24 High-Protein, Low-Carb Chicken Recipes Perfect for Dinner

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Updated on July 21, 2023

Reviewed by Dietitian

Jessica Ball, M.S., RD

Baked Lemon-Pepper Chicken — Photograher: Greg Dupree Prop Stylist: Audrey Davis Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer.

Try one of these high-protein chicken recipes for dinner tonight. Each recipe has at least 15 grams of protein per serving and uses chicken thighs, breasts or cutlets to create a hearty meal. Recipes like Feta & Roasted Red Pepper Stuffed Chicken Breast and Baked Lemon-Pepper Chicken have no more than 15 g of carbohydrates per serving and can be paired with a side salad or roasted veggies for a balanced dinner.

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Chicken Cutlets with Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce

Chicken Cutlets with Sundried Tomato Cream Sauce

Though a chicken cutlet may be a chicken breast cut in half, this recipe shows how to make chicken cutlets with double the deliciousness. A jar of sun-dried tomatoes does double duty for this healthy dinner recipe. The flavorful oil they're packed in is used to sauté the chicken, and the tomatoes go into the cream sauce.

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Feta & Roasted Red Pepper Stuffed Chicken Breast

Mediterranean Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Feta cheese, roasted peppers, spinach and more flavors common to regions around the Mediterranean inspired this quick and easy stuffed chicken breast recipe. Browning the chicken in a skillet before baking gives it a beautiful golden color, and finishing it in the oven ensures that this healthy baked chicken recipe cooks evenly throughout.

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20-Minute Chicken Cutlets with Creamy Pesto Sauce

20-Minute Chicken Cutlets with Creamy Pesto Sauce

Serve these quick chicken cutlets with creamy pesto sauce over zucchini noodles. This easy dinner recipe is sure to become a new family favorite.

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Creamy Chicken & Mushrooms

Creamy Chicken & Mushrooms

Whether you scored wild mushrooms at the farmers market, found cultivated maitake or shiitake at the supermarket or just have some baby bellas on hand, this healthy creamy chicken recipe is delicious with any of them.

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Poulet au Vinaigre (Chicken in Vinegar)

Poulet au Vinaigre (Chicken in Vinegar) — Ryan Liebe

This classic French dish is typically made with a cut up whole chicken. But using just one part of the bird, in this case thighs, ensures that the pieces are done at the same time. Serve this saucy braise with mashed cauliflower.

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Baked Lemon-Pepper Chicken

Looking for a quick, easy dinner? This baked lemon-pepper chicken recipe is it. Chicken breasts are cooked in a skillet, then finished in the oven with lemon slices that soften and become part of the sauce, with a touch of maple syrup and butter to carry the flavor. It's so simple and delicious, you'll be making this healthy dinner again and again.

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Balsamic-Dijon Chicken

Experiment with various flavored mustards to add a different spin to this simple marinade recipe. It's low in fat and carbs because it's oil- and sugar-free.

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Feta-Stuffed Chicken

The feta and fat-free cream cheese stuffing make this main dish chicken recipe rich in taste yet low in calories.

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Chicken with Red Wine Pan Sauce

Ready in 35 minutes, this chicken dish will satisfy you any night of the week!

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Hasselback Caprese Chicken

Hasselback Caprese Chicken

Using the hasselback technique (cutting crosswise slits every half-inch along the chicken breast) cooks the chicken faster and ensures you get a burst of flavorful gooey filling with each bite. This quick one-pan, high-protein and veggie-packed dinner is easy to make, and the whole family will love it.

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Filipino Chicken Adobo

Perhaps the most famous dish in the Filipino repertoire, chicken adobo has as many versions as there are cooks in the Philippines. Some recipes omit garlic, others add coconut milk, some feature brothy sauce and others reduce that liquid to an intense glaze. Try this healthy recipe first, then the next time around, go wild.

