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Ground Turkey and Rice Taco Skillet

5 from 24 votes
Total 30 minutes
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Ground turkey and rice is a versatile skillet dinner made with lean ground turkey, rice, and a few pantry staples. Enjoy as an entree, or use it like taco meat to fill tacos, burritos, nachos, you name it!

ground turkey taco skillet in white pan with black serving spoon

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Table of Contents hide
1) Why you'll love this recipe
2) Ingredient notes
3) How to make this recipe
4) Recipe tips and variations
5) Storage and reheat
6) Serving ideas
7) More Mexican recipes to love
8) 📖 Recipe
9) Ground Turkey and Rice Taco Skillet

Why you'll love this recipe

  • It's an entree on its own or the perfect filling for Mexican food.
  • Includes instructions for stove or pressure cooker method.
  • You only need ground turkey, uncooked rice, and pantry staples.
  • Cooking in one-pot means only one pot to clean.
  • Make this filling ahead and eat on repeat. Or freeze for later use.
  • Adding rice to turkey taco meat adds volume and saves money.
  • Great for family dinner or game day.

Ingredient notes

  • olive oil - You can use your preferred cooking oil for this recipe.
  • diced onions - Use red, yellow or white onions for this recipe.
  • fresh garlic - Adds depth of flavor, and everyone loves the aroma of garlic sauteing with onions!
  • ground turkey - A 93% lean 7% fat ground turkey is the leanest option available, but any variety will work.
  • uncooked long-grain white rice (not instant rice) - The rice conveniently gets cooked in one pot with the ground turkey.
  • diced canned tomatoes - This liquid to tomato ratio is important here, so please use discretion when substituting other tomato varieties.
  • chicken broth - Any broth can be used.
  • taco seasoning - Use store-bought packets or make a homemade blend right from your spice rack.
  • sea salt and black pepper - These tie all the flavors together. Feel free to adjust to your liking.
ingredients for turkey taco skillet entree

How to make this recipe

In this simple recipe, the ground turkey is sauteed and simmered with rice, tomatoes, broth, and taco seasoning – conveniently in one pot. Enjoy these step-by-step photos. You'll find the full, printable recipe below along with Instant Pot instructions.

Step 1. Heat olive oil in pot or skillet over medium-high heat. Add and saute onions and garlic until tender. Meanwhile, rinse rice until water runs clear and set aside to drain.

wood utensil stirs onions and garlic sauteing in white pan
white rice in mesh strainer over white bowl

Step 2. Add ground turkey to the pot and cook until browned, stirring as needed.

wood utensil stirs uncooked ground turkey and onions in white pan
wood utensil stirs cooked ground turkey and onions in white pan

Step 3. Add uncooked rice, tomatoes, chicken broth, and taco seasoning. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes, stirring as needed.

ground turkey, white rice, diced tomatoes, taco seasoning, and broth in white pan
wood utensil stirs turkey taco skillet ingredients in white pan

Step 4. Cover and simmer about 20 minutes, or until rice is cooked through.

white lid sits on white pan next to wood stirring utensil
large black spoon stirs ground turkey and rice in white pan

Step 5. Serve warm as an entree with toppings or as a filling for your favorite Mexican foods.

ground turkey taco skillet in white pan with black serving spoon

Recipe tips and variations

  • This recipe uses uncooked white rice. Therefore, you won't need to pre-cook any rice.
  • The final cooking time may vary up to 5 minutes. Factors affecting this are rice variety, cookware, and your stove.
  • This recipe uses taco seasoning for flavor, but feel free to add extra cumin, paprika, or chili powder, to taste.
  • Add a scoop of pressure cooked black beans or cooked corn kernals for added nutrition, flavor, and texture.
  • Swap ground turkey with ground beef for a more savory, beefy flavor.
  • You can substitute the white rice with long-grain brown rice, but cooking will take significantly longer. Therefore, please do so at your discretion.
  • Use two 10-ounce cans of Rotel in place of the diced tomatoes for extra Tex Mex flavor.

Storage and reheat

  • To store, cool completely and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
  • To freeze, allow to cool completely and place in freezer-safe containers for up to 90 days. To thaw, refrigerate overnight OR use microwave defrost settings.
  • To reheat, use a medium setting on your microwave or stove until warmed through, stirring as needed.

