Turkey Noodle Concoction


Don't let it's looks deceive you, this Turkey Noodle Casserole is pure delicious-ness. The peppers gave it a nice little kick without being overwhelming. Now if you like a little heat, you could probably use two or three chipotle peppers with no problem, but I liked it with just one.
Doing the recipe analysis for this recipe, I was shocked how many calories 1 cup of cheese can have (about 400 calories for the brand I chose)! It's easy to forget at the grocery store that the cheese is all made with whole milk, unless it says otherwise. I feel especially silly for buying whole milk cheese, since I know 2% tastes exactly the same. Just making that simple switch could save you around 120 calories in this recipe and 12 g of fat!

Turkey Noodle Casserole (Serves 6)
Ingredients
1/4 cup canola oil, plus more for preparing the pan
10 ounces rigatoni or other shaped pasta
1 medium onion, diced
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon taco seasoning
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 cups canned tomatoes and juices, crushed
1 to 2 chipotles en adobo, minced
1 1/2 cups chicken broth, low-sodium
2 cups cooked ground turkey, or diced cooked turkey, chicken, or smoked chicken breast
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup shredded Mexican cheese
1 lime, cut into wedges

Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Brush an 8 x 8-inch casserole dish with oil. Set aside.

Cook pasta to al dente, according to package directions. Transfer cooked pasta to a plate.

Saute the onion in a large skillet, over medium heat, until light golden. Add the garlic, oregano, taco seasoning, and bay leaf, stirring until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and the chipotles, increase the heat to high, and cook for 2 minutes, until thickened. Add the broth and pasta to the skillet and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a gentle simmer, lower the heat and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the turkey. Turn the mixture into the casserole dish. Sprinkle the cheese over and cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes.

Serve the casserole with  lime wedges on the side.

Allergens: Milk, Wheat, Gluten, Soy (found in chicken broth)
Nutrition (1/6 casserole): 485 calories, 23 g fat, 6 g saturated fat, 91 mg cholesterol, 520 mg sodium, 517 mg potassium, 44 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber, 27 g protein, 4% vitamin A, 8% vitamin C, 15% calcium, 12% iron, 15% vitamin B-6, 11% vitamin E, 11% folate, 15% manganese, 23% niacin, 27% phosphorous, 16% riboflavin, 35% selenium, 10% thiamine, 17% zinc




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