Mexican Chicken Taco Skillet is made with extra lean ground chicken, salsa, black beans and Orecchiette pasta in one pan for a quick, delicious weeknight meal.
One of the most popular recipes to date is my Italian Ground Chicken Pasta Skillet. And it's no wonder! It can be made in one pan so less mess to clean up.
Since I always have a package of taco seasoning on hand, I decided to add a Mexican flare and came up with this Mexican Chicken Taco Skillet.
I'm not going to lie, I think we all enjoyed this version SO much better! Besides, I also had some leftover restaurant jarred salsa; which made this taste even better.
What is a skillet meal?
Skillet meals are a busy family's best friend. Honestly, what could be better than cooking everything in one pan? They've come a long way and some of our favorites include Skillet Pesto Chicken Pasta, Skillet Cheeseburger Gnocchi and Skillet Shrimp and Tortellini.
Ingredients needed
For this recipe you'll need Canola oil, extra lean ground chicken, taco seasoning, restaurant style jarred salsa, black beans, chicken broth, Orecchiette pasta and shredded Cheddar cheese.
If you prefer to make your own seasonings, this recipe for homemade taco seasoning from Pioneer Woman should do the trick. We also had this type of pasta on hand, but any small pasta like macaroni, rotini or gemelli would work also.
However, you may have to adjust your cooking times slightly as each pasta cooks differently. We also always have jarred salsa and canned black beans on hand at our house for those last minute gatherings. Especially when the mood hits for homemade chicken chili!
You could use homemade pico de gallo or soak dry beans if you prefer, but the jarred salsa contains a bit more liquid and is usually not as "chunky" as homemade.
How do you make Mexican Chicken Taco Skillet?
Heat the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium high heat; then add the ground chicken and cook 5-6 minutes until no longer pink. Add the taco seasoning, salsa, beans, pasta and chicken broth to the pan.
Mix well, reduce heat to low-medium, then cover with a lid and cook for approximately 20 minutes until the liquid is mostly absorbed and the pasta is cooked through.
Finally, sprinkle the cheese on top, cover the skillet and let sit 1-2 minutes until the cheese is melted. Is your mouth watering with this cheesy goodness yet?
What if pasta isn't cooked?
It may happen. Depending on the type of pasta you use, they cook at different rates. Also everyone's stovetop cooks differently. I have a gas stove, but cooking on an electric stove may not give you the same temperature. This can cause the liquid to evaporate faster or slower than it should.
If the pasta isn't cooked to your liking, add ¼ cup more of chicken broth, cover the lid and cook again for another 3-5 minutes.
Repeat as often as necessary or if using larger size pasta. We had some Orecchiette pasta; which is small pasta that's shaped like an ear.
Serving Suggestions
Because this skillet meal had everything in it, we served ours with a tossed salad. However, some Roasted Broccoli with Garlic or Sautéed Fresh Spinach would be great too.
In fact, you could even add it to the skillet while the pasta is cooking too if you want to incorporate some veggies into the meal.
Like I said my family LOVED this Mexican Chicken Taco Skillet so I'll definitely be making it again. The plus side is that it only took 30 minutes to make and I only had one pan to clean up afterwards. You're not going to want to wait to dig into this one! ~ Enjoy!
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More Taco Tuesday Recipes
- Taco Baked Sweet Potato Casserole
- Slow Cooker Taco Beef
- Low Fat Taco Spaghetti Casserole
- Taco Baked Chicken
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Mexican Chicken Taco Skillet
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 1 pound extra lean ground chicken
- 1- (1-ounce) package taco seasoning
- 1- (15-ounce) jar restaurant style salsa
- 1- (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed
- 2 cups orecchiette pasta, dry
- 3 cups chicken broth
- ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium high heat; then add the ground chicken and cook 5-6 minutes until no longer pink.
- Add the taco seasoning, salsa, beans, pasta and chicken broth to the pan.
- Mix well, reduce heat to low-medium, then cover with a lid and cook for approximately 20 minutes until the liquid is mostly absorbed and the pasta is cooked through.
- Finally, sprinkle the cheese on top, cover the skillet and let sit 1-2 minutes until the cheese is melted.
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