High Protein Recipes That Are Better Than Dry Chicken

Trying to start to eat healthy? Find that eating just chicken breast is boring? Or worst… find that the protein you cook taste like chewy cardboard? Ewwwwww, I know. When anyone starts their transformation journey learning how to cook protein is actually one of the harder dishes to cook, and in my opinion, is the reason we have so many people that are protein deficient. Simply the meat they cook sucks.

Let me show you a few protein recipes that you will enjoy AND taste way better than just dry chicken breast.

Nut Crusted Tilapia

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 Cup walnuts 38
• 1 Tbsp cracked peppercorns
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp coarse sea salt
• 1/2 Tbsp canola oil 8
• 16 oz tilapia (or your favorite fish)

Macro Breakdown

• Total recipe 96g or protein, 46g of fat
• If divided into 5 equal portions 19g of protein, 9g of fat
• If divided into 3 equal portions 32g of protein,  15g of fat

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 450 
• Toss your walnuts in while you’re preheating your oven – on a baking sheet to toast
• Combine toasted walnuts, peppercorns, cumin and salt in a mini food processor, pulse until it forms a crust-like texture.
• Dump crust mix onto a plate and press both sides of fish into the crust mix.
• Heat skillet with EVOO over med-high heat. When very hot, add fish and pan sear 2 min per side until brown and crusty.
• Afterwards, finish in a 450 oven for 5 minutes. Your welcome
  

Sweet Glazed Salmon

Ingredients 

• 2 Tbsp low sodium wheat free Tamari sauce
• 4 Tbsp brown sugar cinnamon SF syrup
• 1 tsp seasoning of choice (I use Tacticalorie)
• 16 oz salmon
• 1/2 Tbsp EVOO
• S&P to taste

Macro Breakdown

• Total recipe 59g of protein 14g of fat
• If divided into 5 equal portions 12g of protein 3g of fat
• If divided into 3 equal portions 20g of protein 5g of fat

Instructions:

• 425 oven
• Combine sauce ingredients (Tamari through Chinese Five Spice powder) in a small saucepan.
• Cook over low heat until reduced and slightly thickened.
• Place salmon on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with oil, and rub in. Sprinkle with S&P.
• Bake 6-8 minutes – brush with sauce and bake another 2 minutes or until done.
• Pour remaining warm syrup over fish.

Slow Cooker Taco Chicken

Ingredients

• 3 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 1 packet taco seasoning mix
• 2 Cups low sodium chicken broth

Macros

• Total recipe 288g of protein *54g of carbs (*this number can greatly vary depending on your seasoning)
• If divided into 16 equal portions 18g of protein 3g of carbs
• If divided into 9 equal portions 32g of protein 6g of carbs

Instructions

• Toss chicken with taco seasoning mix to coat.
• Add coated chicken to slow cooker, and pour broth over.
• Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours.
• Remove chicken and shred with forks.
• Toss with cooking liquid as desired.

Grill Pan Lemon Pepper Chicken 

Ingredients

• 2 lb thin sliced skinless boneless chicken breasts (or cut them horizontally yourself)
• lemon pepper seasoning
• cooking spray

Macros

• Total recipe 192g of protein
• If divided into 10 equal portions 19g of protein
• If divided into 6 equal portions 32g of protein

Instructions

• Spray a 2-burner grill pan with cooking spray.
• Heat grill pan over medium high heat.
• Once hot, add thin-sliced chicken breasts and sprinkle liberally with lemon pepper seasoning.
• Don’t mess with them. Let them cook, uninterrupted.
• Once bottom side is cooked with grill marks, flip and season the other side liberally with lemon pepper seasoning.
• Again, leave them alone.
• Once cooked through, remove to plates to cool completely before storing in the fridge.

Turkey Smash Burgers with Mozzarella

Ingredients

• 4 oz lean ground turkey
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp Worcestereshire sauce
• 1/4 tsp lemon pepper
• pinch dried oregano
• S&P, to taste
• 1 oz fresh part skim mozzarella

Macros
– Total recipe, 1 burger 29g of protein 5g of fat
– If divided in half 15g of protein 2g of fat

INSTRUCTIONS
– Combine all ingredients except cheese, but don’t overmix. Divide meat into 2 equal sized balls.
– Preheat a large stainless steel sauté pan (on your stovetop or grill) over high heat for a couple of minutes.
– Place both balls of beef in the pan and immediately smash down with a heavy duty metal spatula or burger press.
– Allow burgers to cook until well browned, less than a minute (top should be turning pale pink/gray in spots).
– Carefully scrape burger patties – and all the browned bits – from the pan.
– Flip and immediately place your cheese over one patty and stack the second patty on top. Remove from pan.

Bison with Cashews

Ingredients

• 1.25 lb ground bison
• 1/2 small onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 green pepper, sliced into strips
• 1/4 Cup low sodium wheat free Tamari sauce
• 8 oz your favorite mushrooms, sliced
• 1/4 Cup chopped fresh basil
• red pepper flakes, to taste
• 1 Cup raw or dry toasted cashews

Macros

• Total recipe 120g of protein 62g of fat
• If divided into 7 even portions 17g of protein 9g of fat
• If divided into 4 equal portions 30g of protein 16g of fat

Instructions

• Brown bison, onion and garlic together. Drain.
• Add green pepper and Tamari sauce. Sauté 5 minutes.
• Add in mushrooms and basil. Sauté 5-7 minutes.
• Top with red pepper flakes and cashews and heat through.

Slow Cooked Shredded Beef

Ingredients

• 1/2 small onion, sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 lb lean beef roast (pro tip: look for the word “round” with the cuts of meat. These tend to be the leaner of the cuts)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 8 oz no salt added tomato sauce
• 1/4 Cup lime juice
• 1 Tbsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp cayenne

Total recipe 288g of protein

• If divided into 16 equal portions 18g of protein
• If divided into 9 equal portions 32g of protein

Instructions

• Add the onion and garlic to the slow cooker.
• Sprinkle S&P all over the beef roast.
• Place beef roast on top of onion and garlic.
• Combine tomato sauce through cayenne.
• Pour over beef.
• Cook over low 6-8 hours.
• Remove, shred beef and return to the slow cooker to toss with remaining juices.

Italian Baked Egg Whites

Ingredients

• 1 Cup marinara sauce
• 12 egg whites
• S&P
• fresh chopped herbs, like basil

Macros

• Total recipe 36g of protein 3g of carbs 14g of fat
• If divided into 2 equal portions 18g of protein 2g of carbs 7g of fat

Instructions

• Spray an oven proof baking dish with cooking spray.
• Spread marinara in the bottom.
• Top with egg whites and S&P. Don’t stir anything!
• Bake at 350 for 25-35 minutes (until center no longer jiggles)
• Top with your favorite chopped herbs.

Egg White Avocado Scramble

Ingredients

• 12 egg whites
• 1 avocado
• 1 1/3 Cups grape tomatoes, halved
• S&P to taste
• fresh chopped mint

Macros

• Total recipe 36g of protein 30g of fat
• If divided into 2 equal portions 18g of protein 15g of fat

Instructions

• In a bowl, mash avocado with a fork.
• Whisk in egg whites to combine with avocado.
• Spray a nonstick pan with cooking spray and sauté tomatoes until tender.
• Add in egg white and avocado mixture.
• Cook, stirring about a minute until egg whites are fully cooked.
• Top with S&P and fresh chopped mint.

Give these high protein recipes a try!

In Health and Awesomeness,

Travis Merritt, BS, CPT, (and other cool letters behind the name) is the Owner of Rowlett Transformation Center in Rowlett, TX.

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