One-Pan Southwest Fiesta! 🌮

One-Pan Southwest Fiesta was born out of my love for bold Mexican flavors and my search for a healthier twist without all the extra carbs and salt. Let’s be clear—I’m no expert in authentic Mexican cuisine, but I absolutely adore the spices, textures, and toppings that make it so irresistible. Swapping out ground beef for turkey piqued my curiosity, and I quickly discovered a mouthwatering medley of fresh ingredients that satisfied both my cravings and my taste buds. 👩🏼‍🍳

How I learned this recipe 👩🏼‍🍳

Ground turkey wasn’t always my go-to—I once thought it was too dry—until I started experimenting and found myself loving its unique flavor and texture. Now, my husband and I can’t get enough of this dish. And while we do occasionally “fall off the carb wagon” with a handful of tortilla chips or a warm tortilla on the side, we’ve happily ditched the rice and beans. I wouldn’t be surprised if you find yourself doing the same! So grab a bowl, load it up with your favorite toppings, and get ready to enjoy every bite. Buen provecho!

Vegetable Melody 🫑

The perfect melody of vegetables in this dish leave you wanting more. With Zucchini, yellow squash, onions, corn, cilantro, it’s a wonderful mix with the ground turkey! Such a healthy choice with amazing flavor, you can’t go wrong.

Mexican Style Seasoning 🌮

This mix of seasonings creates a great flavor hitting a lot of taste pallets, from sweet and savory to a little smokey, and a hint of heat. Add in some Jalapeños and Green Chilis for a great addition!

Folding in The Goodness!

I just love sautéing and slowly folding in spices with ground turkey—the flavors build beautifully! But here’s the game-changer: a tablespoon of applesauce. Sounds unexpected, right? I picked up this secret from a restaurant I used to frequent in California. Their ground turkey was unbelievably moist, so I had to ask—what’s the trick? Their answer? Applesauce. 🍎

It works like eggs in ground beef, locking in moisture and keeping the turkey tender and fluffy. Simply mix a tablespoon of applesauce into your ground turkey before cooking (I like to use my hands for an even blend). That’s it—so simple, but trust me, it makes all the difference.

One-Pan Southwest Fiesta

Jill

Wonderful mix of fresh ground turkey and vegetables for a Fiesta melody.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine Mexican

Servings 4 People

Calories 270 kcal

Equipment

• 1 Large pan with lid, I love using an Iron pan or metal is good too.
• 1 Chef's Knife
• 2 Large mixing bowls
• 1 Small bowl for spices
• 1 Set mixing spoons
• 1 Set measuring cups
• 1 Chopping block
• 1 Can opener
• 1 Spatula
• 1 Garlic press, or chef's knife to chop fine

Ingredients

  

• 3 Tbsp Chili Powder
• 1 Tbsp Ground Cumin
• 1.5 Tbsp Salt
• 1/2 Tbsp Oregano
• 1 Tbsp Canned Jalapeños
• 1 Tbsp Canned Green Chilies
• 2 14.5 oz. Cans of Fire Roaster Diced Tomatoes
• 3 lbs Ground Turkey
• 1 Tbsp Apple Sauce
• 1 Whole Red Onion
• 4 Cloves Garlic
• 2 Medium Zucchini
• 2 Medium Yellow Squash
• 1 10oz Frozen Corn
• 1 Tbsp Fresh Cilantro
• 1/2 C. Fresh Salsa – medium or hot
• 2 Tbsp White cooking wine
• 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
• Tapatio and Chipotle sauce to taste

Instructions

 

• Measure out all spices into a small bowl and mix together with a small spoon to blend. Set aside in a small bowl.
• Dice red onion and set aside in a small bowl.
• Wash Zucchini and Yellow Squash.
• Dice Zucchini, Yellow Squash, and place in a large bowl
• In a Large Skillet or Iron Pan, add 2 Tbsp olive oil on Medium heat
• Add red onion and cook until starting to caramelize.
• * Optional – add 2 Tbsp white cooking wine to sauté onions. (the alcohol cooks out but offers a great flavor)
• Add in zucchini, yellow squash, and frozen corn, and continue cooking until tender to the touch and slightly browned.
• Add 2 Tbsp spices to vegetables and fold in to get coverage.
• Remove vegetables from pan and set aside in a large bowl.
• Add applesauce to ground turkey in large bowl and work in together- this will offer more moisture and flavor.
• Add 2 Tbsp olive oil to the pan
• Add ground turkey to the pan and break into large pieces using a spatula.
• Add minced garlic cloves to ground turkey.
• Cook turkey until starting to brown, about 2 minutes.
• Add 2 Tbsp spices to ground turkey and fold in to get coverage.
• Continue cooking ground turkey while breaking into smaller pieces for another 2-3 minutes until meat changes to a grayish/brown and there is no pink remaining.
• Add vegetables and the rest of spices, folding all ingredients in with a spatula.
• Add 2 cans fire roasted tomatoes.
• Add Salsa, Jalapeños and Green Chilis, and fold in.
• Add Tapatio and Chipotle sauce to taste, for amazing additional flavor.
• Add Cilantro last.
• Let cook on simmer for an additional 15 minutes to allow all ingredients to melt in together.
• Turn off burner and serve!

Notes

This lean dish is great on its own, or for more substantial meal and family planning it can be paired up with sides such as rice, and black beans or refried beans. 

Keyword Chicken, veggies, broth, spices, Fiesta, ground turkey, Mexican spices, Southwest Fiesta

Side Dish Suggestions 👩🏼‍🍳

Great side dishes for a more substantial meal and family planning.

• Jasmine Rice
• Brown Rice
• Black Beans
• Refried Beans
• Corn or Flour Tortillas

Toppings 👩🏼‍🍳🌶

I love this dish on it’s own without out sides, especially when I am eating lean but still want a Fiesta experience.

• Salsa
• Fresh Cilantro
• Sour Cream
• Guacamole
• Cheese (of your choice)
• Tapatio Sauce
• Chipotle Sauce