Jalapeño poppers in meatball form: lean turkey with jalapeño and cheddar, studded with little pockets of cream cheese that go melty in the oven. Twenty meatballs at 6g of protein and 51 calories each — a party tray or a week of protein.

Cutting the cream cheese into cubes and folding it in gently keeps those molten pockets instead of a uniform mix.

Ingredients

  • Ground turkey — 450 g (2½ cups, 93% lean) [P 85 C 0 F 30]
  • Fat-free (or light) cream cheese — ½ cup (4 oz block) [P 8 C 4 F 0]
  • Low-fat cheese — ¼ cup (cheddar, mozzarella or parmesan) [P 9 C 2 F 4]
  • Panko breadcrumbs — ¼ cup [P 2 C 11 F 0]
  • Whole egg — 1 [P 6 C 0 F 5]
  • Jalapeños — 2 medium, chopped
  • Minced garlic — 1 tbsp
  • Milk — 2 tbsp (any)
  • Parsley — ¼ cup, chopped (optional)
  • Salt, pepper, oregano, onion powder — ~1 tsp each

Method

  1. Heat the oven to 425°F / 220°C.
  2. Mix. Combine everything except the cream cheese.
  3. Add cream cheese. Cut it into small cubes and fold in gently.
  4. Roll and bake. Form ~20 meatballs on a tray and bake 20–22 minutes.

What to eat it with

  • Salsa — as a dip.
  • Over rice, noodles or potatoes for a fuller meal.
  • A ranch-style yogurt dip.

Variations

  • Spicier: leave the jalapeño seeds in.
  • Any ground meat: beef or chicken.
  • Crispier: a light spray of oil before baking.

Honest notes

  • Fibre: essentially 0 — pair with veg or a grain.
  • Turkey note: 93% lean keeps the fat at ~2g a meatball.
  • Macros: reconcile with the per-meatball 51 cal / 6g protein listed across 20 meatballs; no correction needed.