If you’re finding your appetite increasing as the winter weather eases, you’re not alone. We know that many people feel hungry during the winter, probably because our bodies use more energy to stay warm. Fortunately, adding protein to your meals can help keep you feeling satisfied.
This is where these recipes come in handy. Not only is it easy to make, each recipe contains at least 15 grams per serving. Whether you’re in the mood for a mouth-watering one-pot meal like One-Pot Chicken Broccoli Orzo with Cheesy or a comforting Chicken Fajita Soup, these recipes can be made in just three easy steps (or less). It’s easy to make. ).
Anti-inflammatory stuffed sweet potato and black bean peppers
Heami Lee, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Props Stylist: Christine Keeley
These delicious stuffed peppers are an easy protein-rich meal thanks to the combination of black beans and cheese.
Cheese one pot chicken and broccoli orzo
Photographer: Robbie Lozano, Food Stylist: Emily Neighbors Hall, Prop Stylist: Lydia Purcell
This cheesy dish combines crowd-pleasing flavors in one pot with easy cleanup. Perfect for those busy nights when you want something satisfying, comforting, and delicious. Sharp cheddar cheese adds flavor, but other easy-to-melt cheeses like Gruyère or Swiss will also work well.
cauliflower spanakopita melt
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Neighbors-Hall, Prop Stylist: Lindsay Lauer
This dish blends the flavors of the Greek spinach pie, spanakopita, into a grilled cheese sandwich that’s comfortable and convenient to hold. Chopped roasted cauliflower is a healthy flavor packed with vegetables. These sandwiches are cooked in a skillet, but if you have a sandwich press, you can use that instead to crisp them up.
chicken and white bean skillet
Photographer: Robbie Lozano, Food Stylist: Emily Neighbors Hall, Prop Stylist: Lydia Purcell
This skillet dinner is so easy, creamy, and cheesy that you’ll want to eat it again and again. With minimal preparation and easily available ingredients like chicken, vegetables, and white beans, it’s the perfect weeknight meal that’s sure to satisfy.
chicken fajita soup
Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Priscilla Montiel
The vibrant, smoky flavor of traditional fajitas is equally delicious in a comforting soup. For added spiciness, add chopped jalapenos to the vegetable mix. You can also replace the rotisserie chicken with another protein or make it vegetarian by using chicken-free soups or tofu seasonings.
broccoli melts
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Neighbors-Hall, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
A rich and creamy sandwich with crispy broccoli and melted cheese sandwiched between two pieces of crispy bread. These 20 minute melts are the ultimate comfort food packed with everyone’s favorite cheesy goodness.
ham and spinach quiche
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Neighbors-Hall, Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hauser
This delicious quiche skips the dough, making it surprisingly easy to make on short notice. Try something a little different by swapping cheddar for Gruyère or substituting chard or kale for the spinach.
Teriyaki chicken skillet casserole and broccoli
Photographer: Bree Goldman, Food Stylist: Lauren McAnnelly, Prop Stylist: Gabriel Greco
Quick and easy to make in one skillet, this casserole is perfect for busy weeknights and is sure to please a crowd. Filled with vegetables and flavorful teriyaki sauce, it’s a delicious way to use up leftover chicken and rice.
slow cooker broccoli and chicken soup
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Neighbors-Hall, Prop Stylist: Shel Royster
This comforting soup is loaded with broccoli and chicken in a creamy cheese base and finished with the classic topping of bacon and scallions. Frozen onions and rice retain their integrity and add texture to the soup, but chopped fresh onions and cooked brown rice (not frozen) can be used instead.
grilled cabbage with cheese
Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Lydia Purcell, Food Stylist: Emily Neighbors Hall
A warming sandwich with melted cheese, tender cabbage, and crispy sweet and sour apple slices. A thin layer of mayonnaise on the outside of the bread is perfect for browning grilled cheese.
Easy chicken tenders with lemon and garlic
Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
The secret to this easy recipe is a zesty lemon and garlic drizzle that brings out any leftover flavor in the pot. Pan-frying the chicken breasts locks in the moisture and gives them a crispy exterior. Feel free to swap out the lemon zest and juice for other citrus flavors like orange, mandarin, or lime.
slow cooker spinach and artichoke chicken soup
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Neighbors-Hall, Prop Stylist: Shel Royster
If you like spinach and artichokes, this is the soup for you. The creamy base is loaded with vegetables and shredded chicken to absorb the broth while providing a protein boost.
Pistachio-crusted halibut
A layer of pistachios combined with breadcrumbs over the halibut fillet provides a delicious crunch and a boost of vitamin B6, an important nutrient in regulating blood sugar levels. We like halibut’s firm texture and mild flavor, but you can also use cod, haddock, or tilapia instead.
chicken and cabbage pesto soup
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Christine Keeley
This one-pot soup is topped with store-bought pesto for added flavor. Large, fiber-rich butter beans add a creamy flavor, but you can easily swap them out for cannellini or navy beans if you prefer. This soup goes well with leftover chicken. Shred or chop the cooked chicken and add to the soup and reheat once the cabbage is tender.
Lemongrass and coconut poached salmon
Photographer: Rachel Malek, Prop Stylist: Holly Driesman, Food Stylist: Gabriel Greco
Boiling salmon in a coconut broth with aromatic lemongrass and ginger and serving it over dark leafy vegetables creates a comforting and flavorful meal. Serve with whole grains such as brown rice or over rice noodles for an even more satisfying experience.
Creamy Lemon & Dill Skillet Chicken
Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Neighbors-Hall, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle
This creamy skillet chicken is a real hit and perfect for weeknight dinners. The cutlets are quick to cook, so it takes just 20 minutes to get this recipe from the pan to the table. The drippings and fond from the skillet are the centerpiece of a tangy, bright pan sauce served with the chicken.
Sheet Pan Harissa Chicken & Vegetable
This one-pan dinner gets the flavorful heat of harissa, a popular North African chile and garlic paste. This recipe uses tubed harissa paste. It has a concentrated chili flavor that adds great spice to chicken and a subtle spiciness to refreshing herbal yogurt sauces.
Cumin chicken and chickpea stew
This easy protein-rich chicken stew recipe takes flavor inspiration from shawarma with spices like cumin, paprika, and pepper. Make double batches and freeze for easy, healthy dinners. Serve the stew with couscous and steamed broccoli.
Skillet Sour Cream & Onion Chicken
This one-skillet dinner combines quick-cooking chicken cutlets with a creamy sauce of sliced onions and sherry-flavored sour cream. Fresh basil brightens up your dishes.
One pot lentil and vegetable parmesan soup
This lentil and vegetable soup is loaded with kale and tomatoes for a flavorful main dish. If you have it, the Parmesan rind adds a nutty flavor and richness to the soup. If you want to avoid cheese made using rennet, look for vegetarian Parmesan cheese made without rennet.
Sheet Pan Maple Mustard Pork Chop and Carrot
This satisfying weeknight dinner only requires one skillet. A sweet and savory maple mustard glaze enlivens grilled pork chops, while carrots are brightened up with flavor-enhancing and anti-inflammatory garlic, ginger, and turmeric. Rainbow carrots add a colorful pizzazz, but regular orange carrots are an equally delicious alternative. Pork can dry out easily, so using an instant-read thermometer will help keep the meat moist and safely cooked.
