20 Low-Carb, High-Protein Dinners in 30 Minutes (2024)

You're just 30 minutes away from getting a delicious and filling dinner on the table with these low-carb, high-protein meals. Whether it's chicken, shrimp or pork, these dinners have at least 15 grams of protein. They're also low in carbohydrates and packed with vegetables. Try recipes like Shrimp Cauliflower Fried Rice and Lemon-Garlic Chicken with Green Beans for a satisfying and quick dinner you'll want to make again and again.

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Shrimp Cauliflower Fried Rice

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20 Low-Carb, High-Protein Dinners in 30 Minutes (1)

Amp up your veggie servings with this healthy cauliflower fried rice for a quick low-carb dinner.

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Lemon-Garlic Chicken with Green Beans

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20 Low-Carb, High-Protein Dinners in 30 Minutes (2)

This easy lemon-garlic chicken recipe calls for cutlets, which cook in less than 10 minutes! Can't find them? Make your own from chicken breasts. Place each breast on a cutting board and, with your knife parallel to the board, slice into the skinny side of the chicken breast in a single smooth motion. The side of green beans is cooked right in the same pan as the chicken, so this 20-minute easy, healthy dinner is not just a snap to prepare—the cleanup is a cinch too.

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Beef Stir-Fry with Baby Bok Choy & Ginger

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20 Low-Carb, High-Protein Dinners in 30 Minutes (3)

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, but the cleanup is also quick. 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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Garlic Shrimp with Cilantro Spaghetti Squash

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20 Low-Carb, High-Protein Dinners in 30 Minutes (4)

Garlicky shrimp are served on top of buttery, cilantro-flecked spaghetti squash in this quick, healthy dinner recipe inspired by shrimp scampi. Pair with a side of sautéed greens, such as kale, collards or spinach.

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Herby Fish with Wilted Greens & Mushrooms

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20 Low-Carb, High-Protein Dinners in 30 Minutes (5)

This healthy fish recipe makes a tasty and easy weeknight meal. Serve with wild rice or roasted potatoes.

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Pork Chops with Creamy Mushroom Sauce

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20 Low-Carb, High-Protein Dinners in 30 Minutes (6)

These seared pork chops are topped with a rich and creamy mushroom sauce that gets flavored with fresh herbs.

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Mozzarella, Basil & Zucchini Frittata

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20 Low-Carb, High-Protein Dinners in 30 Minutes (7)

This vegetable-studded frittata recipe is one of the quickest meals you can make. Make it for breakfast, or serve for lunch or dinner with a tossed salad and a slice of olive oil-drizzled crusty baguette.

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Seared Cod with Spinach-Lemon Sauce

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20 Low-Carb, High-Protein Dinners in 30 Minutes (8)

A citrus-laced spinach sauce zests up delicate cod in this healthy fish recipe. If you can find Meyer lemons, use their sweeter juice instead of the regular lemon and orange juices. Serve with roasted cherry tomatoes and zucchini with angel hair pasta.

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Kung Pao Chicken with Bell Peppers

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20 Low-Carb, High-Protein Dinners in 30 Minutes (9)

Here's an easy chicken recipe you'll definitely want to add to your dinner repertoire. A quick marinade tenderizes the chicken and infuses flavor into this healthy version of a take-out favorite. Adding a little oil to finish the marinade coats the chicken and helps keep it from sticking to the pan.

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Pork Chops with Balsamic Sweet Onions

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20 Low-Carb, High-Protein Dinners in 30 Minutes (10)

Balsamic onions and raisins add a burst of sweet and savory flavor to pan-seared pork chops. Round out this healthy dinner recipe with sweet potatoes and green beans.

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Roasted Salmon Caprese

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20 Low-Carb, High-Protein Dinners in 30 Minutes (11)

This oven-ready recipe is snap to prep. Salmon fillets and cherry tomatoes roast side by side on one pan, then are drizzled with balsamic glaze to pull it all together.

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Shrimp Scampi Zoodles

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20 Low-Carb, High-Protein Dinners in 30 Minutes (12)

Classic garlicky shrimp scampi gets a low-carb makeover in this easy dinner recipe. Zucchini noodles, also known as "zoodles," are a healthier alternative to traditional pasta—they mimic the texture of pasta while taking on the flavor of whatever sauce you serve them with. Make sure you salt and drain the zoodles, otherwise, your final dish will be soupy and the flavor will be diluted.

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Tofu Parmigiana

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20 Low-Carb, High-Protein Dinners in 30 Minutes (13)

Instead of having a greasy, battered coating, the tofu "steaks" in our revamped Parmigiana are breaded and lightly pan-fried in just a small amount of oil then topped with part-skim mozzarella, fresh basil and your favorite marinara sauce. This Italian classic will please even those who are tofu-phobic.

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Chicken Cutlets with Tomatoes & Olives

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20 Low-Carb, High-Protein Dinners in 30 Minutes (14)

This saucy one-skillet chicken dish is full of tomatoes, spinach, olives and capers. Try Kalamata olives in place of the green Castelvetranos or a combination of both. Serve over whole-wheat egg noodles with a mixed green salad on the side.

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Crispy Cod with Charred Snow Peas & Creamy Herb Sauce

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20 Low-Carb, High-Protein Dinners in 30 Minutes (15)

This crispy cod recipe shows you how to make golden fish that's not deep-fried, to put a healthy twist on a classic. Pat it dry and dredge it with a bit of flour before sautéing in a hot pan.

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Shichimi Togarashi Pork Chops with Spicy Greens

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20 Low-Carb, High-Protein Dinners in 30 Minutes (16)

Spicy greens like arugula or mizuna complement the mild heat from the shichimi togarashi that coats these easy pork chops, but any mix of greens will work well. Grated Asian pears add a sweet note to this zippy salad. If you can't get your hands on them, firm unripe Anjou pears can easily take their place.

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Frittata with Asparagus, Leek & Ricotta

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20 Low-Carb, High-Protein Dinners in 30 Minutes (17)

Serve this spring-vegetable-loaded frittata with an arugula salad and a hunk of crusty bread. Tip: This recipe cooks quickly, so be sure to have all your ingredients prepped and ready to go.

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Lemon-Garlic Grilled Cod

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20 Low-Carb, High-Protein Dinners in 30 Minutes (18)

This lemon-garlic grilled cod features charred lemon and garlic oil that adds an extra dimension to the moist and flaky fish.

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Turkey Ma Po Tofu

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20 Low-Carb, High-Protein Dinners in 30 Minutes (19)

Ma Po Tofu is a traditional Chinese recipe usually made with ground pork. This delicious version uses ground turkey to cut saturated fat and calories and adds mushrooms for extra veggies. Serve with brown rice and make it extra special with a drizzle of sesame oil just before serving.

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Grilled Chicken with Red Pepper-Pecan Romesco Sauce

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

Many variations of the Catalonian roasted tomato sauce, romesco sauce, add roasted red peppers for a little sweetness. Here, we scorch the peppers and tomato on the grill alongside the chicken to keep things simple.