20 Trader Joe’s High Protein Meals (Easy Dinners and Lunches)

These 20 Trader Joe’s high protein meals have 24 to 55 grams of protein per serving, from Chicken Shawarma Bowls and Cauliflower Gnocchi with Pesto Chicken to Bulgogi Beef Bowls and Shrimp Pad Thai.

Trader Joe’s is great for fast high protein meals because so much is already marinated, cooked or frozen.

Pair one of their shortcuts with a fresh protein and dinner is ready in 20 minutes. For more quick ideas, our 10-minute high protein meals use the same approach.

Every meal here serves 4 and leans on a few TJ’s staples you can keep stocked. If you want them for lunch too, the high protein meal prep bowls show how to pack them.

Here are the meals.

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TRADER JOE’S HIGH PROTEIN MEALS

🍗 Chicken Dinners

Using Trader Joe’s ready-to-cook and pre-cooked chicken.

1. Chicken Shawarma Rice Bowls (51g Protein)

Trader Joe’s marinated chicken shawarma thighs over rice with cucumber and tzatziki.

Cook the thighs on high heat so the edges char.

Ingredients:

• 2 lb marinated chicken shawarma thighs
• 3/4 cup dry rice
• 3/4 cup tzatziki
• Cucumber, tomato

Instructions:

1. Cook chicken in a skillet 6 minutes per side and slice.
2. Cook rice.
3. Build bowls.
4. Top with tzatziki.

2. Lazy Chicken Caesar Wraps (55g Protein)

Pre-cooked grilled chicken strips, romaine, parmesan and Caesar in a wrap.

Ready in 5 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lb grilled chicken strips
• 4 high protein wraps
• 1/2 cup parmesan
• Romaine, light Caesar dressing

Instructions:

1. Toss romaine with dressing and parmesan.
2. Fill wraps with chicken and salad.
3. Roll.
4. Cut in half.

3. Cauliflower Gnocchi with Chicken and Pesto (44g Protein)

Crispy cauliflower gnocchi tossed with chicken, pesto and cherry tomatoes.

Pan-fry the gnocchi from frozen. Don’t boil it.

Ingredients:

• 2 bags cauliflower gnocchi
• 1.5 lb grilled chicken strips
• 4 tbsp pesto
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes

Instructions:

1. Pan-fry gnocchi in oil 10 minutes.
2. Add chicken and tomatoes.
3. Stir in pesto.
4. Serve.

4. Chicken Tikka Masala with Riced Cauliflower (52g Protein)

Frozen chicken tikka masala bulked up with extra chicken and riced cauliflower.

Add extra chicken to double the protein.

Ingredients:

• 2 boxes frozen chicken tikka masala
• 1 lb grilled chicken strips
• 2 bags riced cauliflower
• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt

Instructions:

1. Heat the tikka masala.
2. Stir in extra chicken.
3. Cook cauliflower rice.
4. Serve with yogurt.

5. Greek Chicken Gyro Pitas (50g Protein)

Gyro-style chicken slices in pita with tzatziki, tomato and onion.

Crisp the gyro slices in a hot pan first.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lb chicken gyro slices
• 4 pitas
• 3/4 cup tzatziki
• Tomato, red onion, lettuce

Instructions:

1. Crisp the chicken slices.
2. Warm pitas.
3. Fill with chicken and vegetables.
4. Top with tzatziki.

6. BBQ Chicken Salad (50g Protein)

Shredded chicken with BBQ sauce over greens with corn, beans and cheese.

Use pre-cooked chicken to make it a no-cook dinner.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lb grilled chicken
• 1 can black beans
• 1 cup corn
• 1/2 cup cheddar
• Greens, BBQ sauce, ranch

Instructions:

1. Toss chicken with BBQ sauce.
2. Fill bowls with greens.
3. Add beans, corn and cheese.
4. Drizzle with ranch.

7. Chicken Fried Rice (38g Protein)

Frozen fried rice made into a real meal with extra chicken and eggs.

Add the eggs right in the pan for more protein.

Ingredients:

• 2 bags frozen chicken fried rice
• 1 lb grilled chicken strips
• 4 eggs
• 1 bag frozen peas

Instructions:

1. Cook fried rice per package.
2. Push to the side and scramble eggs.
3. Add chicken and peas.
4. Toss and serve.

🥩 Beef and Turkey Dinners

Quick dinners using Trader Joe’s ground meat and carne asada.

8. Carne Asada Tacos (54g Protein)

Marinated carne asada seared and sliced into corn tortillas with salsa.

Slice against the grain for tender tacos.

Ingredients:

• 2 lb carne asada
• 12 corn tortillas
• 1 cup salsa
• 1 avocado
• Onion, cilantro, lime

Instructions:

1. Sear steak 4 minutes per side.
2. Rest and slice.
3. Warm tortillas.
4. Fill with steak and toppings.

9. Turkey Meatball Marinara (47g Protein)

Frozen turkey meatballs simmered in marinara and served over protein pasta.

Simmer the meatballs right in the sauce from frozen.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lb frozen turkey meatballs
• 1 jar marinara
• 8 oz protein pasta
• 1/4 cup parmesan

Instructions:

1. Simmer meatballs in marinara 15 minutes.
2. Cook pasta.
3. Toss together.
4. Top with parmesan.

10. Ground Turkey Taco Bowls (44g Protein)

Taco turkey with cilantro lime rice, black beans and salsa.

