Taco Skillet is everything you love about tacos made in one pan, in 25 minutes! Easy, quick, and healthy Mexican food you can make exactly the way your family likes it.
We also love this chicken enchilada skillet and cilantro lime chicken rice skillet!
Taco skillet! Skillet recipes are one of my favorite healthy meals. They remind me my childhood in Ukraine when grandma used exact measurements only when baking. The rest was cooked with “eyeball” and “use what you have” strategies.
Plus, skillet meals work so well with Mexican recipes! I’ve previously shared recipes for a chicken burrito skillet, Mexican chicken and rice and for skillet enchiladas.
Why You’ll Love This Taco Skillet
- So flavorful: Here we have ground turkey seasoned with onion and taco seasoning. Then simmered with black beans, green chilies, and diced tomatoes.
- Cheesy crust: Cover with tortillas, let the cheese melt and you will be able to slice it with a spatula. Even your kids can perform self-serve.
- Quick and easy: All cooked in one pan, with fridge and pantry staples, and in under 25 minutes!
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Protein: Use any ground meat like ground beef, pork, lamb, chicken, or ground turkey like I did. Drain fat from fattier meat. If following vegetarian diet, fry tofu, use tofu crumbles or any other substitution.
- Seasonings: Taco skillet flavor is built with sauteed onion, taco seasoning and diced green chilies. No chilies? Use extra taco seasoning, chili powder, or throw in some jalapenos or green pepper to saute with the onion.
- Canned vegetables: Diced tomatoes and black beans. Often I prefer to use Instant Pot black beans if I have some frozen in the freezer.
- Fresh vegetables: Lettuce, tomatoes and cilantro for toppings. You can also add corn, mushrooms, zucchini or bell pepper when sauteeing.
- Tortillas: Corn tortillas add the most authentic Mexican flavor. You can also use wheat tortillas or tortilla chips. Skip completely for low carb version. Also, this reminds me, you can skip beans for lower carb and more high protein meal too.
- Cheese: I am using marble cheese, a mix of white and yellow cheddar. Use Tex Mex cheese, yellow or white cheddar.
How to Make Taco Skillet
Make sure to use large 14 inch skillet or 12 inch skillet but deep one that you have cover for. If you don’t have a large lid, use large baking sheet or round pizza pan to cover it.
- Saute onion and meat: Saute your veggies and spices quickly in a bit of oil. It will brighten their flavors. Then add ground meat of choice and saute for about 7 minutes or until almost cooked. This step requires muscle work, constant stirring and breaking meat into small pieces.
- Add canned goods and simmer: Add diced tomatoes (do not drain), black beans (drained), green chilies (see recipe notes for sub) and maybe even frozen corn. Cook this mix while covered for about 5 minutes.
- Top with tortillas and cheese: And let stand covered with heat off to allow tortillas to soften and cheese melt. Just wait till you dig in!
- Now top with fresh veggies: Like typical taco fixings – lettuce, tomatoes, cilantro, green onion, diced avocado or guacamole or salsa guacamole.
How to Store and Reheat
This taco skillet recipe is almost indestructible, it’s very hard to ruin it and leftovers taste delicious for days!
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days. I prefer glass storage containers for taste reasons.
Reheat in a microwave or right in the pan with a splash of water or chicken broth, covered and simmered on low heat for 7ish minutes. Also if you turn off heat and let skillet stand covered for a few more minutes, it will keep heating through.
Freeze in a glass airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw before reheating in the fridge overnight or on a counter during the day. Then reheat as per instructions above.
Easy-peasy. Hope you enjoy this taco skillet and I would love to hear from you!
More Quick Mexican Dinner Recipes
- Tex Mex chicken and zucchini
- Ground beef tacos
- Ground turkey and zucchini skillet
- Chicken burrito recipe
- Mexican bean salad
- Sweet potato skillet
Taco Skillet
Equipment
Video
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground turkey, beef or chicken
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 2 teaspoons taco seasoning, low sodium
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 ounces can diced green chilies
- 14 ounces can low sodium diced tomatoes, not drained
- 14 ounces can low sodium black beans, rinsed & drained
- 8 small corn tortillas
- 1 cup Tex Mex or cheddar cheese, grated
- Handful Romaine or iceberg lettuce, shredded
- 2 small tomatoes, diced
- Avocado, cilantro, green onion, for toppings (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat large non-stick skillet on medium-high heat and swirl 1 tablespoon of oil to coat. Add onion and saute for 1 minute, stirring occasionally.
- Add ground meat, taco seasoning and salt. Saute for 7 minutes, constantly stirring and breaking into small pieces with spatula.
- Add diced green chiles, diced tomatoes, black beans; stir and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer on low heat for 5 minutes.
- Lay tortillas overlapping each a other abit, sprinkle with cheese, turn off heat, cover with a tight lid and let stand for 5-10 minutes.
- Sprinkle with lettuce, diced tomatoes and whatever else Mexican topping you like.
- Serve hot with desired toppings like cilantro, green onion, avocado, yogurt, salsa etc.
Notes
- Store: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Freeze: Up to 3 months.
- If using ground beef or pork, I recommend to drain the fat.
- Wheat tortillas would work just fine.
- If you don’t have diced green chilies, use more taco seasoning or chili powder. Also green bell pepper or jalapenos amount to taste and sauteed works. Throw it in with onions.
- Add corn, skip beans or tortillas – make skillet yours.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This came together quickly and in just 1 pan?! Yes pls! Used ground beef and didn’t use the black beans- although I think they would really add to the dish. An easy versatile dish that could easily be added to or take away the stuff you don’t like or don’t have. Thank you!
My pleasure! I love one pan meals and testing more now.
My whole family loved the Taco Skillet! We will keep this in our dinner rotation. What a wonderful (and healthy) variation on tacos. Thank you for making this great recipe 🙂
You’re so welcome, Christine! Glad this is getting added to the repeat list! I appreciate your review.
Surprisingly tasty and satisfying in spite of a short, simple ingredient list. Hearty and healthy dish.
I’m so happy to read this! Thanks for your positive feedback!