High protein meals: 60 easy ideas for breakfast, lunch and dinner

The short answer: high protein meals build each plate around a lean protein like chicken, fish, eggs, Greek yogurt, beans or tofu, then add vegetables and a whole grain.

• Chicken breast: about 26 grams per 3 ounces
• Easy ideas: sheet pan chicken, turkey chili and salmon rice bowls
• 60 meals for breakfast, lunch, dinner, vegetarian and budget
• A five-day starter plan you can shop
• Next step: Plan it with the Meal Planner & Grocery List ($3.99).

High protein meals build each plate around a lean protein like chicken, fish, eggs, Greek yogurt, beans or tofu, then add vegetables and a whole grain. Easy high protein meals include sheet pan chicken and vegetables, turkey chili, salmon rice bowls, a veggie omelet, Greek yogurt parfaits, black bean burrito bowls, lentil soup and shrimp stir-fry. Below are 60 high protein meal ideas grouped by breakfast, lunch, dinner, vegetarian and budget, a quick protein foods chart, and a five-day starter plan you can shop from this week.

When I plan our week, protein is usually the part I settle first, because once the chicken, eggs or beans are decided, the rest of the plate falls into place.

How much protein is in common foods

These are approximate amounts from USDA FoodData Central; brands and cuts vary, so check your labels.

Harvard's Nutrition Source on protein explains that the recommended daily amount for adults, 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight, is a minimum rather than a goal, and that the package the protein comes in (fish, beans and poultry versus processed meat) matters as much as the grams.

High protein breakfast ideas

1. Veggie omelet with spinach, peppers and cheese
2. Greek yogurt parfait with berries and nuts
3. Cottage cheese with fruit and a drizzle of honey
4. Egg muffins baked in a muffin tin
5. Overnight oats made with milk and Greek yogurt
6. Breakfast burrito with eggs, black beans and salsa
7. Turkey sausage and egg sandwich on an English muffin
8. Protein smoothie with milk, Greek yogurt, banana and peanut butter
9. Smoked salmon on whole-grain toast with cream cheese
10. Shakshuka (eggs poached in tomato sauce)

High protein lunch ideas

11. Tuna salad lettuce wraps
12. Chicken Caesar salad with extra chicken
13. Turkey and hummus wrap
14. Leftover chili in a thermos
15. Chicken and quinoa bowl with roasted vegetables
16. Egg salad sandwich on whole-grain bread
17. Lentil soup with a cheese stick on the side
18. Chickpea salad sandwich
19. Cottage cheese bowl with cucumber, tomato and everything seasoning
20. Shrimp and avocado salad

High protein chicken dinners

21. Sheet pan chicken thighs with potatoes and green beans
22. Chicken fajitas
23. Greek chicken with tzatziki and rice
24. Chicken stir-fry with broccoli
25. Slow cooker salsa chicken tacos
26. Chicken and vegetable kebabs
27. Lemon garlic chicken breasts
28. Chicken burrito bowls

High protein beef, pork and turkey dinners

29. Turkey chili with beans
30. Lean beef and broccoli
31. Turkey meatballs with marinara
32. Pork tenderloin with roasted sweet potatoes
33. Stuffed bell peppers with lean ground beef or turkey
34. Baked pork chops with apples
35. Steak salad
36. Lettuce wrap turkey burgers

High protein seafood dinners

37. Baked salmon with rice and asparagus
38. Air fryer salmon bites
39. Shrimp fried rice with extra egg
40. Garlic shrimp with zucchini noodles
41. Tuna patties
42. Fish tacos with cabbage slaw
43. Sheet pan cod with vegetables
44. Shrimp and black bean quesadillas

High protein vegetarian meals

45. Tofu and vegetable stir-fry
46. Red lentil curry
47. Black bean burrito bowl
48. Spinach and feta frittata
49. Edamame and brown rice bowl
50. Chickpea and spinach curry
51. Greek yogurt and herb pasta with peas
52. Tempeh tacos

Cheap high protein meals

53. Egg fried rice
54. Black bean tacos
55. Tuna pasta
56. Lentil sloppy joes
57. Chicken thigh and rice skillet
58. Bean and cheese burritos
59. Peanut noodles with edamame
60. Egg and potato hash

To keep these meals cheap all week, pair them with our guide to budget meal planning.

For more weeknight ideas, see our chicken dinner ideas, healthy dinner ideas and sheet pan dinners. Chicken thighs are an easy protein to batch-cook, and our baked chicken thighs recipe covers the oven method.

Five-day high protein starter plan

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend eating a variety of protein foods, including seafood, beans and nuts as well as meat and eggs, so rotating proteins across the week like this keeps meals interesting and balanced.

How to meal prep high protein meals

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1. Pick two proteins for the week, such as chicken thighs and a pot of lentils.
2. Cook them on one day along with a grain (rice or quinoa) and a tray of roasted vegetables.
3. Batch the breakfast: a dozen egg muffins or hard-boiled eggs covers most of the week.
4. Mix and match the cooked pieces into bowls, wraps and salads.
5. Store safely: keep cooked meat in shallow containers in the fridge and eat it within 3 to 4 days, or freeze portions for later. KOMUEE glass meal prep containers with lids work for the chilled portions; Amazon Basics gallon freezer bags let you freeze flat portions of soups or stews.

Our meal prep ideas and freezer meals have more make-ahead options, and our healthy snacks list has protein-rich picks for between meals. To batch-cook a week of them, see our high protein meal prep guide.

Plan your protein for the week

Budget high-protein dinners: lentil recipes.

Protein is usually the most expensive line on the grocery list, so planning it first keeps the budget on track.

• Meal Planner & Grocery List, $3.99. Plan breakfasts, lunches and dinners on one page and buy each protein once.
• Family Recipe Binder, $6.99. Keep your best high protein recipes and swaps on cards you'll find again.
• Holiday Season Bundle, $15.99 (regularly $25.94 for the six items bought separately). The meal planner plus the Christmas Budget & Gift Planner, a cleaning schedule and savings trackers for the busy season.

Browse all our Printables.

Fish, beans and Greek yogurt also anchor the Mediterranean diet meal plan, a 7-day menu with budget tips and a shopping list.

If you're also watching carbs, our low carb meals list has 60 ideas and a 7-day starter plan built from regular grocery store foods. Trying to add healthy pounds? Our how to gain weight guide includes a 2,900-calorie week. For dinners that pair both goals, see high protein low carb meals.

If you're also watching calories, our low calorie meal ideas pair lean protein with vegetables to keep portions filling. Between meals, keep high protein snacks ready so you do not drop below your target.

Ground turkey is one of the easiest lean proteins to cook on a weeknight. Our healthy ground turkey recipes include 44 dinners, from tacos to soups.

A drizzle of chili crisp is an easy way to make plain eggs, rice bowls and chicken more exciting. For a balanced week of plates, see our guide to healthy meals.

Looking for an easy high-protein ingredient? Browse our cottage cheese recipes for breakfasts, dips and dinners. For a ranked pantry list, see our high protein foods guide. Keep a dozen hard boiled eggs in the fridge for grab-and-go protein. Morning protein plates also live in our breakfast ideas guide.