When you're trying to lose weight, it's important to not only eat healthily but to make sure you eat! If your weeks are super busy, your mind may not even want to think about making dinner for yourself at night. Instead, you may resort to quick takeout, which doesn't always lead to the healthiest options. Or, you may try to skip dinner altogether, which is something you shouldn't be doing while trying to lose weight. And although these may seem like the two "easier" options for weight loss with your crazy schedule, they're certainly not the best. Well, what if we told you it's possible to cook healthy dinner ideas for weight loss that will match your hectic schedule and keep you on track for your weight loss?
According to Dr. Lisa R. Young, Ph.D., RDN, author ofFinally Full, Finally SlimandThe Portion Teller Plan, there are several guidelines you should follow to keep your weight loss goals on track with these healthy dinner recipes to lose weight:
With that being said, here is a list of healthy dinners for weight loss for your super busy weeknights. To truly make them easy weight loss meals, they're split up into the following categories, all of which include recipes that take under an hour to prepare:
Next, be sure to check out50 Healthy Dinner Recipes That Take 30 Minutes (or Less!).
Total Time: ~30 minutes (if you want the salad chilled).
This salad has everything you could want in a weight loss meal. It's got loads of vegetables, healthy fats, and lean protein all without adding high-calorie ingredientsthe perfect combination! Plus, you can mix it up within minutes. If you don't feel like waiting for the salad to chill, you can go ahead and dive right in. It'll taste just as good!
Get our recipe for Greek Salad With Chicken.
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Total Time: ~10-15 minutes
This protein-packed burrito comes with loaded chicken and beans with cheese on a whole-wheat tortilla. Plus, buying an already-cooked rotisserie chicken saves you a bunch of time. They're super easy to make, so why not have them at home instead of a super thick and calorie-loaded takeout one?
Get our recipe for Chicken Fajita Burritos.
Total Time:30 minutes
At first glance, this meal may seem heavy with a lot of cook time. However, thanks to the simplicity of store-bought rotisserie chicken, you can get this meal cooked in no time! You can also use whole wheat pasta as well as part-skim mozzarella cheese to bring out the healthier side of the dish.
Get Toby Amidor's recipe for Rotisserie Chicken Parmigiana Casserole from The Best Rotisserie Chicken Cookbook.
Total Time: ~10-15 minutes
This quick and easy weight loss dinner just requires store-bought everything, so little to no prep is necessary (only if you're heating the tortillas). A recipe so easy, and you'll end up having rotisserie chicken leftovers for days!
Get our recipe for Rotisserie Chicken Tacos with Verde Salsa.
Total Time: 20 minutes
One of the easiest weeknight meals you can have thanks to the minimal preparation you have to do. If you like a simple salmon, this will do the trick.
Get our recipe for Butter-Baked Salmon and Asparagus.
Total Time:20 minutes
Such an easy protein-packed meal. All you have to do is pick your favorite salsa to smother the chicken in, and top with cheese (The freshly grated stuff is always better than the packaged, so if you have the time to shred, then go for it).
Get our recipe for Salsa Chicken.
Total Time:~20 minutes
This healthier version of Hamburger Helper is going to become a comfort food dinner staple. This fresh version includes a hearty helping of beef as your protein and no-sugar-added sauce, so you know you're getting a good quality dinner. Plus, this is keto-friendly, making it a great addition to your diet.
Get our recipe for Keto Cheeseburger Casserole.
Total Time: 30 minutes
Chicken is super versatile, especially when figuring out different weight-loss meals. Adding pesto will be the perfect topping as it provides tons of flavor. Fill the other side of your plate with some leafy greens to make a salad, and you've got yourself a filling dish.
Get our recipe for Pesto Chicken.
Total Time:20 minutes
Aside from its simple yet delicious taste, adding lemon juice to your chicken is a super healthy dinner idea for weight loss. If you feel like adding something else to the dinner table, try adding in a veggie like broccoli. The floret of the broccoli will soak up lemon juice nicely.
