96 Easy, Healthy Dinner Recipes That'll Help You Meet All Your Goals

Lots of color, lots of spices, lots of flavor, and, of course, lots of chicken! Fajitas for the big-time dinner win.

Recipe: 30-Minute Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas

Creamy, lemony orzo soup is comforting and soothing — and, did we mention, delicious? 

Recipe: Creamy Lemon Orzo Chicken Soup

You'll never believe how juicy salmon can cook up in the microwave, and in just four minutes! Bonus: It only takes four ingredients to make this beauty.

Recipe: 4-Ingredient Microwave Salmon

Say goodbye to boring salmon, thanks to this creamy and zesty avocado salsa made with red onion, cilantro, and lime juice.

Recipe: Avocado Lime Salmon

Speedy and almost completely hands-off, this recipe lets your Instant Pot cook dinner for you. Just toss all of the ingredients together, seal the lid, and set it to cook.

Recipe: Instant Pot Shredded Chicken Tacos

Not only does this seafood pasta come together in half an hour, but most of the ingredients you'll need are also likely already in your kitchen. Start with fresh or frozen shrimp, and the rest is easy.

Recipe: Zesty One-Pot Shrimp Pasta

High in lean protein and low in fat, chicken breast is a great option when you're looking for a healthy yet meaty dish. A simple filling of tender asparagus and creamy Provolone takes this chicken dish to a new level. 

Recipe: Asparagus-Stuffed Chicken Breast

No need to fry shrimp when you can cook them on a hot grill with much less oil. Wrap them in a corn tortilla, top with slaw, and dinner is served!

Recipe: Grilled Shrimp Tacos With Creamy Cilantro Sauce

This easy one-pot vegetarian curry — seasoned with onion, garlic, cumin, turmeric, coriander, and chili — really packs a punch. Healthy has never tasted so good!

Recipe: One-Pot Chickpea Curry (Under 400 Calories)

Chopped onion, carrots, celery, and chicken come together for a super-easy soup that nourishes healthy and ill stomachs alike.

Recipe: Classic Chicken Noodle Soup

It's amazing what a bit of tart flavor can bring out in simple dishes like this chicken and asparagus stir-fry. It's a way to create a more complex flavor without adding yet another salty ingredient.

Recipe: Lemon Chicken And Asparagus Stir-Fry

Quick tip: Cook these in muffin tins and pop any leftovers in the freezer for an easy, filling meal you can reheat any time. 

Recipe: Veggie-Packed Lentil Loaf

A bit of skim milk and whole-grain pasta make this chicken alfredo dish just a little lighter while maintaining its richness of flavor.

Recipe: Healthier Chicken Alfredo Pasta

I love pairing the crunch of sizzling shrimp with the crisp-tender sweetness of sautéed broccoli. It's a dance of texture you might not expect from two such commonplace ingredients.

Recipe: Garlic Broccoli Shrimp Stir-Fry

It's easy to overthink the preparation of fish. But this recipe breaks down exactly how easy it is to cook (baked in the oven!) and how even easier it is to serve (with a generous dollop of avocado crema).

Recipe: Chili Lime Baked Tilapia With Avocado Crema

As some commenters note, you might want to season the sauce with salt, pepper, and other herbs as you go to make sure your final result isn't bland. 

Recipe: Cauliflower Alfredo

This easy shrimp dish pairs perfectly with everything from zucchini noodles and roasted vegetables to rice or a salad.

Recipe: Garlic Lemon Shrimp

You'll want to memorize this soy-sesame dressing to heart and practice it every day as a reminder that a delicious, filing dish starts with a great marinade, and nothing more.

Recipe: Cashew Chicken Stir-Fry

Avocado and quinoa are two tasty base ingredients you'll want to add to a salad with filling powers. Quick tip: Cook your quinoa in your favorite vegetable or chicken broth for added savoriness.

Recipe: Avocado Quinoa Power Salad

The combination of red wine, tomatoes, and broth combine for a naturally sweet and umami-rich sauce you'll want to drown your chicken in.

Recipe: Easy Chicken Cacciatore

A great salad needs four elements: a tasty dressing, a fatty ingredient, texture, and some protein. This one has the best versions of all four!

