21 400-Calorie Dinners You'll Want to Make This Fall
When the air gets cooler, these fall dinners are the perfect way to bring in the cold weather. Starring delish autumn veggies like Brussels sprouts, beets, sweet potatoes and more, each of these recipes contains 400 calories or fewer per serving to help you meet your nutrition goals. Recipes like our Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chili and Lemon-Garlic Dump Dinner with Chicken, Potatoes & Brussels Sprouts are delicious, healthy meals to end your day on the highest note.
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Sweet Potato & Black Bean Chili
Make a double batch of this quick vegetarian chili, full of black beans and sweet potatoes, and eat it for lunch the next day or freeze the extras for another night. We love the smoky heat from the ground chipotle, but omit it if you prefer a mild chili. Serve with tortilla chips or cornbread and coleslaw.
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Garlic Roasted Salmon & Brussels Sprouts
Roasting salmon on top of Brussels sprouts and garlic, flavored with wine and fresh oregano, is simple enough for a weeknight meal yet sophisticated enough to serve to company. Serve with whole-wheat couscous.
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Fish Nuggets with Seasoned Sweet Potato Wedges
Frozen fish sticks get a makeover with this recipe for oven-baked fish nuggets. To give them that irresistible deep-fried crunch, we rely on panko breadcrumbs with their lighter, flakier texture.
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Sausage, Brussels Sprout & Potato Soup
Bake up some Manchego cheese toasts and uncork a bottle of Ribera del Duero to enjoy alongside this healthy pot of soup. Both sweet and hot Italian sausage work well.
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Padma Lakshmi's Beef Shawarma with Beet Yogurt Sauce
Beef shawarma is traditionally roasted on a spit and then sliced thin. This grilled version by Padma Lakshmi has similar vibes thanks to a highly seasoned marinade. This recipe makes extra beet yogurt sauce, so stick it in the fridge to have on hand for dolloping on grain bowls, salads and sandwiches.
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Lemon-Garlic Dump Dinner with Chicken, Potatoes & Brussels Sprouts
Tender chicken breast is bathed in a lemony marinade that brings a bright pop of flavor to this one-dish meal. The vegetables get crispy edges and, along with the juicy chicken, make this a winning combo.
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Balsamic Steak with Brussels Sprout Slaw & Mustard Mashed Potatoes
Brussels sprouts are available already shredded in many supermarkets, but if you want to DIY, use your sharpest knife or a mandoline or pass them through the feed tube of a food processor fitted with the slicing attachment.
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Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Apples & Squash
This pork tenderloin recipe roasts apples and acorn squash alongside for an easy, delicious weeknight meal. Preheated baking sheets help jump-start the roasting process, ensuring everything gets nicely browned.
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Parmesan Chicken & Brussels Sprouts
Parmesan and breadcrumbs combine for a crispy chicken topping without having to go through the full dredging process. While your oven's on, roast some potatoes to serve alongside for a balanced, filling meal.
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Chipotle-Lime Cauliflower Tacos
In this vegetarian taco recipe, cauliflower is tossed with a smoky-tangy sauce made with honey, lime juice and chipotles in adobo sauce before being roasted. Serve with more hot sauce, if desired.
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Cream of Turkey & Wild Rice Soup
Got leftover cooked chicken or turkey? Cook up a pot of soup! This recipe is a healthier twist on a classic creamy turkey and wild rice soup that hails from Minnesota. Serve with a crisp romaine salad and whole-grain bread.
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Chicken, Quinoa & Sweet Potato Casserole
This protein-loaded chicken and sweet potato casserole dish is made with multicolored quinoa, a blend of white, red and black varieties, but any color will work.
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Jack-o'-Lantern Stuffed Peppers
Carve faces into the side of a bell pepper for a cute jack-o'-lantern you can eat too! This adorable Halloween-themed dinner is perfect for a family dinner to fuel your trick-or-treating adventure. Or serve them at a Halloween party and watch them disappear! Don't feel like freehand-carving the faces with a knife? Try using a cookie cutter instead.
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Chicken & Stuffing Casserole
Stuffing is not just for Thanksgiving with this easy chicken and stuffing casserole. And speaking of Thanksgiving, if you have leftover turkey, feel free to substitute it for the chicken in this comforting and healthy recipe. It's also a great use for extra carrots, celery, onions and day-old bread you might have on hand around the holidays. There's no boxed stuffing mix or canned soup in this lighter take on the comfort-food casserole, but it's still super-easy to make. Poultry seasoning helps humble bread to taste like stuffing, while thickened chicken broth takes the place of canned soup. There are plenty of veggies in this one, too, making this a healthy casserole you can feel good about serving year-round.
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Easy Cauliflower Fried Rice
This vegetarian faux fried rice uses riced cauliflower in place of white or brown rice to pack in extra veggies and cut down on carbs. Chile-garlic sauce pumps up the heat, and fresh ginger adds a bright, warm bite. If you don't like the heat of the chile-garlic sauce, leave it out and add a bit more tamari or soy sauce for a rich, fermented tang.
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Filet Mignon for Two with Sweet Potato Mash
A small quantity of compound butter, seasoned with garlic and herbs, makes a simple but delicious finish for a tender steak. We have rounded out this colorful healthy meal with roasted broccolini and mashed sweet potato--the perfect impressive yet easy dinner for date night-in.
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Spinach & Artichoke Casserole with Chicken and Cauliflower Rice
This high-protein chicken casserole clocks in right around 400 calories to help you end your day feeling satisfied—not starved or overly full.
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Four-Bean & Pumpkin Chili
This healthy vegetarian chili has a fragrant touch of cinnamon for added flavor. Let diners top it with whatever suits their taste.
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Creamy Chicken, Brussels Sprouts & Mushrooms One-Pot Pasta
You'll only have to dirty one pot in this easy pasta recipe that cooks chicken and vegetables right along with the noodles. Plus, by using the exact amount of water you need to cook the pasta, the starch that usually gets drained off with your pasta water stays in the pot, giving you delectably creamy results.
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Adobo Chicken & Kale Enchiladas
Put out your favorite toppings for these quick and healthy layered enchiladas. We like cilantro, sour cream, guacamole and jalapeños.
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Chicken, Arugula & Butternut Squash Salad with Brussels Sprouts
Hot roasted vegetables lightly wilt the arugula in this healthy dinner salad recipe. Keep prep time minimal with leftover chicken, precut butternut squash and trimmed Brussels sprouts.