Healthy Recipes Healthy Seasonal Recipes Healthy Summer Recipes Healthy Summer Dinner Recipes 37 High-Protein Dinners You'll Want to Make This Summer By Leah Goggins Leah Goggins Instagram Website Leah Goggins is a digital fellow for EatingWell. Based in Birmingham, Alabama, she is a devotee of old movies, farmers' markets and Ina Garten's tomato sandwich with basil mayo recipe. Leah has a degree in news media and English from The University of Alabama. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Published on May 18, 2022 Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Instagram Jessica Ball, M.S., RD, has been with EatingWell for three years and works as the associate nutrition editor for the brand. She is a registered dietitian with a master's in food, nutrition and sustainability. In addition to EatingWell, her work has appeared in Food & Wine, Real Simple, Parents, Better Homes and Gardens and MyRecipes. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: Photography / Antonis Achilleos, Styling / Christine Keely, Ali Ramee Get your fill of protein from sources like chicken, seafood and chickpeas in these healthy recipes that are perfect for summer. Each serving includes at least 15 grams of protein per serving, so you can make sure you're eating enough of the filling nutrient that can support healthy muscles and digestion. Recipes like our Sheet-Pan Shrimp Fajitas and One-Pan Cilantro-Lime Chicken are delicious dinners that include amazing summer flavors from citrus, fresh veggies and mouthwatering marinades. 01 of 37 Sheet-Pan Shrimp Fajitas View Recipe Photographer / Brie Passano, Food Stylist / Annie Probst, Prop Stylist / Holly Raibikis Fajitas make an excellent weeknight meal. These come together faster than ever, using quick-cooking shrimp and veggies all on one sheet pan so you can focus on family rather than cleanup. 02 of 37 Cheesy Spinach-Zucchini Lasagna View Recipe Greg DuPree Thanks to jarred marinara sauce and oven-ready lasagna noodles, this labor-of-love kind of meal can be ready in about an hour. 03 of 37 Skillet Caprese Chicken Casserole for Two View Recipe Brie Passano All the flavors of a caprese salad—mozzarella, tomatoes and basil—are featured in this one-skillet dinner. The addition of chicken and pasta adds depth and heartiness to this tasty meal. This recipe was adapted from our popular Skillet Caprese Chicken Casserole to serve two instead of six. 04 of 37 One-Pan Cilantro-Lime Chicken View Recipe Photography / Antonis Achilleos, Styling / Christine Keely, Ali Ramee A simple marinade of lime juice, zest and spices like cumin and chili powder creates quick flavor in this juicy cilantro-lime chicken. Slice the chicken and enjoy over salad greens, in a taco or with rice. 05 of 37 Garlicky Grilled Steak & Kale Salad View Recipe Charlotte and Johnny Autry A bright lemon, garlic and tarragon vinaigrette coats this salad topped with grilled steak. Since the grill is already fired up, we throw on some bread for homemade croutons. 06 of 37 Chicken-Quinoa Bowl with Strawberries & Pecans View Recipe Charlotte & Johnny Autry This simple chicken grain bowl makes a perfect family dinner. Let everyone customize their meal by portioning the greens and grains into bowls, then serving the remaining ingredients buffet-style so eaters can pick and choose what they want to top theirs with. 07 of 37 Cod Fish Tacos View Recipe Photographer / Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist / Kay Clarke, Food Stylist / Emily Nabors Hall Let your oven do the work for these quick and simple cod fish tacos. Broiling the cod allows the fish to stay moist and flake easily once finished. Hot sauce adds a punch of acidity and mild heat, while sour cream makes a creamy slaw that adds crunch to the taco. 08 of 37 Chicken Caprese Sandwich View Recipe Photographer / Jennifer Causey, Food Stylist / Karen Rankin, Prop Stylist / Christine Keely This chicken caprese sandwich has all the classic flavors of a caprese salad with an added boost of protein from grilled chicken. Using store-bought grilled chicken