Recipe: Honey-Lime Chicken And Avocado Salad

This recipe requires a little bit of planning. You'll want to refrigerate the chicken in the marinade for at least two hours or more to make sure all that chopped chipotle flavor really penetrates the meat.

Recipe: Chipotle's Chicken

Panko breadcrumbs are such an easy way to jazz up salmon. Feel free to throw your favorite herbs into the mix to make it truly irresistible.

Recipe: Parmesan Crusted Salmon

Some people who've tried the recipe say that the soy sauce mixture can lean salty. If you prefer low-sodium recipes, try cutting the serving of soy sauce in half.

Recipe: Slow Cooker Beef And Broccoli

Chicken thighs are flavorful enough, IMO, but if you want to layer the taste, throw in some spices, like paprika, cayenne, or garlic powder.

Recipe: Zesty Lime Chicken Black Bean And Rice

Depending on your microwave, you might want to pop your sweet potatoes in for less or more than 10 minutes. Start monitoring your taters after about three minutes in if you want to avert a hot mess. 

Recipe: Sweet Potato Mushroom Penne

Capers are small, but mighty forces of flavor. Here, they make this lemony chicken piccata pop with salty flavor.

Recipe: Easy Chicken Piccata

No need to break out the grill for these awesome black bean burgers. Serve them with a salad or stack one into your perfect hamburger.

Recipe: Black Bean Burgers

This cheesy dish is surprisingly easy to make, given its deliciousness. Just combine all the ingredients, place them in a baking dish, and bake for 40 minutes.

Recipe: Cauliflower Rice Chicken Bake

Let's be real, this broccoli soup is all about the toppings. Serve yours with cheddar cheese, croutons, bacon or onion bits, or some Parmesan!

Recipe: Creamy Broccoli Soup

Sweet potatoes work great in this recipe as their sweetness balances out the savoriness of chicken and they're mind-blowingly scrumptious when roasted in an oven.

Recipe: One-Pan Roasted Chicken And Sweet Potatoes

If you're a fan of cilantro, this aromatic chicken and rice dish might become your new busy weeknight go-to. 

Recipe: One-Pot Cilantro Lime Chicken & Rice

There are many ways to make a veggie curry — but this one gives you the most bang for your buck. You can even swap the veggies for whatever you have on hand, including frozen peas, potatoes, and carrots.

Recipe: Simple Veggie Curry

Need a quick dish that'll appease everyone at the table and taste so good everyone will want the recipe? This maple-glazed salmon is it. 

Recipe: Maple-Glazed Salmon

This beginner-friendly dish will yield three colorful plates brimming with sweet carrot flavor, hearty potatoes, and savory roasted chicken thighs seasoned with nothing but salt, pepper, and rosemary. 

Recipe: Easy One-Tray Chicken Thighs And Veggies

If you're looking for a way to use up cauliflower, this sweet-and-savory orange "chicken" recipe will have you wishing you bought a few more heads. 

Recipe: Orange Cauliflower “Chicken”

For stuffed bell peppers that hold their own and don't ooze out liquid during the baking process, make sure you underfill them by a hair. 

Recipe: Turkey Taco Stuffed Bell Peppers

Watch three eggplants disappear before your eyes in this creamy curry that will satisfy all your flavor needs!

Recipe: Roasted Eggplant Curry

All you need is chili, scallions, and salmon to put together this quick weeknight dinner recipe you can finish in under 30 minutes. 

Recipe: 3-Ingredient Chili-Glazed Salmon

Some days, you want pasta. Other days, you want green zucchini noodles that are slightly sweet, mild, and perfect at absorbing all that good pesto flavor. 

Recipe: Chicken Pesto And Zucchini “Pasta”

If your tuna patties aren't staying together, consider adding another egg or two to the mix and reshaping them. 

Recipe: Tuna Burgers

If you're anything like me, you'll want to use more bell pepper than what's called for to make a hearty side dish. 

Recipe: Fajita Parchment-Baked Chicken

This risotto doesn't require you to watch a pot for long periods of time, but there is considerable baking time, so plan this heart-warming risotto for a day off and cozy up for a comforting meal. 

