Chili Mac & Cheese Bowls
on Jan 05, 2025, Updated Nov 08, 2025
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Today’s meal prep recipe is inspired by my well loved Skinny One Pot Chili Mac & Cheese, but perfectly portioned into individual servings. When I started making and posting meal prep recipes, I knew I needed to make this one work for meal prep glass bowls so it’s easy to take on the go or have ready for a quick lunch at home. These Chili Mac & Cheese Bowls are filled with pasta, cheese, and delicious flavors that you’re going to love.
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION / MACROS
Makes: 5 bowls
Serving size: 1 bowl
Calories: 466
Macros: 38.8p / 45.5c / 12.8f (3 fiber / 8 fiber with whole wheat pasta)
Search the food database in the MyFitnessPal or MacrosFirst apps by looking up Stay Fit Mom Chili Mac & Cheese Bowls to add it to your food diary.
Ingredients
- Pasta noodles
- Water
- Lean ground turkey (99/1)
- Diced onion
- Salt & pepper
- Tomato sauce
- Diced green chiles
- Taco seasoning
- 1/3 less fat cream cheese
- Reduced-fat Mexican shredded cheese
Recipe Tip
- You can easily sneak some diced up veggies or spinach into this one! Just place right on top before baking.
- In my original skinny one pot chili mac & cheese recipe I used whole wheat pasta. This is a great idea if you want to increase the fiber. The macros for whole where are very similar, but will boost the fiber to almost 8 grams! I’ll add this to the apps with both versions for ya!
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MEAL PREP SUPPLIES USED
4 cup glass bowls – Make sure the bowls you’re purchasing are oven safe. They will say that on the label if purchasing in store.
Half size sheet pan – This is the perfect size pan for this size of glass bowls. Using a sheet pan makes it easier to transfer your 5 bowls in and out of the oven.
STORING INSTRUCTIONS
Let your Chili Mac & Cheese Bowls cool completely and then cover tightly with lids and store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
REHEATING INSTRUCTIONS
When you’re ready for to eat, just put your Chili Mac & Cheese Bowls in the microwave for 2-3 minutes or until heated through. If you have more time on your hands, you can warm them in the oven at 350º for 10-12 minutes.
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Chili Mac & Cheese Bowls
Equipment
Ingredients
- 10 ounces pasta noodles, uncooked (about 2 & 1/2 cups)
- 2 1/2 cups water
- 1 pound lean ground turkey, 99/1
- 2 tablespoons diced onion
- pinch of salt & pepper
- 10 tablespoons tomato sauce
- 5 teaspoons diced green chiles
- 2 1/2 teaspoons taco seasoning
- 5 ounces 1/3 less fat cream cheese
- 5 ounces reduced-fat Mexican shredded cheese
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and arrange 5 oven safe containers on a cookie sheet. Place 2 ounces of uncooked pasta noodles (just under 1/2 cup) in each bowl.
- Bring 2 & 1/2 cups of water to a boil. Pour 1/2 water in each bowl right over the pasta noodles. These will soak while you prepare the turkey.
- In a pan over medium high heat, begin cooking the ground turkey and onions. Season with some salt & pepper. Strain any excess grease and set aside.
- To each bowl add 2 tablespoons of tomato sauce, 1 teaspoon green chiles, 1/2 teaspoon taco seasoning, 1/5 of the cooked ground turkey (about 1/2 cup), and 1 ounce of cream cheese. Stir well and place in the oven uncovered for 30 minutes.
- Remove from oven and stir in 1 ounce of the shredded cheese to each bowl.
- Let cool before covering with lids and placing in the refrigerator. Reheat in the microwave 2-3 minutes.
Notes
- You can easily sneak some diced up veggies or spinach into this one! Just place right on top before baking.
- In my original skinny one pot chili mac & cheese recipe I used whole wheat pasta. This is a great idea if you want to increase the fiber. The macros for whole where are very similar, but will boost the fiber to almost 8 grams! I’ll add this to the apps with both versions for ya!
- Search the MyFitnessPal or MacrosFirst app food databases for Stay Fit Mom Chili Mac & Cheese Bowls to log it in your food diary.
This came out AMAZING! I used Barilla protein pasta and it was perfect – swapped turkey for ground chicken. This will be a repeat meal FOR SURE. Think I’ll add some riced cauliflower for added fiber! Thank you for sharing this recipe!
The pasta turned to mushy glue. Has anyone figured out how to tweak the recipe to stop this from happening?
Hi Tricia, did you use a different pasta noodle? I can see that happening with chickpea pasta so that’s why I ask.
My husband loved this one! I used siete spicy taco seasoning and subbed green chile for the can rotel I had on hand. For the pasta I used Aldi’s chick pea pasta for an extra punch of protein.
Delicious! We make it with ground beef and it’s a crowd pleaser. Very filling
This is a meal that I look forward to!
Unfortunately I didnt Read the comments first and used Banza pasta. It was a gummy mess! The flavor was really good so next time I’ll just use regular pasta. Maybe the recipe post can be edited to include a warning?
My past turned out perfect. Only thing I did differently was cooked the turkey before I started assembling. Hope that helps someone
Oh yay! Thanks for sharing. I’m glad they turned out well for you.
I made this recipe. It was tasty but I was disappointed that the pasta was so mushy. I followed the recipe exactly as written. Any idea what went wrong?
I think it might just depend on our ovens, just like with the rice in the chicken bakes. For me it cooked perfectly. If you want to attempt again I’d try just using room temp water like another gal mentioned.
If using chickpea pasta do not add boiling water. Just add room temp water. I followed the directions and the pasta fell apart and was mush. I also used a whole packet of taco seasoning. Flavor was good, but the chickpea pasta just didn’t work well here.
Hi Robyn, I’ve never had good luck with chickpea pasta and find it’s always a little mushy. Good to know it’s not worth attempting for this one.
Can you freeze this one??
Yes, but make sure to let them defrost well before attempting to stir it.
Super tasty recipe! Easy meal prep for me to take to work and for teen son who can never seem to eat enough.