Southwest Rice and Ground Turkey Skillet
This skillet meal is like a fiesta in a pan—zesty, colorful, and packed with hearty ingredients. From spicy ground turkey to melty cheese and smoky spices, it’s everything you love about Southwest cooking in one dish. Perfect for weeknight dinners or casual get-togethers, it’s comfort food with a kick.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
½ cup finely diced onion
1 cup finely diced red bell pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb ground turkey
1 tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp black pepper
1 tsp chili powder
½ tsp cumin
¼ tsp chipotle powder (or extra chili powder for less spice)
1 tsp dried cilantro
1 (10 oz) can Original Rotel (or mild if preferred)
1 (4 oz) can mild diced green chiles
1 (14 oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen corn
2 cups cooked rice
1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
Chopped scallions & lime juice (for garnish)
Tortilla chips (optional, for serving)
Instructions
In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Sauté onion and bell pepper until softened.
Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in ground turkey and cook until browned.
Season with salt, pepper, chili powder, cumin, chipotle powder, and dried cilantro.
Stir in Rotel, green chiles, black beans, corn, and cooked rice. Mix well.
Stir in 1 cup of cheddar cheese until melted.
Top with remaining cheese, cover, and cook until cheese is bubbly.
Garnish with chopped scallions and a squeeze of lime juice. Serve with tortilla chips if desired.
Notes
Zesty, cheesy, and full of goodness—this Southwest skillet is your one-pan answer to dinner with flavor and flair.
Nutrition
- Calories: 450
- Fat: 20g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Protein: 30g
Hey, Hungry Friend! Let’s Make Magic in One Pan
Ever have one of those days where your brain’s screaming *”FEED ME NOW”* but your energy’s running on fumes? Yeah, me too—especially after testing seven consecutive cake recipes that decided gravity was optional. That’s exactly why this Southwest Rice and Ground Turkey Skillet is my culinary superhero. It’s vibrant, zesty, and cooks in ONE pan—meaning less cleanup and more high-fiving yourself over actually nailing dinner. Picture this: savory ground turkey tangled with smoky spices, sweet corn, creamy black beans, and fluffy rice, all swimming in a tomato-chile hug, crowned with melty cheddar. It’s like a sunset fiesta exploded in your skillet, ready in 35 minutes flat. No fancy skills needed—just a spoon, a hungry grin, and maybe a tortilla chip for scooping up every last cheesy bit. Whether you’re wrangling kids, hustling post-work, or just craving big flavor without big effort? This dish gets you. So grab that skillet—let’s turn chaos into confetti.
There’s something pretty poetic about turning a total campfire fail into a dinner I now crave on repeat. This skillet? It’s the comeback story of my early cooking life—easy, flexible, and filled with smoky-sweet Southwest flavor that tastes like adventure (minus the singed eyebrows and wildlife commentary). Whether you’re feeding a crowd, meal-prepping for the week, or just hungry and out of ideas, this skillet’s got your back. One pan. Big flavor. Zero coyotes.
