Turkey Taco Skillet Bowls

Let's Cook

1. 1Step 1

   Get everything within arm's reach first; the cooking runs fast once the pan is hot. Tip the black beans into a sieve and rinse under cold water, rubbing them with your fingers until the water runs clear and no gray foam clings to them — that foam tastes like the can. Shake the sieve hard and let it sit. Drain the corn thoroughly, pressing it against the sieve until it stops dripping. Set the cheese, salsa and guacamole on the counter beside the stove.

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   Wet corn is the main cause of a soupy skillet. If it still looks damp after draining, blot it with a paper towel before it goes anywhere near the pan.

2. 2Step 2

   2 min

   Heat the rice. A microwave pouch takes about 90 seconds; cold cooked rice needs a splash of water, a plate over the bowl, and 2 minutes. Fold it with a fork — it's ready when steam rises freely and there are no cool, packed clumps hiding in the middle. Cover it again to hold the heat while you cook.

3. 3Step 3

   3 min

   Set a large skillet over medium-high with a drizzle of oil. When the oil thins and runs across the pan as you tilt it, about a minute, add the turkey and press it into one rough layer with the back of a spoon. Leave it alone for 2 minutes — listen for a steady, busy sizzle, not a quiet bubble. Break it into small crumbles and cook 2 to 3 minutes more, until no pink remains and an instant-read thermometer pushed into a thick crumble reads 165°F (74°C). Salt it now.

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   Ground chicken behaves the same way here and needs the same 165°F (74°C). Both are lean, so don't skip the oil.

4. 4Step 4

   4 min

   Pour in the salsa and add the drained beans. Stir once and simmer 3 to 4 minutes: the liquid should darken, thicken, and coat the meat, so that dragging a spoon across the pan leaves a trail that fills in slowly instead of flooding back. Stir in the corn and cook 3 to 4 minutes more, until it's hot through and the pan has gone back to sizzling rather than wet bubbling. Taste and add salt.

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   If the salsa reduces faster than the corn heats, drop the heat to medium — you want it thick, not scorched onto the pan bottom.

5. 5Step 5

   Divide the hot rice among four bowls and spoon the turkey mixture over it. Scatter the cheese on immediately, while the filling is still steaming, so it slumps and goes glossy at the edges. Top each bowl with a spoonful of guacamole, set on rather than stirred in, and serve right away.

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   The cheese only melts if the filling is steaming. Assemble bowls one at a time rather than lining all four up first.