Twenty dinners in 20 minutes or less, built from staples you can keep on hand. Each one lists the time, the method and the protein per serving, so you can pick by what's in the fridge tonight.
Stuff a large whole-wheat pita with 3 ounces of shredded rotisserie chicken, diced cucumber and tomato, a few olives and a spoonful of tzatziki. No tzatziki? Mix plain Greek yogurt with lemon juice and dried dill.
The chicken brings about 26g of protein, the pita about 6g and a quarter cup of Greek yogurt about 6g, for roughly 38g with no cooking at all.
This might be the fastest meal on the list. Combine 4 ounces of drained canned tuna, half a cup of drained cannellini beans, arugula, cherry tomatoes, olive oil, lemon juice and capers. Serve with a slice of whole-grain toast.
That's about 22g of protein from the tuna, 10g from the beans and 4g from the toast. Light tuna packed in water is the lower-mercury pick for a meal you'll repeat.
Layer a cup of microwave quinoa with 4 ounces of canned tuna, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, olives and an ounce of crumbled feta, then drizzle with olive oil and lemon. Add fresh herbs if you have them.
Quinoa adds about 8g of protein to the tuna's 22g, and the feta about 4g. This one travels well, so make two and pack the second for tomorrow's lunch.
Toss bagged coleslaw mix with 3 ounces of shredded rotisserie chicken, mandarin oranges, 2 tablespoons of sliced almonds and a sesame-ginger dressing.
The crunch makes it satisfying, there's no cooking involved, and the chicken alone covers about 26g of protein. Bottled dressings vary a lot in sugar and calories, so measure 2 tablespoons rather than pouring.
Toast two slices of whole-grain bread, mash half an avocado on top, add 3 ounces of flaked canned salmon (or smoked salmon), then finish with everything bagel seasoning and a squeeze of lemon.
Canned pink salmon gives about 20g of protein and the bread about 8g. Simple, filling, and one of the cheapest ways to get omega-3 fats into a weeknight.
Mix 3 ounces of shredded rotisserie chicken with a quarter cup of plain Greek yogurt, diced celery, dried cranberries and a squeeze of lemon. Spoon into a whole-grain wrap with lettuce.
Creamy and tangy, with the yogurt standing in for mayonnaise and adding about 6g of protein to the chicken's 26g.
Toss 4 ounces of thawed shrimp and a bag of stir-fry vegetables into a hot pan with teriyaki or a quick ginger-garlic sauce. Serve over a cup of microwave brown rice and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Thawed shrimp cook in about 4 minutes, so this comes together fast. The shrimp give about 27g of protein and the rice about 5g. Teriyaki is salty, so a tablespoon goes a long way.
Brown lean ground turkey with taco seasoning, stir in black beans and corn, then spoon the mix into crisp romaine leaves. Top with salsa and a few slices of avocado.
Three ounces of cooked turkey is about 23g of protein, and a quarter cup of beans adds about 4g. Want a heartier meal? Use whole-grain tortillas instead of lettuce.
Scramble 2 eggs in a hot pan, push them to the side, then add a cup of leftover or microwave rice, frozen peas and carrots and a splash of soy sauce. Toss in half a cup of edamame or some rotisserie chicken for more protein.
With the eggs (about 13g), edamame (about 9g) and brown rice (about 5g), you land near 30g. This is the ultimate clean-out-the-fridge meal.
Pan-sear thin chicken cutlets until golden and cooked through to 165°F, then top with sliced tomatoes, fresh basil and an ounce of part-skim mozzarella. Cover the pan for a minute to melt the cheese and drizzle with balsamic. Serve with a bagged salad.
Three ounces of cooked chicken is about 26g of protein, and the mozzarella adds about 7g.
Spread half a cup of mashed black beans over a whole-grain tortilla, top with an ounce of shredded cheese and salsa, fold and cook in a dry pan until crisp on both sides. Serve with Greek yogurt instead of sour cream and a side of pre-cut vegetables.
Two small tortillas, the beans, the cheese and a quarter cup of Greek yogurt add up to about 28g of protein, all of it meatless.
Sauté 4 ounces of shrimp with minced garlic, then add a quick sauce of honey, soy sauce and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Serve over a cup of brown rice with steamed broccoli.
Sweet, savory and done before you can decide what to watch on Netflix. Shrimp, rice and a cup of broccoli come to about 36g of protein.
Whisk 3 eggs with a splash of milk, pour into a hot pan and add whatever vegetables you have: spinach, peppers, onions, mushrooms. Fold, then top with an ounce of cheese and salsa.
Three eggs give about 19g of protein and the cheese about 7g. Three eggs plus vegetables is a solid dinner.
Brush salmon fillets with miso paste mixed with fresh ginger, then broil for about 12 minutes, until the fish flakes and reaches 145°F. Serve over microwave rice with half a cup of edamame, sliced cucumbers and scallions. A squeeze of lime at the end brings it together.
