Name: Turkey Taco Skillet
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon olive oil; 1 onion, diced; 1 red bell pepper, diced; 1 green bell pepper, diced; 1 pound ground turkey; 1 tablespoon chilli powder; 1 tablespoon smoked paprika; 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1 teaspoon cumin; 1/4 teaspoon crushed chillies (optional); 1 teaspoon salt; 1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes; 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed; 1 cup frozen corn; 1 cup shredded Havarti or Monterey Jack cheese; Cilantro, chopped; Green onions, chopped; Avocado, sliced; Limes, cut into wedges

Ready in 30 minutes, this easy turkey taco skillet is packed full of protein and flavor. Serve it with a side of tortilla chips or rice for a healthy and family-friendly weeknight dinner.

Ground turkey taco skillet with sliced avocado, chopped cilantro, shredded cheese, and sliced green onion on top with a side of lime wedges, tortilla chips, a tea towel, and serving spoon on a white background.

Turn Taco Tuesday inside out with this easy turkey taco skillet recipe. It’s everything you love about turkey tacos made in a single pan and can be enjoyed on its own as a low-carb meal or wrapped in corn tortillas for a full taco experience.

And the best part is, leftovers keep incredibly well, so you can enjoy them for lunches and dinners for days to come. When you’re ready to eat, serve it up with sour cream, salsa, or guacamole for a Tex-Mex-inspired meal prep idea.

Close up of a turkey taco skillet in a cast-iron pan with a serving spoon with tortilla chips in the background.

Why You’ll Love It

Made in One Pan – This one-pan ground turkey taco skillet keeps prep and cleanup to a minimum.
Quick and Easy – This recipe is ready in 30 minutes, making it a great healthy weeknight dinner idea.
High in Protein – The combination of ground turkey, black beans, and cheese ensures each serving contains almost 40 grams of protein.
High in Fiber – The combination of black beans, corn, and veggies gives this ground turkey skillet 12 grams of fiber per serving.

White plate with ground turkey with a yellow onion, bell peppers, and small bowls of diced tomatoes, black beans, frozen corn, taco seasoning, and shredded Mexican cheese.

Ingredients + Substitutions

Ground Turkey – To add some protein. You can use regular, lean, or extra-lean ground turkey, or swap it for ground chicken or ground beef instead.
Onion + Bell Peppers – To add some veggies. The recipe calls for a red and green bell pepper, but you can use any colors you like.
Tomatoes – To add some more veggies. I used diced tomatoes, but crushed or diced fire-roasted will also work.
Black Beans – To add some plant-based protein and fiber. The recipe calls for black beans, but pinto beans would also work well.
Corn – To add some more fiber and carbohydrate. The recipe calls for frozen corn, but canned corn will also work.
Taco Seasoning – A mixture of chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder, cumin, and salt to season the taco skillet. If preferred, you can use a ready-made taco seasoning; see the notes section of the recipe card for details.
Cheese – To add some healthy fats and a cheesy-pull-apart topping.

Cast-iron skillet with cooked ground turkey, onion, and bell pepper.

Cast-iron skillet with cooked ground turkey, onion, bell pepper, and taco seasoning.

Dietary Adaptions

To Make it Dairy-Free: Omit the shredded cheese or use dairy-free cheese.

To Make it Gluten-Free: No adaptations are needed; this recipe is gluten-free.

Cast-iron skillet with cooked taco ground turkey mixture, black beans, diced tomatoes, and frozen corn.

Cast-iron skillet with cooked turkey taco filling.

Red’s Nutrition Tip

This turkey taco skillet is a great recipe for a weight loss goal. The use of ground turkey as a high-protein, low-calorie food helps to ensure the dish is filling while being low in fat, making it easier to enjoy delicious food and maintain a calorie deficit.

Serving Suggestions

This turkey taco skillet is a great source of protein, fiber, and fats. While it can be eaten on its own, serving it with a source of carbohydrates will make it a more filling and balanced meal. Plus, it can easily be adapted to suit your personal calorie or macro needs, for example:

To add some complex carbohydrates, serve it with some white rice, brown rice, corn tortillas, or tortilla chips.
To add some healthy fat, top it with some sour cream, sliced avocado, or guacamole.
To add some flavor, top it with some salsa, hot sauce, pickled red onions, or chopped cilantro.
To keep it low carb, serve it on top of some cauliflower rice or green salad.

Close up of a cast-iron pan with turkey taco mixture with melted cheese on top and cilantro on top.

Storage + Reheating

To Refrigerate: Allow any leftover turkey taco skillet to cool completely and then transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the fridge for up to 5 days.

To Freeze: Once cooled completely, leftover ground turkey taco skillet can be stored in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.

To Reheat: Allow leftovers to thaw, then reheat them in the oven at 350°F for 10-20 minutes or in the microwave for 2-3 minutes.

Serving of turkey taco skillet on a dark plate with tortilla chips and a fork.

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