40 High-Protein Recipes With 20+ Grams of Protein Per Serving
Including cheesesteak-stuffed peppers, meal prep chicken wraps and more!
Medically reviewed by Stefani Sassos, M.S., R.D.N., NASM-CPTNutrition & Fitness Lab Director
Adding more protein to your daily routine doesn’t mean you have to rely on powders or other specialty groceries, like protein-fortified cereals. These high-protein recipes use ingredients you may already have in your fridge and pantry, making it deliciously easy to hit your protein goals.
Getting enough protein everyday is important. This macronutrient provides essential amino acids and helps the body build and repair cells. (A higher protein intake also helps you feel satisfied longer between meals).
Each of these dishes contains at least 20 grams of protein per serving and features a variety of protein sources – from eggs, lean meats, seafood, and poultry to plenty of plant-based proteins such as tofu, beans, and lentils. We also included recipes that plate up protein with plenty of fresh vegetables and whole grains, as well as low calorie meals and healthy dinner ideas. After all, adding protein to your meals should not come at the expense of other nutrients and health benefits.
Sticky Miso Chicken Bowls with Pickled Ginger Cucumbers
Protein per serving: 40 grams
If you want a fast track to juicy boneless chicken thighs, chuck the protein under the broiler. In less than 10 minutes, the chicken turns tender and perfectly charred and easily takes on glazes, such as a sticky-sweet miso coating.
Get the Sticky Miso Chicken Bowls with Pickled Ginger Cucumbers recipe.
RELATED: What is Miso Anyway? How to Use the Ingredient the Right Way
Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers
Protein per serving: 39 grams
We ditched the hoagie roll and stuffed all the Philly cheesesteak fixings into peppers instead. It's a fun one-and-done meal that's a little lighter and still oh-so comforting.
Meal Prep Chicken Lettuce Cups
Protein per serving: 36 grams
Set yourself up for success all week by stocking your fridge with extra cooked chicken — ready to mix into rice, stuff into tortillas, add to pita, pile on top of lettuce, you name it.
Grilled Buffalo Salmon with Celery Slaw
Protein per serving: 38 grams
Protein-packed salmon fillets get the tangy, fiery buffalo wing treatment. Pair the skewers with a cooling cucumber salad and a crisp beverage — and dinner is served.
Cottage Cheese Wrap Pinwheels
Protein per serving: 41 grams
Cottage cheese is having a major moment. Celebrated for its high-protein content, this it ingredient is being blended into sauces, stirred into yogurt and turned into wraps and flatbreads. Here, we used it to make this protein-packed, gluten-free wrap that you can fill with whatever your heart desires.
Get the Cottage Cheese Wrap Pinwheels recipe.
RELATED: The Best Ways to Eat Cottage Cheese
Triple Citrus Grilled Chicken
Protein per serving: 54 grams
Here, bright citrus juice does double-duty: Not only is it used to marinade the juicy grilled chicken, but it dresses the crunchy buttery lettuce and watermelon radish.
Get the Triple Citrus Grilled Chicken recipe.
Creamy White Beans and Jammy Eggs
Protein per serving: 22 grams
Breakfast for dinner? Yes, please. Rosemary-infused bits of sautéed kale and leeks provide a boost of fiber, and a slab of sourdough underneath makes this dish a fork-and-knife meal worth lingering over.
Air Fryer Fish Taco Bowls
Protein per serving: 24 grams
Looking for a fun way to get more fish into your diet? This combo of air-fried cod, brown rice, slaw and a tangy chipotle sauce delivers tons of exciting, fresh flavors.
Get the Air Fryer Fish Taco Bowls recipe.
RELATED: Our Best Air Fryer Recipes
Steak with Beans and Roasted Broccolini
Protein per serving: 48 grams
Serve up a hearty steak with a bean-studded side, which bulks up the protein even more — and a shallot-and-parsley relish to dial up the flavor factor.
Grilled Chicken Caprese
Protein per serving: 46 grams
Introducing the high-protein, low-carb dinner of your dreams.
Get the Grilled Chicken Caprese recipe.
Moroccan-Spiced Skillet Chicken and Couscous
Protein per serving: 44 grams
Requiring just one pan and thirty minutes, this cozy skillet chicken dinner couldn't get any easier.
Get the Moroccan-Spiced Skillet Chicken and Couscous recipe.
Pork, Pineapple and Onion Skewers
Protein per serving: 29 grams
With a stack of skewers and a handful of ingredients, you can unlock this delicious dinner that delivers nearly 30 grams of protein per serving.
Get the Pork, Pineapple and Onion Skewers recipe.
RELATED: Our Easiest 5-Ingredient Meal Plan
Garlicky Grilled Skillet Clams with Summer Tomatoes and Herbs
Protein per serving: 29 grams
Clams get cooked in a bath of garlicky, tomato-y, chile-infused white wine. You have to wait a few minutes for the clams to open up, but in the meantime, you can char up some bread ready on the same grill.
Get the Garlicky Grilled Skillet Clams with Summer Tomatoes and Herbs recipe.
RELATED: The Biggest Seafood Cooking Mistakes—and How to Fix Them
Chicken Paillard
Protein per serving: 42 grams
No boring chicken dinners here: We pounded chicken breasts thin before quickly grilling, but the real star is the tangy-sweet broccoli salad that's piled on top.
Get the Chicken Paillard recipe.
Sweet Potato Breakfast Burritos
Protein per serving: 21 grams
Eggs get mentioned a lot when people talk protein, and for good reason: Eggs contain all nine essential amino acids (so yep, they're a complete protein!). Plus, a single egg has anywhere between five to eight grams of protein, depending on its size.
Lemon Tahini-Marinated Chicken
Protein per serving: 49 grams
Meal preppers, take note: You can make a big batch of these grilled chicken thighs to serve up in salads, sandwiches and grain bowls throughout the week.
Get the Lemon Tahini-Marinated Chicken recipe.
RELATED: High-Protein Meal Prep Recipes for Easy, Healthy Eating All Week
Kale and Chickpea Toasts
Protein per serving: 24 grams
Don't eat meat? No stress! Add meals made with protein-packed plant-based ingredients, like this high-protein vegetarian recipe, to your weekly dinner rotation and you're good to go.
Get the Kale and Chickpea Toasts recipe.
Grilled Chicken with Sunflower Seed Satay Sauce
Protein per serving: 34 grams
Nuts and seeds can add a good dose of protein (and flavor!) to the equation as well. Exhibit A: This crowd-pleaser, clocks in at 34 grams of protein per serving and features a nut-free satay sauce.
Get the Grilled Chicken with Sunflower Seed Satay Sauce recipe.
Air Fryer Salmon and Swiss Chard
Protein per serving: 30 grams
Fish is one of the healthiest protein sources and salmon is an all-around all-star, offering up vitamin B12, choline, selenium and omega-3 fatty acids, plus plenty of other health benefits.
Arayes
Protein per serving: 30 grams
Topped with pickled cabbage and tahini-yogurt sauce, these Lebanese meat-stuffed pitas make for a hearty, handheld meal that will please the whole family.
Get the Arayes recipe.
Stefani (she/her) is a registered dietitian, a NASM-certified personal trainer and the director of the Good Housekeeping Institute Nutrition and Fitness Lab, where she oversees all nutrition and fitness-related content, testing and evaluation. She holds a master’s degree in clinical nutrition from New York University, as well as advanced certifications as a Women's Fitness Specialist and a Behavior Change Specialist. Stefani is dedicated to providing readers with evidence-based content to encourage informed food choices and healthy living. She is an avid CrossFitter and a passionate home cook who loves spending time with her big fit Greek family.
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