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Healthy Enchilada Skillet

Healthy enchilada skillet with lean ground turkey, black beans, corn, and a vivid red enchilada sauce simmered until it thickens. This one pan enchilada skillet is topped with melty Mexican cheese and finished with cilantro, avocado, and lime.
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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: 390
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

lean ground turkey
  • 1 lb lean ground turkey Use 90% lean or leaner.
medium onion, diced
  • 1 onion Diced.
garlic cloves, minced
  • 3 garlic cloves Minced.
black beans
  • 1 can (15 oz) black beans Drained.
frozen corn
  • 1 cup frozen corn Thawed.
red enchilada sauce
  • 1 can (10 oz) red enchilada sauce
diced tomatoes
  • 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes Drained.
chili powder
  • 2 tsp chili powder
cumin
  • 1 tsp cumin
smoked paprika
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
salt
  • 0.25 tsp salt To taste.
Mexican cheese blend
  • 0.5 cup Mexican cheese blend Shredded or pre-shredded.
cilantro for serving
  • 1 cilantro Chopped.
avocado for serving
  • 1 avocado Sliced.
lime for serving
  • 1 lime Wedges for squeezing.

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet

Method
 

Brown the turkey
  1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the lean ground turkey, breaking it apart until no longer pink. Drain any excess liquid so the skillet doesn’t get watery.
Build flavor
  1. Add the diced onion and cook for 3 minutes until soft, stirring as needed and letting the onions soften. Then add the minced garlic and cook 1 more minute until fragrant.
Simmer the enchilada filling
  1. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, and smoked paprika until evenly mixed, to bloom the spices. Season with salt to taste.
  2. Add the black beans, thawed frozen corn, drained diced tomatoes, and red enchilada sauce. Stir everything together until the ingredients are coated.
  3. Simmer over medium heat for 8–10 minutes until heated through and the sauce thickens slightly, stirring occasionally so it reduces. Keep it at a gentle simmer rather than a hard boil.
Melt cheese and serve
  1. Sprinkle the Mexican cheese blend over the top and cover the skillet for 2 minutes until melted. Turn off the heat as soon as the cheese melts.
  2. Serve topped with fresh cilantro, sliced avocado, and a squeeze of lime for brightness. Add lime wedges at the side if you want extra juice.

Notes

For a thicker, more enchilada-like texture, simmer a bit longer (up to 10 minutes) so the sauce reduces before adding the cheese. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days; reheat in a skillet or microwave until hot. Freezing isn’t recommended because beans and tomatoes can lose texture after thawing. If you want it lower-carb, swap the corn for extra black beans or skip the corn and add bell peppers.