23 30-Minute Lemon Dinners That Are Perfect for Spring

March 20, 2021

Celebrate the new season with these dinner recipes that use lemon. Lemon adds a burst of acidity and brightness to protein like pork or salmon. Recipes like our Spicy Grilled Shrimp with Feta Dipping Sauce and Skillet Lemon Chicken with Spinach are ready in 30 minutes or less and can be paired with sautéed vegetables or whole grains for a balanced meal.

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Linguine with Lemon Alfredo Shrimp

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This bright and lemony shrimp pasta dish was inspired by traditional Alfredo but comes in at only a fraction of the fat and calories. Reduced-fat cream cheese adds body to the sauce, while Parmesan cheese adds its signature robust flavor. This recipe calls for brown rice pasta, which is gluten-free, but if gluten is not a concern for you feel free to serve this sauce over regular linguine or fettuccine--or any pasta you like!

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Lemon-Tahini Couscous with Chicken & Vegetables

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When you want pasta in no time, couscous is your best friend! The tiny pasta balls cook up in minutes, and absorb all the water so you don't have to fuss with draining. Tossed with sautéed vegetables plus leftover chicken, it's a fast and tasty meal in a bowl that's perfect as an easy dinner recipe.

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Skillet Lemon Chicken with Spinach

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

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Spicy Grilled Shrimp with Feta Dipping Sauce

Credit: Caitlin Bensel
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If you like shrimp, this spicy grilled shrimp recipe will be your new favorite. It's easy, fast and delicious! The subtle spice of the cayenne is balanced by the creamy feta sauce. If you want to tame the heat, you can cut the cayenne in half or skip it completely.

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Chicken & Spinach Skillet Pasta with Lemon & Parmesan

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This one-pan pasta that combines lean chicken breast and sautéed spinach for a one-bowl meal is garlicky, lemony and best served with a little Parm on top. I call it "Mom's Skillet Pasta" and she called it "Devon's Favorite Pasta." Either way it's a quick and easy weeknight dinner we created together and scribbled on a little recipe card more than a decade ago, and it remains in my weekly dinner rotation to this day. It's a simple dinner the whole family will love.

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Lemon-Sesame Scallops

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Toasted sesame seeds and lemon zest add fresh flavor to these breaded scallops.

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Stir-Fried Pork Piccata

Credit: Jacob Fox
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In this variation on Italian piccata, we cook thin strips of pork in a wok. Lemon juice is a critical component of classic pork piccata, but you can’t add it to a carbon-steel wok because it will strip the patina. We call for lemon wedges to be served on the side instead.

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Lemon-Garlic Pasta with Salmon

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Wondering what to do with leftover salmon? This is a delicious and easy way to turn it into another weeknight-friendly, quick dinner. Don't forget to reserve some pasta water--its starch thickens the lemon-garlic pasta sauce and makes it silky-smooth.

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Snapper Piccata

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Lean snapper in a buttery lemon-caper sauce is a simple main dish, ready in just 30 minutes.

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Lemon-Garlic Chicken with Green Beans

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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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Old Bay Salmon with Lemony Mashed Peas

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Cooking butter until it browns adds a toasty, nutty flavor to this easy skillet salmon recipe. Here it gives Old Bay-rubbed salmon a chef-worthy finish--not bad for 20 minutes!

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Lemon Chicken Pasta

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We love the combination of lemon zest and toasted breadcrumbs in this quick and easy pasta recipe for one. This healthy dinner is made with rotisserie chicken and quick-cooking spiralized zucchini and baby zucchini, so you get a complete meal in just 10 minutes.

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Lemon-Raspberry Glazed Pork Chops

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Simple skillet chops shine with an easy sweet-tart glaze in this quick but company-worthy entree.

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Creamy Lemon Pasta with Shrimp

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Yogurt makes a fine substitute for cream in the sauce for this easy pasta recipe. Just warm the yogurt (do not boil) and add some pasta-cooking water to thin it out. Lemon and fresh basil brighten up the whole-wheat pasta and complement the shrimp in this quick dinner recipe.

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Chili-Rubbed Tilapia with Asparagus & Lemon

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Tilapia, a relatively plentiful fish, has the unfortunate reputation of being dull. All it needs is a spice rub, a familiar barbecuing technique that works just as well indoors. You could also use this rub on chicken breasts or toss it with lightly oiled shrimp before cooking.

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Chicken Cutlets with Artichokes & Lemon-Dill Sauce

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You won't want to let a drop of this creamy lemon sauce go to waste. Serve with rice pilaf or roasted potatoes to soak it all up.

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One-Pot Garlicky Shrimp & Spinach

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Shrimp, spinach and garlic brown and cook quickly for a simple one-pot weeknight dinner. A fast pan sauce gets life from zesty lemon juice, warm crushed red pepper and herby parsley. Serve with a slice of whole-wheat baguette to swipe up every last drop of sauce.

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Farfalle with Tuna, Lemon, and Fennel

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This warm, flaked tuna and lemon pasta recipe is ready in 30 minutes.

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Grilled Mahi-Mahi & Asparagus with Lemon Butter

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In this quick grilled fish recipe, we grill firm mahi-mahi and fresh spring asparagus alongside one another, then drizzle them with a bit of tart lemon butter. We like mahi-mahi in this recipe, but any firm fish fillet can be used in its place.

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Leek & Lemon Linguine

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This simple pasta recipe has bold lemony flavor. It's nice with a salad for a light supper or serve it along with seared fish, shrimp or chicken. Vary it as you please--add a bit of crumbled goat cheese, chopped rinsed capers, shelled edamame or thin strips of yellow bell pepper.

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Herbed Fish and Vegetables with Lemon Mayo

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This quick-and-easy dinner recipe is ready in just 25 minutes and is sure to leave your taste buds satisfied.

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Shrimp Scampi Zoodles

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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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Pork Medallions with Lemon-Pecan Spinach

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This simple pork dinner can serve as a casual family supper, but it's also great for entertaining. The spinach acts as the side dish, making this recipe a complete meal.

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