Korean Ground Turkey and Rice Skillet with Cucumber Crunch
Lean ground turkey, shallots, garlic, ginger, gochujang, and sushi rice are cooked together in one skillet and topped with a refreshing, spicy cucumber crunch combo.
Servings 6 Servings
Calories 325kcal
Ingredients
For the Ground Turkey and Rice
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 pound Ground Turkey
- 1 Shallot minced
- 2 cloves Garlic crushed or minced
- 2 teaspoons Ginger crushed or minced
- Pinch of Kosher Salt and Black Pepper
- ¼ cup (84g) Gochujang
- 1 ½ cup Sushi or Short Grain Rice rinsed
- 3 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth
For the Cucumber Crunch
- 3 Mini Seedless Cucumbers or 1 large seedless cucumber, cut into half moons
- 3 Red Radishes thinly sliced
- 1 Tablespoon Kosher Salt
- 2 Scallions thinly sliced
- 1 Tablespoon Gochugaru Korean Chili Flakes*
- 1 teaspoon Toasted Sesame Oil
Instructions
- Add the sliced cucumbers and radishes to a large bowl and toss with a tablespoon of kosher salt. Set aside.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil. Once hot, add the ground turkey and cook for 3-4 minutes to brown one side.
- Flip the ground turkey and push to one side of the skillet. Add the remaining oil to the other side of the skillet, followed by the shallot, garlic, ginger, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Break the turkey apart and mix everything together to fully cook the turkey.
- Once the turkey is fully cooked, stir in the gochujang and cook for 30-60 seconds before adding the rice and chicken broth. (If needed, use 1/2 to 1 cup of chicken broth to deglaze the skillet before adding the rice and remaining broth.)
- Bring to a boil before reducing the heat to its lowest setting, covering, and cooking for 12-15 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is fully cooked. Stir halfway through to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- While the rice cooks, rinse the cucumber and radish mixture under cold water and drain well. Add the scallions, gochugaru, and toasted sesame oil. Toss everything together to serve with the finished turkey and rice. Optional: Garnish with additional freshly sliced scallions and roasted sesame seeds.
Notes
*You can substitute for other chile flakes if you don't have gochugaru on hand.
Nutrition Facts Notes
I used 99% lean ground turkey. With 93/7 ground turkey, each serving has around 345 calories, 19 grams of protein, 46 grams of carbs, and 9 grams of fat. The cucumber crunch only equates to about 100 calories, which is mostly negligible on a per serving basis. You can reduce the carb and calorie content by using a high protein rice substitute like the Right Rice in my Thai curry chicken and chickpea rice or by adding cooked cauliflower rice to the pan with the finished turkey and rice. The latter would add volume, allowing you to have more servings with fewer calories.Serving Tips
If you're planning to use this dish for meal prep, be sure to store the cucumber crunch separate from the ground turkey and rice. That way you can reheat without it to keep it crispy and fresh. I've kept the spice level on the milder end of the spectrum. Don't shy away from adding extra chili flakes or chili sauce. Korean soy sauce, rice vinegar or mirin, and other sauces and condiments are also great additions.Nutrition
Serving: 1serving (8oz turkey and rice + 1/6 cucumber crunch) | Calories: 325kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 5g