Our 20 Most Popular High-Protein Dinner Recipes (2024)

Whether your goal is to stay energized, support healthy digestion or maintain muscle and bone strength, popular high-protein recipes like these can be a big help. From easy casseroles and skillets to hearty soups and salads, these are the filling dinners that have gotten the most attention from EatingWell readers. Each of these dishes offers at least 15 grams of protein per serving from foods like lean proteins, vegetables and whole grains to help you stay satisfied. Flavorful and nutritious recipes like our fan-favorite Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup with Rotisserie Chicken and Garlic Butter-Roasted Salmon with Potatoes & Asparagus are sure to become staples on your dinner table.

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Chicken & Spinach Skillet Pasta with Lemon & Parmesan

Our 20 Most Popular High-Protein Dinner Recipes (1)

This one-pan chicken pasta combines lean chicken breast and sautéed spinach for a one-bowl meal that's garlicky, lemony and best served with a little Parm on top. I call it "Mom's Skillet Pasta," and she called it "Devon's Favorite Pasta." Either way, it's a quick and easy weeknight dinner we created together and scribbled on a little recipe card more than a decade ago, and it remains in my weekly dinner rotation to this day. It's a simple dinner the whole family will love.

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Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup with Rotisserie Chicken

Our 20 Most Popular High-Protein Dinner Recipes (2)

This creamy chicken noodle soup recipe has a delicious potpie feel to it. We call for rotisserie chicken to streamline your prep time—look for a nice big one with lots of breast meat on it. Pair this comforting soup with a green salad.

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Chicken Cutlets with Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce

Our 20 Most Popular High-Protein Dinner Recipes (3)

Though a chicken cutlet may be a chicken breast cut in half, this recipe shows how to make chicken cutlets with double the deliciousness. A jar of sun-dried tomatoes does double duty for this healthy dinner idea. The flavorful oil they're packed in is used to sauté the chicken, and the tomatoes go into the cream sauce.

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Garlic Butter-Roasted Salmon with Potatoes & Asparagus

Our 20 Most Popular High-Protein Dinner Recipes (4)

This one-pan salmon and potatoes recipe makes a healthy and satisfying weeknight dinner. Melted garlic butter coats the salmon and vegetables, adding depth of flavor and richness to the dish.

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Pea Soup

Our 20 Most Popular High-Protein Dinner Recipes (5)

This simple pea soup recipe makes an elegant start to a spring meal. It's also a great way to use frozen vegetables when the produce section is looking bleak.

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Ground Beef & Potatoes Skillet

Our 20 Most Popular High-Protein Dinner Recipes (6)

In this healthy one-pan meal, ground beef and potatoes are paired with colorful veggies, including kale, tomato and peppers. Everything is cooked in one skillet,whichbuilds layers of flavor while also cutting back on the number of dishes.

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Loaded Broccoli & Chicken Casserole

Our 20 Most Popular High-Protein Dinner Recipes (7)

This delightfully creamy broccoli and chicken casserole is a satisfying dinner that is sure to please a crowd. To keep prep simple, look for bags of pre-cut broccoli florets. If you like a little spice, swap out the Monterey Jack cheese for pepper Jack instead.

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Grilled Red Snapper

Our 20 Most Popular High-Protein Dinner Recipes (8)

This simple grilled red snapper recipe has clean flavors and a nice char from the grill. It's well-seasoned but not overly spicy. Serve with grilled veggies or a green salad to make it a meal.

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One-Pot Garlicky Shrimp & Broccoli

Our 20 Most Popular High-Protein Dinner Recipes (9)

Shrimp and broccoli cook quickly in this easy, one-pot recipe, making it perfect for busy weeknights. Serve this healthy shrimp recipe over whole grains or rice.

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One-Skillet Cheesy Ground Chicken Pasta

Our 20 Most Popular High-Protein Dinner Recipes (10)

Make this cheesy ground chicken pasta recipe for a busy weeknight dinner. Serve with a simple side salad and a glass of red wine.

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Chopped Power Salad with Chicken

Our 20 Most Popular High-Protein Dinner Recipes (11)

Enjoy this fillingandcolorful salad for lunch or dinner. The dressing gets made in the same bowl that the salad is tossed in, so the greens absorb every bit of flavor.

