Texas Beef Skillet Recipe (2024)

If you’re on the hunt for an easy weeknight meal that can be whipped up in a single pan, you’ll adore this Texas Beef Skillet. The classic chili flavors offer a major kick of spice while the fluffy rice adds healthy carbs and keeps you full for hours!

I’ll be the first to admit that I’m a huge fan of one-pot meals as I’m a Messy Bessie in the kitchen. So, keeping the potential fallout to a single pot reduces my clean-up time hugely.

Although this might not look overly Texan at first glance, it’s the old-school combo of a spicy chili and rice that makes it a staple.

The portions here might not be quite as big as what you’d get in Dallas, but each bite will transport you right to the rodeo.

Oh, and did I mention the glorious tortilla chip and spring onion topping that adds a bunch of color and crunch to the mix?

My daughter Bridget absolutely loves this recipe after a tough day at school (and she’s relatively picky!). That means you can rest assured that this dish will be a major hit with the entire family.

Now grab that skillet and get to it!

Why You’ll Love This Texas Beef Skillet

• Everything is made in one pan which makes clean-up a breeze.
• It’s made with simple ingredients to create a hearty and satisfying midweek meal.
• It’s an easy way to use up that ground beef that’s been lying around in the freezer!
• The combination of salt, onion, chili powder, and garlic salt gives the meat an incredible savory flavor.
• The crunch green pepper and melty cheese turn this into an uber-indulgent dish that’s worthy of any family gathering.

Ingredients

The full printable recipe card with measurements and instructions is found at the bottom of the post.

• Ground beef. You can use virtually any kind of ground beef depending on what’s important to you. 5% fat varieties will be slightly drier but lower calorie, while higher fat varieties will keep moisture in the recipe. Be aware that you’ll be draining the fat either way!
• Onion. To give your skillet a wonderful savory flavor.
• Chili powder. For a Texan kick that adds major depth to the recipe.
• Salt.
• Garlic salt. Not only does this save you mincing garlic, but it gives an aromatic edge to the recipe.
• Diced tomatoes. Any canned variety will work well. To keep things healthy, try and find a can with as few additives as possible.
• Kidney beans. For texture and extra protein. And hey, you can’t have chili without beans!
• Minute rice. Minute rice is incredibly easy to cook and seriously speeds up the cook time on this recipe.
• Water.
• Green pepper. For crunch and color.
• Shredded cheese, green onion, crushed tortilla chips. These are all technically optional ingredients, but they add color and crunch that seriously lift the dish.

How to Make Texas Beef Skillet

• Step One: In a large skillet, brown ground beef and cook onions over medium heat.
• Step Two: Drain the fat.

• Step Three: Stir in chili powder, salt and garlic salt.
• Step Four: Stir in diced tomatoes with juices, undrained kidney beans, uncooked Minute Rice, water and green pepper. Bring to a boil.
• Step Five: Reduce heat to medium low. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

• Step Six: Top with shredded cheese, green onion and crushed tortilla chips, if desired.
• Step Seven: Serve and enjoy!

Equipment Needed

If you’re a bit unprepared to whip up a Texas beef skillet, these pieces of equipment will set you up for success!

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• Skillet
• Cheese Grater
• Spoon
• Knife Set

What to Serve with Texas Beef Skillet

• Party Potatoes
• Candied Sweet Potatoes
• Slow Cooker Cheesy Potatoes

Recipe Tips and Tricks

• Don’t pre-cook your rice in a different pan. I’ve already mentioned this is a one-pot wonder, and that’s because the rice is supposed to soak up the flavors around it!
• Take your time cooking the aromatics with the beef. You’ll want the beef to bind with the flavors of the onion here, so give them time to work together!
• Watch your simmering heat. You don’t want to keep your simmer too high as you might overdo your ingredients and cause concealment from overboiling.
• Give the mix a couple of stirs. As you simmer, give your dish a couple of good stirs. This let’s everything incorporate and cook evenly.

Variations and Substitutions

• If you want things even spicier, you can throw more chili powder into your recipe! Just be careful and add it in small increments to avoid overwhelming the flavors of the dish.
• Although I like using beef for this recipe, you can use any kind of ground meat you like. Chicken, pork, and turkey are all good options.
• If you want to make this recipe even heartier, you can add carrots for a hint of sweetness!

Storage Instructions

This Texas Beef Skillet stores well and tastes even better once it has been resting in the fridge a while.

Simply wait for it to cool, put it in an airtight container, and you’ll have leftovers for up to 4 days!

Can I Freeze?

If you’d like to freeze this recipe, allow it to cool completely before placing portions in freezer bags.

Your skillet should stay tasty in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Beef Recipes

• Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff
• Shipwreck Casserole
• Taco Chili
• Beef Noodle Bake
• Creamy Beef and Shells
• Chow Mein Skillet

You might also like these Dr. Pepper Baked Beans, Kidney Bean Bake orBean Casserole.

Follow me on Instagram@simplystacieblog, Facebook atSimply Stacie, TikTok@simplystacierecipesor Pinterest at@simplystacieand let me know how you liked this recipe and my other recipes.

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