31 High-Protein Dinners That Taste Great and Keep You Full

If you’re constantly hungry before bed, you may want to try adding more high-protein dinners to your recipe rotation. Whether you prefer to eat plant-based meals or gravitate toward hearty egg or meat dishes, we promise there are tons of satisfying choices out there—and whipping them up doesn’t need to be too time-consuming, either.

Protein is super helpful for keeping you full because it digests more slowly than other macronutrients like carbs, Cara Harbstreet, MS, RD, LD, a Kansas City–based registered dietitian and founder of Street Smart Nutrition, tells SELF. It also plays a key role in blood clotting, immune system response, and muscle repair, as SELF reported previously. And it may be especially helpful in your bedtime routine: It can help stabilize your blood sugar at night, which can help guard against diabetes in the long term, Harbstreet says.

Though exact protein recipes depend on individual factors like activity level and age, aiming for roughly 20 to 30 grams of protein for dinner is a good benchmark, Harbstreet says. Remember, it’s not all about loading your plate with protein-packed foods, either. Balance is important: So consider all the macronutrients—carbs, fat, and protein—for the most filling bites, Harbstreet says. If you want an extra satisfying meal, add some avocado onto your chicken salad, olive oil into the dressing, or stew lentils or beans into your soup. By combining all these nutrients, you’ll end up satisfied—not starving—as you get ready for bed.

To spice up your evening routine, we rounded up 31 high-protein dinners that are filling, easy to prep, and delicious. From chicken corn chowder to quinoa stuffed peppers, each idea listed below packs at least 20 grams of protein. That way you can head to bed satisfied.