Special Diets Heart Health 20 High-Protein Lunch Recipes to Support Heart Health By Dillon Evans Dillon Evans Dillon Evans fell in love with cooking at a very young age. He remembers the novel experiences of microwaving a bowl of oatmeal without his parents' permission and asking to make his mother's morning pot of coffee. These moments became catalysts for his interest in cooking and baking. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Published on January 12, 2024 Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD Jessica Ball, M.S., RD, is nutrition editor for EatingWell. She is a registered dietitian with a master's in food, nutrition and sustainability. In addition to EatingWell, her work has appeared in Food & Wine, Real Simple, Parents, Better Homes and Gardens and MyRecipes. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Trending Videos Close this video player Protein might not be the first nutrient to come to mind when discussing heart health, but it plays an important role in keeping one of your body’s hardest working muscles strong. And these lunches offer at least 15 grams of protein per serving from some of the best heart-conscious proteins like beans, chicken, fish, legumes and whole grains to help support muscle repair and keep you full for longer. Plus, each dish is also made low in sodium and saturated fat to align with an overall heart-healthy eating pattern. Recipes like our Sweet Potato, Kale & Chicken Salad with Peanut Dressing and Chicken Shawarma with Yogurt Sauce are super nourishing and—dare we say—knock-your-socks-off delicious! 01 of 20 Chipotle Chicken Quinoa Burrito Bowl This flavorful burrito bowl features grilled chicken coated in a spicy chipotle glaze. Loading it with vegetables and using quinoa in place of rice adds nutrition for a healthier dinner. View Recipe 02 of 20 Sweet Potato, Kale & Chicken Salad with Peanut Dressing Carolyn Hodges, M.S., RD 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). View Recipe 03 of 20 Chicken Shawarma with Yogurt Sauce The key to cooking juicy chicken without a spit in this healthy recipe is high heat and dark meat. The yogurt in the marinade gives the chicken both its tender texture and its alluring char. More yogurt in the sauce, along with crunchy cucumbers and herbs, keeps the flavors bright. View Recipe 04 of 20 Vegan Superfood Grain Bowls Photographer: Fred Hardy, Food Stylist: Margaret Monroe Dickey This nutrient-packed grain bowl recipe comes together in 15 minutes with the help of a few convenience-food shortcuts like prewashed baby kale, microwavable quinoa and precooked beets. Pack these ahead to keep on hand for easy meal-prep lunches or dinners on busy nights. View Recipe 05 of 20 Smoked Salmon Salad Niçoise This twist on a classic Niçoise salad uses smoked salmon in place of tuna and adds extra vegetables in place of hard-boiled eggs and olives. View Recipe 06 of 20 Mason Jar Power Salad with Chickpeas & Tuna 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. View Recipe 07 of 20 Red Lentil Soup with Saffron Jacob Fox This hearty red lentil soup uses spices common in Persian cuisine: turmeric, cumin and saffron. Enjoy it with a warm baguette or steamed rice. View Recipe 08 of 20 Chicken & Cucumber Pita Sandwiches with Yogurt Sauce Cucumbers do double duty in this healthy Greek-inspired chicken pita recipe—they're grated to lend a refreshing flavor to the quick cucumber-yogurt sauce and sliced to provide cool crunch tucked into the pita. Serve these sandwiches for a healthy dinner or light lunch. View Recipe 09 of 20 Chicken & Cabbage Soup with Pesto Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Chelsea Zimmer, Prop Stylist: Christine Keely This one-pot chicken and cabbage soup is topped with flavor-boosting store-bought pesto. Big, fiber-rich butter beans add a creamy bite, but you can easily swap them out for cannellini beans or navy beans if you prefer. This soup works well with leftover chicken—simply shred or chop cooked chicken and add it to the soup to reheat once the cabbage is tender. View Recipe 10 of 20 Chicken with Spinach & Tomato Orzo Salad Baked chicken breasts cook in the oven while you mix together a Mediterranean-inspired salad—packed with veggies, whole-wheat orzo and an easy homemade vinaigrette—for a weekend-worthy dinner on the table in under an hour. The leftovers from this healthy 400-calorie meal make a delicious packable lunch for the next day. View Recipe 11 of 20 Fish Tacos with Preserved Grapefruit Salsa Leigh Beisch Tart preserved grapefruit and fresh grapefruit segments combine with avocado to make a complex salsa that pairs nicely with fish. View Recipe 12 of 20 Avocado, Tomato & Chicken Sandwich In this healthy chicken sandwich recipe, the avocado is mashed to create a healthy creamy spread. View Recipe 13 of 20 Creamy Pesto Chicken Salad with Greens For a healthy variation on creamy chicken salad, we've replaced half the mayonnaise with basil pesto. Serve over greens or make it into a sandwich for a healthy lunch. View Recipe 14 of 20 Get Your Greens Wrap Sara Haas This healthy, quick wrap is packed with plenty of green vegetables—cucumber, sprouts and lettuce add crunch, avocado lends creaminess and edamame provides some plant-based protein. View Recipe 15 of 20 The Best Tuna Salad Recipe for Sandwiches Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall, Prop Stylist: Josh Hoggle The tuna salad in this easy recipe has crunch from the celery and apple, which also delivers a hint of sweetness. We use Greek-style yogurt in place of mayonnaise to bind everything together and to add a tangy, creamy finish. You could take this up a notch and make it a "Waldorf tuna salad" by adding 2 tablespoons toasted chopped walnuts, 3 tablespoons quartered small grapes and 1 tablespoon additional Greek yogurt. Serve over a bed of greens or between two slices of whole-grain bread. View Recipe 16 of 20 Spicy Tuna Salad English Muffin Sandwich Sara Haas This quick lunch idea has a delicious balance of flavors. A slightly spicy Sriracha-mayonnaise mixture adds heat to the tuna salad, while the quick-pickled cucumbers provide brightness. Be sure to toast the English muffin so the sandwich doesn't get soggy. View Recipe 17 of 20 Instant Pot Chicken & Vegetable Soup with Noodles Greg DuPree To make a flavorful base for this soup—while still using some shortcuts—we pressure-cook store-bought broth with ginger, garlic, scallions, soy sauce and Shaoxing rice wine. View Recipe 18 of 20 Green Goddess Salad with Chickpeas In this cucumber, tomato, Swiss cheese and chickpea salad recipe, a healthy green goddess dressing is made from avocado, buttermilk and herbs. The extra dressing is delicious served with grilled vegetables. View Recipe 19 of 20 Chopped Cobb Salad This single-serving recipe for Cobb salad swaps chicken in for bacon, which makes it a great source of protein for lunch. If you prefer another salad dressing, feel free to use that instead of our honey-mustard vinaigrette. View Recipe 20 of 20 Kale & Chickpea Grain Bowls Photographer: Jen Causey, Food Stylist: Ruth Blackburn, Prop Stylist: Shell Royster This veggie-heavy bowl is loaded with crunch and color, thanks to crispy carrots and chickpeas, fresh kale and a vibrant avocado dressing. It also delivers more than 50% of your daily dose of fiber, key for weight loss, energy and healthy digestion. Bulgur, also called cracked wheat, is a quick-cooking whole grain. These bowls would be excellent make-ahead lunches. Pack the avocado mixture separately, adding a little water to thin it as needed. View Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit