A weeknight braise of lean turkey breast cooked fast in a simple pan sauce. The natural flavoring in the meat carries the dish, needing only aromatics and pasta to make dinner for two.

Serves 2. 25 minutes, 20 at the stove.

About 730 calories a serving, 45 g protein, 70 g carbohydrate, 29 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

Cook mode

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil for pasta. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Dice 1 medium onion and mince 2 cloves garlic.
2. Cook the diced onion in the hot oil until it softens, about 3 minutes, stirring often. Add the minced garlic and cook 1 minute more until fragrant.
3. Add 12 oz ground turkey breast to the pan and break it apart with a spoon, cooking until no pink remains, about 6 minutes. Stir and scrape the bottom often. Season with salt and pepper to taste.6 min
4. While the turkey cooks, add 6 oz pasta to the boiling water and cook until just tender, about 9 minutes. Reserve 1 cup pasta water, then drain.9 min
5. Pour 3/4 cup reserved pasta water into the turkey pan, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Simmer together for 2 minutes until the liquid reduces slightly and coats the turkey.2 min
6. Add the drained pasta to the turkey and toss to combine. Cook together for 1 minute so the pasta absorbs the pan sauce. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed before serving.1 min

Note Swap pasta for rice if preferred. Leftovers keep in the fridge for two days and reheat gently with a splash of water in a covered pan. Serve with grated Parmesan at the table or alongside a green salad dressed with lemon.