Mexican
Turkey Taco Skillet
Ground turkey, spices, beans, and rice cook in one pan into a taco-seasoned dinner. You season it yourself, so it does not taste like a single-note packet.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 35 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
Why you’ll love it
- Turkey is cooked to 165°F before the rice goes in.
- Chili, cumin, and paprika are measured, not dumped from a sleeve.
- Beans stretch one pound of meat.
- The pan is the whole dinner.
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.
Rough grocery estimate for the full recipe: about $11–15 at a typical US supermarket. Prices vary by store, region, and season.
Check the ingredients you still need, then add them. If nothing is checked, the full list is added. Saved on this device.
Instructions
- 1
Cook the turkey and salt in a deep skillet over medium-high, breaking it up, until no pink remains and a piece in the center is 165°F, about 6 minutes.
- 2
Add the onion and cook 3 minutes. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, and paprika for 30 seconds.
- 3
Add the rice and beans. Stir to coat.
- 4
Pour in the salsa and broth. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook on low 16 to 18 minutes, until the rice is tender.
- 5
If the rice is still firm, add 1/4 cup water and cook 3 more minutes.
- 6
Scatter the cheddar on top, cover 1 minute, and serve.
Pro tips
- Turkey can dry out if you brown it hard and then ignore it. Break it into small pieces so it cooks evenly.
- Salsa adds liquid. If yours is very thick, add an extra 1/4 cup broth.
- Taste before adding more salt. The salsa may already be salty.
Easy substitutions
- Ground turkey
- Ground beef, cooked until no pink remains, 160°F.
- Cheddar
- Skip the cheese for a dairy-free skillet.
- Black beans
- Pinto beans.
Storage and reheating
Storage
Refrigerate up to 3 days.
Reheating
Add a splash of water and warm, covered, until hot.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 520
- Protein
- 36 g
- Carbs
- 56 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Fiber
- 7 g
Budget friendly · Stovetop, One Pan · High Protein
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From the kitchen
Kitchen tools we love
Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.
A heavy 12-inch skillet
Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.
An air fryer with a real basket
The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.
A half-sheet pan
Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.
A sharp chef’s knife
These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.
A large cutting board
Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.
Dry cups and a liquid cup
Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.
An instant-read thermometer
Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.
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