Recipe: Baked Butternut Squash “Risotto”

Fry up a cup of chopped onion and garlic before cooking the chicken to deepen the savory flavor. 

Recipe: Easy Homemade Chicken Curry

You don't have to be too judicious with the type of breadcrumbs you use here — panko, Italian-seasoned, or regular will all work just fine. 

Recipe: Baked Parmesan Chicken Strips

Almond milk + pumpkin puree + onion and garlic = creamy, pumpkin-ful pasta heaven 😍

Recipe: Pumpkin Sage Pasta

Remember to taste the doneness of the potatoes (which takes the longest to roast) before taking the tray out of the oven. 

Recipe: Healthy Veggies And Couscous

If you have a food processor, it's incredibly easy to make cauliflower rice. Combine it with your favorite protein and some vegetables for an easy fried "rice."

Recipe: Healthy Cauliflower Fried "Rice"

This Nigerian-style chicken curry is so flavorful you'll want nothing more than a bowl and a spoon to start the meal. 

Recipe: Nigerian Chicken Curry

Roasting cauliflower with a ton of spices is a great way to transform it into a flavor bomb. The tahini-lemon dressing balances it all out. 

Recipe: Roasted Cauliflower Salad

Crispy-cooked chickpeas are not only a great snack and finger food, they're also a superb vegetarian taco filling packed with flavor, fiber, and vitamins. 

Recipe: Chipotle Chickpea Tacos

For the best seared scallops, pat-dry them as much as possible prior to cooking. And don't be scared to use high heat when searing them!

Recipe: Seared Scallops

This chicken quinoa dish is bursting with fire-roasted tomato flavor and cooks all in one pot for easy cleanup. 

Recipe: One-Pan Southwestern Chicken Quinoa

Don't worry: We're not pulling a fast one on you and taking out the cheese. But this recipe does incorporate a ton of carrot, butternut squash, and cauliflower and blends it all together into a creamy finish.  

Recipe: Hidden Veggie Mac & Cheese

It happens every single time I eat lentils: I take one bite and am overcome by how savory and delicious they are and then resolve to make more dishes with lentils. If you've ever found yourself in the same boat, here's your chance to make an easy lentil dish you can put in your permanent dinner rotation. 

Recipe: One-Pot Lentil Bolognese

Serve with freshly grated parmesan cheese for extra flavor.

Recipe: Tuscan White Beans

If you can't find arborio rice at your local grocery store, pearled barley or orzo are great substitutes that taste just as chewy and toothsome. 

Recipe: One-Pot Butternut Squash Pilaf

Who knew? The famous Pixar dish is actually a pretty basic combo of colorful vegetables cooked with herbs and garlic. And it's pretty delicious even in its unanimated version. 

Recipe: Ratatouille Salad

This one involves a bit of prep work, but if you're OK with chopping up some vegetables, then this recipe will reward you with slice after slice of comforting pot pie.

Recipe: Veggie-Packed Chickpea Pot Pie

The sweetness of BBQ chicken pairs beautifully with the sweet potatoes here. Add bacon bits for extra crunch! 

Recipe: 5-Ingredient BBQ Chicken-Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

Featuring a blend of fresh seasonal vegetables and succulent chicken thighs, this one-pan recipe is made in the oven for a simple, yet comforting weeknight meal.

Recipe: One-Pan Autumn Chicken Roast

Lemon and rosemary are small but mighty flavor powerhouses that can elevate a simple pack of chicken breast into a fragrant, juicy affair. 

Recipe: Easy Foil-Pack Lemon And Rosemary Chicken Dinner

This chicken topping comes together with a creamy, tart yogurt sauce; avocado for added velvetiness; and celery for a slight crunch. Serve it as part of a salad, on pita bread, or even with your favorite toast for a light lunch. 

Recipe: Low-Carb Avocado Chicken Salad

This recipe is totally flexible with whatever crunchy veggie you've got in your fridge — whether it's green beans, asparagus, or even cauliflower. The sauce — made up of garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and many other ingredients — does most of the work in this dish.

Recipe: Chicken & Veggie Stir-Fry

Sear the chicken thighs in a tablespoon of butter, then use the rendered chicken fat to cook the garlic, brown sugar, honey, and herbs. Throw the chicken back in to thoroughly coat it in this honey and garlic sauce.

