This is a turkey taco skillet with the rice cooked in the same pan, so cook the turkey, dump everything else in, and let it cook. The only real trick is getting the heat right when the rice goes in, which we cover below.

Skillet filled with cheesy rice, black beans, corn, tomatoes, and ground meat, topped with sour cream and sliced jalapeños, served with a wooden spoon. this recipe

Why this turkey taco skillet works

  • Most turkey taco skillets stop at meat, beans, and cheese, then leave you to cook rice or something else on the side. This one adds a cup of jasmine rice into the pan with the broth, so by the time the cheese melts on top after the rice is cooked, you have a ground turkey dinner in one dish.
  • We use 85/15 ground turkey or thigh meat instead of 99% lean. Lean turkey browns fine but turns rubbery once it sits with the rice and broth. The extra fat in 85/15 keeps it tender and gives the rice even more flavor to soak up.
  • Fire-roasted diced tomatoes add extra flavor. Plain canned tomatoes are fine if that is what you have, but Muir Glen or Hunt’s fire-roasted gives the whole skillet a smoky char taste that tastes better.
  • It runs mild with the homemade seasoning blend, so it works for kids. The diced green chiles add flavor more than heat, so if you want it spicier, use the hot version of the green chiles or set out hot sauce at the table.

Related -> For another one pan dinner, check out our ground chicken and rice with veggies.

How to make this ground turkey and rice skillet

Chopped green bell pepper, diced onion, and minced garlic arranged separately on a wooden cutting board.
Chop onion, bell pepper, and garlic.
Diced green bell pepper, onion, and garlic being sautéed in a pan with a wooden spoon on a marble countertop.
Cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes.
A white measuring spoon rests in a small white bowl filled with ground flaxseed on a white marble surface.
While the aromatics cook, mix up the seasonings.
A metal skillet with cooked ground meat, chopped green bell peppers, and onions, with a wooden spoon resting inside on a white marble surface.
Add the ground turkey to the skillet and cook 5-6 minutes, until browned.
A hand pours taco seasoning from a small bowl into a skillet with cooked ground meat, onions, and green bell peppers on a marble countertop.
Stir in the taco seasoning and mix to coat.
A hand pours liquid from a small glass cup into a pan containing rice, black beans, corn, tomatoes, and onions on a marble countertop.
Add in the tomatoes, green chilies, black beans, corn, rice and broth.
A hand stirs a pan of chili containing ground beef, black beans, diced tomatoes, green peppers, and corn on a white marble surface.
Stir to combine and make sure the rice is submerged in the broth.
A hand holding a metal handle on a black lid covering a saucepan with food inside, placed on a white marble surface.
Cover, crank the heat up to high until you get a simmer. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes.
A hand sprinkles shredded cheese over a skillet filled with a mixture of ground meat, diced tomatoes, and vegetables.
After the rice is cooked, top with cheese.
A skillet filled with a mixture of ground meat, rice, beans, tomatoes, and melted cheese, with a wooden spoon resting inside.
Cover and let the cheese melt on top. Serve immediately.

What we learned testing this

  • Crank the heat, then drop it: Bring the liquid to a simmer on high, then immediately turn it to low and cover. We tried it on medium first and it added ten minutes of cook time waiting for it to simmer.
  • Eighteen to twenty minutes, lid on: Don’t lift the lid to check. The rice needs the trapped steam to soften. Set a timer.
  • Different rice cooks differently: Jasmine white rice runs eighteen to twenty minutes. Brown rice can take longer, closer to thirty or longer, so plan accordingly.
  • Use a 12-inch oven-safe skillet: Anything smaller and the rice piles up too thick to cook evenly. Cast iron works if you want to broil the cheese at the end.
  • Toppings make the dish: Sour cream, sliced avocado, lime, cilantro, hot sauce, salsa. Set out three or four on the table and let everyone build their own bowl.
A skillet filled with cheesy rice, black beans, ground meat, diced tomatoes, topped with sour cream, sliced jalapeños, and chopped cilantro. Bowls of lime wedges and cilantro are nearby.
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Cheesy Turkey Taco Skillet with Rice & Beans (One Pan)

Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 40 minutes
Total: 45 minutes
Servings: 6
Easy turkey taco skillet with rice, bell peppers, black beans, corn, and melty cheese. Everything cooks in one pan in about 45 minutes for a family-friendly weeknight ground turkey dinner. Serve straight from the skillet with your favorite taco toppings.
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Ingredients

Skillet

  • 2 tsp avocado oil or olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 1 bell pepper, diced, any color, whatever you have
  • 1 lb ground turkey, we recommend 85/15 or thigh-meat for best flavor; 93/7 or 99% lean also work
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 4 oz can diced green chiles (mild or hot)
  • 1 15 oz can black beans, drained
  • 1 14.5 oz can fire-roasted diced tomatoes , (Muir Glen or Hunt’s)
  • 1 cup frozen corn, no need to thaw
  • 1 cup jasmine white rice, rinsed
  • 2 cups chicken broth , or beef broth
  • 1.5 cups shredded cheese, cheddar plus Monterey Jack or Mexican blend

Taco seasoning

  • 1 tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper

Instructions
 

  • Prep the onion, bell pepper and garlic. Gather remaining skillet ingredients.
    1 yellow onion, diced, 1 bell pepper, diced, 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • Heat oil in a large oven-safe skillet (12 inch or larger, deep-sided) over medium heat and add in oil. Add the onion, bell pepper and garlic. Cook 3 to 4 minutes until starting to soften.
    2 tsp avocado oil or olive oil, 1 yellow onion, diced, 1 bell pepper, diced, 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • Mix up the taco seasoning in a small bowl or ramekin.
    1 tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp ground cumin, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder, 2 tsp sea salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • Add the ground turkey. Break it up with a wooden spoon and cook 5 to 6 minutes until browned and no pink remains.
    1 lb ground turkey
  • Add the taco seasoning. Stir for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  • Stir in the green chiles, black beans, fire-roasted tomatoes (with juices), corn, rice, and broth. Stir to combine and make sure the rice is mostly submerged.
    1 4 oz can diced green chiles (mild or hot), 1 15 oz can black beans, drained , 1 14.5 oz can fire-roasted diced tomatoes , 1 cup frozen corn, 1 cup jasmine white rice, 2 cups chicken broth
  • Turn heat to high to bring liquid to a simmer, then cover the skillet. Reduce heat to low. Cook 18 to 20 minutes without lifting the lid, until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed.
  • Remove the lid. Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the top. Cover again for 2 to 3 minutes off heat until the cheese melts. Or, broil on high for 1 to 2 minutes for a browned cheese top, watching closely.
    1.5 cups shredded cheese
  • Serve straight from the skillet. Top with avocado, cilantro, sour cream, lime, jalapeno, or whatever you have.

Last Step:

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Notes

Nutrition estimates are per serving and an estimate provided for reader benefit. See our full nutrition information disclosure here.  
Calories: 348kcal, Carbohydrates: 37g, Protein: 29g, Fat: 10g, Fiber: 3g
Course: Main Course
Author: Justin Winn
Cuisine: Mexican
Did you make this recipe?Tag @realsimplegood with hashtag #realsimplegood on Instagram. We love to see what you make!
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