20 Low-Carb, High-Protein Dinners Ready in 3 Steps or Less

By

Eleanor Chalstrom

Updated on April 16, 2024

Reviewed by Dietitian

Christa Brown, M.S., RDN, LD

Cheesy Ground Beef & Cauliflower Casserole — Photo: Jason Donnelly

If you're looking for low-carb, high-protein dinners that don't require cooking for hours, these recipes have got you covered. These dinner options are ready to serve in three steps or less so you can meet your nutrition goals easily. Each recipe meets our nutrition parameters with less than 14 grams of carbs and more than 15 g of protein without skimping on flavor. Recipes like 20-Minute Chicken Cutlets with Creamy Pesto Sauce and Cheesy Ground Beef & Cauliflower Casserole are delicious options for you to get a healthy meal on your table in no time.

01 of 20

Grilled Fennel-Rubbed Pork Chops & Apricots

Grilled Fennel-Rubbed Pork Chops & Apricots

Toasting and grinding your own spices for a flavorful rub is the quickest, easiest way to build surefire flavor in this easy pork chop recipe. Serve with a simple tossed salad and some roasted sweet potatoes to round out the meal.

02 of 20

20-Minute Chicken Cutlets with Creamy Pesto Sauce

20-Minute Chicken Cutlets with Creamy Pesto Sauce

Serve these creamy pesto chicken cutlets over your favorite pasta or zucchini noodles. This easy dinner recipe is sure to become a new family favorite.

03 of 20

Salmon-Stuffed Avocados

Canned salmon is a valuable pantry staple and a practical way to include heart-healthy, omega-3-rich fish in your diet. Here, we combine it with avocados in an easy no-cook meal.

04 of 20

Shrimp Scampi Zoodles

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.

05 of 20

Chicken Cutlets with Creamy Spinach & Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Chicken Cutlets with Creamy Spinach & Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Serve these saucy, ultra-quick chicken cutlets over your favorite pasta. This easy dinner recipe is sure to become a new weeknight favorite.

06 of 20

Cheesy Ground Beef & Cauliflower Casserole

Cheesy Ground Beef & Cauliflower Casserole — Jason Donnelly

Ground beef and cauliflower combine to create a hearty weeknight casserole that both kids and adults will love. Serve with tortilla chips and sour cream.

07 of 20

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

This easy slow-cooker chicken noodle soup is chock-full of vegetables and noodles, and gets extra creaminess from a little light cream cheese.

08 of 20

One-Pot Shrimp with Tomatoes & Feta

One-Pot Shrimp with Tomatoes & Feta — Jason Donnelly

Thanks to quick-cooking shrimp, this one-pot meal comes together in record time. Tomatoes add a burst of color and acidity, while chopped basil brings freshness. Serve over pasta or whole grains.

09 of 20

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.

10 of 20

Slow-Cooker Herb & Mushroom Braised Beef

With its comforting flavors contributed by savory meat, mushrooms, onions, carrots and fresh herbs, this slow-cooker braised beef is a wonderful supper on cold-weather days. Consider freezing it into portions for busy weeknight meals. You could also shred the meat and serve it on sandwiches.

11 of 20

Skillet Buffalo Chicken

Skillet Buffalo Chicken

If you like Buffalo wings, you'll love this quick skillet Buffalo chicken recipe. Chicken cutlets are sautéed, then smothered in a creamy-spicy sauce. A side salad garnish of carrots, celery and blue cheese pulls it all together.

12 of 20

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.

13 of 20

Salmon & Asparagus with Lemon-Garlic Butter Sauce

Looking for a recipe to help you eat more heart-healthy fish and veggies? Add this salmon and asparagus dinner to your rotation. Not only is it healthy and delicious, this sheet-pan dinner is also easy to make and a breeze to clean up.

14 of 20

Skillet Lemon Chicken with Spinach

Skillet Lemon Chicken with Spinach — Diana Chistruga

This simple, ultra-quick chicken dinner that's packed with spinach and peppers is delicious on its own or served over brown rice or your favorite pasta.

15 of 20

Spicy Slow-Cooker Chicken with Lime, Basil & Mint

Busy week coming up? Cook up these easy poached chicken breasts infused with flavor from fish sauce, Thai chiles and lime zest in your slow cooker on Sunday. Then enjoy the leftover chicken three different ways over the days to come—ladled with the broth over rice noodles, layered with vegetables on a sandwich and mixed with mayo to make a creamy chicken salad.

16 of 20

Mahi-Mahi with Spicy Tomato-Fennel Sauce

Mahi-Mahi with Spicy Tomato-Fennel Sauce — Jason Donnelly

Check for sustainable mahi-mahi options at SeafoodWatch.org. And don't chuck the greens that grace a fennel bulb! Those fronds brighten and carry the flavors of this ultra-quick dinner. If your bulb doesn't have fronds, sub fresh dill in their place.

17 of 20

Puttanesca Pork Chops

This flavorful pork chop dinner recipe is proof that bold Neapolitan puttanesca sauce can liven up more than just spaghetti. Unlike brined olives like Kalamatas, oil-cured olives have a meatier bite because they're coated in salt and then macerated in oil. Look for them at grocery olive bars or with other Italian products. Serve with sautéed broccoli rabe and whole-wheat orzo.

18 of 20

Hot Honey Grilled Shrimp

Hot Honey Grilled Shrimp — Jason Donnelly

Shrimp are coated in sweet heat thanks to hot honey and Sriracha. If you want to take the heat down a notch, use regular honey instead.

19 of 20

Salmon Caesar Salad

This easy Caesar salad subs creamy Greek yogurt and buttermilk for the traditional egg yolks and olive oil and mixes in mildly bitter radicchio in addition to classic romaine. Using just a small amount of flavorful Parmigiano-Reggiano shaves calories and sodium too.

20 of 20

Slow-Cooker Herb & Mushroom Braised Beef

With its comforting flavors contributed by savory meat, mushrooms, onions, carrots and fresh herbs, this slow-cooker braised beef is a wonderful supper on cold-weather days. Consider freezing it into portions for busy weeknight meals. You could also shred the meat and serve it on sandwiches.

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