Serving ideas

Use this scrumptious ground turkey and rice filling in burritos, tacos, taco bowls, enchiladas, quesadillas, and our personal favorite, on a pile of cheesy nachos. It's delicious, satisfying, and even better when you add toppings, such as homemade guacamole and pico de gallo.

taco skillet ingredients piled on tortilla chips on white plate garnished with sour cream, green onions, and jalapenos

More Mexican recipes to love

📖 Recipe

Taco rice in white pan with serving spoon

Ground Turkey and Rice Taco Skillet

Ground turkey and rice is a versatile skillet dinner made with lean ground turkey, rice, and a few pantry staples. Enjoy as an entree, or use it like taco meat to fill tacos, burritos, nachos, you name it!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total time30 minutes
Yield 6 1-cup servings
Author Traci Antonovich
5 from 24 votes
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Ingredients 

  • 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
  • ½ large Onion, diced (about 1 cup)
  • 4 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 1 pound Uncooked Ground Turkey, or ground beef
  • 1 cup Uncooked Long Grain White Rice
  • 1 (14.5-ounce can) Diced Tomatoes, don't drain
  • 2 cups Chicken Broth
  • 4 tablespoons Mild Taco Seasoning, or 2 (1-ounce) packets
  • ½ teaspoon Sea Salt
  • ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper

Optional toppings

  • Green Onions, sliced thinly

Instructions

Stove instructions (see pressure cooker method below)

  • Heat OLIVE OIL over medium-high heat.
  • Add ONIONS and GARLIC. Saute a few minutes until tender, stirring as needed.
  • Add GROUND TURKEY and break it apart with a stirring utensil. Saute until cooked through, stirring as needed.
  • Add UNCOOKED RICE, DICED TOMATOES (with juice), CHICKEN BROTH, TACO SEASONING, SALT, and PEPPER. Stir to combine.
  • Bring this mixture to a boil briefly.
  • Cover and reduce heat to simmer for 20 minutes, or until rice is cooked.
    Note: Stoves and cookware vary, so you must cook off any excess liquid before serving.
  • The turkey and rice is ready to be used as a filling in your favorite Mexican foods.
  • To store, cool completely and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Equipment

Recipe Notes

  • This recipe uses uncooked white rice. Therefore, you won't need to pre-cook any rice.
  • The final cooking time may vary up to 5 minutes. Factors affecting this are rice variety, cookware, and your stove.
  • This recipe uses taco seasoning for flavor, but you can add extra cumin, paprika, or chili powder to taste.
  • Add a scoop of cooked black beans or cooked corn for added nutrition, flavor, and texture.
  • Swap ground turkey with ground beef for a more savory, beefy flavor.
  • You can substitute the white rice with long-grain brown rice, but cooking will take significantly longer. Therefore, please do so at your discretion.
  • Use two 10-ounce cans of Rotel in place of the diced tomatoes for extra Tex Mex flavor.
Instant Pot Instructions
  1. Select "Sauté" button and add OLIVE OIL to the pot.
  2. When display reads "Hot", add ONIONS and GARLIC. Saute until tender, stirring as needed.
  3. Add GROUND TURKEY and saute until until cooked through, stirring as needed.
  4. Stir in RICE, TOMATOES (with juice), CHICKEN BROTH (use only 1 cup), TACO SEASONING, SALT, and PEPPER.
  5. Press "Cancel". Secure lid and turn pressure release valve to "Sealing".
  6. Select "Manual" or "Pressure cook" on HIGH setting for 6 minutes.
  7. When the cycle completes, let cooker sit undisturbed for a 10-minure natural pressure release (NPR).
  8. Carefully turn the pressure release valve to "Venting"  to release any remaining steam. Open the lid and stir contents as needed.
  9. The cooker will stay in "Keep Warm" mode until "Cancel" is selected.
Did you make this? We love your feedback!!Please rate and review this recipe.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 251kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 320mg | Potassium: 307mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 102IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 1mg
Course entree, Main Course
Cuisine Mexican
Diet Gluten Free
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Reader Interactions

5 from 24 votes (5 ratings without comment)

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Comments

  1. Kim says

    5 stars
    Delicious and so easy!!

    Reply

    • Traci says

      Awesome! So glad you're enjoying the recipe. Thank you for the feedback!

  2. Tia says

    5 stars
    Wow! Just polished off the last of this and we used it every day as leftovers. It may not seem very exciting on its own, but scoop it over nachos or tacos with all the fixings and you have yourself a delicious, well-rounded meal. So good! Thanks!

