Macro-Friendly: 15+ Delicious High Protein Meals (2024)

The very best hand-picked creative meals that are high in protein and taste great.

We’ve chosen them to help those who count macros or anyone attempting body recomposition.

1. Cauliflower Hash Brown Egg Cups

This recipe is for a cauliflower and egg breakfast. It’s a great way to start the day, and the fat and protein will keep you feeling full longer than a breakfast that is mostly carbs.

You will need 1 head of cauliflower, 1 egg, 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese, 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese, 1/2-1 teaspoon of salt and pepper, and 12 small-medium sized eggs. Optional ingredients include 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder.

You can make these ahead of time and put them in the freezer to use during a busy work week.

Here’s the detailed recipe.

2. Baked Ranch Chicken

This flavorful way to prepare chicken breast can be made ahead of time and frozen for use throughout the week.

It can be served with broccoli and snow peas for a complete meal or as a protein topping for a big salad.

Get the recipe here.

3. One-Pan Pesto Chicken and Veggies

This is a delicious protein-packed recipe for those who hate doing dishes.

ONE PAN, DONE! It’s also great to get those micronutrients in with all the colorful vegetables and herbs.

Note: As is, this dish has higher fat.

Make the following changes to reduce the amount of fat and make the ratios better fit the macros of most people.

• Use a nonstick skillet.
• Reduce the olive oil from 2 Tablespoons to 2 teaspoons.
• Use chicken breast instead of chicken thighs.

Here’s the easy recipe.

Calories and Macros (per half of the recipe – two servings*)
Protein: 54.5 g
Carbs: 18.5 g
Fat: 20 g
Fiber: 8 g
* The linked recipe totals four servings, so the macros above are for two servings. They are different from the recipe as we have reduced the olive oil and substituted chicken breast (lower in fat than thigh meat).

4. Turkey Burgers with Warm Relish

This recipe is a savory and delicious way to use lean ground turkey.

You can control how many carbs you need by using a lettuce leaf as a wrap or using a whole grain bun.

The macros below reflect the lettuce leaf option.

Find the recipe here.

Calories and Macros (per burger)
Calories: 258
Protein: 23 g
Carbs: 10 g
Fat: 13 g
Fiber: 3 g

5. Steak Fajita Roll-Ups

Do you love steak fajitas but find you go over your carb macro for the day?

Problem solved – a delicious lower-carb alternative to traditional steak fajitas.

Get the recipe here.

Calories and Macros (per 4 rollups – does not include guacamole)
Calories: 200
Protein: 24 g
Carbs: 8 g
Fat: 4 g

6. Easy Chicken Salad

This is a tasty chicken salad recipe that you can use for lunches throughout the week.

The recipe makes 6 cups, so it’s plenty for the whole family. You also have the option to eat it on bread or a bed of greens.

Find the recipe here.

Calories and Macros (per 1/2 cup serving)
Calories: 168
Protein: 18 g
Carbs: 7 g
Fat: 10 g
Fiber: 1 g

7. Chipotle Chicken Bowl

This high-protein recipe is a great candidate for meal prep.

Perfect for those that love southwest flavors. Most burrito bowls are heavy on rice, which can take you over your daily carb limit.

This recipe uses cauliflower rice instead.

Get the complete recipe here.

Calories and Macros (per serving)
Calories: 371
Protein: 29 g
Carbs: 12 g
Fat: 17 g
Fiber: 3 g

Remove the avocado to reduce the fat (down 9 g per serving).

8. Zucchini Tuna Cakes

Do you have an abundance of zucchini in your garden and don’t know what to do with it?

Here’s an easy recipe to use the zucchini and get your protein in too.

The recipe

Calories and Macros (per 2 cakes)
Calories: 280
Protein: 34 g
Carbs: 14 g
Fat: 11 g

9. Chicken Parmesan Zucchini Boats

Here’s a great way to enjoy all the flavors of chicken parmesan without all the fat and carbs traditional chicken parm has.

They can be kept in the fridge and used for quick meals during the week.

Get the recipe here.

Calories and Macros (per two-boat serving)
Calories: 332
Protein: 38 g
Carbs: 13 g
Fat: 18 g
Fiber: 2 g

10. Roasted Garlic & Herb Chicken and Veggies

This is a flavorful way to eat a lot of vegetables while also getting lean protein.

If you need more carbs than this meal delivers, serve with rice or add partially cooked sweet potatoes to the roasting mix.

Here’s the recipe.

Calories and Macros (per serving)
Calories: 253
Protein: 28 g
Carbs: 8 g
Fat: 12 g
* A serving is about one-sixth of the entire batch on the recipe page.

11. Protein-Packed Breakfast Burritos

These macro-friendly breakfast burritosZucchini bread can be made on the weekend when you have more time and then frozen for quick breakfasts during the week.

Get the recipe here.

Calories and Macros (per serving – 1/4 of the total)
Calories: 352
Protein: 25 g
Carbs: 22 g
Fat: 20 g
Fiber: 8 g

12. One Pan Lemon Basil Chicken with Spinach

One-pan recipes are the best and save so much time cleaning up.

Here’s a delicious protein-packed chicken dish to try. It’s served with rice.

The complete recipe.

Calories and Macros (1/4 of the recipe with 1/2 cup rice)
Calories: 349
Protein: 40 g
Carbs: 29 g
Fat: 8 g
Fiber: 4 g

13. Turkey Taco Wraps

Here’s a filling Mexican recipe but without all the flour and carbs.

Use tortillas instead of lettuce if you need more carbs to hit your daily allowance.

See the recipe here.

Calories and Macros (1 wrap – 1/4 of total recipe)
Calories: 521
Protein: 48 g
Carbs: 32 g
Fat: 22 g
Fiber: 11 g

14. One-Skillet Balsamic Chicken and Vegetables

Here’s another one-pan recipe that is a slightly sweet and savory way to cook chicken.

If you need more carbs, you can eat it over rice or quinoa.

Here’s the complete recipe

Calories and Macros (1 serving – 1/4 of recipe)
Calories: 407
Protein: 41 g
Carbs: 26 g
Fat: 15 g
Fiber: 4 g

15. Grilled Pork Tenderloin

Pork tenderloin is something you want to grill right! This recipe is for a delicious marinade with excellent grilling instructions.

Combine with salad or vegetables for a massive protein hit.

Get the recipe here.

Calories and Macros (1/4 of the recipe)
Calories: 544
Protein: 94 g
Carbs: 0 g
Fat: 16 g

Bonus macro-friendly recipes

Baked Chicken Parmesan

Per Serve: Calories: 385 Carb: 20 g Fat: 11 g Protein: 48 g

Side idea? Make zucchini noodles with a spiralizer. It will give you some veggie nutrition without upping your carbs too much.

See recipe…

Lentil Meatballs

Per 3 Meatball serve: Calories: 112 Carb: 19 g Fat: 3 g Protein: 7 g

Vegetarian. Option: serve with a pasta sauce (look out for the sugar content).

See recipe…

High Protein Pizza

Carb: 42 g Fat: 10g Protein: 67g

This recipe has a lot more protein than your typical fatty pizza.

See recipe…`

Breakfast wonton cups

Per two wonton cups
Carb: 23 g Fat: 9.5 g Protein: 31.5g

Easy to make and can be reheated quickly in the microwave if you’re in a hurry.

See recipe…

Skinny Southwestern Salad

Per Serving
Calories: 282 Carb: 22 g Fat: 8.7 g Protein: 27.4 g

This one has a good amount of protein and nutrition. The addition of tortilla chips adds the crunch.

See recipe…

Oatmeal Protein Cookies

Per Cookie
Calories: 170 Carb: 21 g Fat: 8 g Protein: 6 g

Admittedly they are still a little high in carbs (they’re cookies after all!), but there’s a nice hit of protein.

See recipe…

Coconut Rice with Turkey Patties

Per Serving
Calories: 313 Carb: 28 g Fat: 12 g Protein: 25 g

Depending on where you are, it might be hard to get papaya, but this could be substituted with another fruit.

See recipe…

Chicken and Avocado Burritos

Per Burrito
Calories: 519 Carb: 37 g Fat: 24 g Protein: 40 g

Chicken wraps are always a great option that’s a bit lower in carbs. This recipe is simple but packs plenty of flavor.

See recipe…

Blackened Chicken with Pineapple Salsa

Per Serving
Calories: 220 Carb: 6 g Fat: 4 g Protein: 36 g

A good one for the grill, this recipe forgoes any carbs, but still provides the tang of the salsa.

See recipe…

Pineapple Chipotle Salmon Tostadas

Per Serving
Calories: 283 Carb: 13 g Fat: 17 g Protein: 13 g

Combines slightly charred salmon with avocado and a zesty salsa. A little higher in fat, but a great dose of protein.

See recipe…

How do I keep my protein up without eating too many carbohydrates?

It takes a bit of planning – protein shakes are always a good option.

Find out how we keep to our macros here.

Here are some of the best high-protein foods.

• Boneless/skinless chicken breast
• Canned solid white albacore tuna
• Ahi tuna steak
• Lean turkey breast cold cuts (nitrate-free)
• Pork loin
• Lean ground turkey (99%)
• Egg whites
• Whey Protein
• Tilapia filets
• Swai filets
• Shrimp (peeled)
• Lean brisket
• Venison steak
• Beef jerky
• Turkey jerky
• Cod
• lean ground grass-fed beef (96%)

Vegan high protein foods

• Seiten: 56 grams
• The Plant Era protein powder: 21 grams (per scoop)
• Vegan protein powder: 24 grams (per scoop)
• Tofu: 27 grams
• Tempeh: 26 grams

See the full list…

Learn how to make quick macro-friendly meals for your family.