Get our recipe for Lemon Chicken.
Total Time: ~30 minutes
These chicken fingers are so good, that you'll forget about your old fast-food favorites. While this recipe is calling to make your chicken fingers from scratch, you can cut the time down even more by purchasing frozen tenders at the store. You can use this recipe as inspiration and still make the delicious chipotle honey mustard sauce for dipping.
Get our recipe for Oven-Baked Chicken Fingers With Chipotle Honey Mustard.
Total Time:20 minutes
Another easy way to coat your protein is by slathering some of your favorite barbecue sauce all over your chicken breast. Top with cheese and some red onions (a bonus veggie!) to create a filling meal without the extra calories.
Get our recipe for Barbecue Chicken.
Total Time:20 minutes
When you think of bruschetta, you probably think of tomatoes on bread. For this chicken recipe, you're getting the flavors of this Italian topping with the bonus of protein from the chicken. It eliminates those unwanted carbs from the bread and will keep you full and satisfied.
Get our recipe for Bruschetta Chicken.
Total Time:20 minutes
Whether you make your pesto from scratch or buy it in a jar, this delicious chicken dinner recipe brings out a bunch of flavors. The fresh slices of mozzarella add a nice finishing touch, especially when you cut into it and see that stunning cheese pull.
Get our recipe for Pesto Chicken.
Total Time: 35 minutes
There's so much to love about stir-frys. They don't take any special skills or crazy ingredients and they're really quick to throw together. This paleo version packs protein, veggies, and delicious flavor that will make you feel as if you're eating at a restaurant with better benefits.
Get our recipe for Pale0 Thai Beef Stir-Fry.
Total Time:25 minutes
A grill pan provides you with the best Asian takeout in the comfort of your own home. With the addition of fresh ingredients and a hearty amount of veggies, you'll be cutting down a lot of the sodium. Too much sodium may lead to retaining water, and that bloating won't sit well when you're trying to lose weight. That's why we love this easy, at-home version!
Get our recipe for Juicy Asian Chicken and Saucy Slaw.
Total Time:15-20 minutes
Another easy weight loss meal that tastes just like takeout, you'll want to swap to this version whenever you're craving fried rice. A mixture of delicious chicken with crunchy veggies and a bit of rice coated in low-sodium, soy sauce makes this a dieter's delight.
Get our recipe for Chicken Fried Rice.
Total Time:~45 minutes
This popular Chinese food staple just got a bit healthier. The tender beef mixed with fresh broccoli is mixed with a flavorful sauce made out of wine and beef stock. If you want to add a healthy starch, opt for serving it over steamed brown rice. Once everything is prepped, this dish is cooked in one pan, making it super easy to clean up.
Get our recipe for Beef With Broccoli.
Total Prep Time: 20 minutes
The reason why this turkey chili makes our list is that although it may take hours to cook it's so easy to prep, and you don't need to be home to let it cook. This hearty lean chili can sit in the crockpot simmering all day long while you're out of the house. Then, by the time you're home for dinner, the chili will be ready to devour. You may even have leftovers to eat on another night.
Get our recipe for Turkey and Two-Bean Chili.
Total Prep Time:25 minutes
Who's going to miss the pasta when you can get the same consistency through a vegetable? Zucchini makes for a great alternative to starchy pasta, hence the name "zucchini noodles" (zoodles). It's comforting, filling, and flavorful, and you're getting protein and vegetables in one serving. What more can you ask for?
Get our recipe for Whole30 Chicken Zoodle Soup.
Total Prep Time:~25 minutes
You would most likely find tortilla soup at any Mexican restaurant, and this at-home version can rival what you would get elsewhere. You've got chunks of pulled chicken mixed into tomato broth and topped with some avocado, tortilla strips, and even a bit of hot sauce to amp up the flavor. Your taste buds will be bouncing off the walls from the fiesta in your mouth.
Get our recipe for Chicken Tortilla Soup.
