High Protein Low Carb Meals: 3 Easy Recipes With 11 to 35 g of Protein

At a glance: High protein low carb meals pair a clear protein with vegetables and little starch. These three recipes give, per serving: lemon garlic chicken with zucchini (267 calories, 35 g protein, 5 g carbs), turkey lettuce wraps (237, 23 g, 6 g) and a tofu scramble (133, 11 g, 5 g).

If it does not taste good, you will not make it twice, so I kept these three meals short on ingredients and long on seasoning. Each one is built the same way: a protein, a vegetable that carries flavor, and a finish that wakes it up. The recipes are written in full below, with the numbers from USDA data. Nothing here promises weight loss or treats a condition; the research section says what studies found and where they stop.

The three recipes at a glance

Recipe	Meal	Calories	Protein	Carbs	Keeps in the fridge
Lemon garlic chicken with roasted zucchini	Dinner	About 267	About 35 g	About 5 g	3 to 4 days
Turkey lettuce wraps	Lunch or dinner	About 237	About 23 g	About 6 g	3 to 4 days (filling)
Tofu and spinach scramble	Breakfast or lunch	About 133	About 11 g	About 5 g	2 to 3 days

Values are per serving and are estimates calculated from raw ingredient weights in USDA FoodData Central. Brands, sizes and cooking losses change them a little.

What the research says

Studies on the exact combination are thin, so here is what we found on PubMed on October 24, 2026, with its limits.

• Low carbohydrate diets in type 2 diabetes. A 2017 meta-analysis of 9 randomized trials with 734 people (PMID 28750216) found a lower HbA1c, lower triglycerides and higher HDL cholesterol with a low carbohydrate diet than with a normal or high carbohydrate diet. It found no effect on total or LDL cholesterol, and no significant effect on long-term weight loss, only a small effect in the short term. It concerns people with diabetes, not everyone.
• Protein while losing weight. A 2024 review of 47 randomized trials with 3,218 adults who were overweight or obese (PMID 39002131) found that more protein helped keep muscle mass during weight loss (SMD 0.75, 95% CI 0.41 to 1.10) but did not significantly protect muscle strength or physical function. The authors estimate that an intake above 1.3 g per kilogram a day is expected to increase muscle mass and below 1.0 g is linked to a higher risk of muscle loss. How much you need depends on your size, age and health, so ask your doctor or a dietitian.

So the honest summary: low carbohydrate eating has evidence for blood sugar and triglycerides in type 2 diabetes, and more protein helps keep muscle during weight loss. Neither shows that these particular meals cause weight loss, and neither replaces medical care.

High protein low carb meals for a week

I would rather you cook two things well than three badly. A rhythm that works: roast the chicken and the zucchini on Sunday, cook the turkey filling on Monday, make the scramble fresh in the morning. Add a starch or fruit if you need more energy; the recipes are a base, not a full day. For a two-hour prep routine, see our meal prep ideas for weight loss; for a plan that leans on beans and fish, see our Mediterranean diet meal plan.

Lemon garlic chicken with roasted zucchini

A plain chicken breast needs help, and the help is lemon and garlic. Cut the zucchini thick, because thin slices steam and turn watery.

Makes 4 servings. Prep 10 minutes. Cook 25 minutes.

Ingredients

• 600 g (about 1 1/3 lb) boneless skinless chicken breast
• 500 g (about 1 lb) zucchini, cut into thick half-moons
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, sliced
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Steps

1. Heat the oven and season. Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Toss the chicken and the zucchini with the olive oil, garlic, oregano, salt and pepper on a large baking sheet, leaving space between the pieces.
2. Roast. Roast for 22 to 28 minutes, until the zucchini is golden at the edges and the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part.
3. Finish with lemon. Rest the chicken for 5 minutes, slice it and drizzle the pan juices and the lemon juice over it.

Per serving: about 267 calories, 35 g protein, 5 g carbohydrate, 11 g fat, 369 mg sodium.

Storage: cool, then refrigerate in a covered container for 3 to 4 days. Reheat until hot all the way through (165°F, 74°C).

Turkey lettuce wraps

The filling is the whole recipe, so cook it until the liquid is gone and the turkey takes some color. Wet filling makes soggy wraps.

Makes 4 servings. Prep 15 minutes. Cook 12 minutes.

Ingredients

• 450 g (1 lb) lean ground turkey
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 150 g (about 1 cup) red bell pepper, finely diced
• 30 g (2 scallions), thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 5 g (about 1 teaspoon) fresh ginger, grated
• 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
• 150 g (8 large leaves) romaine lettuce leaves
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Steps

1. Brown the turkey. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the turkey and cook for 6 to 7 minutes, breaking it up, until no pink remains and it reaches 165°F (74°C).
2. Add the aromatics. Stir in the pepper, garlic and ginger for 3 minutes, then the soy sauce, and cook until the liquid is nearly gone.
3. Fill the leaves. Spoon the filling into the lettuce leaves and top with the scallions and sesame seeds.

Per serving: about 237 calories, 23 g protein, 6 g carbohydrate, 14 g fat, 340 mg sodium.

Storage: keep the filling in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days and fill the leaves fresh. Reheat the filling until hot all the way through.

Tofu and spinach scramble

A tofu scramble works because the tofu is crumbled small and cooked until the water is gone. Turmeric gives the color; it adds almost no flavor, so it is there for the look.

Makes 4 servings. Prep 10 minutes. Cook 10 minutes.

Ingredients

• 400 g (14 oz) extra-firm tofu, drained
• 60 g (2 packed cups) baby spinach
• 150 g (about 1 cup) red bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 medium onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Steps

1. Soften the vegetables. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat and cook the onion and pepper for 5 minutes.
2. Crumble the tofu. Pat the tofu dry, crumble it into the pan with the turmeric, cumin, salt and pepper and cook for 4 minutes, stirring, until the moisture is gone.
3. Add the spinach. Stir in the spinach for 1 minute, until it wilts, and serve hot.

Per serving: about 133 calories, 11 g protein, 5 g carbohydrate, 9 g fat, 309 mg sodium.

Storage: refrigerate for 2 to 3 days and reheat until hot all the way through.

High protein low carb meals: how to build your own

A simple formula: a palm-sized protein, two handfuls of vegetables and a fat for flavor, such as olive oil or sesame. These recipes follow it. Swap the protein (chicken, turkey, tofu, fish, eggs, beans) and keep the rest. If you need more energy, add a grain or a piece of fruit; low carbohydrate is a choice, not a rule that fits everyone.

Cooked at home

Delicious, with just the texture Bogdan was hoping for, and easy enough to come together quickly: that was the verdict after cooking from this page. Bogdan thinks one ingredient may have ended up over or under the written amount, without being sure which, so none of the quantities above has been changed. These meals are on Bogdan's list to cook again.

Food safety for cooked meals

USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service says cooked food should be refrigerated within 2 hours, that leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days or frozen for 3 to 4 months, and that leftovers should be reheated to 165°F (74°C). Cook chicken and ground turkey to 165°F (74°C). Allergens in these recipes: soy (tofu, soy sauce), sesame and wheat in some soy sauces; read the labels.

More recipes from this site

A shake or a dinner from our other pages fits the same plan when you want a different base. For a pot of soup built on lean chicken, try our white chicken chili recipe, and for something between meals, our high protein snacks for weight loss.

Sources and numbers

• Nutrition: values come from USDA FoodData Central, using raw ingredient weights.
• Studies: the two studies above were found on PubMed and read in their abstracts on October 24, 2026.
• Food safety: USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service guidance on leftovers and safe temperatures.