- 3 cups white onions, diced (I use the frozen, pre-diced bags for ease! Look for them in the freezer section (12oz. bag); they are life-changing! If you go this route, you need one bag for this recipe.)
- 2 small zucchini, finely chopped
- one red bell pepper, finely chopped (I used yellow.)
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1.5 pounds 93/7 lean ground turkey
- 2 tablespoons chili powder
- 2 tablespoons ground cumin
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 7 garlic cloves, minced or frozen Dorot cubes (my preference)
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- Liquid smoke, optional (I did not use.)
- 15 oz. can tomato sauce
- 7 oz. mild diced green chilis, undrained (I used 2, 4 oz. cans)
- 10 oz. mild green enchilada sauce
- Rotel, undrained (or canned diced tomatoes) (I used petite diced tomatoes. Rotel makes the recipe a bit spicy for the little ones' liking.)
- 3.5 cups chicken stock or broth
- 1 pound cavatappi or other short pasta (I used rotini.)
- 4 oz. reduced fat cream cheese
- 1/2 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
*Before starting, if you desire (like I did), I wanted the veggies to really blend into the meat, so I used a food processor to “rice/finely chop" the zucchini and bell peppers! This is a great trick for any picky eaters if you want to “sneak” in more veggies. They were totally hidden!
Start by heating a large Dutch oven (or any heavy-bottom pot you have!) over high heat. Spray with a spritz of olive oil and let it get nice and hot. Add in the diced onion, zucchini, bell pepper, and salt, and let it cook for 5-7 minutes--just enough time to get everything tender and fragrant. The food processed zucchini and pepper will release their natural juices as they cook down and this is great to help with added liquid at the end...another bonus to processing those veggies beforehand!
When the veggies are ready, scoot them to the side of the pot and let the surface get nice and hot for a minute before adding your ground turkey. Add it to the pan and sprinkle the top of the meat with your dry seasonings (chili powder, cumin, oregano, and onion powder), and break it up until cooked through, stirring often and eventually mixing in the cooked veggies.
When the meat is cooked, you can add your minced garlic/cubes, tomato paste, and liquid smoke (optional). Make sure to stir everything well and leave it for about a minute. Then pour in your tomato sauce, green chilis, enchilada sauce, Rotel/diced tomatoes, and chicken stock/broth. Let it get nice and hot for a minute and then turn it down to medium before adding your pound of pasta. Simmer until your pasta is al dente (about as long as your pasta instructs you). TRUST ME. Test occasionally for "almost" doneness and don’t overcook it! You don’t want mush later.
Turn off heat and stir in the cream cheese and Greek yogurt. Add the grated cheddar, stir, and allow the cheese melt. It will continue to thicken up as it sits. Serve with a simple side salad and some crusty bread (for dipping) and you’re ready to enjoy!