Protein is one of the most important macronutrients that the body needs to function well.

It contains the essential building blocks that the body needs to repair and build tissues, and it’s important for your diet for so many different reasons since a high-protein meal can have plenty of benefits. 

Some of the benefits of healthy meals that are high in protein are:

• Toning the body,

• Losing weight,

• Being full longer,

• Your body can easily recover from a workout,

etc.

Many people think you can only manage to eat a high-protein diet if you’re not already following a specific diet – vegan, keto, Whole30, vegetarian, pescatarian, etc. But, that’s not true.

You can easily follow a high-protein diet no matter what diet you already follow, and there are plenty of high-protein meals that you can prepare whatever your dietary preferences are.

High Protein Meal Ideas

Here are some healthy meals that are protein-packed, many can be made in 20 minutes or 30 minutes, you can meal prep them, and they’re easy, healthy, and delicious.

So, I hope these healthy high protein recipes help you get some new lunch and dinner ideas that will help your health & fitness journey.

Fajita Bowl with Corn & Beans

This recipe is high in protein, and also great for meal prep! It’s one of my favorite high-protein dinners.

449 calories

Ingredients

• 4 oz Ground beef, 90% lean, raw – 185 calories

• ¼ Avocado, small – 58.25 calories

• ½ Bell pepper, orange – 12 calories

• ½ Bell pepper, red – 18.5 calories

• ¼ cup Salsa – 16 calories

• 4 cups Mixed greens – 40 calories

• ½ cup Corn, canned – 62.5 calories

• ¼ cup Beans & legumes, black bean, cooked – 57 calories

• 1 tsp Garlic salt – 0 calories

• 1 tsp Red pepper flakes – 0 calories

Instructions

1. Slice bell peppers into thin strips.

2. Spray a pan with an oil spray. Cook ground beef and peppers on low-medium heat for ~15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef has cooked through.

3. Drain corn and beans from cans (if using from canned, which is totally fine!).

4. Mash avocado with a fork, or slice into small pieces.

5. Combine all ingredients in a bowl, top with garlic salt and red pepper flakes.

6. No beef? Use ground turkey, tofu, or more beans.

Basic B Chili with Spicy Cauli Rice

Chili is a comfort food for so many people, and this chili recipe has plenty of protein in it, which makes it perfect if you want more protein in your diet.

366 calories

Ingredients

• 4 oz Ground beef, 90% lean, raw – 185 calories

• 1 cup Canned, diced tomatoes – 50 calories

• 1 Carrots, whole, medium – 25 calories

• ¼ cup Celery stalks, chopped in half – 4 calories

• ¼ Onion, yellow – 13.75 calories

• 2 Tbsp Cheese, Parmesan, grated (Tbsp) – 50 calories

• 1 cup Cauliflower rice, raw (already riced) – 38 calories

• 1 Cumin, dash – 0 calories

• 1 Chili seasoning, dash – 0 calories

• 1 Garlic salt, dash – 0 calories

• 1 tsp Red pepper flakes, dash – 0 calories

Instructions

1. This recipe works best when making 2-3 servings at once.

2. Dice carrot, onion, and celery.

3. Spray a pan with an oil spray. Stir fry beef on medium heat 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until no longer pink.

4. While beef is cooking, spray a pot with an oil spray. Cook carrots, onion, and celery for ~6-7 minutes on low heat, stirring occasionally.

5. Add in tomatoes and beef to the pot with the veggies. Add in cumin, chili powder, garlic salt, red pepper flakes.

6. Cook pot’s contents on low heat for at least 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

7. While chili is cooking, clean the ground beef pan and spray it again with an oil spray. Stir-fry cauliflower rice for 7-8 minutes on medium heat, or until you see some browning.

8. Add in Parmesan cheese, cumin, and chili powder.

9. Top cauli rice with chili and serve.

10. If you want to add a little cilantro and/or sliced jalapeno please do!

11. No beef? Use ground turkey, tofu, or beans instead. No cheese? Use a dairy-free cheese, top chili with a little avocado, or use oil instead of an oil spray. 

Greek Inspired Salmon Bowl

This recipe contains plenty of protein – both from salmon and beans! And it’s paleo-friendly! Plus, it’s quick and easy.

550 calories

Ingredients

• 4 oz Salmon filet – 200 calories

• ½ cup Beans & legumes, garbanzo beans (chickpeas), cooked – 134 calories

• ¼ Onion, red – 13.75 calories

• 1 cup Tomatoes, grape – 32 calories

• 2 cups Leafy greens, lettuce, raw – 10 calories

• 4 Tbsp Tzatziki sauce – 160 calories

• 1 Garlic salt, dash – 0 calories

• 1 Basil, dash – 0 calories

• 1 Oregano, dash – 0 calories

• 1 Pepper, dash – 0 calories

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425 deg F

2. Line a baking sheet (a sheet pan) with tin foil or parchment paper

3. Spray it with an oil spray

4. Bake salmon for 15 mins

5. While salmon is baking, dice onion, and slice tomatoes into quarters

6. When salmon is done, add all ingredients into a bowl

7. Top with seasonings

Mixed Veggie Salad with Chickpeas and Turkey Burger

This recipe has turkey and chickpeas as protein sources, so it’s high in protein, easy, healthy, and delicious.

