14 Healthy Dinner Ideas under 500 calories
Looking to lose weight or tone up this year? Nutrition is key to supporting the hard work you’re doing in the gym and helping you to see results.
We have hundreds of healthy recipes at PureGym, which are all nutritionist analysed and approved. But these are 14 of our favourite healthy dinner ideas for less than 500 calories to inspire your weekly meal plan!
These low-calorie recipes are lower in saturated fat and loaded with protein. They’re tasty, nutritious, and packed with the goodness you need to make moves towards your health and fitness goals. Which will you try first?
1. Peri-Peri Chicken Burger Recipe
We’re obsessed with Peri-Peri, and it seems you are too! This is one of our most highly requested recipes, a Nando’s style chicken burger that you can make at home.
We’ve combined tasty chicken burger, marinated in spicy peri-peri sauce, and stacked up in a ciabatta roll with salad and a dollop of peri-peri mayonnaise.
Still need convincing to try our peri-peri chicken burger this week? It has less than 425 calories and is packed with 51g of protein – which is a great option for a post-workout meal to help with muscle repair and recovery.
2. Chicken Teriyaki Donburi Recipe
Donburi (丼,translated to"bowl”)is a popular Japanese rice bowl dish usually made with seasoned meat or fish and vegetables served over rice.
Our Chicken Teriyaki Donburi recipe combines tender and juicy chicken thighs with Teriyaki sauce, fluffy sushi rice and perfectly seasoned garlic, ginger, and chilli veggies.
At 347 kcals with 23g protein and only 9g fat per serving this quick and easy recipe is ideal when you’re short for time but still want a healthy and wholesome dinner. And if you’re lucky enough to have leftovers, this one will make a great lunch too!
3. Chicken Tikka Naan Wraps Recipe
Forget the takeaway this weekend and give these Chicken Tikka Naan Wraps a try instead! Enjoy tender chicken breast coated in a homemade tikka marinade and topped with a mint and yoghurt dip.
Making healthy choices doesn’t have to mean you miss out on your favourite meals! At only 393 kcals per serving, 41g protein and 10g of fat this recipe is lighter than your favourite takeaway but still packed with all the flavour.
4. Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Recipe
Our Creamy Chicken and Courgette Gnocchi dish ticks all the boxes. It’s a quick and simple one pan meal (hello less washing up!) and gives us major comfort food vibes for less than 450 calories per dish.
We use lighter cream cheese to cut back on fat content while still getting a delicious velvety texture and pack in heaps of hidden vegetables to the sauce for added goodness and variety.
Still not convinced this recipe needs to be added to your weekly meal prep? Packed with 42g of protein, our chicken and courgette gnocchi dish is also perfect as a post-workout meal to help with muscle repair and recovery.
5. Sticky Sesame Chicken Recipe
This Asian-inspired takeout alternative is sweet, sticky and a little bit spicy – and tastes as good as it looks.
Make our Sticky Sesame Chicken recipe as a quick weeknight dinner, a healthy Friday fake-away or even pack it up for meal prep and take it as a high protein lunch. It’s versatile, and sure to be a winner, whatever the occasion.
The best bit? We want to show that you don’t have to compromise on flavour to stay on track. Our sticky sesame chicken is 472 kcals per portion, with 39g protein and only 12g fat!
6. Orzo Greek Salad Recipe
Our Orzo Greek Salad screams summer vibes, all year round. It’s fresh, colourful and makes the perfect light dinner or side, at less than 200 calories.
Did you know that orzo is actually a pasta, despite looking like a rice grain? This delicious pasta salad is loaded with heaps of fresh veggies, crumbled feta, and a zesty lemon vinaigrette for heaps of flavour and goodness.
7. Smash Burger Tacos Recipe
Our Smash Burger Taco recipe is inspired by the viral foodie sensation and definitely lives up to the hype. Combining two of our foodie favourites and topped with tasty burger sauce to make the ultimate burger with a twist for less than 500 calories.
If you still need more convincing to give them a try, our smash burger tacos are packed with 38g of protein, and are quick and easy to make, taking less than half an hour from prep to plate.
8. One Pan Steak and Vegetable Meal Prep Recipe
Juicy rump steak served with crispy sweet potato wedges and garlic spiced peppers, tomatoes, and asparagus, cooked in one pan for less washing up!
At less than 300 calories per serving and with only 7g of fat, this recipe is perfect if you’re goal is to lose weight and you want a lighter dinner option that doubles up for lunch the next day.
Meal prepping makes it easier to reach your nutritional goals and make healthy choices while on-the-go. Our steak and vegetable meal prep recipe has all of that in mind - it takes less than 10 minutes to prepare, 30 minutes in the oven to cook and then seconds to serve up into tupperware ready for the week.
9. Chana Masala Curry Recipe
Our fiery Chana Masala curry is full of flavour - combining fragrant herbs and spices with a fluffy homemade garlic and coriander naan for an out of this world taste.
With less than 370 calories and 17g protein per portion, this Indian inspired vegetarian dish is full to the brim with healthy goodness. It’s packed with legumes and loads of colourful vegetables giving you a tasty, balanced meal with 14g of fibre.
10. Chicken Fajita Bowl Recipe
Our Chicken Fajita Bowl is bursting with flavour. We’ve layered charred seasoned chicken, lime rice, creamy avocado, black beans, and veggies.
The best bit? It’s only 433 kcals per portion and is packed with 45g of protein and only 2g of saturated fat – making it the perfect meal option for anyone who’s counting calories or trying to up their protein.
11. Tandoori Chicken Skewers Recipe
You won’t be disappointed by our Indian inspired, spiced tandoori-style chicken kebabs with homemade flatbreads.
This tasty dish is loaded with aromatic spices and flavours and shows that healthy food doesn’t have to be boring! It’s a firm favourite for gym goers, as it has less than 350 calories per serving and is packed with 32g of protein, which is great for muscle recovery.
12. Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Burger Recipe
Loaded with juicy, smoky BBQ smothered pork and topped with homemade coleslaw, our melt-in-your-mouth slow cooker pulled pork burgers taste incredible!
They are a packed with 32g of protein per serving and only 3g of saturated fat, making them a macro-friendly dish under 500 calories, to help you reach your fitness goals.
13. Greek Chicken Souvlaki Recipe
We’ve created a healthy, high protein take on the Greek street food staple combining marinated grilled chicken with warm flatbreads, fresh salad, and a creamy homemade yoghurt tzatziki.
Not only does it taste INCREDIBLE, it’s also less than 500 calories per serving and packed with 42g of protein to aid muscle repair and growth.
14. One Pan Salmon and Orzo Bake
Looking for a healthy, fuss-free dinner that’s also perfect for bulk meal prep? Look no further than our Salmon and Orzo Bake that only takes 10-minutes to prep and cooks four portions in one pan!
This tasty salmon dinner recipe comes in at under 475 calories, is packed with 42g of protein and has only 6g of saturated fat per portion.
