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One Pan Ground Turkey and Rice with Spicy Cucumber Crunch

If you’re wondering how to cook ground turkey and rice in one pan, you’re in the right place. This recipe starts with a Korean-inspired blend of lean ground turkey, shallots, garlic, ginger, and gochujang. Once that’s cooked, short grain sushi rice and chicken broth join the team to create a hearty one skillet meal in 20 to 25 minutes.

And to take things to another level, the recipe includes a crunchy cucumber and radish combo seasoned with Korean chili flakes, toasted sesame oil, and scallions. It brightens the dish with fresh flavors, adds crunchy texture, and increases the volume of every serving.

This one skillet meal is perfect for easy weeknight dinners or even meal prep, since the rice and ground turkey mixture reheats perfectly.

Before you print the recipe below and make your full grocery list for the week, you might want to check out some of my similar recipes. My cheesy broccoli ground chicken and rice resembles the beloved casserole and uses the same short grain rice as this recipe.

I would also recommend other one skillet meals like my teriyaki broccoli and ground beefhoney sesame ground chicken and veggie skillet, or creamy mushroom orzo with ground turkey.

Leave any questions you have about this recipe in the comments at the bottom of the post. Otherwise, I hope you enjoy this recipe!

ground turkey and rice in a stainless steel sauté pan topped with cucumber and radish slices

Korean Ground Turkey and Rice Skillet with Cucumber Crunch

Yield: 6 Servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes

Lean ground turkey, shallots, garlic, ginger, gochujang, and sushi rice are cooked together in one skillet and topped with a refreshing, spicy cucumber crunch combo.

Ingredients

For the Ground Turkey and Rice

  • 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
  • 1 pound Ground Turkey
  • 1 Shallot, minced
  • 2 cloves Garlic, crushed or minced
  • 2 teaspoons Ginger, crushed or minced
  • Pinch of Kosher Salt and Black Pepper
  • 1/4 cup (84g) Gochujang
  • 1 1/2 cup Sushi or Short Grain Rice, rinsed
  • 3 cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth

For the Cucumber Crunch

  • 3 Mini Seedless Cucumbers (or 1 large seedless cucumber), cut into half moons
  • 3 Red Radishes, thinly sliced
  • 1 Tablespoon Kosher Salt
  • 2 Scallions, thinly sliced
  • 1 Tablespoon Gochugaru (Korean Chili Flakes)*
  • 1 teaspoon Toasted Sesame Oil

Instructions

  1. Add the sliced cucumbers and radishes to a large bowl and toss with a tablespoon of kosher salt. Set aside.
  2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat with 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil. Once hot, add the ground turkey and cook for 3-4 minutes to brown one side.
  3. Flip the ground turkey and push to one side of the skillet. Add the remaining oil to the other side of the skillet, followed by the shallot, garlic, ginger, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Break the turkey apart and mix everything together to fully cook the turkey.
  4. Once the turkey is fully cooked, stir in the gochujang and cook for 30-60 seconds before adding the rice and chicken broth. (If needed, use 1/2 to 1 cup of chicken broth to deglaze the skillet before adding the rice and remaining broth.)
  5. Bring to a boil before reducing the heat to its lowest setting, covering, and cooking for 12-15 minutes until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is fully cooked. Stir halfway through to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
  6. While the rice cooks, rinse the cucumber and radish mixture under cold water and drain well. Add the scallions, gochugaru, and toasted sesame oil. Toss everything together to serve with the finished turkey and rice. Optional: Garnish with additional freshly sliced scallions and roasted sesame seeds.

Notes

*You can substitute for other chile flakes if you don't have gochugaru on hand.

Nutrition Facts Notes

I used 99% lean ground turkey. With 93/7 ground turkey, each serving has around 345 calories, 19 grams of protein, 46 grams of carbs, and 9 grams of fat.

The cucumber crunch only equates to about 100 calories, which is mostly negligible on a per serving basis.

You can reduce the carb and calorie content by using a high protein rice substitute like the Right Rice in my Thai curry chicken and chickpea rice or by adding cooked cauliflower rice to the pan with the finished turkey and rice. The latter would add volume, allowing you to have more servings with fewer calories.

Serving Tips

If you're planning to use this dish for meal prep, be sure to store the cucumber crunch separate from the ground turkey and rice. That way you can reheat without it to keep it crispy and fresh.

I've kept the spice level on the milder end of the spectrum. Don't shy away from adding extra chili flakes or chili sauce. Korean soy sauce, rice vinegar or mirin, and other sauces and condiments are also great additions.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 8 oz turkey and rice + 1/6 cucumber crunch
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 325Total Fat: 5gCarbohydrates: 46gProtein: 22g

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