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Sheet-Pan Sesame Chicken & Broccoli with Scallion-Ginger Sauce

In this healthy sheet-pan chicken recipe, meaty bone-in chicken thighs and broccoli florets are tossed with sesame oil and roasted on the same pan for a delicious and easy dinner with minimal cleanup. While the chicken and broccoli cook, whip together the simple scallion-ginger sauce. The sauce would also be wonderful spooned over salmon, tofu or grain bowls; it is easily doubled or tripled!

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Quick Chicken Marsala

Quick Chicken Marsala recipe cooking in a skillet — Caitlin Bensel

Marsala cooking wine is a worthy addition to your pantry; it's dry and sweet without being overpowering and can cut through the richness of cream or stock. The alcohol will cook off as the sauce simmers. Adding butter at the end, a classic technique, gives the sauce its body and gloss. If you have leftover thyme, try steeping in chicken stock before making a risotto, tossing with roasted vegetables or adding to a frittata.

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Yogurt-Curry Marinated Chicken Thighs

This healthy chicken thigh recipe is tender and packed with flavor, thanks to a yogurt-based marinade. The healthy yogurt marinade recipe also works well with pork, shrimp, firm fish or tofu. (Divide the recipe in half if marinating 1 pound of chicken thighs.)

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Tandoori Chicken Kebabs

Tandoori Chicken Kebabs

In this Indian-inspired healthy dinner recipe, tandoori-spiced yogurt does double duty as a marinade and dipping sauce for these chicken kebabs.

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Lemon Chicken Piccata

Lemon Chicken Piccata — Eva Kolenko

This luscious, lemony sauce is an all-around winner in our book. It has a bright, briny flavor, is made from ingredients you likely have on hand and goes with everything from chicken to tofu to scallops. Bonus: It's lower in calories than a lot of other pan sauces.

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Braised Chicken Thighs with Olive, Orange & Fennel

This technique sears chicken thighs before braising. Serve this vibrant skillet chicken dish with rice or cauliflower rice.

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Chicken with Lemon-Caper Pan Sauce

A quick sauce made with leeks, lemon and capers gives this chicken breast recipe bright Italian flavor. Serve with steamed broccoli and a glass of crisp pinot grigio. Save the unused chicken tenders in an airtight container in your freezer for up to 3 months. Once you have enough, thaw them out for another use.

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Creamy Parmesan Garlic Mushroom Chicken

A rich and creamy sauce coats chicken breasts in this quick and comforting dinner. If you don't have chicken cutlets (thin-sliced boneless chicken breast) on hand, you can make your own by slicing two 8-ounce chicken breasts in half horizontally.

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Teriyaki Marinated Chicken

Soy sauce, mirin, brown sugar, garlic and ginger combine in this teriyaki-inspired marinade for grilled chicken. Try it with pork chops if you prefer. Grill fresh pineapple slices and asparagus alongside for simple side dishes.

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Creamy Skillet Ranch Chicken & Broccoli

Creamy Skillet Ranch Chicken & Broccoli — Photographer / Brie Passano, Food Stylist / Annie Probst, Prop Stylist / Holly Raibikis

This crowd-pleasing dinner feeds four and can be on the table in just 30 minutes. To top it off, the creamy ranch sauce, chicken and broccoli all come together in one skillet, making cleanup just as easy as cooking.

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Chicken Kurma (Traditional Chicken Curry)

Chicken Kurma (Traditional Chicken Curry)

Naseema Kashefi prepares this richly flavored chicken curry on the milder side for New Arrival Supper Club events in Los Angeles. Add more serrano if you like it hot.

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Lemon-Garlic Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs

a recipe photo of the Lemon Garlic Boneless Chicken Thighs in a skillet — Jason Donnelly

This boneless, skinless chicken thigh recipe is lemony and bright with lots of savory garlic flavor. The chicken stays tender and juicy from the quick marinade. Serve this quick weeknight dinner with roasted vegetables on the side.

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Chicken Breasts with Mushroom Cream Sauce

The secret to a good cream sauce is always the same: not too much cream or it can be overpowering, masking the more delicate flavors. Here it contains a bountiful amount of mushrooms and is served over chicken breasts.

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