You Can't Survive On Christmas Cookies Alone. These High-Protein Dinners Have Your Back
The holiday season can get HECTIC, to say the least. It's easy to feel like you're hurtling from the big Thanksgiving meal straight to Christmas party potluck season; then before you know it, it's time to make a big Christmas dinner again. But what about all those weeknights in between? Don't just end up subsisting on leftovers and Christmas cookies! Instead turn to this list of cozy and hearty weeknight dinners—they're all full of ingredients guaranteed to keep you fueled through whatever the season throws at you. Christmas movie marathons? Caroling? Present wrapping extravaganzas? School and church plays galore? These high-protein winter dinners have your back.
Cottage Cheese Alfredo
Wouldn’t it be great to have a big bowl of your favorite creamy pasta with less fat and more protein but with all of the flavor and texture you’re looking for in a good Alfredo sauce? We thought so! Turn this into a chicken Alfredo for even more of a protein punch.
Get the Cottage Cheese Alfredo recipe.
Chicken Fried Rice
If you have leftover rice hanging out in your fridge, then this fried rice is a no-brainer. Shake up your weeknight chicken dinner by recreating the take-out staple right at home. Not a chicken fan? Try our beef fried rice or our shrimp fried rice instead.
Get the Chicken Fried Rice recipe.
Pesto Rice & Beans Soup
While we use chicken broth here to add a layer of savoriness without actually adding meat, feel free to substitute it with vegetable broth or water. Depending on personal taste, you can also use whatever type of canned beans you’d like (or make your own from scratch!).
Get the Pesto Rice & Beans Soup recipe.
One-Pan Chicken & Quinoa
This quick and easy dinner is high in protein and takes very little effort. We love the Tex-Mex spices here; the chili powder and cayenne add a nice kick that the avocado and sour cream perfectly offset. Want more one-skillet wonders? Try our one-pan chicken & gnocchi next!
Get the One-Pan Chicken & Quinoa recipe.
Butter Chicken
In the wide world of comfort food, nothing beats butter chicken. Rich spiced tomato gravy envelopes tender, lightly charred chicken for a meal that’s deeply flavored and incredibly satisfying. Try replacing the heavy cream with something with more high protein if you like!
Get the Butter Chicken recipe.
One-Pot Farro With Chicken Sausage & Tomatoes
This one-pot dish is a flavor bomb that is packed with veggies. Chicken sausage, fennel, onions, and hearty farro are seasoned with pickled, mildly spicy pepperoncini and garlic to create a savory, stew-like rice dish that's cozy without being boring.
Get the One-Pot Farro With Chicken Sausage & Tomatoes recipe.
Stuffed Pepper Soup
If you can’t get enough of stuffed peppers, then this warming, cozy soup version will be your new favorite fall comfort food. This soup has everything you like about a classic stuffed pepper—ground beef, rice, tomatoes, and plenty of cheese. It’s perfectly classic, but you can also vary it depending on your favorite stuffed pepper variation.
Get the Stuffed Pepper Soup recipe.
Chicken Tostadas
Here at Delish, we believe that tostadas just might be the perfect weeknight dinner. They have all the delicious crunch of a tortilla chip, but act as a sturdy vehicle for whatever toppings you like. Here, that means creamy homemade refried beans and chile-spiked shredded chicken topping.
Get the Chicken Tostadas recipe.
Cacio E Pepe White Beans Skillet
Craving 5-star flavors at home on a weeknight? Make these cacio e pepe white beans. Using just six ingredients, this classy one-pan dinner promises the luscious richness and bold flavors of a fine dining restaurant in just 15 minutes.
Get the Cacio E Pepe White Beans Skillet recipe.
White Chicken Chili
Adding white beans makes this heartier than your average chicken noodle soup, and the addition of green chiles, jalapeño, and sour cream add the perfect amount of heat and creaminess to switch up classic chili. Plus, everything comes together in less than an hour (!!), making it an easy, no-stress dinner to cozy up this time of year.
Get the White Chicken Chili recipe.
Extra Lemony Seitan Piccata
Some piccata sauces use only lemon juice, but we opt for whole pieces of the fruit for ultimate citrus flavor. After a simmer in a wine-and-broth Jacuzzi, the lemon loses its sharp bitterness and becomes sweet and tender. We dig it drizzled over plant-based, high-protein seitan.
