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You are here: Home / Recipes / Main Dish / Turkey / Cheesy Taco Skillet with Rice

Cheesy Taco Skillet with Rice

Published September 20, 2021 by Lauren Vavala Harris

Thanks for sharing!

Cheesy taco skillet with text overlay
Cheesy taco skillet with text overlay
Cheesy taco skillet with text overlay
Cheesy taco skillet with text overlay
2 images of Cheesy taco skillet with text overlay between them

This delicious recipe for Cheesy Taco Skillet uses simple ingredients such as turkey, rice, black beans, and vegetables – so it is an extremely filling, well-rounded dish. Many people will enjoy the taco flavors found in this easy one pan skillet meal, since they are reminiscent of well-loved Mexican and Southwestern cuisines.

Close up of a cheesy taco skillet in a cast iron pan with a wood spoon lifting some up

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This simple recipe for Cheesy Taco Skillet is loaded with turkey, rice, beans, and vegetables – making it a very filling, but relatively healthy dish.

The traditional taco flavors found in this dish lend a scrumptious Southwestern and Mexican flair. It is a one pan skillet meal loaded with flavor, vegetables, and protein.

This fun, flavorful dish is perfect for last minute dinners, when you’re short on prep time, but searching for a gratifying meal, which appeals to most people’s tastes.

It is also gluten free and may be modified to be keto friendly, as well.

Try making this dish for your next party or as an easy gameday snack. Cheesy Taco Skillet tastes delicious paired with White Queso Dip and Vegetarian Nachos too.

Serve a Cheesy Taco Skillet to a crowd and they will likely sing your praises when they’re not busy stuffing their faces.

Why This Recipe Works

Cheesy Taco Skillet is a 30-minute meal. It is quick to prepare, easy to clean up, and requires only one pan. This skillet dinner is a great dish for weeknight dinners and entertaining.

This dish is super flavorful and versatile. It makes a great group dinner or may be served as an appetizer, as well. Additional serving suggestions are listed later in this post.  

Taco Skillet is naturally gluten free, but this recipe may also be easily modified to make it low carb (see notes in recipe card).

How To Make A Cheesy Taco Skillet

Ingredients

Ingredients needed to make a taco skillet on a marble background with labels

  • Ground Turkey: you can also use ground beef, ground chicken, or ground pork.
  • Cooked Rice: you can cook rice, use leftover, or even use a pre-cooked microwavable packaged rice.
  • Salsa: in this recipe, I always use Herdez Roasted Salsa Roja. You can make this dish mild or spicy depending on which type of salsa you use.
  • Spices: chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika.
  • Vegetables: onion, garlic, diced green chiles, and corn (canned, frozen or fresh).
  • Cheese: cheddar and Monterey Jack.
  • Black Beans: drained.

Chef’s Tip: for a low carb taco skillet, replace the rice with cauliflower rice and omit the black beans and/or corn to suite your own dietary needs. If following a keto diet, eliminate both the black beans and corn and replace the rice with cauliflower rice.

The entire recipe and instructions can also be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. You can also print the recipe from the card, if needed.

Prep!

If you are not using leftover or pre-cooked rice, you will want to start cooking the rice first.

Finely dice the onion, mince the garlic, and shred both cheeses. Open the diced green chiles and black beans and drain the excess liquid out.

Chef’s Tip: shred the cheese from a block for the best melting and texture. Pre-shredded cheeses have starch added to them which doesn’t melt as nicely and can leave a grittier texture.

Create!

Onion and garlic cooking in a black cast iron skillet

Heat olive oil in a large, deep skillet on medium heat. 

Add the onions and cook until soft and translucent, about 3-4 minutes, stirring often.

Stir in the garlic.

Seasoned ground turkey in a cast iron skillet

Add the ground turkey and season with salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika. Cook, breaking up, until no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes.

Seasoned turkey, corn, black beans, peppers and salsa in a cast iron skillet

Mix in the salsa, diced green chiles, black beans and corn. Cook another minute to warm through.

Seasoned turkey, rice, black beans, corn and salsa in a cast iron skillet

Add the rice to the skillet and stir until well combined.

Cast iron skillet meal topped with shredded cheese

Top with cheese.

Cheesy Taco Skillet in a cast iron pan over a marble background

Cover to let the cheese melt, or place the pan under the broiler for 1-2 minutes, watching closely to melt and brown. Be sure you are using an oven-proof skillet if using the broiler method.

Present!

Overhead of a cheesy taco skillet in a cast iron pan with a wood spoon pushing some up

Top with minced fresh cilantro, if desired.

Serving Suggestions

We usually eat this meal right from the pan as it is, but there are so many different ways you can serve it:

  • With sour cream, cilantro lime sauce, or extra salsa.
  • Topped with lettuce, slices of jalapeño peppers, and/or pico de gallo.
  • As a topping for bell pepper nachos or traditional nachos.
  • As the filling for stuffed peppers or zucchini boats.
  • In burritos or taco shells or bowls.
  • In lettuce wraps.
  • With chips for scooping.

Tips and Techniques

  • Shred the cheese from a block for the best melting and texture.
  • For a low carb, keto friendly version, replace the rice with cauliflower rice and omit the corn and/or black beans depending on your dietary needs.
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Consume within 3-4 days.

FAQ’s

Can You Freeze A Taco Skillet?

