Ground Turkey Sweet Potato Skillet

Last updated on January 22nd, 2024 at 10:05 pm

This southwest ground turkey sweet potato skillet is an easy and healthy yet flavorful meal that comes together all in one pan, perfect for weeknight dinners or meal prep!

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What better way to bring in the new year than with this ground turkey sweet potato skillet. It features good for you ingredients, bold southwest flavors and everything is topped off with a delicious layer of melty cheese.

This skillet recipe is one of my most popular recipes to date on both Instagram and Tiktok, so I’m so excited to finally share it here on my site.

This ground turkey sweet potato skillet checks all the boxes. It’s all made in one pan, it’s quick and easy to make (ready in 30 minutes), it’s healthy, yet satisfying and certainly not lacking flavor.

I particularly love healthy skillet meals like this and my easy turkey taco skillet to make during the week when my days are jammed pack. It’s also perfect to make ahead as a meal prep because it actually gets more flavorful over time and reheats beautifully.

If you love the flavors of this recipe, also be sure to check out my southwest chicken bowls, also perfect for dinner or meal prep.

Ingredients

Ground turkey: for best taste and texture, I recommend an 85%-93% lean ground turkey.
Sweet potato: sweet potatoes are a great source of fiber, vitamins and minerals and add a lot of satiating power.
Red and green bell peppers: I love the flavor and color the bell peppers give this dish.
Onion: feel free to use red or yellow. Red adds lots of great color.
Fire roasted diced tomatoes: fire roasted tomatoes are sweet and slightly smoky, and add great flavor.
Corn: frozen or canned corn works great for this recipe.
Black beans: black beans also provide fiber and nutrients and go great with the other flavors.
Shredded cheese: I recommend cheddar, Monterey jack or a Mexican cheese blend.
Seasoning blend: chili powder, chipotle chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt and black pepper give this dish a ton of flavor.
Cilantro: for garnish and a pop of freshness.

Equipment

Large skillet with lid
Cutting board and knife
Measuring cups and spoons
Wooden spoon

Instructions

1. Heat avocado oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground turkey and brown while crumbling meat with a wooden spoon. Remove ground turkey with a slotted spoon and keep the rendered fat in the pan.
2. Add sweet potato, red and green bell pepper and onion to the pan. Cook, stirring frequently, until the sweet potato is tender, about 8-10 minutes.
3. Add the ground turkey, can of fire roasted diced tomatoes, corn, black beans and spices to the pan and mix well.
4. Top with cheese, cover pan with lid and cook for 3-4 minutes over medium low heat, or until cheese has melted. Garnish with fresh cilantro.

How to Serve with Ground Turkey Sweet Potato Skillet

This skillet is hearty and filling enough to enjoy as is! However, here are a few ideas to jazz it up:

• Rice: sometimes I’ll make rice to go along with this skillet to extend the number of servings I get. This is especially great if you make this for meal prep.
• Tortilla chips: tortilla chips are a delicious vessel to scoop up this ground turkey sweet potato skillet.
• Additional toppings: sliced avocado, pico de gallo, fresh or pickled jalapeños.
• For leftovers: one great way to use up leftovers is to make a ‘taco-esque’ salad. Serve over shredded romaine and top with avocado, cheese, salsa and cilantro.

Tips

• If you are using a ground meat with a higher fat percentage, drain all but 1 tablespoon of the fat from the pan before adding the peppers, onions and sweet potatoes.
• The sweet potato will continue to cook along with the rest of the ingredients, so in step two ensure they cook enough for a fork to pierce through with just a little bit of resistance. If they are too soft, they may turn mushy by the end of cooking.
• Chipotle chili powder will add some smoky heat, but overall this recipe is mild in flavor. If you want a spicy ground turkey sweet potato skillet, add 1/4 teaspoon (or more) of cayenne.
• If you are using an oven safe pan, you can opt to pop it under the broiler at the end to melt the cheese.

FAQ

Can I make this recipe ahead of time?

Yes! In fact, the flavors meld and get bolder over time, so it’s even more flavorful the next day.

How do I meal prep this recipe?

For the reason mentioned above, this is a great meal prep recipe. Cook the recipe according to the instructions above and then allow everything to cool completely.

Once cool, divide everything evenly amongst four microwave safe containers. Store any toppings, such as avocado, cilantro and salsa separately and only top after reheating.

How can I reheat ground turkey sweet potato skillet?

If you are reheating this meal in the skillet, you can either reheat it on the stove over medium-low heat until bubbly. If you are using an oven safe skillet, you can reheat in a 350°F for 10-12 minutes, or until warmed through.

For reheating a meal prep, microwave in microwave container for 1 minute 30 seconds, or until warmed through.

Substitutions

Ground turkey: I use ground turkey because I can find a variety of lean options and can’t tell much of a difference in the finished product. However, it can be substituted for ground chicken or beef.
Onion: you can use red or yellow onion. I’ve used both, and although I tend to only use red for raw applications, I love the color it brings to this dish.
Fire roasted diced tomatoes: if you can’t find fire roasted diced tomatoes, regular is fine, or the kind the contain diced green chilies would be a good option.

More Recipes You’ll Love

• Shrimp Burrito Bowls
• Ground Chicken Stir Fry
• French Onion Chicken Orzo
• Spicy Fish Taco Bowls
• Chicken Zucchini Enchiladas

If you make this Ground Turkey Sweet Potato Skillet, be sure to leave a comment below and rate this recipe! If you snap a pic, be sure to tag me on Instagram @thechowdown! I love seeing your creations!