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Ground Turkey Crockpot Taco Casserole
Kate Flynn

Ground Turkey Crockpot Taco Casserole

A hands-off ground turkey crockpot taco casserole with black beans, peppers, corn, and melted sharp cheddar and Pepper Jack cheese, topped with crushed tortilla chips. 30 grams of protein per serving, loaded with vegetables, and completely hands-off.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 4 hours
Total Time 4 hours 15 minutes
Servings: 8
Course: Food
Cuisine: American

Ingredients
  

For the Taco Filling:
  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • 1½ lbs 93/7 lean ground turkey or ground chicken
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • 1 large green bell pepper diced
  • 1 poblano pepper seeded and diced (or 1 jalapeño for more heat)
  • 1½ tsp kosher salt
  • ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tbsp chili powder
  • 1 tbsp ground cumin
  • ½ tsp smoked paprika
  • ¼ tsp cayenne pepper optional
  • 1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 15 oz can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 15 oz can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, with their juices
  • 1 cup salsa mild, medium, or hot depending on preference
  • 1 cup frozen corn
  • 1 cup grated carrots
For the Layers and Topping:
  • 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese divided
  • 1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese divided
  • 1 cup crushed tortilla chips
For Serving:
  • Plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
  • Diced avocado
  • Fresh cilantro chopped
  • Sliced green onions
  • Lime wedges

Method
 

  1. Brown the turkey and vegetables. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground turkey, diced onion, green bell pepper, and poblano pepper. Season with the kosher salt and black pepper. Cook for 6–8 minutes, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until the turkey is cooked through and the vegetables soften. Drain any excess liquid.
  2. Add the spices. Stir in the chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, and cayenne if using. Cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant.
  3. Build the filling. Add the black beans, pinto beans, diced tomatoes with their juices, salsa, frozen corn, and grated carrots. Stir to combine and cook for 5 minutes, until the tomatoes break down and most of the excess liquid cooks off. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Remove from the heat.
  4. Prep the crockpot. Spray a 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray.
  5. Layer the casserole. Spread 2 cups of the turkey-bean mixture evenly across the bottom of the crockpot. Sprinkle with 1 cup of sharp cheddar and ½ cup of pepper jack. Spoon on another 2 cups of the filling. Repeat with the remaining filling and the remaining cheese, reserving ½ cup of cheese for the top.
  6. Slow cook. Cover and cook on Low for 4–5 hours or on High for 2–3 hours, until heated through and bubbling at the edges.
  7. Add the crispy topping. In the last 10 minutes of cooking, sprinkle the reserved ½ cup cheese over the casserole. Scatter the crushed tortilla chips evenly over the cheese. Cover and cook on High for 5–10 minutes, until the cheese melts and the chips warm through.
  8. Rest and serve. Turn off the slow cooker and let the casserole rest for 5 minutes. Scoop into bowls and top with Greek yogurt, avocado, cilantro, green onions, and a squeeze of lime.

Notes

Protein per Serving: About 30g
Nutrition note: Estimated per serving with 93/7 ground turkey, black beans, pinto beans, bell peppers, corn, diced tomatoes, Greek yogurt, sharp cheddar, pepper jack, and a light sprinkle of crushed tortilla chips: ~420 calories, 30g protein, 34g carbs, 17g fat. Using ground chicken reduces fat slightly. Using ground beef (90/10) increases fat by about 4g per serving.