potatoes, milk, and a little bit of salt. There are quite a few other goodies stuffed into these taquitos, including Mexican blend cheese, onion, jalapeños, garlic, rosemary or thyme, cumin, chili powder, salt, and black pepper. And, of course, you'll need corn tortillas to form the taquitos and some canola oil to fry them in. As for the cranberry chipotle salsa, canned cranberry sauce will work just fine as the base. You'll also need red onion, cilantro, canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, lime juice, garlic, and a bit more salt.

If you happen to have a plethora of Thanksgiving leftovers taking up space in your fridge, then you're in luck with this recipe and you can make some easy ingredient swaps. "This recipe is great for using up Thanksgiving leftovers! Swap out the ground turkey for shredded turkey," Le Moing suggests. "And skip making the mashed potatoes, just use those leftovers!"

Add the potatoes and milk in a small saucepan. Bring to medium-low heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until fork tender.

Mash the potatoes in the saucepan with a fork or potato masher and stir in ¼ teaspoon salt.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking.

Add turkey and cook, breaking up pieces with a spoon, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes.

Drain turkey in colander; set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in now-empty skillet and add onions, cooking until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.

Stir in jalapeño, garlic, rosemary, cumin, chili powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Transfer the onion mixture to a large bowl and then stir in mashed potatoes and ground turkey. Set aside to cool, about 10 minutes.

Stir in the shredded cheese.

Wrap 6 tortillas in clean, damp kitchen towel; place on plate; and cover plate tightly with plastic wrap. Microwave until hot and pliable, about 1 to 2 minutes.

Working with 1 tortilla at a time, place a row of 3 level tablespoons of filling across the lower half of the tortilla.

Fold the bottom of tortilla up and over filling, then pull back on tortilla to tighten it around filling as you roll.

Place the taquitos on a sheet pan, seam-side down and repeat with the remaining tortillas.

Heat 1 cup oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering.

Place 3 taquitos, seam side down in the oil and fry until golden on each side, about 3 minutes.

Transfer to paper towel-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining 6 taquitos.

For the cranberry chipotle salsa, pulse remaining ingredients in a food processor until finely chopped. Season with salt and extra line juice to taste.

Serve warm with cranberry chipotle salsa and other desired dips like sour cream or guacamole.

You really can't go wrong when it comes to serving these turkey taquitos — just about any time or occasion is a good one. Of course, since these taquitos do conjure up images of a big holiday meal, you may want to keep this recipe in the books for future Thanksgivings. Otherwise, Le Moing has some helpful suggestions. "You can serve these taquitos whenever you want to add a flavorful and unique twist to your meal or celebration, like for a game day appetizer, holiday parties, a special weekend dinner, or leftovers," she says.

As for pairing options, you really can just enjoy these taquitos with the cranberry salsa alone and call it a day. If you insist on sides, Le Moing notes that "these taquitos would pair wonderfully with a side of rice and black beans." Looking for lighter options? She adds, "A fresh coleslaw with a zesty lime vinaigrette would add a refreshing contrast to the savory taquitos."

This recipe yields 12 taquitos and a hefty amount of cranberry chipotle salsa, so there's a possibility of leftovers, though the chances may not be too high. "It's rare to have leftovers, but if you have any, store leftovers in the fridge in a ziplock bag or airtight container for up to 4 days," says Le Moing. When it comes time for that second round, "Reheat leftover taquitos in a 250 F oven for 10 to 15 minutes."

While the taquitos might fly off the plate before you know it, there will likely be some lingering cranberry salsa. "The cranberry salsa makes a lot, so you will have leftovers. You can either double the taquito recipe to make more, or freeze the salsa to use next time," Le Moing advises. She also notes that she likes to use leftover salsa for chilaquiles, so you too might get creative in the kitchen and see how you can repurpose it.