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Healthy Enchilada Skillet

Healthy enchilada skillet with lean ground turkey, black beans, corn, and a quick red enchilada sauce simmered until lightly thickened. Melted Mexican cheese on top brings a classic one-pan enchiladas feel without the heaviness.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 5 servings
Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Tex-Mex
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

lean ground turkey
  • 1 lb lean ground turkey Lean
onion
  • 1 medium onion, diced
garlic
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
black beans
  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained 15 oz can
frozen corn
  • 1 cup frozen corn, thawed
red enchilada sauce
  • 1 can (10 oz) red enchilada sauce 10 oz can
diced tomatoes
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, drained 14.5 oz can
chili powder
  • 2 tsp chili powder
cumin
  • 1 tsp cumin
smoked paprika
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
salt
  • 0.25 tsp salt to taste Add until flavors pop
Mexican cheese blend
  • 0.5 cup Mexican cheese blend
cilantro
  • 0.25 cup cilantro Fresh, for serving
avocado
  • 0.5 avocado Sliced, for serving
lime
  • 0.5 lime Wedges or squeeze, for serving

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Cook the turkey
  1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook the lean ground turkey, breaking it apart, until no longer pink, then drain any excess liquid.
  2. Add the diced onion and cook for 3 minutes until soft, then stir in the minced garlic and cook 1 more minute.
Simmer the enchilada mixture
  1. Stir in chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika for 30 seconds to coat the meat.
  2. Add black beans, thawed corn, diced tomatoes, and red enchilada sauce, then stir until evenly combined.
  3. Simmer for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until heated through and the sauce thickens slightly.
Melt and serve
  1. Sprinkle Mexican cheese blend over the top, cover the skillet, and cook for 2 minutes until melted.
  2. Serve immediately, topped with fresh cilantro, sliced avocado, and a squeeze of lime.

Notes

For best texture, drain any excess liquid from the turkey before adding the sauce so the skillet thickens rather than gets watery. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days; reheat in a skillet over medium heat until hot. Freezing is not recommended because beans and tomatoes can lose some texture. For a lower-calorie swap, use reduced-fat Mexican cheese blend and keep the servings at 5.