Welcome to my collection 45 quick healthy dinner ideas. From chicken tostadas to baked chicken breast, and from beef stir fry to shrimp tacos, be sure you will find an answer to “What’s for dinner tonight?” among these easy healthy dinner ideas.
By the way, I hate that question too!
Healthy Dinner Recipes
As a busy mom of 2, I know your struggle. I can help you!
During 7 years of running this blog, I have put a lot of effort to create a variety of healthy dinners you can feed your family. Be sure all my recipes are ready in 30 minutes or less, use simple ingredients and are tasty.
Bookmark this link for “[email protected], what’s for dinner?” moments. And be healthy!
What Is a Healthy Dinner?
What make dinner healthy? Let me just say first and foremost that everyone has their own understanding of “healthy”. What’s healthy for someone on a paleo diet isn’t healthy for a vegan. You know what I mean?! So, let’s be nice to each other and except our differences.
Without Googling the definition “healthy”, here is what I strive to put on my family’s dinner table 80% of the time. Because let’s be honest, there is real life with mall outings, travel and because everyone gets sick and tired of cooking by Friday. Even me!
Our family healthy dinner is:
- Made with real food (my list). All ingredients are simple: grains, meat, veggies and 1-3 ingredient condiments.
- Covers all food groups: protein, carbs and fats.
- Moderate amount of meat because I’m convinced we in North America eat too much of it.
- Always has veggies.
That’s it. I personally think it is quite easy to eat healthy if you do not overthink it.
Now let’s help you to put easy dinner on the table!
45 Easy Healthy Dinner Recipes – Quick Links
I think it’s the best collection of easy dinner recipes on the web.
- Healthy Chicken Recipes
- Healthy Tacos and Finger Food
- Healthy Skillets
- Healthy Stir Fry and Curry
- Healthy One Pot Recipes
- Healthy Ground Turkey Recipes
- Healthy Salmon Recipes
Please don’t be shy to share! The more people eat healthy, the lower our medical bill. I’m serious. YOU CAN make a difference. So, share away, share away.
Healthy Chicken Dinners
We eat a lot of chicken. Probably just like you. When buying chicken I usually buy organic because of what it was fed and the way it was raised. Costco is my go-to source for chicken.
I usually serve these simple chicken dishes with a side of quinoa, brown rice, buckwheat or mashed potatoes. And a simple salad like cucumber and tomato salad and lots of lettuce salad. When we are “lazy”, my husband makes a green smoothie.
- Baked Chicken Breast
- Healthy White Chicken Chili
- Chicken Breast with Tomatoes
- Cajun Chicken
- Healthy Chicken Lettuce Wraps
- Healthy Chicken Fingers
Healthy Tacos and Finger Foods
Kids love anything tacos, quesadillas and burritos. Can’t get away from cheese when making those. I try to use a bit less of quality natural or organic cheese. And load these finger foods with veggies, protein and wrap in whole wheat or corn tortillas. Healthy and easy!
- Chicken Tostadas
- Shrimp Tacos
- Ground Chicken Tacos
- Buffalo Chicken Tacos
- Chicken Quesadilla
- Vegetarian Quesadilla
- Chicken Burritos
Healthy Skillets
Skillets are as forgiving as soups. You throw everything together and can adjust taste as you go. This quick and easy healthy dinner is so hard to screw up. Skillets are great for beginner cooks. And I also love that many can be made low carb with lots of veggies and served with a grain for more hungry people like kids and husbands.
Which skillet is best? I like to use ceramic non-stick PFOA free skillets. Large size with deep edges. Keep in mind, any non-stick coating loses its non-stick qualities after about 6 months. So, it’s not you. So far, I had the most luck with Green Pan.
- Tex Mex Chicken and Zucchini
- Chicken, Zucchini and Corn
- Zucchini Noodles with Chicken
- Pesto Turkey and Zucchini Skillet
- Pasta with Zucchini and Tomatoes
- Healthy Pasta with Tomato and Broccoli
- Sweet Potato Skillet
- Teriyaki Chicken and Cauliflower
- Vegetable Frittata
- Healthy Mushroom Stroganoff
Healthy Stir Fry and Curry
Again, kids love stir fry and most love curry. What makes these curry healthy is canned full fat coconut milk and no store-bought sauces. And I always use super easy homemade stir fry sauce in my stir fries. Again, no bottled stuff with preservatives or complicated ingredients.
Stir fries are loaded with veggies, therefore are so healthy. So serve on its own for low carb meal (for a mom) and with complex carb side for everyone else. Healthy dinner made easy!
- Healthy Chicken Stir Fry
- Korean Ground Beef and Rice Bowls
- Salmon Stir Fry
- Thai Chicken Curry
- Cauliflower Fried Rice
- Instant Pot Stir Fry
- Peanut Chicken Soba Noodles
- Healthy Beef Stir Fry
- Healthy Beef and Broccoli
Healthy One Pot and Sheet Pan Dinners
These one pot and sheet pan dinners prove that 30 minute healthy dinner can be flavorful without washing 3 pots. With one pan cooking it’s important to figure out the right combination of foods, so pasta doesn’t get mushy or meat remains not fully cooked. Below, are all tried and true one pot wonders and I’m working on more.