Get the Extra Lemony Seitan Piccata recipe.
Everything Bagel Crusted Salmon
Bring the brunch vibes to dinnertime with everything bagel seasoning crusted salmon and a refreshing salad that’s reminiscent of the toppings on your favorite loaded bagel & lox. If you’ve never turned cream cheese into a salad dressing, you're in for a treat.
Get the Everything Bagel Crusted Salmon recipe.
Sesame Tofu & Broccoli
In this vegetarian version of a Chinese-American favorite, oven-baked tofu gets tossed in a savory, sweet, and slightly spicy sauce along with crisp-tender broccoli, then topped with toasty sesame seeds and scallions. Not a tofu fan? Try our sticky sesame chickpeas & broccoli or our classic chicken & broccoli instead.
Get the Sesame Tofu & Broccoli recipe.
Chicken Salad
This recipe expertly combines well-seasoned chicken, a rich mayo dressing, plenty of fresh celery, and a touch of acid. It's then chilled until cold, giving the flavors time to meld and saturate the chicken, resulting in a refreshing, creamy, and super-satisfying healthy snack or light meal.
Get the Chicken Salad recipe.
BBQ Protein Bowls
With BBQ chicken, corn, an easy slaw, rice, and pickles, these grain bowls are a protein-packed lunch that are the noon pick-me-up you need. Once you prep the rice ahead of time, these bowls will only take 15 minutes to cook and assemble, ie, they're meal prep gold.
Get the BBQ Protein Bowls recipe.
Lentil Soup
Lentil may not be known as the sexiest of soups, but our recipe is anything but boring and ensures that this vegetable soup gets the attention it deserves. Another reason why we love it? The ingredients tend to be on the cheaper side, and it only requires a handful of staple items you may already have in your pantry.
Get the Lentil Soup recipe.
Spicy Cottage Cheese Pasta
Cottage cheese continues to have its big moment in the sun. Its high-protein content has driven people to try and incorporate it into some of their favorite foods. Blending it with marinara until the sauce is creamy and smooth makes for an incredible pasta sauce. It’s a super-easy hack to get an extra boost of protein out of a favorite comfort meal. This recipe can be made in less than 30 minutes, making it an unbeatable weeknight dinner.
Get the Spicy Cottage Cheese Pasta recipe.
Pizza Frittata
In our book, a classic frittata is a perfect breakfast-for-dinner dish. They're the solution to almost every meal dilemma. Use this one as inspo that it's not just about the eggs—we like adding some extra protein with pepperoni, but sausage or bacon would also be great.
Get the Pizza Frittata recipe.
In our book, the Cobb salad just might be the perfect dinner salad. It’s versatile, hearty, easy to make, and even easier to meal prep. This classic recipe creates the perfect balance of textures and flavors, all tied together by the star of the show: a homemade dressing.
Get the Cobb Salad recipe.
Peanut Chicken Protein Bowls
The beauty about these grain bowls is that it's infinitely adaptable. You can roast just about any veggie, use any number of toppings, and it'll taste amazing in this recipe. The only thing we might insist you must keep on the bowl is the incredible peanut butter dressing.
Get the Peanut Chicken Protein Bowls recipe.
Egg Roll Bowls
If you're a fan of crispy savory egg rolls, then you might consider this unwrapped version your dream dinner. Without the need to wrap or fry, this veggie-packed meal comes together in well under an hour. Garnish with crispy raw scallions, toasted sesame seeds, and plenty of sriracha or chili oil.
Get the Egg Roll Bowls recipe.
You'll start by building up flavor with a mixture of onion, fresh ginger, garlic, and serrano chiles. Next, a smattering of spices—garam masala, paprika, and turmeric—infuses the coconut milk. All that's left to do is poach the shrimp directly in the broth and heat the peas and spinach through, and you're ready for dinner.
Pesto Chicken
Ready in under an hour, this chicken breast recipe gets a flavorful upgrade with homemade pesto and melty cheese. This dish is extremely versatile with what’s in season and your desired effort level, making it a staple weeknight dinner (or fancy occasion specialty) you can come back to again and again.
Get the Pesto Chicken recipe.
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