We are not big on diets in our house, but we do like to keep to lower carb meals when possible. When you’re avoiding carbs like tortillas, bread, and pasta, you have to get creative with your veggies. We love this turkey stuffed poblano pepper recipe! Poblano peppers are mild in flavor, but thinner than traditional bell peppers, so they cook faster. This makes them perfect for a quick weeknight dinner.

If you’ve ever been to a Tex-Mex restaurant, chances are you’ve seen chile relleno on the menu. The traditional preparation of this dish often uses beef and includes deep frying the poblano. Plus it’s usually smothered in a creamy sauce and paired with Mexican rice. While delicious, this definitely does not fit into the healthy or low carb category. We wanted to create a simple recipe you can make at home that still has the flavors and textures of a traditional chile relleno without those extra calories.

We opted for using lean ground turkey over ground beef for starters. We also added some black beans for an extra dose of protein and fiber. The poblano pepper is pre-roasted to make sure it’s softened well before you stuff them without having to deep dry them. We don’t add any cheese into the stuffing. We just top ours off with a little bit of queso fresco. Instead of smothering it in a creamy sauce, you can add a little drizzle of Mexican crema (similar to sour cream) on top. You get all the flavors of that chile relleno right in this dish.

We hope you enjoy making these turkey stuffed poblano peppers! We paired ours tonight with some corn on the cob that we quickly grilled on our Le Creuset grill pan. If you are craving these with a cocktail, highly recommend pairing with our Pineapple Mezcal Margaritas! Lastly – these also store well in the fridge and make for a great meal prep option to take for lunches all week long.

Turkey Stuffed Poblano Peppers

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Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Servings: 4 People

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: Mexican

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• 4-6 Poblano Peppers
• 2 Tbsps Olive Oil
• 1 Pound Ground Turkey We use 93% lean
• 1/2 Medium Yellow Onion Diced
• 2 Jalapenos Diced
• 3 Cloves Garlic Minced
• 1 14.5 ounce can Black Beans Drained and Rinsed
• 1/4 Cup Chicken Stock
• 1/4 Cup Red salsa of your choice Can sub tomato sauce
• 1 Tsp Cumin
• 1½ Tsp Paprika
• 1 Tsp Oregano
• 1 Tsp Kosher Salt
• ¼ Tsp Black Pepper
• Shredded cheese and cilantro for topping We use queso fresco

Method

 

1. Preheat the oven to 425F.
2. Place the poblano peppers on a large foil lined baking sheet. Roast in the oven for 20 minutes while you prep the filling. Then remove, let cool and remove stems and de-seed.
3. While the peppers roast, prep the filling. Heat 1-2 tablespoons olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion, garlic, and jalapeno and cook for 3-4 minutes until soft.
4. Add in the ground turkey. Break up the meat using a wooden spoon and stir occasionally until cooked through and browned, about 4-5 minutes.
5. Add the drained black beans, salsa (or tomato sauce), chicken stock, and remaining spices including cumin, paprika, oregano, salt and pepper.
6. Stir and simmer for about 10 minutes to allow the liquid to reduce. Adjust seasoning as needed.
7. Once your peppers have cooled off, begin stuffing each one with the filling. Top with cheese of your choice and bake another 3-5 minutes.
8. Top with fresh cilantro and serve.