- Quinoa, Chicken and Broccoli
- Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce
- One Pan Chicken and Veggies
- Chicken and Whole Wheat Spaghetti
- Sheet Pan Chicken and Potatoes
- One Pot Chili Mac
- Ground Turkey and Broccoli Pasta
- Penne with Broccoli
- One Pot Taco Pasta
- Chicken Quinoa Bowls
Healthy Ground Turkey Dinners
It is true that ground turkey can be dry. I love adding shredded zucchini when cooking with ground turkey. Be sure, only juicy turkey recipes are included. I like to serve meatballs with whole wheat spaghetti, and kids squeeze organic ketchup all over them. It’s fine by me. Also that’s Mexican street corn salad in case you are wondering. I truly do not overthink if Mexican goes with Italian. We just eat healthy.:)
Healthy Salmon Dinners
Salmon is a treat because of its price. I truly believe in eating wild salmon vs. farmed. These healthy salmon recipes are ready in under 30 minutes. And again, serve them with a whole grain and a side of veggies instead of salad for a change: corn, asparagus, butternut squash and cauliflower.
Need More Healthy Inspiration in the Kitchen?
- Browse all 30 minute meals.
- 30 healthy Instant Pot recipes – I love my 8 Quart Instant Pot to death. No exaggeration. I truly think pressure cooker saves my life because I throw everything in it and walk away.
- 10 healthy freezer meals – You can cook dinner from frozen in Instant Pot or slow cooker – Watch how I do it.
- 35 healthy breakfast ideas
- 18 healthy one pot meals
- 30 healthy salad recipes
Chicken Tostadas
How to make healthy Chicken Tostadas and Homemade Tostada Shells in 20 minutes. SO EASY and GOOD!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 8 tostadas 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Mexican
Ingredients
- 8 corn tortillas or tostada shells
- 3 medium tomatoes, diced
- 4 medium avocados, diced
- 3 tbsp red onion, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 3/4 tsp salt
- Lime, juice of
- 15 oz can black beans, drained & rinsed
- 3 cups shredded chicken
- 1/2 cup feta or Cotija cheese
- Cooking spray
Instructions
- To make tostada shells, line large baking sheet with silicone mat and arrange tortillas in a single layer. Spray with cooking spray and sprinkle with salt on both sides. Bake at 400 degrees for 6 minutes per each side.
- While tostadas are baking, make easy guacamole salsa by combining tomato, avocado, red onion, cilantro, cumin, chili powder, salt and lime juice. Get other ingredients ready.
- To assemble tostadas, top each shell with guacamole, beans, chicken and cheese.
Notes
Store-bought tostadas shells are full of artificial colours and preservatives. I prefer to make my own but you can use pre-made.
Healthy brand of refried beans instead of black beans is welcome
Adjust salt in guacamole to taste depending on whether you use store-bought tostada shells, salted canned beans and store-bought or homemade chicken.
Did you make this recipe? Please give it a star rating in the comments.
Love these ideas! Just started clean eating and couldn’t need more help lol.
★★★★★
I found your site about a month ago. I’m a working mom who is in school at night. Eating healthy has been difficult when I’m crunched for time. But then I found this amazing list of meals! I’ve made 11 of these meals in the past three weeks and my family is in love. My husband and my girls almost always go back for seconds. Having leftovers is awesome because it cuts down on how many meals I have to cook. And the best part is my hubby and I have both lost a few pounds. I have shared this site with many of my mom friends and they all love it too. Thank you so much!
Awe, this is the best compliment I could have ever received. SO SO happy to hear I could help! Good luck with school and all the best!:) Thank you so much for sharing!!!
dear olena,i am a type 2 diabetic on a limited income and i am trying to find something that is cost effective and good please help
I am starting to cook dinners for my family I need to cook healthy which recipes are suitable for children but are easy enough to cook. Can you recommend any for me please.
Hi Ella. Yes, I can try. Depends how not picky your kids are. It’s really hard to say because what I might consider kid friendly, your kids won’t eat YET. Like do they eat quinoa? Salmon? You can start with Chicken and Whole Wheat Spaghetti, Veggie Mac and Cheese Muffins, Ground Chicken Burgers. I suggest you enter ingredient your kids like in a Search box at the top right hand corner of my website, like let’s say “pasta” or “chicken”, and see what your kids might like.:) Also, I shared my journey how I made my kids eat what we eat.:)
I just stumbled upon your blog and oh my! Cannot wait to try these recipes! They look amazing and bonus for being clean!! Thanks!
Enjoy, Shana! Let me know what you make.:)
Love all these recipes, I want to make them all! Is there a way to print them all at one time? Thanks for posting these, even if I have to open 1 at a time, I’m printing them all!
Sorry Sonya, unfortunately not. I wish! Glad you like what you see. Happy healthy cooking!!!
Thanks so much for responding. No worries, I’ll print them individually! Gotta have em!
Thanks for sharing your healthy cooking recipes with us . These recipes helps alot to me , I definetly try these recipes. Thans again.Keep posting like this.