Recipe: One-Pan Honey Garlic Chicken

This simplified version of the popular Indian dish leaves out none of the essential spices that make this meal so universally loved.

Recipe: Easy Butter Chicken

If pesto is so good in pasta, why not use it in a chicken dish? Even better if you pair this pesto chicken bake with a side serving of bread to mop up the sauce with.

Recipe: Pesto Chicken Bake

This dish is packed with vegetables like onions, bell pepper, and diced tomato that infuse it with a bright and droolworthy color. 

Recipe: Chicken Cacciatore

I'm sure that Chipotle's chicken recipe involves more than three ingredients but we're not kidding when we say that's exactly how many it takes (plus the salt and pepper) for us to create something that tastes exactly the same. Try it. We dare you! 

Recipe: Chipotle's Chicken

If you're the kind of person who thinks that "two cloves of garlic" always means "at least a head of garlic," then this recipe is for you. It consists of 40 cloves of unpeeled garlic so we suggest cooking this with your windows cracked open.

Recipe: 40-Clove Garlic Chicken

The tastiest dishes are sometimes just the most practical ones. Like this one-pan meal, which is easy to cook and clean up.

Recipe: One-Pan Fall Chicken Dinner

On a chilly evening, there's honestly nothing better than a meal of roasted chicken thighs and hearty, starchy vegetables like potatoes and carrots. 

Recipe: Easy One-Tray Chicken Thighs And Veggies

According to one person who tried the recipe, adding just one teaspoon of sugar makes this dish much better, perhaps because it accentuates the creamy coconut milk. 

Recipe: Coconut Chicken Curry

In other words, this is the perfect meal both you and your kids can enjoy.

Recipe: Garlic Parmesan Chicken Tenders

To elevate this recipe, add a can of cream of mushroom soup, some extra cheese, or your favorite spices.

Recipe: Cauliflower Rice Chicken Bake

This recipe is easy to make after a long day of work. Just lay out the veggies and chicken on a pan, toss everything with olive oil, then layer pesto and mozzarella cheese on your chicken. Bake for 25–30 minutes, and you're ready to eat. 

Recipe: One-Pan Pesto Chicken & Veggies

This dinner tastes better than take out...and it's just as quick. 

Recipe: Mongolian Beef Stir-Fry

There's no wrong time of day to eat eggs. Serve these eggs baked in avocados with toast and bacon for a filling meal.

Recipe: Baked Eggs With Avocado

If you have an Instant Pot, bookmark this Chinese chicken, which gets a flavor boost from honey, garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and rice vinegar. 

Recipe: Instant Pot Cashew Chicken

These steak tacos are an easy, family-friendly, weeknight meal. Of course, you can always use strip or flank steak. 

Recipe: Grilled Filet Mignon Street Tacos

Cod (or any flaky white fish) gets coated in a mixture of Greek yogurt, Parmesan, herbs, garlic, lemon, and paprika, then baked in the oven. 

Recipe: 20-Minute Lemon, Garlic, And Herb Baked Cod

Just a few simple ingredients — salmon, soft boiled egg, rice, and avocado — go a long way in this delicious seafood dinner. 

Recipe: 15-Minute Salmon And Avocado Rice Bowl

Boneless chicken breasts and broccoli florets are tossed in a sauce you can make using mostly pantry staples like peanut butter, soy sauce, honey, and sesame oil.

Recipe: Peanut Sauce Chicken And Broccoli Bowls

If you have store-bought flatbread or naan on hand, you're half way to a delicious dinner. 

Recipe: Artichoke Flatbread

Never underestimate the power of a simple pasta recipe. Start with whatever noodles you like best and top them with sautéed chopped tomato, onion, garlic, olive oil, and Parmesan.

Recipe: Bruschetta Pasta

The homemade peanut sauce will totally steal the show. Do the wise thing and make a big batch because you'll want to put it on everything. 

Recipe: Peanut Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Grab a package of microwaveable rice and top it with grilled Greek chicken and some Mediterranean veggies like cucumber, tomatoes, and red onion. 

Recipe: Greek Chicken and Rice Bowl