This Thai-style ground turkey with green beans is packed with flavor and comes together quickly, making it a perfect option for a delicious weeknight meal!
Simple and satisfying, this dish has quickly become a favorite in my household. Plus, the leftovers make for a fantastic lunch option.
Preparing this dish is as easy as:
- Start by browning ground turkey or ground chicken
- Add the sauce and green beans
- Cook for a few minutes until the beans are crisp-tender
- Stir in the basil
- Serve and enjoy!
This dish is delicious served over rice with flatbread or naan bread, but it’s equally tasty without the carbs (which is surprising coming from a carb lover like me).
If you plan on serving this with rice, it’s a good idea to start cooking the rice before you begin making this recipe. It comes together so quickly that you might find yourself waiting on the rice to finish cooking if you don’t plan ahead.
The Secret’s in the Sauce
The sauce for this Thai-style ground turkey and green beans is a burst of flavor – a little sweet, a little salty, and a little spicy.
- Include oyster or hoisin sauce
- Broth
- Soy sauce
- Chili garlic sauce
- A touch of brown sugar
You can adjust the heat level by adding more or less chili garlic sauce. The original recipe leans towards the milder side, so feel free to spice it up according to your taste preferences.
Thai Basil vs Sweet Basil
If you can get your hands on Thai basil, it’s a game-changer for this dish. The unique earthy and anise flavors of Thai basil perfectly complement the ground meat and green beans.
If Thai basil isn’t available, sweet basil can be used as a substitute. The flavor profile will be slightly different – less pungent and more herbal and citrusy – but still delicious.
Regardless of the basil variety used, fresh basil elevates this dish to a whole new level.
While the finished dish isn’t swimming in sauce, the sauce itself is incredibly flavorful. Adding more sauce could overpower the other ingredients and lead to excessive saltiness, but feel free to double the sauce if you’re craving extra flavor.
We’ve been enjoying this dish on repeat, and I must admit, I’ve been savoring the leftovers. It makes for the perfect lunch option!
During the summer months when the heat is intense and dinnertime feels like a chore, having meals like this on rotation is a lifesaver. It ticks all the boxes: quick, easy, nutritious, and delicious. And since it’s ready in just 30 minutes and requires minimal effort, my sanity remains intact until the next mealtime rolls around.
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Thai-Style Ground Turkey and Green Beans {20-Minute Meal}
- ¼ cup chicken broth
- ¼ cup oyster or hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce
- 1 teaspoon brown sugar
- 1 ½ pounds lean ground turkey or ground chicken
- 12 to 16 ounces fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
- ½ cup fresh Thai or sweet basil, chopped or torn into small pieces
Prevent your screen from going dark
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Whisk together the broth, oyster or hoisin sauce, soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, and brown sugar in a small bowl or liquid measuring cup. Set aside.
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In a 12-inch skillet over medium heat, cook the ground turkey with a pinch of salt and pepper until no longer pink, breaking it into small pieces. This should take around 5 to 6 minutes. Drain any excess grease.
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Return the skillet to medium heat. Stir the sauce and add it to the skillet, then give it a quick stir to combine with the meat.
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Add the green beans. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes until the beans are crisp-tender. Adjust the cooking time if you prefer more tender green beans.
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Stir in