21 Low-Calorie, High-Protein Dinners in 30 Minutes (2024)

A low-calorie, high-protein dinner is perfect for when you want something lighter yet satisfying. With at least 15 grams of protein per serving, these meals can help you reap the benefits of getting enough protein, including supporting healthy immune function and bone health. And containing no more than 575 calories per serving, these meals can help you meet your nutritional goals. Recipes like our Chicken & Veggie Fajitas and Spinach & Artichoke Dip Pasta are healthy and easy choices that can help you get dinner on the table in 30 minutes or less.

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Chicken & Veggie Fajitas

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21 Low-Calorie, High-Protein Dinners in 30 Minutes (1)

Time to clean out the fridge? These versatile skillet chicken fajitas are designed to work with whatever vegetables you happen to have on hand. The key is to slice all the veggies to approximately the same size so they cook evenly.

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Spinach & Artichoke Dip Pasta

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21 Low-Calorie, High-Protein Dinners in 30 Minutes (2)

If you've ever wanted to make a meal out of warm spinach and artichoke dip, this creamy pasta is for you. And here's what's almost as good as the flavor of this comforting dish: the fact that this healthy dinner takes just 20 minutes to prepare.

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Minestra Maritata (Italian Wedding Soup)

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21 Low-Calorie, High-Protein Dinners in 30 Minutes (3)

Forget the marble-size meatballs you find in many versions of this Italian Wedding Soup. In this easy recipe, they're full-size, full-flavored and plenty filling.

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Quick King Ranch Chicken Casserole

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21 Low-Calorie, High-Protein Dinners in 30 Minutes (4)

Usually made by layering creamy chicken and tortillas (lasagna-style), this classic Tex-Mex-inspired chicken casserole gets speedier for an easy weeknight dinner when we mix everything together in a skillet, then pop the whole pan under the broiler to make the cheese topping gooey. Serve this healthy chicken casserole recipe with a side salad for a filling meal.

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Chicken Cutlets with Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce

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21 Low-Calorie, High-Protein Dinners in 30 Minutes (5)

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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Hearty Chickpea & Spinach Stew

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21 Low-Calorie, High-Protein Dinners in 30 Minutes (6)

This satisfying stew comes together in a snap. Mashed chickpeas add body to the broth, and tomato paste adds a savory note without piling on the sodium. To simplify the prep, look for chopped fresh onion and shredded carrot or a soup starter mix in the produce section.

American Goulash

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21 Low-Calorie, High-Protein Dinners in 30 Minutes (7)

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 cook in just one pot.

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Creamy Chicken & Mushrooms

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21 Low-Calorie, High-Protein Dinners in 30 Minutes (8)

Whether you scored wild mushrooms at the farmers' market, found cultivated maitake or shiitake at the supermarket or just have some baby bellas on hand, this healthy creamy chicken recipe is delicious with any of them. Serve over whole-wheat egg noodles or mashed potatoes.

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Baked Beans with Ground Beef

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21 Low-Calorie, High-Protein Dinners in 30 Minutes (9)

Upgrade baked beans from classic side dish to a meaty main meal by adding lean ground beef. The final result, a superfast hearty casserole, is an easy and fast dinner option.

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One-Pot Garlicky Shrimp & Spinach

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21 Low-Calorie, High-Protein Dinners in 30 Minutes (10)

Shrimp, spinach and garlic brown and cook quickly for a simple one-pot weeknight dinner. A fast pan sauce gets life from zesty lemon juice, warm crushed red pepper and herby parsley. Serve with a slice of whole-wheat baguette to swipe up every last drop of sauce.

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Chicken & White Bean Soup

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21 Low-Calorie, High-Protein Dinners in 30 Minutes (11)

Once again, rotisserie chickens can really relieve the dinner-rush pressure-especially in this Italian-inspired soup that cries out for a piece of crusty bread and a glass of red wine.

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Creamy White Chili with Cream Cheese

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21 Low-Calorie, High-Protein Dinners in 30 Minutes (12)

This rich, yet healthy, white chicken chili recipe comes together in a flash thanks to quick-cooking chicken thighs and canned white beans. Mashing some of the beans acts as a fast thickener when your soups don't have a long time to simmer. Cream cheese adds the final bit of richness and a hint of sweet tang.

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Black Bean-Quinoa Bowl

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21 Low-Calorie, High-Protein Dinners in 30 Minutes (13)

This black bean and quinoa bowl has many of the usual hallmarks of a taco salad, minus the fried bowl. We've loaded it up with pico de gallo, fresh cilantro and avocado plus an easy hummus dressing to drizzle on top.

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Beef Stir-Fry with Baby Bok Choy & Ginger

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21 Low-Calorie, High-Protein Dinners in 30 Minutes (14)

All the ingredients for this easy beef stir-fry recipe are cooked in one wok (or skillet), so not only is the meal-prep fast for this healthy dinner, cleanup is quick too. Look for Lee Kum Kee Premium oyster-flavored sauce in the Asian-foods aisle of your grocery store. It has the most concentrated oyster flavor.

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Rosemary Roasted Salmon with Asparagus & Potatoes

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21 Low-Calorie, High-Protein Dinners in 30 Minutes (15)

Yukon Golds are great here because they get crispy on the outside but completely creamy on the inside. A brush stroke or two of balsamic glaze provides a rich color and a sweet finish to the roasted salmon.

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Adobo Chicken & Kale Enchiladas

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21 Low-Calorie, High-Protein Dinners in 30 Minutes (16)

Put out your favorite toppings for these quick and healthy layered enchiladas. We like cilantro, sour cream, guacamole and jalapeños.

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Cranberry-Balsamic Chicken Thighs

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21 Low-Calorie, High-Protein Dinners in 30 Minutes (17)

To round out this healthy chicken dinner recipe, put some farro on to cook before you start cooking the chicken. Add some steamed broccoli and serve with a glass of pinot noir.

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Teriyaki-Glazed Cod with Cauliflower Rice

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21 Low-Calorie, High-Protein Dinners in 30 Minutes (18)

This healthy fish recipe comes together fast with just three ingredients you can always have on hand in your freezer and fridge. Store-bought teriyaki glaze makes a great marinade for cod that doubles as a sauce for the cauliflower rice.

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Chicken Florentine

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21 Low-Calorie, High-Protein Dinners in 30 Minutes (19)

Classic chicken Florentine--creamy spinach served atop sautéed chicken cutlets--is a fast and easy meal. To keep calories lower, this recipe uses cornstarch to thicken the cream instead of cheese. This chicken recipe is simple enough for weekdays but also elegant enough for a dinner party.

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Lemon-Garlic Pasta with Salmon

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21 Low-Calorie, High-Protein Dinners in 30 Minutes (20)

Wondering what to do with leftover salmon? This is a delicious and easy way to turn it into another weeknight-friendly, quick dinner. Don't forget to reserve some pasta water—its starch thickens the lemon-garlic pasta sauce and makes it silky-smooth.

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Baked Eggs in Tomato Sauce with Kale

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21 Low-Calorie, High-Protein Dinners in 30 Minutes (21)

You can make these three-ingredient tomato-simmered eggs with things you probably already have on hand in your freezer and pantry. To make these baked eggs more like eggs in purgatory, look for a spicy tomato sauce and don't forget some whole-wheat bread for dipping.