Yes, you can freeze a taco skillet. Cover tightly and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw in the refrigerator before reheating in the oven. Be sure to reheat food to an internal temperature of 165°F.

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Close up of cheesy taco skillet being lifted up with a wood spoon
Print

Cheesy Taco Skillet

This delicious recipe for Cheesy Taco Skillet uses simple ingredients such as turkey, rice, black beans, and vegetables – so it is an extremely filling, well-rounded dish.
Course Appetizer, Main Dish
Cuisine Gluten Free, Mexican
Diet Gluten Free
Prep Time 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes minutes
Total Time 30 minutes minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 578kcal
Author Lauren Harris

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 onion (finely diced)
  • 6 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 1.5 pounds ground turkey (or beef, chicken or pork)
  • salt (to taste - I use 1/2 teaspoon)
  • pepper (to taste - I use 1/4 teaspoon)
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 15 ounce jar salsa (I use this one)
  • 1 4 ounce can diced green chiles (drained)
  • 1 15 ounce can black beans (drained)
  • 1 cup frozen corn
  • 2 cups cooked rice
  • 4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese (about 1 cup)
  • 4 ounces cheddar cheese (about 1 cup)
  • fresh cilantro (optional, garnish)

Instructions

  • Heat the olive in in a large, deep skillet.
    1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • Once the oil is hot, add the onion and cook, stirring often, until softened and translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
    1 onion
  • Stir in the garlic.
    6 cloves garlic
  • Add the ground turkey, salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika. Cook, breaking up into smaller crumbles, until no longer pink, about 5-7 minutes.
    1.5 pounds ground turkey, salt, pepper, 1 tablespoon chili powder, 1 teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • Stir in the salsa, green chiles, black beans, and corn. Cook another 1-2 minutes until warmed through.
    1 15 ounce jar salsa, 1 4 ounce can diced green chiles, 1 15 ounce can black beans, 1 cup frozen corn
  • Stir in the cooked rice and mix well.
    2 cups cooked rice
  • Top evenly with the two cheeses.
    4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, 4 ounces cheddar cheese
  • You can allow the cheese to melt on its own, or if using an oven-proof skillet, you can place it under the broiler, watching closely, for 1-2 minutes to melt and brown some.
  • Garnish with minced fresh cilantro, if desired.
    fresh cilantro

Notes

Tips and Techniques

  • Shred the cheese from a block for the best melting and texture.
  • For a low carb, keto friendly version, replace the rice with cauliflower rice and omit the corn and/or black beans depending on your dietary needs.
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Consume within 3-4 days.
 
** Nutritional information is an estimate and may vary.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 578kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 48g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 99mg | Sodium: 880mg | Potassium: 1070mg | Fiber: 10g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1297IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 361mg | Iron: 4mg

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Filed Under: Beef, Gluten Free, Main Dish, Recipes, Turkey

Comments

  1. Brittanie says

    October 4, 2023 at 12:13 pm

    When do you add the garlic ? With the peppers and onion ?

    Reply
    • Lauren Vavala says

      October 7, 2023 at 11:44 am

      Oh goodness, I missed copying in this step to the card. It’s right after the onions. I updated the card and also added the ingredients under each step.

      Thanks for the heads up!

      Reply
  2. Veronika Sykorova says

    December 13, 2021 at 9:43 am

    This is genius! We made this over the weekend and everyone loved it! So cheesy and amazing flavors.

    Reply
  3. sara says

    December 12, 2021 at 7:29 pm

    This taco skillet would be a great twist on the standard taco Tuesday meal plan at my house! I love a good fuss free meal that everyone can enjoy. This looks like it fit the bill!

    Reply
  4. Tammy says

    December 12, 2021 at 1:43 pm

    My mouth is watering! What a delicious and comforting winter meal. This would be a household hit and I cannot wait to make it!

    Reply
  5. LaKita says

    December 12, 2021 at 12:17 pm

    This taco skillet is so cheesy, filling, and delicious! Love how simple it is to make!!

    Reply
  6. Kayla DiMaggio says

    December 10, 2021 at 9:53 am

    This taco skillet is so delicious! It was easy to make and our whole family loved it!

    Reply
  7. Jessica says

    December 9, 2021 at 9:11 pm

    This recipe caught my eye not only because it looks delicious but because it’s cooked in cast-iron. I love that! It did not disappoint and will definitely be added to our weeknight dinner rotation.

    Reply
  8. Amanda Dixon says

    December 7, 2021 at 8:14 pm

    This skillet was a hit in our house! It was so simple to put together, and that seasoning combo was so flavorful. This is definitely going on our rotation.

    Reply
  9. Liz says

    December 7, 2021 at 4:38 pm

    This is a delicious dish! It also works great the next day for leftovers, or to even make tacos with.

    Reply
  10. Bernice says

    December 7, 2021 at 1:35 am

    This skillet is the perfect way to use up some leftover rice. We’ve made this skillet a few times now and it’s a win every time.

    Reply
  11. Colleen says

    December 6, 2021 at 1:03 pm

    This taco skillet turned out so good! Everyone loved it and I will make it again for sure. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply

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Welcome, I'm Lauren!

Delicious Little Bites is where I share all types of recipes from appetizers to desserts. You will also find plenty of keto, gluten free, and vegetarian recipes here to help you put a delicious meal on the table every night that the whole family will love! Read More...

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