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WW Recipe of the Day: Low Carb Green Chili Ground Turkey Skillet
I really enjoy the nights when my husband says he’ll cook. All I need to do is decide what to make, get out all the ingredients and dishes, tell him how to do it and then clean up the mess. And if I’m around, it’s like a game of 20 questions. Seriously, this is NOT my idea of a night off!
Plus sometimes just deciding what to make is often the hardest part!
So I decided that simple freezer meals could really work to my advantage here. Now all he has to do is dump the thawed freezer bag into a skillet and serve it up any way he wants. One pan and done. It doesn’t get much easier than that – like with this Green Chile Verde Ground Turkey Meal, which begins with just 3 simple ingredients!
With freezer meals like this, it really is a night off. Trust me. Try it.
How Many Calories and WW Points in this Green Chili Turkey Skillet?
According to my calculations, each serving has 247 calories and:
6 *SmartPoints (Green plan)
5 *SmartPoints (Blue plan)
5 *SmartPoints (Purple plan)
7 *PointsPlus (Old plan)
To see your WW PersonalPoints for this recipe and track it in the WW app or site, Click here!
How to Assemble the Green Chili Turkey Freezer Meal
- Gather all the ingredients (ground turkey, salt, pepper, salsa verde and zucchini).
- Wash the zucchini and shred enough for 1 cup. Using paper towels, squeeze any excess water from the shredded zucchini.
- Label a quart size freezer bag using a marker, paper and tape, or whatever you have available.
- First add ground turkey meat to the labeled freezer bag.
- Add remaining ingredients in the order listed above (salt, pepper, salsa verde and shredded zucchini).
- Remove as much air as possible and seal the bag. Removing air from the bag will help prevent ice crystals from forming, reducing the chance for freezer burn.
- Lay the bag flat in your freezer (at least until hardened).
How to Cook this Ground Turkey Freezer Meal
You’ll want to plan ahead and make sure your freezer bag is completely thawed before cooking. Remove the bag from the freezer and let it thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours prior to cooking.
Stove Top Cooking Instructions:
When you’re ready to cook: Add contents of the thawed bag to a skillet:
Cook on medium/high heat for 15-20 minutes until meat is done. Remove from heat and serve.
Crock Pot Cooking Instructions:
Ideal slow cooker size: 4-Quart.
When you’re ready to cook: Add contents of the thawed bag to your slow cooker. Cover and cook on LOW for 3 to 4 hours, or until done.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve stuffed in a cooked squash like zucchini, acorn or spaghetti squash:
I halved and acorn squash, rubbed each side with pumpkin pie spice and a little olive oil and then roasted it. I put the Green Chili Turkey inside and then topped it with a red chili sauce, crumbled cheese and green onions. - Keep it low carb and serve alongside sautéed summer squash, zoodles or over cauliflower rice.
- This Green Chili Ground Turkey makes a great taco salad.
- Use as a filling for tacos, burritos or quesadillas.
- Add it as a topping for a baked potato or sweet potato.
- Serve it in a bowl with brown rice or riced cauliflower, and beans.
- Serve with mashed potatoes and veggie of choice.
- Stir in some cooked macaroni to create a tasty Skillet Green Turkey Chili Mac (aka Southwestern Goulash).
Green Chili Turkey Ideas for Leftovers
#1: Low Calorie Mexican Pizza. Simply use:
- 1 large tortilla (or 2 medium)
- 1/4 cup of refried beans
- 1/4 cup shredded low-fat cheese
- lettuce, chopped
- tomato, chopped
- green onion, chopped (optional)
- salsa (optional)
Instructions:
- Spread a thin layer of beans on the tortilla.
- Top beans with leftover green chili turkey and shredded cheese.
- Bake at 375F degrees until crispy.
- Remove pizza from oven and top like a taco with lettuce, tomato, green onions, and salsa.
# 2: Taco Casserole. Mix leftovers with black beans, top with cheese and bake. Serve with chips and salsa.
#3: Green Chili Ground Turkey Soup. Heat leftovers in a pot along with chicken broth, diced green chilis, and corn. Top with diced avocado, tomato and cilantro.
#4: Green Chili Ground Turkey Cheese Dip: Add leftovers to a small slow cooker with a can of corn, Rotel (diced tomatoes and green chilies) and light cream cheese, cover and cook on low for 3 to 4 hours or until warm for a tasty dip.
#5: Serve it with eggs in the morning for a hearty satisfying breakfast.
#6 Make a low calorie breakfast burrito. Mix warmed leftovers with scrambled eggs and wrap in a tortilla.
#7: Southwestern Shepard’s Pie. Mix leftovers with a cup or two of mixed veggies and spread into a baking dish. Top with mashed potatoes and bake until heated through.
Get creative with your leftovers. If my combinations don’t sound good to you, try something else.
Do it your way and then share your recipe with us in the comments below.
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3-Ingredient Low Carb Green Chili Turkey Skillet (Freezer Meal)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
- 1 jar (12 ounces) salsa verde
- 1 cup shredded zucchini, excess water squeezed out
Instructions
Prepare the Freezer Meal Ingredients:
- Gather ingredients and shred 1 cup zucchini - using paper towels, squeeze any excess water from the zucchini.Label a quart size freezer bag using a marker, paper and tape, or whatever you have available.First add ground turkey meat to the labeled freezer bag.Add remaining ingredients in the order listed above (salt, pepper, salsa verde and shredded zucchini).Remove as much air as possible and seal the bag. Removing air from the bag will help prevent ice crystals from forming, reducing the chance for freezer burn.Lay the bag flat in your freezer (at least until hardened).
Remove bag from freezer and thaw in refrigerator for 24 hours prior to cooking.
- When you're ready to cook: Add contents of the bag to the skillet.Cook on medium/high heat for 15-20 minutes, or until meat is cooked.Remove from heat and serve.
Slow Cooker Instructions:
- Ideal slow cooker size: 4-Quart.
- Add contents of the thawed bag to slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 6 hours, or until done.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
A note about WW Points
If you're following Weight Watchers, all the recipes here on Simple Nourished Living have been updated for the new WW program, with points displayed in the recipe card. The Check the WW Points link in the recipe card takes you to the Weight Watchers App where you can edit it using the WW recipe builder or add it to your day.
(Must be logged into WW account on a mobile device, such as smartphone or tablet).
If you like this Low Carb Green Chili Turkey Skillet, you might also like:
- Caribbean Jerk Ground Turkey
- Thai Green Curry Meatballs
- Turkey, Quinoa and Zucchini Meatloaf
- Crock Pot BBQ Turkey Chili
- Skinny Southwestern Goulash
- 3-Ingredient Sloppy Joes
- 2-Ingredient Chile Verde Pork (Instant Pot or Slow Cooker)
Brenda is a licensed esthetician and former small business owner after completing over 15 years of service with the United States military.
She is an essential oil enthusiast and avid home cooking for her husband and their two dogs.
Brenda and her family spend most of their time in the American Southwest, but they also love hitting the road for adventure.
One of her new passions is creating easy, healthy family-friendly freezer meals which can be prepared at home and frozen, and then cooked while traveling the country in their travel trailer.
She looks forward to sharing everything she learns with you here on Simple Nourished Living.
Hi,
I’m wondering if the freezer meals could be cooked ahead of time and than placed in the freezer?
Thanks you
Hi Kathleen, I’m sure that would work fine too!