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30-Minute Turkey Taco Skillet

All the flavor of taco night in one skillet: seasoned ground turkey, black beans, corn, and rice, finished with melty cheese — 30 minutes, about 30g protein per serving (estimated).
Print Recipe
Prep Time 8 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1.5 lb ground turkey 93% lean
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • 1 red bell pepper diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 3 tbsp homemade taco seasoning see note below
  • 1 10 oz can diced tomatoes with green chiles undrained
  • 1.75 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 cup instant white rice uncooked
  • 1 15 oz can black beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup frozen corn kernels
  • 1 cup shredded Mexican-blend cheese
  • 0.25 cup fresh cilantro chopped, plus more for serving
Homemade taco seasoning
  • 1 tbsp chili powder
  • 2 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 0.5 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper

Equipment

  • Large deep skillet with lid (12-inch)
  • Wooden spoon or spatula

Method
 

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground turkey and cook, breaking it into crumbles, until no pink remains, about 6-7 minutes. Drain off any excess liquid.
  2. Stir in the onion and bell pepper; cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and taco seasoning; cook 1 minute more, until fragrant.
  3. Pour in the diced tomatoes with their juices and the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in the instant rice. Bring to a lively simmer.
  4. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until the rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 7 minutes. Stir once halfway through.
  5. Uncover and stir in the black beans and corn. Cook 2-3 minutes, until heated through and thick but still saucy. If it looks dry, splash in 2-3 tablespoons of broth.
  6. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top, cover, and cook 1-2 minutes, until melted. Shower with cilantro and serve with lime wedges, sour cream, and avocado.

Notes

Food safety: ground turkey must reach 165°F (USDA). Refrigerate within 2 hours; reheat leftovers to 165°F. Protein (~30g/serving) estimated from USDA FoodData Central values; not a lab analysis. Instant rice keeps this at 30 minutes; long-grain rice needs about 40.