Sweet and Sour Turkey Skillet (Printable Version)

Tender ground turkey with pineapple, bell peppers, and rice in a Korean-inspired sweet-and-sour sauce.

# What You'll Need:

→ Meat & Protein

01 - 1 pound ground turkey
02 - 2 eggs, optional for topping

→ Vegetables & Fruit

03 - 1 red bell pepper, diced
04 - 1 green bell pepper, diced
05 - 1 yellow onion, finely chopped
06 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
07 - 1 cup fresh or canned pineapple chunks, drained
08 - 2 scallions, thinly sliced

→ Pantry

09 - 2 cups cooked white rice, preferably day-old
10 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
11 - 2 tablespoons soy sauce
12 - 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
13 - 2 tablespoons ketchup
14 - 1 tablespoon gochujang Korean chili paste
15 - 1 tablespoon brown sugar
16 - 1 teaspoon sesame oil
17 - 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
18 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
19 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

# Directions:

01 - Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add ground turkey and cook, breaking it apart with a spoon, until fully cooked and no longer pink, approximately 5-6 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper to taste. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
02 - Add remaining oil to the same skillet. Sauté chopped onion and minced garlic until fragrant and translucent, about 2 minutes.
03 - Add diced red and green bell peppers. Cook for 3-4 minutes until just tender-crisp.
04 - Return cooked turkey to the skillet. Add pineapple chunks and stir to combine all ingredients.
05 - In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, rice vinegar, ketchup, gochujang, brown sugar, and sesame oil. Pour the sauce into the skillet and toss everything until evenly coated.
06 - Add cooked rice to the pan, breaking up any clumps. Mix well and stir-fry for 3-4 minutes, allowing the rice to heat through and absorb the flavors.
07 - Taste the mixture and adjust salt, pepper, or gochujang to achieve desired flavor balance.
08 - In a separate nonstick pan, fry eggs sunny-side up over medium heat. Serve one egg over each portion if desired.
09 - Transfer the skillet contents to serving bowls or plates. Top each serving with sliced scallions and toasted sesame seeds.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • Everything cooks in one pan, so you can actually sit down and eat instead of scrubbing dishes all night.
  • The sweet pineapple and spicy gochujang create this addictive contrast that keeps you going back for just one more bite.
  • Day-old rice transforms into something restaurant-worthy without any fancy technique or equipment.
  • It feels like takeout but you control the heat, the sweetness, and every ingredient that goes in.
02 -
  • Day-old rice is not optional; freshly cooked rice has too much moisture and will turn the whole dish gummy instead of lightly crispy.
  • Don't crowd the pan when browning the turkey or it will steam instead of sear, and you'll lose those flavorful browned bits that make the dish taste deep and savory.
  • Taste the sauce before you pour it in; gochujang brands vary wildly in heat and saltiness, so adjust the sugar or vinegar to match your preference.
03 -
  • Toast your sesame seeds in a dry skillet for 30 seconds before sprinkling them on top; the extra nuttiness is worth the tiny effort.
  • If your rice is clumping, wet your hands lightly and break it apart before adding it to the pan, it'll fry up evenly and won't turn into a sticky mess.
  • Keep a bottle of gochujang in your fridge at all times; once you start using it, you'll wonder how you ever cooked without it.
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