Total Prep Time:~15-20 minutes
This DIY soup may be your new favorite, even better than Au Bon Pain's or Panera's, and you get to have it in the comfort of your own home. Yes, you still get all the perks of a cheesy soup, but the broccoli shines, giving you the low-calorie soup and providing you with those fulfilling nutrients. And the secret ingredient? Beer! You just can't go wrong with this diet dinner idea.
Get our recipe for Low-Calorie Broccoli Cheddar Soup.
Total Time: ~20 minutes
Soup is such a comforting food. It's even better when the soup is packed with meat and vegetables to make you feel full and also go light on the calories. Buy a bag of store-bought meatballs to help this soup come together in minutes.
Get our recipe for Italian Meatball Soup.
Total Time: 15 minutes6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e
A chili recipe that comes together in just 15 minutes sounds too good to be true, but it's not! Pre-cooked chicken helps to cut the cooking time. Plus, swapping out the sour cream and tortilla chips with avocado and fresh cilantro helps cut calorie and fat counts.
Get the recipe from Gimme Some Oven.
Total Time: 50 minutes
It's super hard to find a chili that can be cooked in under an hour, but we found one! Not only is this chili delicious and super filling, but it's also one of the easiest weight loss dinner recipes to make thanks to its short ingredient list. Along with the beans tospeed up your metabolism,sprinkle on some extra chili powder. The spice gets itsheat from a compound called capsaicin, one of nature's most potent fat burners.
Get the recipe from Gimme Some Oven.
Total Prep Time:40 minutes
Meat-lovers and vegetarians alike will fall for this loaded soup packed with 8 grams of protein, great for fat burning. The addition of both chickpeas and quinoa makes this a very nourishing and satisfying comfort soup that you'll be wanting to make all year long.
Get our recipe for Chickpea Quinoa Soup.
Total Time: 40 minutes
These pork chops are loaded with protein. Plus, they're ready to bake in no time and take little to no prep. Cooking the pork chops and vegetables all on one sheet is easy to cook and easy to clean up.
Get our recipe for Sheet-Pan Italian Pork Chops.
Total Time: 30 minutes
The fewer ingredients and dishes used, the better! This recipe involves just seven ingredients and one large skillet. You can even swap the white rice for brown rice if you prefer.
Get the recipe for One Pot Lemon Herb Chicken and Rice from Le Creme de la Crumb.
Total Time: 10-15 minutes
A sausage dish with under three grams of fat!? Woohoo! Pair it with a simple side salad for a veggie-packed meal even your kids will want to eat.
Get the recipe from The Kitchn.
Total Time: 45 min
This cheesy, bacon-topped dish proves you don't need to give up comfort food to lose weight. By using quinoa instead of traditional white rice, you'll get a hearty addition of fiber. And, thanks to the addition of broccoli, this dish provides a fair amount of vitamin C a nutrient that counteracts cortisol, a stress hormone that promotes belly fat.
Get the recipe from Pinch of Yum.
Total Time: 30 minutes
Make dinner a fiesta with this recipe that relies on canned beans and a combination of frozen and no-chop veggies ingredients that keep prep time to a quick 10-minutes. And after 20-minutes in the oven, this fiber and protein-rich one-dish are ready to fill your stomach.
Get the recipe from Savory Simple.
Total Time: 40 minutes
The perfect combination of spicy and sweet that will make your taste buds dance. Enjoy this easy-to-make tasty protein accompanied by crispy baked vegetables
Get our recipe for Sweet and Spicy Glazed Salmon with Roasted Veggies.
Total Time: 40 minutes
This hearty dish has all the makings of a solid, flavor-packed meal. You've got carbs, veggies, shrimp, and a plethora of spices for extra taste. Best of all, it's completely customizable. Not a fan of tomatoes or peas? Add in some of your favorite veggies instead.
Originally posted here:
57 Weight Loss Dinner Recipes For Super Busy Weeknights - Eat This Not That
