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30-Minute Turkey & Spinach Stuffed Peppers Skillet

Savory seasoned ground turkey, sweet bell peppers, tender rice in tomato sauce, and a blanket of melted mozzarella — everything that makes stuffed peppers great, deconstructed into one skillet in 30 minutes, about 30g protein per serving (estimated).
Prep Time 8 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients
  

  • 1.5 lb ground turkey 93% lean
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • 3 bell peppers 1 red, 1 yellow, 1 green; chopped into 1-inch pieces
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tsp Italian seasoning
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp kosher salt plus more to taste
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
  • 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes undrained
  • 1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
  • 1.75 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 cup instant white rice uncooked
  • 4 cups fresh baby spinach about 5 oz
  • 1.5 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 0.25 cup chopped fresh basil or parsley for serving

Equipment

  • Large deep skillet with lid (12-inch) or a Dutch oven
  • Wooden spoon or spatula

Method
 

  1. Heat the olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground turkey and cook, breaking it into crumbles, until no pink remains, about 6–7 minutes. Drain off any excess liquid.
  2. Stir in the onion and chopped bell peppers; cook until softened and lightly charred at the edges, about 4–5 minutes. Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper; cook 1 minute more, until fragrant.
  3. Pour in the diced tomatoes with their juices, the tomato sauce, and the chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in the instant rice. Bring to a lively simmer.
  4. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until the rice is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 7 minutes. Stir once halfway through.
  5. Uncover and stir in the baby spinach a handful at a time, letting each addition wilt before adding the next. Cook 1–2 minutes, until all the spinach is wilted and the mixture is thick but still saucy. If it looks dry, splash in 2–3 tablespoons of broth.
  6. Sprinkle the mozzarella evenly over the top, cover, and cook 1–2 minutes, until melted and bubbly. Shower with fresh basil and serve straight from the skillet.

Notes

Food safety: ground turkey must reach 165°F internally — the long simmer guarantees it. Use instant rice to keep this at 30 minutes; long-grain rice needs ~40. Leftovers 4 days refrigerated / 3 months frozen; reheat to 165°F. Protein ~30g/serving estimated from USDA FoodData Central; not lab-tested.