makes assembly quick and easy. This sandwich for one is made in a skillet, but would work equally well in a panini press if you have one on hand. 09 of 37 Chopped Salad with Chicken & Creamy Chipotle Dressing View Recipe Photography / Jennifer Causey, Styling / Melissa Gray / Kay Clarke This chopped salad with chicken is smoky and zesty thanks to the creamy chipotle dressing. Cilantro adds a pop of freshness to each bite. 10 of 37 Lobster Mac & Cheese View Recipe Photography / Caitlin Bensel, Styling / Ruth Blackburn In this healthy twist on lobster mac and cheese, we add a secret ingredient to the cheese sauce: cauliflower. The cauliflower blends into the cheese sauce so you won't even realize you're eating a vegetable. Serve this impressive main dish for a dinner party or holiday meal. 11 of 37 Sheet-Pan Poblano-&-Corn Chicken Fajitas View Recipe Photographer / Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist / Christine Kelly, Food Stylist / Karen Rankin These sheet-pan poblano-and-corn chicken fajitas are seasoned with mild ancho chile powder, paprika and cumin. The chicken and vegetables cook on a sheet pan under the broiler so you can forget working over a hot stove or grill to get dinner on the table fast. Plus, with only one pan, cleanup is a breeze! 12 of 37 Chicken Casserole with Pineapple, Peppers & Rice View Recipe Photography / Kelsey Hansen, Styling / Sammy Mila Precooked brown rice adds a boost of protein and fiber to this healthy casserole—versions of which are sometimes called "Hawaiian Chicken"—while also saving prep time. Pineapple and red bell pepper provide color throughout the dish and lend a sweet flavor to counterbalance the fresh ginger and soy sauce. 13 of 37 One-Pot Shrimp with Tomatoes & Feta View Recipe 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. 14 of 37 Spicy Chicken Pasta with Peppers & Onions View Recipe Kelsey Hansen Inspired by the flavors of fajitas, this healthy chicken pasta is packed with color and spice. We use a mix of chili powder, cumin and chipotle powder to add heat and flavor. 15 of 37 Loaded Vegetable Quiche View Recipe Will Dickey This tender vegetable quiche is packed with produce, including onions, spinach and mushrooms. The Parmesan does double duty, providing cheesiness as well as saltiness. Sliced tomatoes make a lovely topping. 16 of 37 Pesto Salmon View Recipe Will Dickey Herby and bright pesto coats tender salmon fillets in this quick and healthy fish dish. Colorful cherry tomatoes burst and combine with shallots to complement the pesto in this fast and simple weeknight dinner. 17 of 37 Grilled Bell Pepper-Bun Turkey Burgers with Avocado Goddess Sauce View Recipe Brie Passano We skipped the traditional bun and opted for sweet and tender-crisp grilled peppers instead to cut carbs and boost veggies in this flavor-packed turkey burger. The creamy avocado goddess sauce adds texture and keeps everything in place. 18 of 37 Key West-Inspired Chicken View Recipe Jason Donnelly Chicken breast is marinated in soy sauce, citrus and honey and then grilled as a nod to the tropical Key West chicken. A garnish of chopped cilantro and orange slices keeps it sweet and refreshing. 19 of 37 Hot Honey Grilled Shrimp View Recipe 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. 20 of 37 Ratatouille-Stuffed Peppers with Arugula-Farro Salad View Recipe Ted Cavanaugh This vegetable-packed dinner features the heat-loving produce that thrives before the cooler nights of fall set in. 21 of 37 Grilled Chicken with Citrus-BBQ Glaze View Recipe Andrea Mathis This healthy barbecue chicken recipe is easy to make and is packed with so much flavor, thanks to the sweetness from orange zest and juice. You can make this recipe with whole chicken legs or all drumsticks or thighs. This recipe is part of our Juneteenth Family Cookout Menu. 22 of 37 Chickpea & Beef Burgers with Whipped Feta View Recipe Johnny & Charlotte Autry Chickpeas add fiber to this blended burger, but the real joy here is the light and fluffy feta sauce that tops the whole shebang. 23 of 37 Mediterranean Chicken Skillet View Recipe Victor Protasio In this one-skillet Mediterranean chicken recipe, chicken thighs are infused with lemon, garlic and herbs and paired with orzo that's perfectly al dente. Charred tomatoes and onions add full flavor to complete this easy Mediterranean dinner. 24 of 37 15-Minute Broiled Cod with Tomatoes & Herbed Mayonnaise View Recipe Brie Passano Cod broils quickly in this healthy dinner recipe that's done in only 15 minutes. Sliced tomatoes on top give it a pop of color, while your favorite chopped herbs flavor the mayonnaise that tops the fish. 25 of 37 Pesto Chicken Quinoa Bowls View Recipe This pesto chicken quinoa bowl is packed with herbs from the basil pesto and the Italian spice mix and gets a slight kick of heat from the red pepper. If you enjoy the flavor profile, this dish can also be made with orzo in place of quinoa. 26 of 37 Balsamic Chicken Pasta Bake with Zucchini Noodles View Recipe Packed with plenty of vegetables and tons of flavor, this chicken pasta bake is inspired by the ingredients in a caprese salad. 27 of 37 Cheesy Zucchini Quiche View Recipe This cheesy crustless zucchini quiche has plenty of leeks and zucchini enveloped in a light custard. Feta and fontina cheeses add a rich depth of flavor. Serve it for brunch or anytime you have extra zucchini on hand. 28 of 37 Easy Shrimp Tacos View Recipe These easy shrimp tacos are inspired by the seafood tacos in Baja California. 29 of 37 Salmon Caesar Salad View Recipe 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. 30 of 37 Grilled Flank Steak with Tomato Salad View Recipe Cutting the steak immediately after cooking breaks all the rules on meat cookery, but in this recipe we do it intentionally in order to capture the juices and incorporate them into the dressing. Serve this grilled flank steak recipe with crusty bread to soak up the deliciousness. 31 of 37 Strawberry-Balsamic Spinach Salad with Chicken View Recipe Blaine Moats A quick blender vinaigrette does double duty as dressing for this strawberry spinach salad and, with the addition of ketchup and strawberry preserves, as a barbecue sauce for the tenders. 32 of 37 Goddess Veggie Bowls with Chicken View Recipe Dark green dinosaur kale contrasts with the warm tones of bell peppers and tomatoes in these hearty chicken and veggie bowls. 33 of 37 Roasted Salmon Caprese View Recipe This oven-ready recipe is snap to prep. Salmon fillets and cherry tomatoes roast side by side on one pan, then are drizzled with balsamic glaze to pull it all together. 34 of 37 Bruschetta-Topped Crispy Baked Chicken View Recipe A fresh tomato-and-basil topping on panko-crusted chicken cutlets makes an easy meal for family or casual entertaining. 35 of 37 Pan-Seared Steak with Crispy Herbs & Escarole View Recipe This easy dinner takes just 20 minutes to prepare, meaning that seared steak can be a weeknight meal. Cooking herbs in the pan with the steak releases their aroma, infusing it into the meat while creating a crispy garnish. After the steaks and herbs are pan-seared, the escarole is cooked in the same skillet, so this healthy dinner requires minimal cleanup too. 36 of 37 Sheet-Pan Chicken & Shrimp View Recipe This Creole-inspired variation of a shrimp boil can be made in the oven on just one baking sheet. A medley of spices gives this healthy dish of chicken, sausage and veggies a rich, complex flavor. Bonus: This easy sheet-pan dinner requires just 20 minutes of active prep time. 37 of 37 Pan-Seared Halibut with Creamed Corn & Tomatoes View Recipe For this healthy fish recipe, you steep corncobs in milk; the resulting "stock" boosts the intensity of made-from-scratch creamed corn, plus extra starch from the corn contributes to its thick texture. This recipe calls for halibut--line-caught from the Pacific Ocean is the most sustainable option. Can't find it? Swap in Pacific cod or U.S. farmed tilapia instead. Serve this summery combination of seared fish, corn, tomatoes and basil for weeknight family dinners or to company on the weekends. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit