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chicken caprese pasta salad in glass food storage container

These recipes make the perfect meals to help you stay nourished this summer while supporting weight loss, if that’s your goal. Packed with lean proteins and fresh seasonal produce like carrots, bell peppers,black beans and avocado, these nutritious dishes containno more than 485 calories per serving. Plus, each of these lunch recipes meets ourhigh-protein nutrition parameterswith at least 15 grams per serving to help keep you full and energized until your next meal. Recipes like our Cumin Chicken & Chickpea Stew and Chimichurri Noodle Bowls are healthy and flavorful ways to satisfy midday hunger.

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Chicken Caprese Pasta Salad Bowls

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02of 14Chicken Quinoa Fried RiceView RecipeRegular fried rice gets a protein boost when rice is swapped for quinoa in this healthy dinner recipe. Feel free to use any vegetables you have on hand—broccoli, green beans and mushrooms are all good options in this quinoa fried rice. Serve with hot sauce, if desired.

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Chicken Quinoa Fried Rice

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Regular fried rice gets a protein boost when rice is swapped for quinoa in this healthy dinner recipe. Feel free to use any vegetables you have on hand—broccoli, green beans and mushrooms are all good options in this quinoa fried rice. Serve with hot sauce, if desired.

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Chimichurri Noodle Bowls

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04of 14Sweet Potato, Kale & Chicken Salad with Peanut DressingView RecipeAli RedmondThese hearty kale salads hold up well for 4 days, making them perfect for meal-prep lunches. To keep the ingredients from getting soggy, dress this salad and top it with peanuts just before serving. For a delicious vegan option, swap in roasted tofu for the chicken breast (see Associated Recipes).

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Sweet Potato, Kale & Chicken Salad with Peanut Dressing

Ali Redmond

Image of Sweet Potato, Kale & Chicken Salad with Peanut Dressing in portable glass container

These hearty kale salads hold up well for 4 days, making them perfect for meal-prep lunches. To keep the ingredients from getting soggy, dress this salad and top it with peanuts just before serving. For a delicious vegan option, swap in roasted tofu for the chicken breast (see Associated Recipes).

05of 14Spicy Ramen Cup of NoodlesView RecipePhotographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Shell RoysterMake your own cup of instant soup at home with this vegetarian ramen recipe. Pack several jars at once to take to work for easy lunches throughout the week.

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Spicy Ramen Cup of Noodles

Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster

step 2 in making the Spicy Ramen Cup of Noodles

Make your own cup of instant soup at home with this vegetarian ramen recipe. Pack several jars at once to take to work for easy lunches throughout the week.

06of 14Cumin Chicken & Chickpea StewView RecipePhotographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hausser, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors HallThis quick, protein-rich chicken stew recipe draws flavor inspiration from shawarma with spices like cumin, paprika and pepper. Make a double batch and freeze it for a quick healthy dinner. Serve the stew with couscous and steamed broccoli.

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Cumin Chicken & Chickpea Stew

Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Phoebe Hausser, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall

overhead view of Cumin Chicken Chickpea Stew in skillet and in a bowl

This quick, protein-rich chicken stew recipe draws flavor inspiration from shawarma with spices like cumin, paprika and pepper. Make a double batch and freeze it for a quick healthy dinner. Serve the stew with couscous and steamed broccoli.

07of 14Tangy Chicken Salad with GrapesView RecipeAntonis AchilleosSweet red grapes and crunchy celery make this chicken salad sing, and also balance out the slight tang from the yogurt and lemon. But go ahead and customize the mix-ins with whatever you desire (perhaps some chopped nuts or dried fruit) because this chicken salad recipe is easily adaptable. We use rotisserie chicken (look for unseasoned to keep sodium in check!) to simplify things, but any leftover cooked chicken will work.

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Tangy Chicken Salad with Grapes

Antonis Achilleos

Tangy Chicken Salad With Grapes in a bowl

Sweet red grapes and crunchy celery make this chicken salad sing, and also balance out the slight tang from the yogurt and lemon. But go ahead and customize the mix-ins with whatever you desire (perhaps some chopped nuts or dried fruit) because this chicken salad recipe is easily adaptable. We use rotisserie chicken (look for unseasoned to keep sodium in check!) to simplify things, but any leftover cooked chicken will work.

08of 14One-Pot Chicken Pesto Pasta with AsparagusView RecipeThis healthy chicken pesto pasta recipe is easy to make thanks to convenience ingredients like rotisserie chicken and store-bought pesto. The addition of fresh asparagus brightens up the look and flavors of this easy one-pot dinner. Fresh basil, if you have it on hand, is a nice finishing touch.

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One-Pot Chicken Pesto Pasta with Asparagus

one pot chicken pesto pasta

This healthy chicken pesto pasta recipe is easy to make thanks to convenience ingredients like rotisserie chicken and store-bought pesto. The addition of fresh asparagus brightens up the look and flavors of this easy one-pot dinner. Fresh basil, if you have it on hand, is a nice finishing touch.

09of 14Mason Jar Power Salad with Chickpeas & TunaView RecipeThis power salad will keep you fueled for hours, thanks to 26 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber. Tossing the dressing and kale, and then letting it stand in the jar, softens it enough so you don’t need to massage or cook it to make it tender.

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Mason Jar Power Salad with Chickpeas & Tuna

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This power salad will keep you fueled for hours, thanks to 26 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber. Tossing the dressing and kale, and then letting it stand in the jar, softens it enough so you don’t need to massage or cook it to make it tender.

10of 14Strawberry Poppy Seed Salad with ChickenView RecipeAli RedmondIn this healthy copycat of a takeout salad favorite we combine precooked (or leftover) chicken and poppy seed dressing with fresh greens, strawberries and goat cheese for an easy throw-together meal that’s ready in 10 minutes.

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Strawberry Poppy Seed Salad with Chicken

A photo of Strawberry Poppy Seed Salad with Chicken

In this healthy copycat of a takeout salad favorite we combine precooked (or leftover) chicken and poppy seed dressing with fresh greens, strawberries and goat cheese for an easy throw-together meal that’s ready in 10 minutes.

11of 14Chicken Hummus BowlsView RecipeThe spiced chicken atop these bowls is ready fast with the help of the broiler. Serve with warm whole-wheat pita for scooping up extra hummus at the bottom of the bowl.

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Chicken Hummus Bowls

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The spiced chicken atop these bowls is ready fast with the help of the broiler. Serve with warm whole-wheat pita for scooping up extra hummus at the bottom of the bowl.

12of 14Spicy Slaw Bowls with Shrimp & EdamameView RecipeThe quick 10-minute Spicy Cabbage Slaw serves as the low-carb base in this veggie-packed lunch recipe. Topped with high-protein edamame and shrimp, this satisfying lunch will help you power through the afternoon.

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Spicy Slaw Bowls with Shrimp & Edamame

Spicy Slaw Bowls with Shrimp & Edamame

The quick 10-minute Spicy Cabbage Slaw serves as the low-carb base in this veggie-packed lunch recipe. Topped with high-protein edamame and shrimp, this satisfying lunch will help you power through the afternoon.

13of 14Green Goddess Salad with ChickenView RecipeFor this cucumber, tomato, Swiss cheese and chicken salad recipe, a healthy green goddess salad dressing recipe gets its creaminess from avocado, buttermilk and herbs. Any extra dressing is delicious served over grilled chicken or flaky white fish, such as cod or flounder.

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Green Goddess Salad with Chicken

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For this cucumber, tomato, Swiss cheese and chicken salad recipe, a healthy green goddess salad dressing recipe gets its creaminess from avocado, buttermilk and herbs. Any extra dressing is delicious served over grilled chicken or flaky white fish, such as cod or flounder.

14of 14Salmon Caesar SaladView RecipeThis easy Caesar salad subs creamy Greek yogurt and buttermilk for the traditional egg yolks and olive oil and mixes in mildly bitter radicchio in addition to classic romaine. Using just a small amount of flavorful Parmigiano-Reggiano shaves calories and sodium too.

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Salmon Caesar Salad

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This easy Caesar salad subs creamy Greek yogurt and buttermilk for the traditional egg yolks and olive oil and mixes in mildly bitter radicchio in addition to classic romaine. Using just a small amount of flavorful Parmigiano-Reggiano shaves calories and sodium too.

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