Trader Joe’s frozen cilantro lime rice heats in 3 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lb 93% lean ground turkey
• 2 bags frozen rice
• 1 can black beans
• 1 cup salsa
• 1/2 cup cheese

Instructions:

1. Brown turkey with taco seasoning.
2. Heat rice.
3. Build bowls with beans.
4. Top with salsa and cheese.

11. Korean Beef Bulgogi Bowls (50g Protein)

Thin-sliced bulgogi beef over rice with kimchi and cucumbers.

Cook the beef in batches so it caramelizes.

Ingredients:

• 2 lb bulgogi beef
• 3/4 cup dry rice
• 1 cucumber
• Kimchi, green onions, sesame seeds

Instructions:

1. Sear beef in batches.
2. Cook rice.
3. Build bowls.
4. Top with kimchi and cucumber.

12. Cheeseburger Lettuce Wrap Bowls (47g Protein)

Lean beef, cheddar, pickles and tomato over chopped lettuce with burger sauce.

Mix Greek yogurt, mustard and pickle juice for the sauce.

Ingredients:

• 1.75 lb 93% lean ground beef
• 1/2 cup cheddar
• Romaine, tomato, pickles
• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt

Instructions:

1. Brown beef.
2. Make burger sauce.
3. Build bowls.
4. Top with cheese and pickles.

🐟 Seafood Dinners

Frozen seafood makes these fast and affordable.

13. Garlic Shrimp Cauliflower Rice (48g Protein)

Frozen shrimp cooked with garlic and butter over riced cauliflower.

Thaw shrimp in cold water for 10 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 2 lb shrimp
• 2 bags riced cauliflower
• 1 tbsp butter
• Garlic, lemon, parsley

Instructions:

1. Cook cauliflower rice.
2. Cook shrimp with garlic in butter.
3. Add lemon.
4. Serve together.

14. Everything Bagel Salmon (43g Protein)

Salmon crusted with everything bagel seasoning and baked with asparagus.

Press the seasoning on firmly so it sticks.

Ingredients:

• 1.75 lb salmon
• 1 lb asparagus
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Everything bagel seasoning, lemon

Instructions:

1. Brush salmon with oil and coat with seasoning.
2. Arrange with asparagus.
3. Bake at 400°F 12 to 14 minutes.
4. Serve with lemon.

15. Shrimp Pad Thai (48g Protein)

Rice noodles with shrimp, egg and a peanut sauce.

Soak the noodles instead of boiling them.

Ingredients:

• 1.75 lb shrimp
• 6 oz rice noodles
• 3 eggs
• 2 tbsp peanut butter, soy sauce
• Lime, sprouts

Instructions:

1. Soak noodles.
2. Cook shrimp and scramble eggs.
3. Toss with sauce and noodles.
4. Top with lime.

16. Tuna Poke Bowls (47g Protein)

Ahi tuna cubes with soy sauce and sesame over rice with edamame.

Use frozen ahi steaks, thawed and cubed.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lb ahi tuna
• 3/4 cup dry rice
• 1 cup edamame
• Soy sauce, sesame oil, cucumber, avocado

Instructions:

1. Cube tuna and marinate.
2. Cook rice.
3. Build bowls.
4. Add toppings.

🥗 Meatless and Easy Dinners

High protein without meat.

17. Lentil and Feta Salad Bowls (26g Protein)

Steamed lentils with cucumber, tomato, feta and lemon.

Trader Joe’s steamed lentils are ready to eat.

Ingredients:

• 2 packages steamed lentils (17 oz each)
• 1/2 cup feta
• Cucumber, tomato, red onion
• 1 tbsp olive oil, lemon

Instructions:

1. Toss lentils with vegetables.
2. Add oil and lemon.
3. Top with feta.
4. Serve.

18. Tofu Stir Fry (24g Protein)

Crispy tofu with stir-fry vegetables and soy ginger sauce.

Press the tofu first.

Ingredients:

• 2 blocks extra-firm tofu
• 1 bag stir-fry vegetables
• 3/4 cup dry rice
• 3 tbsp soy sauce

Instructions:

1. Pan-fry tofu.
2. Add vegetables.
3. Add sauce.
4. Serve over rice.

19. Egg and Black Bean Breakfast Tacos (28g Protein)

Scrambled eggs and black beans in tortillas with salsa and cheese.

Good for dinner too.

Ingredients:

• 10 eggs
• 1 can black beans
• 8 corn tortillas
• 1/2 cup cheese
• Salsa

Instructions:

1. Scramble eggs.
2. Warm beans.
3. Fill tortillas.
4. Top with cheese and salsa.

20. Cottage Cheese Pesto Pasta (24g Protein)

Protein pasta in a creamy pesto sauce made with blended cottage cheese.

Blend the sauce while the pasta cooks.

Ingredients:

• 8 oz protein pasta
• 1.5 cups cottage cheese
• 4 tbsp pesto
• 1/4 cup parmesan
• Spinach

Instructions:

1. Cook pasta.
2. Blend cottage cheese, pesto and parmesan.
3. Toss with pasta and spinach.
4. Serve.

Keep five or six of these TJ’s staples in the freezer and you always have a high protein dinner ready.