It’s the end of the week here. You can always tell when the end of the work-week rolls in over here. The meals get faster and simpler as the days roll out. After all, who has motivation for elaborate dinners on a Thursday? If you know a person…send them my way! By simple, I mean finger food easy. Think back to when you ate chicken nuggets and fries. My meals are somewhat like that. May I introduce to you —> Southwest Spinach Turkey Poppers!
These little gems are like the healthier, adult version of your childhood chicken nuggets. Except, I made them with turkey. Because why…I didn’t have any ground chicken lying around. Then I guess that makes them more like turkey nuggets. Can you even buy turkey nuggets?
Call them what you want. Either way, if you really want to feel adult, serve them up with a side of sweet potato fries and celery sticks. You know you want to! Kid food can make a comeback at any age, chicken/turkey nuggets and all.
With the new elimination diet I am following for my skin conditions (get the deets here), I’ve had to revamp my recipe arsenal. There isn’t much I can call soy, gluten, and dairy free. Not my regular recipes anyway. While it’s been fun to experiment, it can get tiring as well. So all in all, this was the perfect night for some Southwest Spinach Turkey Poppers!
One thing I’ve always enjoyed doing is taking comfort foods and pumping them full of nutrition. Now that’s exactly what I did with these little guys. Instead of breading some ground meat and popping it in the oven, I skipped the breading all together. Then I loaded it with fresh veggies, herbs, and aromatics like spinach, cilantro, green onions, and garlic . While they are free of my potential food sensitivities, they are jam-packed full of flavor!
When it comes to making these little Southwest Spinach Turkey Poppers, I prefer to bake them. Mainly because I don’t want to watch them in a skillet. Regardless, they would turn out great over the stove as well.
When you’re ready to give my poppers a try, its pretty simple. Start by prepping the frozen spinach. I like to let mine thaw out during the day. By the time I get home it’s ready to go. Be sure to squeeze out the excess liquid with some paper towelling or reusable cloth. If you skip this step, your poppers will fall apart before your eyes. Then combine all your ingredients in a bowl and stir, stir, stir. Scoop out about one tablespoon of the mixture and flatten with your hand to give a nugget-like shape. Place on a prepared baking sheet and let the oven do the rest. Simple as that!
I can already tell these Southwest Spinach Turkey Poppers will become a household staple. I love them, the hubby loves them, and the dog wants to love them too. These turkey poppers would make a great snack, appetizer, and I’ve even used them over a salad. However, my absolute favorite way to enjoy them is with a side of homemade cilantro aioli. They are perfect for dipping, and squeaky clean for those with food sensitivities. If you’re in the market for an allergen-free, paleo, or keto friendly mayonnaise, I highly recommend this one by Primal Kitchen.
Ready to wind down your dinner this week? Get after your adult chicken nugs!  Throwing these Southwest Spinach Turkey Poppers together for your family this week? Be sure to let me know by tagging a photo with #stephanieleenutrition on Instagram. I’d love to see what you all cook up. Happy eating, xo!
| Prep Time | 5 minutes |
| Cook Time | 30 minutes |
| Servings |
dozen poppers
|
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 10 ounces frozen spinach, thawed and drained (remove as much excess water as possible)
- 3 green onions, chopped
- 1/8 cup cilantro, roughly chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon pink Himylayan salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 cup cilantro aioli (optional, see recipe notes for recipe)
Ingredients
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|
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, spinach, green onions, cilantro, garlic and dried seasonings. Stir well to evenly distribute ingredients.
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll the mixture into small poppers, approximately 1 tablespoon per popper. Slightly flatten and place on baking sheet. This should make approximately 2 dozen poppers.
- Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes, flipping halfway through. Serve warm with fresh vegetables and cilantro aioli.
Looking for more simple recipes? Get inspired by the tasty recipes below!
Crispy Garlic Sage Roast Chicken
Slow Cooker Turmeric Cauliflower Soup