    Reply

  3. Clint says

    5 stars
    There's ground turkey taco meat with all natural seasonings already mixed in, went with that, added red kidney beans and canned green chiles. Good Instant pot recipe. Thanks

    Reply

    • Traci says

      Awesome! I'm so glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing your experience!

  4. Adrianne says

    5 stars
    I love how healthy and delicious this looks! Also I am a fan of cooking in the skillet like you. Great family dinner recipe right here!

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Thanks, Adrianne! Yep I love the skillet AND the instant pot for taco meat 🙂 Both are easy and delicious!

  5. estelle says

    Yum this looks so good! We are pretty crazy about tacos over in my house, but I've never made them with ground beef together with the rice! I'm sure the tomatoes make it very soft- looks delicious.

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Thanks so much, Estelle! Sounds like you'll really enjoy this recipe 🙂

  6. Sara says

    5 stars
    What a delicious recipe! I am adding this to my dinner line up for the week! Yum!

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Awesome, Sara! Enjoy this one! We sure do 🙂

  7. Valentina says

    5 stars
    How delicious. I love the way the rice cooks with the turkey and all of the flavors. Would love having a big batch of this at the ready all week long!

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Thanks, Valentina! You have the exact idea...enjoy! 🙂

  8. Jessica says

    5 stars
    I made this for dinner last night and it was so incredible! Thank you so much for sharing the recipe!

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Awesome, Jessica...so glad you enjoyed it 🙂 We really love this taco meat!

  9. Sonia says

    5 stars
    This looks and sounds so delicious and easy! I love one pot meals on busy days coming up as schools start next week!
    ★★★★★

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Thanks, Sonia! Hope you love this one! Happy school year to you 🙂

  10. Sapana says

    5 stars
    This is so quick and easy to make! Perfect for a quick and easy dinner.

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Thanks, Sapana! Yes, hope you enjoy it! 🙂

  11. Edyta says

    5 stars
    I love taco seasoning and easy Mexican recipes. This skillet is absolutely amazing. I will be making it often.

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Thanks Edyta! So glad you enjoy it! 🙂

  12. Monica says

    5 stars
    Oooh this is so perfect for busy nights! I like making Instant Pot turkey tacos but it's so nice to have a skillet option, too, sometimes it's actually faster that way!

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Thanks, Monica! I love making this in my Instant Pot too, but the skillet version was my first love 😉

  13. Ksenia says

    5 stars
    Such a simple and fun meal, great for a weeknight. I am a big fan of turkey and love using it for the extra protein boost.

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Thanks, Ksenia! Yes, I'm all for that protein boost and simple ways to get it 🙂

  14. Jeff says

    5 stars
    Just made this in the Instant Pot and knocked it out of the park! Perfect filling for tacos, enchiladas, and burritos. I'm not the cook in our house, but I am tonight with THIS recipe. Thanks Kitchen Girl!

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Aww thanks, Jeff! The Instant Pot is your new secret weapon 😉

  15. Kate says

    5 stars
    This looks so quick and flavourful!

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Thanks Kate! I may be biased, but I have to say...it is both 😉

  16. Danielle Wolter says

    5 stars
    awesome idea for easy weeknight meals. so many different ways to make this too! and i love that ground turkey is healthy.

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Thanks Danielle! Yes...SO many ways! It's a staple around here 🙂

  17. Tisha says

    5 stars
    I love making tacos with turkey instead of beef!! So good!

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Thanks Tisha! I'm right there with you...so tasty too!

  18. Lauren says

    5 stars
    I love all things taco and especially love one-pot/pan meals. This is definitely ticking all of the boxes for me! My husband would be very into this, too.

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Thanks Lauren! Hope you can enjoy it sometime 🙂

  19. Kristina says

    5 stars
    This looks so tasty! And super simple for those busy week nights!

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Thanks Kristina...yep, perfect for busy weeknights 🙂

  20. Emily says

    5 stars
    This looks so comforting and delicious, it's on my list of this to make this week!

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Wooohooo! Hope you love it like we do! 🙂

  21. Jenn says

    Taco flavored anything is a hit in our house. Love Mexican food. Love how easy this dish is too!

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Saaaame here, Jenn! And it is so easy 🙂

  22. Marvellina says

    I can see this in our weeknight rotation!!

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Yaaay Marvellina! I'd be honored 🙂

  23. sue says

    What a creative way to use turkey, I love it! Ground turkey is so convenient and healthy, but I never seem to have enough recipes for it, thanks!

    Reply

    • Traci Antonovich says

      Thanks Sue! Great feedback 🙂