429 calories

Ingredients

• ½ Cucumber, small – 16 calories

• ¼ Onion, red – 13.75 calories

• 2 cups Leafy greens, lettuce, raw – 10 calories

• 1 Burger patty, turkey (fresh or frozen) – 180 calories

• 1 Tbsp Vinaigrette, regular (more than 50 calories per 2 tbsp) – 75 calories

• ½ cup Beans & legumes, garbanzo beans (chickpeas), cooked – 134 calories

• 1 Salt, dash – 0 calories

• 1 Pepper, dash – 0 calories

Instructions

1. Spray a pan with an oil spray. 

2. Cook turkey burger ~5 minutes on each side on medium-low heat.

3. Chop cucumber and onion into small pieces.

4. Combine all ingredients into a salad.

5. No turkey? Use any other burger patty type.

Instant Pot Lemon Chicken with Brown Rice and Broccoli

431 calories

Ingredients

• 6 oz Chicken breast, boneless, skinless, raw – 190 calories

• 1 tsp Butter (tsp) – 36 calories

• ½ Onion, yellow – 27.5 calories

• ½ cup Broth, chicken or beef – 17.5 calories

• 2 Tbsp Garlic, minced (Tbsp) – 0 calories

• ¼ Salt – 0 calories

• ¼ tsp Paprika, dash – 0 calories

• ¼ Pepper – 0 calories

• ¼ tsp Parsley, dried – 0 calories

• 4 Tbsp Lemon, juice – 8 calories

• 0.4 Tbsp Almond flour/Almond meal – 16 calories

• ½ cup Broccoli – 15.5 calories

• ½ cup Rice, brown, cooked – 120 calories

Instructions

1. Arrowroot flour is another flour option

2. Set Instant Pot to sauté mode. When it’s hot melt butter.

3. Add onion, garlic, paprika, parsley, and pepper to melted butter, and sauté until onions soften.

4. With your Instant Pot still set to sauté, sear the chicken on each side for about 3-5 minutes. The chicken should be a caramelized brown color.

5. Pour with lemon juice and salt over chicken and stir.

6. Lock lid into place and close steam valve. Set Instant Pot to poultry setting and cook for 7-8 mins if chicken is thawed and 12-15 minutes if it’s frozen.

7. If you’re going to be making pasta, rice or veggies to serve with this chicken, start making it now while your chicken cooks.

8. Once done, let depressurize naturally – it shouldn’t take very long.

9. Remove the chicken from the Instant Pot, but leave the sauce in the pan. Gradually stir in flour to thicken sauce.

10. If you’re serving chicken on top pasta, mix cooked pasta in with thickened lemon sauce. Otherwise drizzle sauce over chicken.

Lentil & Bean Salad

This high-protein meal is also vegan & vegetarian! It’s another one of my favorite high-protein dinners (or lunches). It’s quick and easy, and packed with protein. Did you know 100 grams of beans have 21 grams of protein? That makes them an amazing source of protein!

398 calories

Ingredients

• ½ cup Quinoa, cooked – 111 calories

• ¼ cup Beans & legumes, garbanzo beans (chickpeas), cooked – 67 calories

• ½ cup Lentils, cooked – 115 calories

• 2 cups Leafy greens, spinach, raw – 14 calories

• ½ cup Tomatoes, grape – 16 calories

• 1 Salt, dash – 0 calories

• 1 Pepper, dash – 0 calories

• 1 Basil, dash – 0 calories

• 1 Oregano, dash – 0 calories

• 1 Tbsp Vinaigrette, regular (more than 50 calories per 2 tbsp) – 75 calories

Instructions

1. Cook quinoa and lentils as instructed on packages.

2. Drain and rinse chickpeas.

3. Combine quinoa, chickpeas, lentils, spinach, and tomatoes (halved).

4. Mix with dressing and seasonings.

Chicken
& Veggie Stir Fry

390 calories

Ingredients

• 6 oz Chicken breast, boneless, skinless, raw – 190 calories

• 1 Bell pepper, red – 37 calories

• 1 cup Broccoli – 31 calories

• 3 Uncured bacon, slice – 132 calories

• 1 Garlic salt, dash – 0 calories

• 1 tsp Red pepper flakes, dash – 0 calories

Instructions

1. Chop pepper and broccoli into small pieces. Slice chicken into strips. Cut bacon into small pieces with kitchen sheers.

2. Spray a pan with an oil spray. Cook chicken and bacon for 8 minutes on low heat, stirring occasionally.

3. Add in veggies for another 5-10 minutes, until everything is cooked through. Add in seasonings.

4. Eat the chicken and veggies by themselves, or serve with rice or a sweet potato if you prefer.

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