20 500-Calorie Chicken Dinners You Can Make in 30 Minutes

Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD
Credit: Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Lindsey Lower.
Credit: Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Lindsey Lower.

To help support healthy weight loss, we’ve compiled a list of tasty chicken recipes, each with no more than 500 calories per serving. Plus, they only take 30 minutes or less to prepare to save you time in the kitchen. From our comforting Creamy Garlic Chicken & Broccoli Skillet to our simple and easy One-Pan Chicken Florentine, these recipes prove meeting your healthy eating and weight loss goals can be as delicious as ever.

01 of 20

High-Protein, High-Fiber Chicken Soup

Credit: Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen.
Credit: Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen.

This hearty soup is loaded with lean protein, fiber-rich beans and vegetables, and bold flavors from sun-dried tomatoes, artichokes and lemon. Quick-cooking and satisfying, it’s a nutritious meal you can get on your table in just 30 minutes.

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02 of 20

Creamy Garlic Chicken & Broccoli Skillet

Credit: Photographer: Alex Huang.
Credit: Photographer: Alex Huang.

This creamy garlic chicken-and-broccoli skillet dinner comes together in just 20 minutes. Tender chicken cutlets are paired with crisp-tender broccoli in a light garlic cream sauce. A splash of white wine adds depth, while fresh parsley adds a pop of color and flavor.

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03 of 20

One-Pan Chicken Florentine

Credit: Photographer: Kelsey Hansen, Prop Stylist Natalie Ghazali, Food Stylist: Shannon Goforth.
Credit: Photographer: Kelsey Hansen, Prop Stylist Natalie Ghazali, Food Stylist: Shannon Goforth.

Classic chicken Florentine—creamy spinach served alongside sautéed chicken—is a fast and easy meal. This recipe uses cornstarch to thicken the cream instead of cheese. This chicken recipe is simple enough for weekdays but also elegant enough for a dinner party.

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04 of 20

Loaded Chicken Cutlets

Credit: Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Lindsey Lower.
Credit: Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Lindsey Lower.

These loaded chicken cutlets are an easy, all-in-one sheet-pan meal. Chopped broccoli is mixed with a creamy blend of cream cheese, shredded cheese and bacon for a savory topping that’s piled onto the chicken for a satisfying, veggie-packed twist on classic loaded cutlets. The dish comes together with minimal cleanup and is perfect for busy weeknights. A dollop of sour cream, more bacon and sliced scallions on top makes it even more delicious.

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05 of 20

Balsamic Chicken Thighs with Arugula-Tomato Salad

Credit: Food: Sammy Mila, Photos: Jason Donnelly, Props: Breanna Ghazali.
Credit: Food: Sammy Mila, Photos: Jason Donnelly, Props: Breanna Ghazali.

This easy chicken dinner is a flavor-packed dish where juicy chicken thighs are cooked until golden, then coated in a tangy-sweet balsamic glaze. They’re served over a crisp arugula and tomato salad. It’s a simple dinner for two that tastes delicious and comes together quickly.

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06 of 20

Garlic-Thyme Chicken with Green Beans & Rice

Credit: Photographer: Jake Sternquist, Food Stylist: Sammy Mila, Prop Stylist: Gabriel Greco.
Credit: Photographer: Jake Sternquist, Food Stylist: Sammy Mila, Prop Stylist: Gabriel Greco.

This garlic-thyme chicken with green beans and rice is a quick meal perfect for busy weeknights. With just five simple ingredients (not counting oil, salt and pepper), this dish delivers big flavor without hassle. Look for packaged green beans that have already been trimmed to keep the prep moving along.

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07 of 20

Spicy Chicken & Cabbage Stir-Fry

Credit: Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Styling: Josh Hoggle.
Credit: Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Jennifer Wendorf, Prop Styling: Josh Hoggle.

This stir-fry is a quick, bold dish that’s perfect for busy weeknights. Tender strips of chicken are cooked, then tossed with crisp cabbage and a spicy chili-garlic sauce that brings just the right amount of heat. With just five ingredients, it’s proof that simple can still mean flavorful.

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08 of 20

Sheet-Pan Balsamic Chicken & Asparagus

Credit: Ali Redmond
Credit: Ali Redmond

This chicken and asparagus recipe is a simple one-pan meal that’s perfect for busy weeknights. Chicken cutlets are coated in a tangy-sweet balsamic glaze, roasting right alongside tender asparagus for an easy, well-balanced dinner. If you don’t have chicken cutlets on hand, you can easily make your own by slicing two 8-ounce chicken breasts in half horizontally. The thin cut ensures quicker, more even cooking, so everything on the sheet pan finishes at the same time for a fuss-free, delicious dinner.

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09 of 20

Sick Day Chicken Noodle Soup

Credit: Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Lydia Pursell
Credit: Photographer: Robby Lozano, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Lydia Pursell

This sick-day chicken noodle soup, packed with tender chicken, warm broth and soft noodles, is designed to soothe and nourish when you’re feeling under the weather. The combination of tender chicken breast, ginger and garlic boosts flavor, while the warm broth helps clear congestion and keep you hydrated. Ready in just 20 minutes, this soup is the perfect remedy for a cold, offering comfort and relief with minimal effort.

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10 of 20

Chicken Cutlets with Creamy Mushroom & Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce

Credit: Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
Credit: Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey, Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless

This delectable dinner features tender chicken cutlets smothered in a rich and creamy sauce infused with savory mushrooms and tangy sun-dried tomatoes. You can achieve crispy baked chicken in the oven, as we do here, with a light coating of cooking spray—make sure all the breading is coated. We love chicken cutlets for how quickly they cook, but feel free to swap them out for chicken thighs or even pork loin. Just be sure to pound them thin with a meat mallet or small saucepan so they cook all the way through.

