Healthy Recipes Health Conditions Diabetes-Friendly Diabetes-Friendly Dinners 21 Diabetes-Friendly High-Protein One-Pot Dinners By Camryn Alexa Wimberly Camryn Alexa Wimberly Camryn Wimberly is EatingWell's Editorial Fellow. As a food and mental health blogger, Camryn explores how food and cooking can help improve mental health and also be an avenue to connect with one's culture and heritage. EatingWell's Editorial Guidelines Published on June 18, 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 Close Photo: Jacob Fox Spend less time on dishes and more time enjoying your meal with these one-pot dinners. All of the recipes listed are made mindful of carbs, calories, sodium and saturated fat to align with a diabetes-friendly eating pattern. This helps support healthy blood sugar levels and lower the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease. They’re also high in protein—boasting at least 15 grams per serving—to support healthy digestion, bone health, muscle recovery and help you feel full for longer. Recipes like our Weeknight Lemon Chicken Skillet Dinner and Kale, Sausage & Pepper Pasta are great options to end your day on a delicious and nutritious note! 01 of 21 Weeknight Lemon Chicken Skillet Dinner Photographer: Brie Goldman, Food Stylist: Holly Dreesman, Prop Stylist: Gabriel Greco This one-pan chicken dinner couldn't be much easier, or more satisfying. In just half an hour, you can have a complete meal on the table that doesn't require loads of dishes afterward. View Recipe 02 of 21 One-Pot Garlicky Shrimp & Broccoli Photographer: Kelsey Hansen; Food Stylist: Greg Luna Shrimp and broccoli cook quickly in this easy, one-pot recipe, making it perfect for busy weeknights. Serve this healthy shrimp recipe over whole grains or rice. View Recipe 03 of 21 Chicken Enchilada Skillet Casserole Jacob Fox This simplified take on cheesy chicken enchiladas only requires one pan for cooking and eliminates the need to stuff and roll corn tortillas. View Recipe 04 of 21 Kale, Sausage & Pepper Pasta This healthy sausage and kale pasta is filling and can be made with any greens you have in the fridge, such as chard or spinach. View Recipe 05 of 21 Skillet Lemon Chicken & Potatoes with Kale Photographer: Victor Protasio, Food Stylist: Margaret Dickey, Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen Juicy chicken thighs are cooked in the same pan as the potatoes and kale for minimal cleanup. View Recipe 06 of 21 Red Beans and Rice with Chicken Fiber-rich red beans, whole-grain brown rice and skillet-cooked chicken breast are ready in just 20 minutes. View Recipe 07 of 21 Tofu & Snow Pea Stir-Fry with Peanut Sauce This tofu stir-fry recipe will quickly become a favorite, with a tasty peanut sauce. To save time, use precooked rice or cook rice a day ahead. View Recipe 08 of 21 Braised Chicken & Fall Vegetables Jacob Fox A rustic chicken dinner doesn't get much easier than this. A combination of parsnips and carrots gives this dish a variety of colors and flavors, but you could replace the parsnips with additional carrots if you'd like. View Recipe 09 of 21 Chicken & Veggie Fajitas These versatile skillet chicken fajitas are designed to work with whatever vegetables you happen to have on hand. View Recipe 10 of 21 Creamy White Chili with Cream Cheese This white chicken chili recipe comes together in a flash, thanks to quick-cooking chicken thighs and canned white beans. Mashing some of the beans acts as a fast thickener when your soups don't have a long time to simmer. Cream cheese adds the final bit of richness and a hint of sweet tang. View Recipe 11 of 21 Slow-Cooker Jambalaya This hearty jambalaya is bursting with chicken, smoked turkey sausage and shrimp. It takes just 25 minutes to prep in the morning and then your slow cooker will work its magic and deliver a tasty meal at the end of the day. View Recipe 12 of 21 Slow-Cooker Arroz con Pollo (Chicken & Rice) This one-pot chicken dinner, inspired by the traditional dish of Spain and Latin America, comes together easily in the slow cooker. View Recipe 13 of 21 Slow-Cooker Vegetable Lasagna This vegetarian lasagna couldn't be easier, thanks to jarred pasta sauce and no-boil lasagna noodles. Prep it in the morning and let your crock pot do the work. View Recipe 14 of 21 Beef Stir-Fry with Baby Bok Choy & Ginger Blaine Moats All the ingredients for this easy beef stir-fry recipe are cooked in one wok (or skillet), so not only is the meal-prep fast for this healthy dinner, but cleanup is quick too. View Recipe 15 of 21 Rosemary Chicken with Sweet Potatoes Chicken and sweet potatoes unite with the delicious taste of rosemary in this easy, one-skillet meal. View Recipe 16 of 21 Pork Tenderloin with Brown Gravy and Mushrooms Each delicious serving of this pork recipe has only 4 grams of carbs and 2 grams of fat. View Recipe 17 of 21 Garlic Roasted Salmon & Brussels Sprouts Roasting salmon on top of Brussels sprouts and garlic, flavored with wine and fresh oregano, is simple enough for a weeknight meal yet sophisticated enough to serve to company. View Recipe 18 of 21 Moroccan-Inspired Chicken & Sweet Potato Soup This healthy chicken soup recipe gets bold flavor from sweet potatoes, cumin, cinnamon, cayenne pepper and a touch of fiery harissa. View Recipe 19 of 21 Peanut Noodles with Shredded Chicken & Vegetables If you can't find a bagged vegetable medley for this easy noodle bowl, choose 12 ounces of cut vegetables from your market's salad bar and create your own mix. View Recipe 20 of 21 Pesto Chicken & Cannellini Bean Soup This Italian-inspired chicken soup recipe is loaded with fiber-rich vegetables and beans and gets an extra boost of flavor from a swirl of pesto at the end. View Recipe 21 of 21 Alaskan Cod Chowder In this healthy fish chowder, heavy cream is replaced with milk and flour-thickened fish (or seafood) broth, and we keep sodium amounts reasonable with lower-sodium broth. View Recipe Medically reviewed by Jessica Ball, M.S., RD 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 Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit