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My easy recipe for One Pot Cheesy Turkey Chili Mac makes dinner time a breeze with quick clean-up! My One Pot Cheesy Turkey Chili Mac is the perfect weeknight meal for the whole family, with lean protein and fiber-packed goodness in every bite.
Chili Mac and Cheese tastes like your favorite Chili recipe, but, with the added cheesy goodness of Mac & Cheese! This chili mac recipe is made with ground turkey to keeps things on the lighter side for dinner!
I begin by making a quick chili recipe using lean ground turkey and then add the dry pasta right into the chili. Finally, I top everything off with cheese and serve with a spoonful of creamy sour cream. The entire family will love this recipe and this will be a new favorite request for your monthly meal planner, with my One Pot Cheesy Turkey Chili Mac!
Chili Mac and Cheese
We love one pot meals! As a busy Mom, when I sit down to do Meal Planning for the week, I plan easy dinner recipes around activities. If I am short on time, this chili mac and cheese recipe is a quick go to!
Why you’ll love this Turkey Chili Mac Recipe:
- contains simple ingredients
- made in one pot, for easy clean up
- comfort meal
- filling
- wonderful for lunch the following day
Recipes Similar to One Pot Cheesy Turkey Chili Mac:
- Healthy Turkey Meatballs Recipe
- Healthy Baked Mac and Cheese with Broccoli
- Southwest Stuffed Peppers with Ground Turkey
- Asian Turkey Lettuce Wraps | Low Carb
Why Are One Pot Dinners So Useful?
One pot dinners are meals that only take one pot to cook the entire dish in. Chili is an awesome one pot meal because it’s easy and cooks through with only a few dishes to wash in the end. Less dishes means more family time! In addition to the ease of only washing one dish, one pot meals are also an economical way to feed a lot of people. Big families love one pot meals because everyone can serve themselves a scoop of chili mac and there will still be leftovers.
One pot dinners are an easy and successful way of feeding the whole family a healthy, hearty meal. For more one pot dinners, try my Easy One Pot Thai Chicken and Rice!
Ingredients in Chili Mac and Cheese Recipe
- extra virgin olive oil
- lean ground turkey
- onion
- minced garlic
- chili powder
- cumin
- paprika
- garlic powder
- salt
- red chili flakes
- diced tomatoes
- low-sodium beef broth or chicken broth
- dark red kidney beans
- regular or whole-grain elbow pasta
- mild sharp cheddar cheese or reduced-fat mild cheddar shredded cheese
How to Make One-Pot Cheesy Turkey Chili Mac
Using a large stockpot or Dutch oven, add the turkey, breaking it up with a wooden spoon until it is browned and cooked, about 4-6 minutes. Drain any fat from the ground turkey and set it aside.
Using the same stockpot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil, add the onion and garlic, and cook for 2-3 minutes until the onions are soft and translucent.
Return the cooked ground turkey to the skillet and add the seasonings. Stir together to mix well until the ground turkey is covered evenly.
Add the crushed tomatoes and broth. Bring up to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
Add the beans and pasta. Stir together, and continue simmering for about 10-12 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked to al dente.
Reduce the heat to low and sprinkle the cheese over the chili, stir and let the cheese melt throughout the pasta. Cover it with a lid to melt the cheese faster and stir.
Serve with optional sour cream or light sour cream and chopped cilantro.
More One-Pot Meals to Try:
- One Pot Cilantro and Lime Chicken with Rice
- One Pot Buffalo Chicken Pasta
- One Pot Thai Chicken and Rice
One-Pot Cheesy Turkey Chili Mac
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1.5 pounds lean ground turkey
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tbsp chili powder
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp red chili flakes
- 1 14-oz. diced tomatoes
- 3 cups beef broth or chicken broth if you need more, adjust based on consistency
- 1 15.5-oz. sodium dark red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 12 oz. elbow macaroni or whole-grain elbow macaroni dry
- 8 ounces mild cheddar cheese or reduced-fat mild cheddar shredded cheese I like to hand shred an 8 ounce block of cheese for easy melting
Instructions
- Using a large stockpot, or Dutch oven, add the ground turkey, breaking it up with a wooden spoon until it is browned and cooked, about 4-6 minutes.
- Drain the cooked ground turkey to remove any fat and set it aside.
- In the same large stockpot or Dutch oven, heat the extra virgin olive oil. Add the onion and garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the onions are soft and translucent.
- Return the cooked ground turkey to the stockpot or Dutch oven and add the spices. Stir to cover the ground turkey evenly.
- Add the diced tomatoes and broth and stir. Bring up to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
- Add the kidney beans and the dry elbow macaroni pasta. Stir together, and continue simmering for about 10-12 minutes, or until the pasta is cooked to al dente.
- Sprinkle the cheese over the chili, and stir to cover evenly. Let stand 2-3 minutes until the cheese melts. Then, cover it with a lid to melt the cheese faster. Tip: I like to use a block of cheddar cheese and shred it just before adding it to the chili mac. Freshly shredded cheese melts faster and I think has a better flavor to the dish.
- Serve with optional sour cream or light sour cream, and chopped cilantro.
Notes
Calories: 306
Calories from fat: 46
Fat: 5g
Saturated Fat: 2g
Cholesterol: 39mg
Sodium: 377mg
Carbohydrates: 41g
Fiber: 10g
Sugar: 4g
Protein: 27
WW SmartPoints: 8
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