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11 of 20

Cheesy Asparagus Chicken Cutlets

Credit: Photographer: Greg Dupree, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster, Food Stylist: Emily Hall
Credit: Photographer: Greg Dupree, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster, Food Stylist: Emily Hall

A creamy cheese sauce spiked with tender-crisp asparagus blankets chicken cutlets in this early-spring-inspired weeknight dinner. The asparagus can be swapped with other tender, snappy steamed veggies, like snap peas or green beans. Serve with fingerling or new potatoes for a starchy side to complement the sauce.

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12 of 20

Chicken Tortellini Soup

Credit: Photographer: Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Hannah Greenwood
Credit: Photographer: Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Hannah Greenwood

This Chicken Tortellini Soup will make over your weeknights. This hearty soup combines tender rotisserie chicken, pillowy tortellini and plenty of veggies for a comforting meal that’s quick, healthy and satisfying. We love the convenience of baby spinach and frozen peas, but any chopped green or another legume like no-salt-added white beans or shelled edamame would work well in place of the frozen peas if you prefer.

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13 of 20

Chicken & Broccoli Stir-Fry

Credit: Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle
Credit: Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle

This juicy chicken and broccoli stir-fry features tender-crisp broccoli coated in a velvety sauce flavored with hoisin—a flavorful sauce made from fermented soybean paste that strikes the perfect balance between sweet and tangy. Try this easy stir-fry with chicken tenders, boneless, skinless chicken thighs, or even pork tenderloin for a different twist.

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14 of 20

Creamy Balsamic Chicken & Mushroom Skillet

Credit: Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle
Credit: Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle

The sauce in this creamy balsamic chicken and mushroom skillet recipe strikes the perfect balance of acidity and sweetness. The shallots, garlic and thyme add aroma and flavor to the dish. Thin-cut chicken cutlets are key for getting dinner on the table quickly. If you can’t find chicken cutlets, make your own: Look for boneless, skinless chicken breasts that are about 8 ounces each. Slice them in half horizontally and pound to an even thickness.

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15 of 20

Chicken & Spinach Salad with Creamy Feta Dressing

Credit: Photographer: Jennifer Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley
Credit: Photographer: Jennifer Causey, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley

The creamy feta dressing steals the show in this protein-rich salad, which makes a perfect lunch or quick and easy dinner. While you can buy feta cheese already crumbled, we like crumbling our own fresh from the block for this salad. We prefer the slightly sharper flavor of sheep’s-milk feta, but cow’s-milk feta works just as well.

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16 of 20

Teriyaki Chicken Skillet Casserole with Broccoli

Credit: Photographer: Brie Goldman, Food Stylist: Lauren McAnelly, Prop Stylist: Gabriel Greco
Credit: Photographer: Brie Goldman, Food Stylist: Lauren McAnelly, Prop Stylist: Gabriel Greco

Whip up this quick and easy teriyaki chicken casserole in just one skillet—it’s the perfect go-to recipe for hectic weeknights, sure to satisfy a crowd. It’s ideal for making use of any leftover chicken and rice you have on hand. If you’re short on leftovers, a rotisserie chicken paired with a package of microwaveable brown rice is a good substitute.

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17 of 20

High-Protein Tex-Mex Chicken Soup

Credit: Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall , Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless
Credit: Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall , Prop Stylist: Julia Bayless

Make this grab-and-go Tex-Mex–inspired soup when you have leftover chicken, or use rotisserie chicken for this easy meal-prep soup. The frozen pepper-onion mix adds flavor and saves time in the kitchen, while the black beans add fiber and protein. Combine everything but the broth ahead of time, then add it and heat it in the microwave when you’re ready to eat. If you don’t wish to travel with liquid broth or don’t have access to a microwave, you can use reduced-sodium bouillon instead and just add hot water.

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18 of 20

Teriyaki Chicken Stir-Fry

Credit: Photographer: Brie Goldman, Food Stylist: Addelyn Evans, Prop Stylist: Gabriel Greco
Credit: Photographer: Brie Goldman, Food Stylist: Addelyn Evans, Prop Stylist: Gabriel Greco

Look for pre-sliced pepper-and-onion mix in the produce section of the supermarket. It helps save prep time in this quick five-ingredient dinner. This easy dinner calls for hot cooked brown rice, which is perfect if you have leftovers. If not, look for microwaveable brown rice or frozen brown rice to keep prep minimal.

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19 of 20

Anthony Anderson’s One-Pot Buffalo Chicken Mac & Cheese with Broccoli

Credit: Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely
Credit: Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely

This easy one-pot mac & cheese recipe gets an extra boost of protein from chicken. Buffalo sauce adds spicy tang—look for one without added sugar, like Frank's RedHot.

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20 of 20

Chicken Piccata Casserole

Credit: Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster, Food Stylist Jennifer Wendorf
Credit: Photographer: Morgan Hunt Glaze, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster, Food Stylist Jennifer Wendorf

This protein-packed chicken piccata casserole brings all the flavors of classic chicken piccata together in one dish. It’s the easiest piccata you’ll ever make—no dredging or sauce required! Cooking the lemon slices in butter mellows their bite and helps jump-start the lemony flavor of the dish while helping the butter get a little brown, bringing some nuttiness to the dish. While capers are traditional, you can skip them or swap them out for chopped green olives if you prefer.

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Original Source:

https://www.eatingwell.com/30-minute-500-calorie-chicken-dinner-recipes-11968097