30 Days of 400-Calorie, High-Protein Dinners

February 18, 2021

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Credit: Caitlin Bensel

Skip the question of “What’s for dinner?” by making one of these healthy dinner recipes. These recipes clock in at 400 calories or less per serving and have at least 15 grams of protein thanks to ingredients like fish and pork. Recipes like Blackened Fish Tacos and Easy Chicken Enchilada Casserole make it easy to enjoy a delicious and filling dinner every night.

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Spicy Noodles with Pork, Scallions & Bok Choy

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These spicy noodles are inspired by a Chinese dish called Ants Climbing a Tree, named for the way the small pieces of ground pork (the "ants") cling to the noodles (the "tree"). The twist in these healthy noodles comes from adding vegetables like scallions and bok choy.

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Chicken Cutlets with Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce

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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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Greek Burgers with Herb-Feta Sauce

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These healthy burgers get a Mediterranean twist with a yogurt sauce seasoned with oregano, lemon and feta cheese. If you can't find ground lamb, ask the butcher to grind some for you.

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Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers

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Mounding a classic Philly cheesesteak mixture in a colorful bell pepper and melting cheese on top is an easy way to skip the bread and cut the carbs.

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Blackened Fish Tacos

Credit: Caitlin Bensel

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These blackened fish tacos pack a punch. The blackened fish gets plenty of flavor from herbs and spices, the salsa adds some zing and the cabbage provides a nice raw crunch.

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Easy Chicken Enchilada Casserole

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Casseroles make perfect meal-prep dinners--this enchilada version is so easy to prep ahead. The whole casserole can be built and left to hang out in the refrigerator for up to three days. Then all you have to do is bake it off on a busy night and you have a healthy dinner on the table in a jiff. The quick homemade enchilada sauce in this recipe is great when you don't have any of the canned sauce on hand--just season crushed tomatoes with spices and salt for an instant enchilada sauce.

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Air-Fryer Salmon

Credit: Caitlin Bensel

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In this simple air-fryer salmon recipe, the garlic gets crispy on the top while the Aleppo pepper and coriander bring earthy flavor to the fish, which remains delicately cooked in the middle.

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Vegetarian Spaghetti Squash Lasagna

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This low-carb riff on classic lasagna layers mushrooms and tomato sauce with spaghetti squash noodles instead of lasagna pasta. Make the layers right in the shell of the spaghetti squash and top with mozzarella cheese for a melty top and fun presentation. Serve with a green salad and a glass of Chianti for an easy, healthy dinner.

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Pork Chops with Creamy Mushroom Sauce

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

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Slow-Cooker Beef Stroganoff

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This slow-cooker Beef Stroganoff recipe brings together tender beef and fresh mushrooms served over hot noodles with a creamy sauce.

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Chicken & Broccoli Casserole

Credit: Jennifer Causey

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This one-pan chicken-and-broccoli recipe comes out of the oven all browned, cheesy and bubbling like a casserole, but is really prepared more like a skillet meal on the stovetop. Serve with a crunchy green salad.

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Salmon & Asparagus with Lemon-Garlic Butter Sauce

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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.

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Skillet Steak with Mushroom Sauce

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This steak, broccoli rabe and pea dinner is a one-skillet meal that will be on your table in just 25 minutes! The pan drippings combine with mushroom, broth and grainy mustard to make a thick and delicious sauce.

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Eggplant Lasagna Rolls

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Vegetarians and meat-eaters alike will devour these comforting lasagna rolls. We use thinly sliced eggplant in place of pasta to cut the carbs. Preroasting the eggplant helps develop the flavor and softens the slices for easy rolling.

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20-Minute Chicken Cutlets with Creamy Pesto Sauce

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

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Shrimp and Cauliflower Bake

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This quick and easy seafood casserole gets bright flavor from fresh dill and feta cheese.

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Steak, Pepper & Sugar Snap Stir Fry

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Turn to this beef stir-fry recipe for a quick and easy dinner. The tender, spicy steak is cooked in the same wok or skillet as the crisp, colorful vegetables and smells divine as the dish is cooking.

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Two-Bean Enchilada Casserole

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This classic and comforting Mexican dish is easy to make on a busy weeknight.

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White Turkey Chili

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This healthy white turkey chili recipe is gorgeous, with flecks of green from zucchini, oregano and green chiles. To keep the saturated fat low, we use one pound of ground turkey and add whole-grain bulgur to boost the volume and fiber in this chili recipe. After all the ingredients are added to the pot, we like to slowly simmer our chili for close to an hour to develop the best flavor, but if you're in a hurry, reduce the liquid by half and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes.

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Spaghetti with Quick Meat Sauce

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Instead of opening a jar of sauce, try this easy spaghetti with meat sauce on a weeknight. Serve with steamed broccoli and garlic bread. The recipe makes enough for 8 servings. If you're serving only four for dinner, cook 8 ounces of spaghetti and freeze the leftover sauce.

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Shrimp-Stuffed Pasta Shells

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When choosing dry white wine for enhancing this deluxe dish, pick a Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay in the $8 to $10 range.

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25-Minute Chicken & Veggie Enchiladas

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These chicken enchiladas are great for using up any veggies you have lingering in your fridge. Our chicken enchilada recipe calls for zucchini, squash and onion, but you could easily swap in spinach, onions or potatoes.

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Sweet Potato Carbonara with Kale

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In this healthy carbonara recipe, “spiralized” sweet potato noodles take the place of traditional pasta. Kale is added for fiber, flavor and crunch, but any dark leafy green, such as spinach, chard or collards, would also be a nice addition.

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Strip Steaks with Smoky Cilantro Sauce & Roasted Vegetables

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In this healthy dinner recipe, a cast-iron pan does double duty by searing the steaks and roasting the vegetables. Not a fan of cilantro? The sauce is great with parsley instead.

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Greek Turkey Burgers with Spinach, Feta & Tzatziki

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Creamy tzatziki and crisp sliced cucumber add a refreshing twist to this easy Greek-inspired burger recipe loaded with feta, spinach and Mediterranean spices. No tzatziki? No problem! Make your own at home by combining plain Greek yogurt with a squeeze of lemon, dill and finely chopped cucumber.

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Easy Saag Paneer

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The paneer cheese in this fast and easy dinner doesn't melt when it cooks. It browns instead, giving a toothsome texture to this Indian classic packed with spinach and spices. Serve over brown basmati rice to round out this healthy meal.

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Chicken & Shrimp Alfredo

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This easy pasta with creamy homemade Alfredo sauce, chicken and shrimp is your classic fettuccine Alfredo done one better--and it takes less than 30 minutes to make! Add a simple green salad and you have a family-friendly weeknight dinner that you'd be happy to serve to company.

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Creamy White Chili with Cream Cheese

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This rich and creamy chili comes together in a flash thanks to quick-cooking chicken thighs and canned white beans. Mashing some of the beans acts as a fast thickener when your soups don't have a long time to simmer. Cream cheese adds the final bit of richness and a hint of sweet tang.

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Meat Loaf with Sour Cream-Mushroom Sauce

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This made-over classic boasts whole-grains and plenty of veggies for a really satisfying comfort-food dinner.

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Crispy Cod Sandwich

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Skip frying but keep all the crunch with this healthy baked fish sandwich recipe. The wire rack ensures both sides of the baked cod get crispy.

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