Cooking dinner at the end of the day—you know, when you’re finally home from work—is a major pain in the butt. You’re tired and you’re hungry and all you want to do is curl up on the couch, grab the remote, watch a good movie, and knock back a couple glasses of wine. Yet somehow you’re supposed to muster the strength to find a recipe, cook it, eat it, and then clean up the whole mess. That’s pretty much your whole night! And when so many recipes call for multiple pots and pans, that clean up can often be the most annoying and lengthy part of the whole situation.
But what if we told you that all that clean up didn’t have to be so. That, in fact, you really only need one pot to make a satisfying dinner? It’s true—these 10 high-protein recipes prove that whipping up a tasty, nourishing meal can be as simple as setting a single pan on the stove and adding your ingredients. Bonus: These dishes all come together pretty quickly, so you don’t have to spend a lot of time cooking them either. Now get back to your movie.
1. Apple Cider Chicken Skillet from Well Plated
Apples + chicken equals the sweet and savory combo you didn’t know you needed. This dish is great all by itself, but we also like it served alongside a whole grain like brown rice. Get the recipe here.
Per one serving: 286 calories; 30 grams protein
2. Vegetarian Chili Mac from Amuse Your Bouche
It’s a chili-mac attack! Both the cheese and the beans in this dish deliver the protein, and the whole thing is ready in just 30 minutes. Get the recipe here.
Per one serving: 521 calories; 22 grams protein
3. Turmeric Chicken And Rice from The Iron You
Turmeric isn’t just for smoothies—it tastes great in this savory, chicken and rice dish, too. Get the recipe here.
Per one serving: 407 calories; 28 grams protein
4. Lemon-Caper Artichoke Chicken Piccata from Two Purple Figs
Who doesn’t love chicken piccata? This briny, salty, citrusy restaurant-quality meal takes less than 30 minutes and only one pan to make. Get the recipe here.
Per one serving: 345 calories; 48 grams protein
5. Curried Shakshuka via eatingbirdfood.com
This pepper- and tomato-packed classic Middle Eastern dish is loaded with eggs. So you can basically consider it breakfast for dinner. Get the recipe here.
Per one serving: 323 calories; 18 grams protein
6. Jambalaya from Food Faith Fitness
Jambalaya is the protein-packed dish—it is filled with chicken and sausage, after all. While it’s normally a complicated stew to prepare, this recipe comes together in under an hour. Get the recipe here.
Per one serving: 383 calories; 21 grams protein
7. Mexican Quinoa Casserole from Joyful Healthy Eats
Quinoa, beans, and chicken provide the protein in this zesty casserole—avocado and cheese deliver a luscious creamy texture. Get the recipe here.
Per one serving: 290 calories; 20 grams protein
8. Singapore Zoodle Stir-Fry With Chicken from Cafe Delites
Another dish that packs in two great sources of protein (shrimp and chicken), this stir-fry will both fill you up and satisfy your takeout cravings. Get the recipe here.
Per one serving: 318 calories; 29 grams protein
9. Slow-Cooker White Chicken Chili from Inquiring Chef
The one pot this recipe needs? A slow-cooker. Pop all your ingredients into your Crockpot before you leave for the day. Dinner will be ready when you return. Get the recipe here.
10. Green Curry Scallops With Mango Cilantro Salsa from Pinch Of Yum
Curry is another one of those complicated dishes that usually takes a long time to make. This recipe, however, comes together in just 30 minutes—you can thank those quick-cooking scallops for that. Get the recipe here.
Per one serving: 442 calories; 32 grams protein