Chicken breast gets recommended constantly, for good reason — it's lean, cheap, and hard to mess up. But "high protein" and "chicken breast" are not synonyms, and eating the same thing four nights a week is a fast track to giving up on the whole thing. Here are five proteins worth rotating in, with how much protein they actually deliver.
1. Salmon (and other fatty fish)
~34–36g protein per 6 oz fillet. Salmon sears in under 10 minutes skin-down, needs almost no seasoning beyond salt and pepper, and brings omega-3s that chicken doesn't. Cod, tilapia, and shrimp are all lighter, milder alternatives if you want fish without the stronger flavor.
2. Lean beef sirloin
~34g protein per 6 oz. Sliced thin and cooked hot and fast — think fajita-style strips or a quick stir-fry — sirloin cooks in minutes and satisfies in a way chicken sometimes doesn't. It's also the protein behind our Sizzling Beef Fajita Skillet, on the table in 25 minutes and included in the 30 High-Protein Dinners collection.
3. Eggs, in bulk
~6g protein per egg, which adds up fast — three eggs plus a side of Greek yogurt or cheese comfortably clears 25g. Eggs are also the cheapest protein on this list by a wide margin, and work for dinner just as well as breakfast: a loaded scramble or baked egg dish takes 15 minutes, start to finish.
4. Greek yogurt and cottage cheese
~20–24g protein per cup. Neither needs to be "cooked" at all, which makes them the fastest protein source on this list. Stir cottage cheese into a curry or pasta sauce for creaminess without heavy cream, or use Greek yogurt as the base for a quick sauce — like the yogurt drizzle in a shawarma-style chicken bowl.
5. Tofu and lentils (the plant-based option)
~24–28g protein per serving (7 oz firm tofu, or 1.5 cups cooked lentils). Pressed and pan-fried until crisp, tofu holds up far better than most people expect — it's the base of our Sesame Soba Noodle Bowl. Lentils need zero pressing or pan-frying and cook straight into curries, skillets, or grain bowls.
The point isn't to quit chicken — it's to stop relying on it alone
Rotating even two or three of these into your week breaks the monotony that makes high-protein eating feel like a chore. If you want a whole month mapped out for you — chicken included, but never on repeat — that's exactly what's inside 30 High-Protein Dinners in 30 Minutes.
A couple of things people usually ask
Which of these is the cheapest option?
Eggs and lentils are consistently the least expensive per gram of protein, often costing a fraction of meat or fish — worth leaning on if you're cooking for a family or a tight week.
Can I mix two of these in one meal?
Absolutely — plenty of our own recipes double up, like an egg served over a grain bowl with a scoop of yogurt sauce. Mixing sources is a good way to hit higher totals without a huge single portion of any one food.