Ground Turkey Taco Skillet is a quick one-pan evening meal made with ground turkey, corn, pinto beans, and salsa, topped with tortilla chips and cheese.
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Ground Turkey Taco Skillet
This reminds me of one of my most popular ground turkey dishes, the ground turkey skillet, but with chips and cheese on top, which is always a good idea! It’s essentially a deconstructed taco, and it’s ideal for a midweek supper!
What’s in ground turkey taco skillet?
This turkey taco skillet is essentially a deconstructed taco with cheese nachos on top! Here’s what’s included:
- Jalapeo – for heat
- Onion – to add taste
- Ground turkey – I prefer 93% lean, but you may use 99% if you prefer it leaner.
- Corn – use frozen, canned, or fresh Pinto beans – any bean will do
- Salsa in a jar or an 8-ounce can of tomato sauce
- Tortilla chips – use any type you choose; blue chips or baked chips work well.
- Tortilla chips – Mexican cheese combination, shredded
- Spices: Salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, and cayenne pepper
- Toppings: Cilantro, chopped tomatoes, pickled onions, lime wedges, and sliced avocado, guacamole, and sour cream are optional.
Turkey Taco Skillet Variations:
- Replace the ground turkey with lean ground sirloin or chicken.
- Remove the seeds and ribs from the jalapeo and add a hot salsa for a spicy taco skillet.
- If you want your meals milder, leave off the cayenne pepper, remove the jalapeo seeds and ribs, and use a mild salsa.
- Replace the pinto beans with black beans.
- If you don’t want to serve the turkey mixture with tortilla chips, prepare a taco salad using rice, quinoa, cauliflower rice, or chopped romaine.
- Use fresh red or green onions instead of pickled onions if you don’t want to prepare pickled onions.
Turkey Taco Skillet Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion finely chopped
- 1 jalapeno seeds removed and diced
- 1 lb 93% ground turkey
- Salt and pepper
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ¼ tsp cayenne
- 3/4 cup canned pinto beans drained
- 3/4 cup corn kernels
- 12 oz jarred salsa about 1 jar
- 32 tortilla chips about 4 oz
- 1 cup shredded reduce fat Mexican cheese blend
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro for topping
- Quick pickled onions for topping
- 1/4 cup chopped tomatoes for topping
- Lime wedges
- guacamole sour cream, avocado, optional for topping
How To Make Turkey Taco Skillet
- Warm the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the onion and jalapeo and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Season the ground turkey with salt and pepper. Cook the turkey until browned, breaking it up into tiny pieces as it cooks.
- Combine the chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, cayenne pepper, pinto beans, corn, and salsa in a mixing bowl. Combine thoroughly. Cook the mixture for 3 minutes.
- Crumble the chips on top of the turkey, then sprinkle the cheese on top of the chips.
- Cover the turkey skillet with a lid and heat for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the cheese melts, or broil for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Remove the turkey skillet from the heat and top with chopped cilantro, pickled red onions, chopped tomatoes, and optional toppings such as avocado, guacamole, or sour cream, if preferred, and serve with lime wedges.
More Ground Turkey Recipes You’ll Love:
Turkey Taco Skillet
Turkey Taco Skillet is a quick one-pan weekday supper made with ground turkey, corn, pinto beans, and salsa, then topped with tortilla chips and cheese.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion finely chopped
- 1 jalapeno seeds removed and diced
- 1 lb 93% ground turkey
- Salt and pepper
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ¼ tsp cayenne
- 3/4 cup canned pinto beans drained
- 3/4 cup corn kernels
- 12 oz jarred salsa about 1 jar
- 32 tortilla chips about 4 oz
- 1 cup shredded reduce fat Mexican cheese blend
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro for topping
- Quick pickled onions for topping
- 1/4 cup chopped tomatoes for topping
- Lime wedges
- guacamole sour cream, avocado, optional for topping
Instructions
- Warm the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the onion and jalapeo and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Season the ground turkey with salt and pepper. Cook the turkey until browned, breaking it up into tiny pieces as it cooks.
- Combine the chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, cayenne pepper, pinto beans, corn, and salsa in a mixing bowl. Combine thoroughly. Cook the mixture for 3 minutes.
- Crumble the chips on top of the turkey, then sprinkle the cheese on top of the chips.
- Cover the turkey skillet with a lid and heat for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the cheese melts, or broil for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Remove the turkey skillet from the heat and top with chopped cilantro, pickled red onions, chopped tomatoes, and optional toppings such as avocado, guacamole, or sour cream, if preferred, and serve with lime wedges.