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       If you're looking for low-carb, high-protein dinners that don't require cooking for hours, these recipes got you covered. These dinner options are ready to serve in 3 steps or less so you can meet your nutrition goals easily. Each recipe l meets our nutrition parameters, with less than 14 grams of carbs and more than 15 grams of protein, without wasting 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.  Read More
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  6. 20 High-Protein, Diabetes-Friendly Dinners You Can Make in 30 Minutes or Less

20 High-Protein, Diabetes-Friendly Dinners You Can Make in 30 Minutes or Less

Leah Goggins headshot
Leah Goggins Reviewed by Dietitian Victoria Seaver, M.S., RD June 16, 2022
Reviewed by Dietitian Victoria Seaver, M.S., RD
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Sheet-Pan Poblano-&-Corn Chicken Fajitas
Credit: Photographer / Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist / Christine Kelly, Food Stylist / Karen Rankin

You can rely on these quick, healthy recipes for something delicious on any night of the week. From soup and salad to saucy pasta and sizzling fajitas, these 30-minute dinners will have something for you. Plus, each meal sticks to heart-healthy levels of saturated fat and sodium and focuses on complex carbs, like whole grains, so you know it can fit seamlessly into a diabetes-friendly routine. Recipes like our Sheet-Pan Poblano-&-Corn Chicken Fajitas and Salmon Rice Bowl pack in at least 15 grams of protein in every serving, so you can hit your nutrition goals and end the day feeling satisfied.

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Hearty Chickpea & Spinach Stew

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This satisfying stew comes together in a snap. Mashed chickpeas add body to the broth, and tomato paste adds a savory note without piling on the sodium. To simplify the prep, look for chopped fresh onion and shredded carrot or a soup starter mix in the produce section.

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Sheet-Pan Poblano-&-Corn Chicken Fajitas

Sheet-Pan Poblano-&-Corn Chicken Fajitas
Credit: Photographer / Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist / Christine Kelly, Food Stylist / Karen Rankin
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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!

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Salmon with Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce

Salmon with Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce
Credit: Jamie Vespa
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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 shallots and the actual tomatoes help to add delicious flavor to the creamy sauce. Served with perfectly cooked salmon, you really can't go wrong with this easy 20-minute weeknight meal. This recipe is a variation on our insanely popular Chicken Cutlets with Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce recipe by Carolyn Malcoun.

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Balsamic Chicken Pasta Bake with Zucchini Noodles

Balsamic Chicken Pasta Bake with Zucchini Noodles
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Packed with plenty of vegetables and tons of flavor, this chicken pasta bake is inspired by the ingredients in a caprese salad.

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One-Pot Garlicky Shrimp & Broccoli

One-Pot Garlicky Shrimp & Broccoli
Credit: Photography / Kelsey Hansen, Styling / Greg Luna
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Shrimp cooks quickly in this easy, one-pot recipe, making it perfect for busy weeknights. Serve over whole grains or rice.

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Cod Fish Tacos

Cod Fish Tacos
Credit: Photographer / Antonis Achilleos, Prop Stylist / Kay Clarke, Food Stylist / Emily Nabors Hall
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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.

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Salmon Rice Bowl

Salmon Rice Bowl
Credit: Ali Redmond
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Inspired by the viral TikTok trend, this tasty bowl makes for a satisfying lunch or dinner. With a handful of healthy ingredients, like instant brown rice, heart-healthy salmon and lots of crunchy veggies, you'll have a filling and flavorful meal in just 25 minutes. Looking to cut down on carbs? Try swapping in riced cauliflower in place of the brown rice.

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Winter Greens Bowl

Winter Greens Bowl
Credit: Ali Redmond
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This one-pan meal packs in lots of plant-based protein and flavor thanks to beans and quinoa, while a creamy lemon-garlic dressing completes the dish. 

