This One Pot Taco Rice Skillet is an easy, cheesy recipe that’s perfect for busy weeknights! Made with ground turkey, rice, taco seasoning, and plenty of melty cheese, it has all the flavors of a taco casserole but comes together in just one pan in under an hour. It’s a simple, family-friendly dinner that’s packed with flavor and easy to make.

A skillet filled with cheesy Mexican rice, topped with melted golden cheese and garnish of green herbs. A wooden spoon is scooping from the side.

How this recipe brings the flavor

I love a one pot meal. It’s easy to make, and more importantly, easy to clean up! The challenge with a one pot dish is making sure you get all of the layers of flavor and texture that you would in a meal where the ingredients are cooked separately. This recipe does just that, and here’s how!

  1. Fresh veggies are sautéed first to bring out their flavor.
  2. Taco seasoning and diced tomatoes with green chilies are added after the veggies and ground meat are cooked to flavor the entire dish with acidity, spice, and warmth.
  3. Fresh cilantro and lime juice are added at the very end to finish the dish with bright, fresh flavors.

This recipe was originally published in August 2017 on my 6 year blog anniversary. I’ve since updated the post with new pictures, a video, and substitution ideas that I’ve tried over the years. I hope you love this recipe as much as I have over the last 9 years!

Ingredients for a recipe displayed on a wooden surface include ground turkey, cheddar cheese, diced tomatoes, rice, chicken broth, olive oil, cilantro, lime, jalapeños, garlic, chopped red onion, and a spice mix.

Key ingredients and substitution ideas

Above I show you all of the ingredients for the recipe to give you a good visual for your shopping list. Below I’ll give you some notes on specific ingredients in the recipe. You can find the full list of ingredients with measurements in the recipe card.

  • Jalapenos – if you’re not a fan of spice, or need to tone it down to make the dish kid-friendly, use 1/2 cup diced green bell pepper, instead of the jalapenos.
  • Ground turkey – you can also make this recipe with ground beef or ground chicken. I’ve tried it with all of the ground meats over the years, and they all work well in this dish.
  • Taco seasoning – I always keep my homemade mix in the pantry. It’s easy to mix up with pantry staples like paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, and chili powder. Or you can pick up a packet of taco seasoning at the grocery store. A one ounce package equals two tablespoons, which is what you’ll need for this recipe.
  • Diced tomatoes with green chilies – you can also use salsa, instead of the diced tomatoes. I recommend a chunky red salsa. You can use mild, medium, or hot, depending on your spice preference.
  • Cheddar cheese – I recommend grating an 8 ounce block of cheese at home. Freshly grated cheese melts so much better than the pre-grated stuff in a bag! If you want to spice up the dish, you can use a spicy cheddar or pepper jack cheese instead.

Instructions

I’ve included step by step photos below to make this recipe super easy to follow at home. For the full detailed recipe instructions and video, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post. 

partially cooked ground turkey in a skillet with diced onions and peppers
taco seasoning on top of cooked ground turkey and diced vegetables in a skillet
cooked, seasoned ground turkey in a skillet with white rice
  1. Cook diced onions, garlic and jalapenos in a skillet on the stove. Add ground turkey and cook until no longer pink.
  2. Season with taco seasoning. Stir to combine everything then move it all to one side of the skillet.
  3. Add uncooked rice to the other side of the skillet and toast.
cooked rice, diced tomatoes, and ground turkey in a skillet
cooked rice in a skillet with ground meat and vegetables
taco rice in a skillet topped with shredded cheddar cheese
  1. Add diced tomatoes with green chilies and chicken broth. Bring the liquid to a boil.
  2. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 35-40 minutes, or until the rice is tender.
  3. Remove the lid and stir in cilantro and lime juice.
  4. Sprinkle shredded cheese over the dish, cover, and remove from the heat. Allow the cheese to melt into the dish for 3-5 minutes.

Whit’s tip! Always stick a fork in the dish after 35-40 minutes to test the rice and make sure it’s tender. Every stovetop is different, and even skillets vary on how they hold heat, so it’s always a good idea to check and make sure before adding the cilantro and lime juice. If the rice isn’t tender yet, cover the dish and let it simmer for an extra 5-10 minutes.

A plate of cheesy Mexican rice with ground meat, tomatoes, and cilantro, served on a white dish with a fork.

What to serve with it

The nice thing about this taco rice casserole is it’s a whole meal in one pan! But, I’m always down for adding some toppings at the end, or serving tortilla chips on the side.

Over the years, I’ve topped the dish with sliced jalapenos, hot sauce, sour cream, shredded lettuce, fresh cilantro, and sliced avocado. I also like adding pickled onions, chipotle sauce, or guacamole, whenever I have them in the fridge!

A plate of cheesy Mexican rice with ground meat, tomatoes, and cilantro, served on a white dish with a fork.
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Turkey Taco Rice Skillet

This One Pot Taco Rice Skillet is an easy, cheesy recipe perfect for busy nights. Made with ground meat, rice, and taco seasoning, it has all the flavor of a taco casserole in one simple pan.
Servings: 4 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Author: Whitney Bond
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mexican
Diet: Gluten Free

Video

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ cup onion, diced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 jalapeños, seeded and minced
  • 1 pound ground turkey, or ground beef
  • 2 tablespoons taco seasoning, or a 1 ounce packet
  • 2 cups long grain white rice
  • 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes with green chilies, or 2 cups salsa
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • ¼ cup finely chopped cilantro
  • ¼ cup fresh squeezed lime juice
  • 2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

Instructions

  • Heat the olive oil in a large skillet on the stove over medium-high heat.
  • When the oil is hot, add the onion, garlic and jalapeno, cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the ground turkey and cook 5-6 minutes.
  • Once the turkey is cooked through, season with the taco seasoning, then add the rice and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes.
  • Add the can of diced tomatoes with green chilies and chicken broth.
  • Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 35-40 minutes, or until the rice is tender.
  • Remove the lid and stir in the cilantro and lime juice.
  • Sprinkle the cheddar cheese over the dish, cover, remove from the heat and allow the cheese to melt into the dish for 3-5 minutes.

Notes

  • Any leftovers should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator and eaten within 5 days.
  • This recipe is really easy to reheat in the microwave for 2-3 minutes. If you want to freshen it up, you can squeeze a lime wedge over it after you’ve heated it up, or add some fresh cilantro or avocado on top. You can also wrap it up in a tortilla after you reheat it and turn it into a delicious burrito!
  • This recipe is naturally gluten free. If you want to make it dairy free, omit the cheese on top.

Nutrition Facts

Calories 806kcal (40%)Carbohydrates 86g (29%)Protein 49g (98%)Fat 30g (46%)Saturated Fat 13g (65%)Polyunsaturated Fat 2gMonounsaturated Fat 10gCholesterol 122mg (41%)Sodium 1199mg (50%)Potassium 791mg (23%)Fiber 3g (12%)Sugar 5g (6%)Vitamin A 987mg (20%)Vitamin C 26mg (32%)Calcium 481mg (48%)Iron 3mg (17%)
Did you make this recipe?Tag @WhitneyBond on Instagram and hashtag it #WBRecipes!

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