Four ounces of cooked salmon is about 25g of protein, and the edamame and rice add about 15g more, the highest total on the list.
Toss thinly sliced chicken breast with sliced peppers, onions and chili-lime seasoning. Spread on a sheet pan and roast at 425°F for about 12 minutes, or use an air fryer, until the chicken hits 165°F. Serve in warm tortillas with pico de gallo.
Three ounces of cooked chicken in two small whole-wheat tortillas comes to about 36g of protein.
Microwave a medium sweet potato until tender, split it open and stuff it with 3 ounces of shredded rotisserie chicken tossed in BBQ sauce. Top with a drizzle of Greek yogurt and sliced scallions.
About 32g of protein, mostly from the chicken. BBQ sauce is the sugar in this one, so 2 tablespoons is plenty.
Sauté pre-chopped onion and garlic for a minute, add a drained can of chickpeas, diced tomatoes and curry powder, then stir in a handful of spinach and a splash of coconut milk. Serve over quick rice. Serves 2.
High in fiber and full of flavor. Half a can of canned chickpeas has about 9g of protein, and the rice adds about 5g. Spoon a quarter cup of Greek yogurt on top or add a second can of chickpeas to push it past 20g.
While the pasta cooks, blend half a cup of cottage cheese with fresh basil, lemon juice and black pepper. Toss with the drained pasta and add peas or leftover chicken.
The cottage cheese makes a creamy, high-protein sauce. With whole-wheat penne and peas, it's about 22g. A high-protein pasta or 3 ounces of chicken takes it well past 30g, so check your pasta's label.
Cook rice noodles according to the package, then toss with a quick peanut sauce (peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, sriracha), shredded cabbage, carrots and half a cup of edamame. Top with chopped peanuts and cilantro.
Rice noodles are low in protein, so the edamame and peanuts carry it to about 18g. Add cubed tofu or shredded chicken for a full dinner's worth.
Sauté garlic in olive oil, add canned white beans, chicken broth, diced tomatoes and Italian seasoning. Simmer for 10 minutes, stir in spinach and serve with crusty bread.
It tastes slow-cooked but is done in under 20 minutes. A cup of beans per bowl is about 19g of protein. Canned beans and broth both carry sodium, so pick low-sodium versions where you can.
| Meal | Time | Protein |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Greek chicken pita pockets | 10 min | 38g |
| 2. No-cook tuna white bean salad | 5 min | 35g |
| 3. Mediterranean tuna grain bowls | 10 min | 34g |
| 4. Asian chicken salad | 8 min | 30g |
| 5. Salmon avocado toast | 10 min | 29g |
| 6. Greek yogurt chicken salad wraps | 8 min | 36g |
| 7. Shrimp stir-fry | 12 min | 35g |
| 8. Turkey taco lettuce cups | 15 min | 28g |
| 9. Egg fried rice | 10 min | 30g |
| 10. Caprese chicken skillet | 18 min | 33g |
| 11. Black bean quesadilla | 12 min | 28g |
| 12. Honey garlic shrimp | 12 min | 36g |
| 13. Veggie-loaded omelets | 10 min | 27g |
| 14. Miso-ginger salmon bowls | 15 min | 40g |
| 15. Sheet pan chicken fajitas | 15 min | 36g |
| 16. BBQ chicken sweet potato | 20 min | 32g |
| 17. Chickpea spinach curry | 15 min | 16g |
| 18. Cottage cheese pesto pasta | 15 min | 22g |
| 19. Thai peanut noodle bowls | 15 min | 18g |
| 20. Italian white bean soup | 18 min | 20g |
One that takes 20 minutes or less and includes protein, vegetables and a smart carb such as whole grains or potatoes. A practical protein target is about 25 to 35g a meal, which 16 of the 20 meals above reach. The goal is balanced nutrition without hours in the kitchen.
Yes. A 2015 study of eight fruits and vegetables found frozen produce had vitamin levels comparable to, and sometimes higher than, fresh produce stored in the fridge. Canned beans, fish and tomatoes are budget-friendly staples. USDA data show rinsing canned chickpeas trims sodium a little, so no-salt-added cans do more.
Stir Greek yogurt or cottage cheese into sauces and dressings, toss edamame or canned beans into grain bowls, choose a high-protein pasta, or use rotisserie chicken from the store. Eggs are another fast, inexpensive protein: two large eggs have about 13g. Canned tuna and salmon need no cooking at all.
Microwave rice or quinoa, canned beans and tuna, frozen shrimp and vegetables, eggs, whole-grain tortillas and a few sauces like teriyaki, salsa and pesto. With those on hand, a fast, healthy dinner is possible any night of the week, even when the fridge looks empty.
A no-cook bowl from canned protein. The tuna white bean salad above takes about 5 minutes and has about 35g of protein: drained tuna, cannellini beans, arugula, tomatoes, olive oil and lemon. Rotisserie chicken wraps and pita pockets are close behind at 8 to 10 minutes.
