Ground Turkey Sweet Potato Skillet

A one pan ground turkey sweet potato skillet with 36g protein per serving, smoky warm and ready in 25 minutes. ♡

This recipe packs 36g of protein per serving and cooks in one pan in 25 minutes flat. Lean ground turkey browns with cubed sweet potato, black beans, and warm spices for a smoky hash that feeds the whole family. For more ideas, see our Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs.

High protein, high fiber, and meal prep gold. Let’s make it together.

Ingredients

Ground Turkey Sweet Potato Skillet

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 lb 93/7 ground turkey
• 1 medium sweet potato, diced 1/2 inch cubes
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed, 15 oz
• 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 cup cotija cheese, or feta, crumbled
• 2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 lime, cut into wedges

How to Make Ground Turkey Sweet Potato Skillet

1. **Saute.** Heat oil in a 12 inch skillet over medium high. Add onion. Cook 3 minutes until softened.
2. **Brown.** Add ground turkey. Break apart with a wooden spoon. Cook 5 minutes until no pink remains.
3. **Add veg.** Stir in sweet potato cubes and garlic. Cook 2 minutes.
4. **Bloom spices.** Sprinkle cumin, paprika, and chili powder over the top. Stir 30 seconds until fragrant.
5. **Simmer.** Pour in broth and add black beans. Cover and simmer 10 minutes until sweet potato is fork tender.
6. **Finish.** Top with cotija, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime. Serve hot.

Why This Recipe Works

6 oz lean ground turkey provides 33g, half a cup of black beans adds 7g, and a sprinkle of cotija cheese on top adds 3g. The combo hits 36g protein per serving while keeping saturated fat low.

Dicing sweet potato into small 1/2 inch cubes is the timing trick. Smaller cubes cook through in the same 10 minutes the turkey needs, so everything finishes together in one pan.

Blooming cumin, paprika, and chili powder in the hot fat before adding liquid pulls out deep smoky flavor. This is what turns a bland skillet into something that tastes like it simmered for an hour. For more ideas, see our Cottage Cheese Breakfast Bowl.

Tips

• Use 93/7 ground turkey for best protein to fat ratio.
• Dice sweet potato into uniform 1/2 inch cubes so they cook at the same rate.
• Bloom spices in hot fat for 30 seconds to unlock maximum flavor.
• Store in airtight containers in the fridge up to 5 days.
• Reheat in a skillet over medium with a splash of broth.
• Meal prep: divide into 4 containers with avocado and cilantro on top.

Variations

• Swap ground turkey for ground chicken or 93/7 ground beef.
• Use butternut squash instead of sweet potato.
• Stir in a can of fire roasted tomatoes for a chili vibe.
• Top with fried eggs for a breakfast for dinner angle.
• Add a handful of baby spinach at the end for greens.
• Serve over cauliflower rice to make it lower carb.

Looking for more high protein dinner ideas? Try our Buffalo Chicken Pasta Bake or Greek Yogurt Chicken Salad next.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Overcrowding the pan: Use a 12 inch skillet. A small pan steams instead of browns the turkey.
• Sweet potato cubes too big: Keep cubes 1/2 inch or smaller so they finish with the turkey.
• Dumping spices into liquid: Bloom them in fat first for deeper flavor.
• Skipping salt: Season in layers, once when the turkey goes in and once at the end.

Ground Turkey Sweet Potato Skillet

High protein ground turkey sweet potato skillet with 36g protein. One pan weeknight dinner in 25 minutes.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Calories: 420

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion diced
• 1 lb 93/7 ground turkey
• 1 medium sweet potato diced 1/2 inch cubes
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 can black beans drained and rinsed, 15 oz
• 1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth
• 1/4 cup cotija cheese or feta, crumbled
• 2 tbsp fresh cilantro chopped
• 1 lime cut into wedges

Method

 

1. **Saute.** Heat oil in a 12 inch skillet over medium high. Add onion. Cook 3 minutes until softened.
2. **Brown.** Add ground turkey. Break apart with a wooden spoon. Cook 5 minutes until no pink remains.
3. **Add veg.** Stir in sweet potato cubes and garlic. Cook 2 minutes.
4. **Bloom spices.** Sprinkle cumin, paprika, and chili powder over the top. Stir 30 seconds until fragrant.
5. **Simmer.** Pour in broth and add black beans. Cover and simmer 10 minutes until sweet potato is fork tender.
6. **Finish.** Top with cotija, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime. Serve hot.

Notes

Use 93/7 ground turkey for best protein to fat ratio. Dice sweet potato into uniform 1/2 inch cubes so they cook at the same rate. Bloom spices in hot fat for 30 seconds to unlock maximum flavor.

Sources: USDA FoodData Central for protein and nutrition data and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health on protein requirements.

FAQ

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