This is a great collection! There are so many I will be trying this coming week. Great variety of vegetarian and meaty. My daughter (vegetarian) and I made the green spring rolls last night and she was speechless as she ate, as in she was in food ecstasy! Next is the saucy green beans…I think I will do it minus chicken and hope it won’t lack flavor, but I have green beans I need to use, and want my daughter to be able to eat it. After that is the kale tacos. Whoa. Those look amazing. Just need to find some decent tortillas. Thanks!! I would give you a huge hug if I could!
Hi Dana. Yay! That peanut sauce is good, I agree. The whole concept of dipping fresh veggies into peanut sauce is amazeballs. I know!
As for the green beans you should be OK w/o chicken as long as you use good quality pasta sauce. No problem.
Big hug to you too for eating GOOD FOOD! It blows my mind what people eat around me. Poison! Sad it is majority. Especially kids! I can’t invite most of my kids’ friends for dinner because they won’t eat normal food we eat. And I refuse to cook specifically for them. So good for you teaching your kid the right thing!
I love the huge selection of dinner recipes. I want to try a bunch of these. Thanks for sharing!
OMG!! I cannot WAIT to try all these meals!! This is the best list of clean meals I’ve found!! I’ll be sharing it with my momma friends for sure!! THANK YOU!!! And, I 100% agree that wine is the best dessert! 🙂
Hi Caitlan. LOL a momma hears a momma. Thank you so much for sharing and enjoy!
Found your site through Pinterest, and I can’t tell you how excited I am to try these. I eat so well all day (literally 6AM-6PM) but as soon as I get to dinner, I end up eating double to triple the amount of calories I’ve eaten over the course of the rest of he day. Can’t wait to try a bunch of these and find some good, healthy, go-to dinners!
Hi Amanda. First of all, I am glad you found me. Second of all, maybe I can help with my advice. Do you eat mostly vegetables and low carbs during the day? I rarely find myself too hungry for dinner and am OK with a moderate dinner and no dessert after. I eat a small serving of complex carbs, protein, fats and lots of veggies for dinner. Throughout the day I eat well and make sure more than light fruits and veggies. I eat complex carbs and a lot of fats. So, I am not hungry by dinner time. There must be a reason why you do that…
I found you through Pinterest, you’re very popular there! I typically have a protein shake with breakfast (Vega brand). Then I have a small snack before lunch, like some fruit, string cheese, or vegetables. For lunch I was having a whole wheat English muffin with 2 eggs, but since I have been using your recipes I have been having leftovers for lunch (I saw on your site that you do the same, hence the large batches of food, usually 6 servings). Then for dinner I was just making poor choices. I wasn’t necessarily eating a lot to reach that many calories, just eating things I shouldn’t have (pizza is my kryptonite!!!). I’ve been doing very well since finding your site and have lost 10 lbs, more than I’ve even been able to achieve before! I was having a hard time making creative, healthy dinners. I would get sick of chicken breast with a side of veggies and end up eating something I shouldn’t have. But I find myself very satisfied after eating one of your meals, as they are flavorful and delicious. You’ve been a huge help in my lifestyle change! Thank you!
Haha, sounds funny to me that I am popular somewhere. Like a Hollywood star which I am not at all.
Good for you! Yes, large batches of food help you make smart lunch and dinner choices. Sounds like it is just a matter of cooking healthy for your successful weight loss. Then you won’t make poor food choices. You are very welcome and keep up the good work. It is really all about food and treats in moderation. Diets don’t work! If you crave pizza that much try to have a slice for lunch, and just a slice, and eat slowly. I eat a slice of kid’s pizza at times. I would also make lunches more like dinner then you would be less hungry for dinner thus eating less before bedtime when you are not using that much energy and extra calories will turn more likely into fat.
These all look so good! I’m definitely going to be trying many of them, starting with the Garlic Chicken, zucchini and corn tomorrow night 🙂
Let me know.:)
Simple and delicious-sounding recipes. My sons and I do Blood Type A eating and most of them fit right in with our food lists. Can’t wait to try them!
Let me know which ones you guys try.:)
I’ve started clean eating as of the first of the year, and I love it!! Thank you so much for all of your recipes because it has mDe my journey much easier. My only
problem is I want to make all of them in one week. I’m a teacher, and I was wondering if you have clean eating lunch ideas?
Hi Amanda. Good for you!!! As for lunch we usually have dinner leftovers. That is why my large serving recipes lol. When fridge is empty, some clean eating lunch ideas are canned tuna or salmon, edamame beans, canned Amy’s organic soup.
I have so many recipe ideas I want to make and so little time so I hear you.:) I think it is like this when it comes to anything lol.
Thank you so much for your 30 minute meals or less. I have been looking for healthy, quick meals for my family during the holiday season and here they are. I am going to make so many of these for my in laws who are coming in for the holidays. Thank you so much for your blog. I love it and can’t wait to make all of your recipes. Happy Holidays!!!!
Hi Kayla. You are welcome. Glad you can use them. This is such a busy time of the year, I can barely keep up with dinners not to mention cookies. Happy Holidays! I have my mom for 2 weeks and I think will be making many of these recipes myself.