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Chicken & Spinach Skillet Pasta with Lemon & Parmesan

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-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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Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad

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This scrumptious and healthy salad combines elements of Caesar salad, pasta salad and chicken salad for an easy weeknight dinner that comes together in less than 30 minutes (and most of the prep can be done ahead). Use your blender to whip together the tangy buttermilk-based dressing, which would also be great on a salmon or chickpea salad.

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10-Minute Tuna Melt

10-Minute Tuna Melt
Credit: Joy Howard
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This variation of a classic sandwich uses mayonnaise, but not where you think! Mayo is brushed on the outside of the sandwich in place of butter to make the sandwich golden and crispy as it heats in a skillet. Plain Greek yogurt takes mayo's place in the salad—along with crunchy celery, roasted red bell peppers and scallions—for a satisfying lunch with less saturated fat.

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Easy Shrimp Tacos

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These easy shrimp tacos are inspired by the seafood tacos in Baja California.

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Buttermilk Fried Tofu with Smoky Collard Greens

Buttermilk Fried Tofu with Smoky Collard Greens
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Dipping tofu in buttermilk makes the coating stick for a crispy pan-fried tofu, reminiscent of fried chicken. Spicing up the collards with paprika coats them with smoky flavor while keeping this dish vegetarian. And this quick, easy and healthy dinner comes together in just 25 minutes, so it's great for busy weeknights.

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Farro Salad with Arugula, Artichokes & Pistachios

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Precooked farro makes this dish come together in no time. And you can make it in the same bowl you serve it in, minimizing cleanup!

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Baked Halibut with Brussels Sprouts & Quinoa

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Fish plus two sides? It seems fancy but this healthy dinner comes together in just 30 minutes.

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Pan-Seared Steak with Crispy Herbs & Escarole

Pan-Seared Steak with Crispy Herbs & Escarole
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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.

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One-Pot Garlicky Shrimp & Spinach

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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Pork Paprikash with Cauliflower "Rice"

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Cut carbs and calories by using cauliflower "rice" instead of regular rice in this 30-minute pork paprikash recipe.

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Seared Scallops with White Bean Ragu & Charred Lemon

Seared Scallops with White Bean Ragu & Charred Lemon
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This recipe for seared scallops with white beans and spinach turns out a healthy dinner that looks impressive (and tastes great) in just 25 minutes. Giving lemons a quick sizzle in the skillet amps up the flavor of this piccata-inspired dish. The heat helps release even more citrus juice and sweetens it too. When shopping for scallops, look for ones labeled "dry." Some scallops are soaked in a solution that prevents them from searing properly and can give them a soapy flavor.

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    Everything in This Slideshow

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    1 of 20 Hearty Chickpea & Spinach Stew
    2 of 20 Sheet-Pan Poblano-&-Corn Chicken Fajitas
    3 of 20 Salmon with Sun-Dried Tomato Cream Sauce
    4 of 20 Balsamic Chicken Pasta Bake with Zucchini Noodles
    5 of 20 One-Pot Garlicky Shrimp & Broccoli
    6 of 20 Cod Fish Tacos
    7 of 20 Salmon Rice Bowl
    8 of 20 Winter Greens Bowl
    9 of 20 Chicken & Spinach Skillet Pasta with Lemon & Parmesan
    10 of 20 Lemon-Garlic Pasta with Salmon
    11 of 20 Chicken Caesar Pasta Salad
    12 of 20 10-Minute Tuna Melt
    13 of 20 Easy Shrimp Tacos
    14 of 20 Buttermilk Fried Tofu with Smoky Collard Greens
    15 of 20 Farro Salad with Arugula, Artichokes & Pistachios
    16 of 20 Baked Halibut with Brussels Sprouts & Quinoa
    17 of 20 Pan-Seared Steak with Crispy Herbs & Escarole
    18 of 20 One-Pot Garlicky Shrimp & Spinach
    19 of 20 Pork Paprikash with Cauliflower "Rice"
    20 of 20 Seared Scallops with White Bean Ragu & Charred Lemon

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    20 High-Protein, Diabetes-Friendly Dinners You Can Make in 30 Minutes or Less
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