Turkey taco rice skillet is an easy 20-minute one-pot dinner with ground turkey, fluffy brown or white rice, beans, veggies and all your favorite taco flavors! Great for a quick weeknight meal!
This post is sponsored by the National Turkey Federation. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
This turkey taco rice skillet is a great all-in-one dinner with lean ground turkey, fluffy brown rice (or you can use white rice) and all your favorite taco flavors.
I even add some veggies and beans in here to really kick this party up a few notches and round out the meal.
Basically, today's recipe is all of your favorite ingredients put together in one easy recipe!
And quick, too. We're talking just 20 minutes to make.
This ground turkey and rice recipe is flavorful, colorful and completely delicious!
Plus, there's all kinds of fun topping options so everyone can customize theirs. That's a great way to keep the kids happy at my house.
Check out my ground turkey, rice and veggie skillet for a similar easy dinner that's endlessly customizable. Or try chicken fiesta or this Mexican fried rice for some more of these fave flavors!
And for more taco fun, try this taco pasta that's an all-in-one dish that everyone loves. And this 5-ingredient taco pizza is a sure-fire hit every time.
I'm also thrilled to be partnering with the National Turkey Federation for today's post.
Turkey is one of my favorite proteins and I use ground turkey ALL the time at home. And since I'm also a health and nutrition editor, and all-around nerd, I thought I'd share some fun turkey trivia with you.
Fun turkey facts:
- Turkey is naturally low in fat, packed with lean protein and provides nutrients like iron, zinc and potassium, as well as B vitamins.
- A single serving of turkey offers 50% of your daily value of lean protein.
- It's illegal for hormones or steroids to be added to turkey.
Okay, let's get to cooking so we can eat!
Ingredient Notes:
Rice: The rice for this recipe needs to be already cooked when you stir it in at the end, so please plan accordingly. (Trust me, this is the better way to do it so everything stays fresh and perfectly cooked instead of soupy or overcooked by cooking the recipe with everything in the pan.) I use brown rice but white rice is fine here too. You could even use a quick-cook rice if you prefer.
Taco seasoning: Homemade taco seasoning is my favorite for flavor and freshness, but you can definitely substitute store-bought as well.
Beans: Black beans are our go-to but you could substitute pinto beans if you prefer. Kidney beans would also work here.
Corn: I use a can of Mexicorn but any canned corn, or even frozen corn that's been thawed, will work for this recipe. You'll need about 1 cup.
Another fun add-in I sometimes use is a small can of chopped green chilies. I say add it if you got it!
And as I mention in the recipe card below, the zucchini here is optional. I love that it adds some green and some extra veggies, but you can skip it. I've actually made this before without zucchini or bell peppers and it was still great.
Want to make this a spicy taco rice skillet? You know I support that!
Spicy Taco Skillet Ideas:
- Add 1-2 chopped jalapeños along with the other veggies in the beginning. Or…
- Add ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper along with the taco seasoning to give it a good kick. Or...
- Use ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes for a little less kick than the cayenne.
- You can also spice this up with just your toppings. (I do this so it's mild enough for the kids.) Top your taco rice with pickled jalapeños, hot sauce and/or sriracha for some extra heat.
Next taco night, throw it all in your skillet, let everyone add their favorite toppings and be ready to dive in cause you're gonna love it!
Enjoy!
XO,
Kathryn
P.S. You might also want to try my healthy taco turkey and potato skillet!
Turkey Taco Rice Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 small bell pepper, chopped (any color)
- 1 small zucchini, chopped (optional)
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 to 1.25 lbs. lean ground turkey (I use 93% lean)
- 3 tablespoons taco seasoning
- 1 (15 oz.) can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes (I use petit diced tomatoes), drained
- 1 (11 oz.) can Mexicorn, drained
- 3 cups cooked brown or white rice (from about 1 cup uncooked)
Optional toppings:
- Shredded cheese, sliced or diced avocado, sour cream or Greek yogurt, chopped cilantro, salsa or pico de gallo, hot sauce or pickled jalapeños, etc.
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil.
- Add chopped onion, bell pepper and zucchini, if using. Sauté for 3-4 minutes, then add garlic and stir well.
- Add ground turkey and cook, breaking up with a spatula, until cooked through and no pink remains, about 5-6 minutes.
- Sprinkle everything with taco seasoning and stir well.
- Add black beans, tomatoes and corn. Bring to a simmer and let cook for 3-5 minutes over medium heat to get everything heated through and allow any extra liquid to cook off.
- Stir in the cooked rice then turn off the heat. Season to taste with salt and pepper if needed.
- Serve hot with desired toppings and enjoy!
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Carolyn says
Would like the nutritional information on this Taco Turkey Rice Skillet Dinner please.
Kathryn Doherty says
Hi Carolyn! Sorry that it wasn't showing up. I've updated it and now the nutrition info is at the bottom of the recipe card. It's under 500 calories per serving (for 6 servings). Hope that helps!