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Honey-Garlic Chicken Thighs with Carrots & Broccoli

Our 20 Most Popular High-Protein Dinner Recipes (12)

This sweet and savory baked honey-garlic chicken thigh recipe comes with a side of veggies that cook on the same sheet pan as the chicken for the perfect weeknight dinner.

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Salmon Rice Bowl

Our 20 Most Popular High-Protein Dinner Recipes (13)

Inspired by the viral TikTok trend, this salmon rice bowl makes for a tasty lunch or dinner. With healthy ingredients like instant brown rice, salmon and veggies, you'll have a flavorful meal in just 25 minutes.

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Ground Beef & Pasta Skillet

Our 20 Most Popular High-Protein Dinner Recipes (14)

Add extra vegetables to your day with this easy one-skillet pasta recipe. Finely chop mushrooms to resemble the texture of ground beef and stir them into a classic meat sauce for a healthy twist on a dinnertime favorite.

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One-Pan Chicken Parmesan Pasta

Our 20 Most Popular High-Protein Dinner Recipes (15)

This chicken Parmesan pasta uses the one-pot pasta method to cook your noodles, chicken and sauce all in one skillet for a fast and easy dinner with minimal cleanup.

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Creamy Garlic Skillet Chicken with Spinach

Our 20 Most Popular High-Protein Dinner Recipes (16)

Quick-cooking chicken cutlets are coated in a garlic cream sauce, while spinach adds a boost of color and nutrition in this easy, one-skillet recipe.

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Cheesy Ground Beef & Cauliflower Casserole

Our 20 Most Popular High-Protein Dinner Recipes (17)

Ground beef and cauliflower combine to create a hearty weeknight casserole that both kids and adults will love. Serve with tortilla chips and sour cream.

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American Goulash

Our 20 Most Popular High-Protein Dinner Recipes (18)

American goulash, also known as old-fashioned goulash, is the perfect economical family meal. The pasta cooks right in the sauce, so this satisfying dish can be made in just one pot.

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Stuffed Pepper Casserole

Our 20 Most Popular High-Protein Dinner Recipes (19)

You won't be stuffing any peppers for this stuffed pepper casserole, but you will be enjoying the sweet and smoky combination of flavors coming from bell peppers, fire-roasted tomatoes, smoked paprika and ground beef. You can use precooked rice from the package or leftover brown rice if you have it. If using leftover rice, you will need about 1 1/2 cups.

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Chicken & Zucchini Casserole

Our 20 Most Popular High-Protein Dinner Recipes (20)

This baked chicken and zucchini casserole is creamy, hearty and low-carb! The whole family will love this easy casserole, plus it's a great way to get the kids to eat their veggies.

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Our 20 Most Popular High-Protein Dinner Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What are the top 10 protein foods? ›

Top 10 Protein Foods
  • Fish.
  • Seafood.
  • Skinless, white-meat poultry.
  • Lean beef (including tenderloin, sirloin, eye of round)
  • Skim or low-fat milk.
  • Skim or low-fat yogurt.
  • Fat-free or low-fat cheese.
  • Eggs.
Mar 6, 2022

What meat is highest in protein? ›

Complete List of High Protein Foods
  • Chicken breast (skinless, cooked): 32 g.
  • Turkey breast (skinless, roasted): 30 g.
  • Beef roast (roasted): 28 g.
  • Pork roast (roasted): 27 g.
  • Ground beef (fat content not specified, cooked): 26 g.
  • Salmon (baked or broiled): 25 g.
  • Halibut (cooked, dry heat): 23 g.
  • Tilapia (cooked, dry heat): 26 g.
May 19, 2023

What is a good high-protein meal before bed? ›

These include Chicken, Egg, Cheese, Fish, Peanuts and Peanut Butter, Pumpkin and Sesame Seeds, Milk, Turkey, Tofu, And Soy. Moreover, HGH production is stimulated by bedtime snacks high in amino acids (protein-rich food) and choline, a neurotransmitter found in egg yolks.

What are the top 5 protein foods? ›

You can increase the amount of protein you eat by eating high protein foods, such as lean meat, poultry, seafood, dairy products, or eggs, at each meal. You can also eat plant-based protein sources such as beans, legumes, nuts, and seeds.

What are the top 20 protein foods? ›

20 high-protein foods to try
  1. Eggs. Eggs are a breakfast staple – they help you to feel fuller for longer so you don't reach for the mid-morning snacks. ...
  2. Chicken. ...
  3. Tofu. ...
  4. Salmon. ...
  5. Oats. ...
  6. Beef. ...
  7. Tuna. ...
  8. Almonds.
Oct 15, 2023

Which food is king of protein? ›

High protein foods include lean chicken, lean pork, fish, lean beef, tofu, beans, lentils, low-fat yogurt, milk, cheese, seeds, nuts, and eggs.

What are the 3 best protein foods? ›

Foods that are particularly high in protein include: Lean meats such as chicken, turkey, beef, and pork are excellent sources of high-quality protein as well as important nutrients like iron and zinc.

What are the top 15 protein foods? ›

15 High-Protein Foods that Could Help Support Your Health and Weight-Loss Goals
  • Cheese. ...
  • Related: 28 delicious cheesy recipes. ...
  • Lentils. ...
  • Chickpeas. ...
  • Peanuts. ...
  • Edamame. ...
  • Pumpkin seeds. ...
  • Hemp seeds. Another small-but-mighty protein source, just 3 tbsp of hemp seeds (about 1 ½ ounces) provides 10 grams of plant-based protein.
Aug 28, 2020

What vegetable has the most protein? ›

Among the highest protein vegetables are chickpeas, corn, spinach, artichoke hearts, and edamame. To get all of the amino acids your body needs, aim to eat a variety of foods, such as legumes, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and vegetables throughout the day. U.S. Department of Agriculture.

What is the most eaten dinner in America? ›

As of Q3 2022, hamburgers, mashed potatoes, and cheeseburgers were the most popular American dishes in the United States.

What is the best food for dinner in USA? ›

american dinner
  • Chicken Thighs with Creamy Bacon Mushroom Thyme Sauce. ...
  • Skillet Chicken Thighs with Creamy Tomato Basil Spinach Sauce. ...
  • Creamy Balsamic Skillet Chicken - Lovely Little Kitchen. ...
  • Pan Seared Italian Chicken Thighs. ...
  • Garlic Shrimp and Quinoa. ...
  • 6-Ingredient Mexican-Style Quinoa Salad.

What is the most commonly eaten meal in the world? ›

Rice. Rice is the staple food of more than half the world's population, and it's been that way for centuries. It's cheap, it's filling, and it can be easily grown in a variety of climates. Rice is so important to so many people that it's no surprise that it's the world's most-eaten food.

How to get 150g of protein a day? ›

An Easy Way To Get 150+ Grams Of Protein
  1. 3 Eggs - 18 grams.
  2. 50 g of Egg Whites - 5 grams.
  3. 1 cup of Fairlife 2% Milk - 13 grams.
  4. 4 oz Ground Turkey - 20 grams.
  5. 1 ½ cups of Cottage Cheese - 16 grams.
  6. 2 Scoops of Protein Supplement - 31 grams.
  7. 3 Tbsps of Peanut Butter - 10 grams.
  8. 1 Packet of Safe Catch Tuna - 23 grams.

Is it OK to eat high-protein dinner? ›

Eating protein-based foods for dinner is generally not harmful and can be a healthy choice. Protein is essential for muscle repair, immune function, and overall well-being. Including a balance of protein, carbohydrates, and fats in your evening meal can contribute to a well-rounded and satisfying diet.

Is a high-protein dinner good for weight loss? ›

For most healthy people, a high-protein diet generally doesn't hurt when followed for a short time. Such diets may help with weight loss by making you feel fuller.

How to get 40 grams of protein in a meal? ›

High Protein Meals With 40g Of Protein22 Jan
  1. Grilled Chicken with Quinoa and Roasted Vegetables. Ingredients: • 170g grilled chicken breast. • 185g cooked quinoa. ...
  2. Turkey and Black Bean Burrito Bowls. Ingredients: • ...
  3. Salmon and Quinoa Salad. Ingredients: • 170g baked or grilled salmon fillet.

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