25 low-carb dinners in 20 minutes
These dinners keep carbs low without feeling like a diet: seared steak with chimichurri, lemon pepper chicken, garlic butter steak bites and grilled salmon, each with 15 grams of net carbs or less per serving and ready in 20 minutes.
Updated October 2026 · ranked by popularity
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1. Chicken and broccoli stir-fry
Tender chicken and crisp broccoli in a glossy garlic ginger sauce. A lighter takeout favorite that comes together in one pan in 20 minutes.
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2. Creamy Tuscan salmon
Golden seared salmon in a creamy garlic sauce with sun-dried tomatoes, spinach and parmesan. Restaurant-worthy, low-carb and done in 20 minutes.
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3. Chicken piccata
Thin, golden chicken cutlets in a bright lemon, caper and butter pan sauce with a splash of white wine. A restaurant classic for two in 20 minutes.
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4. Marry me chicken
Thin, golden chicken cutlets simmered in a creamy sun-dried tomato and parmesan sauce with garlic and basil. The viral one-pan dinner, done in 20 minutes.
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5. Big Mac salad
Seasoned ground beef, shredded lettuce, cheddar, pickles and onion tossed with a homemade special sauce and sesame seeds. All the flavor of the famous burger in a low-carb salad.
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6. Blackened salmon with avocado salsa
Salmon fillets coated in a smoky, spicy blackening rub and seared in a hot pan, topped with a fresh avocado, tomato and lime salsa.
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7. Burger bowls
Seared seasoned beef patties sliced over crisp lettuce with cheddar, tomato, pickles and red onion, drizzled with a tangy burger sauce. Everything you love about a cheeseburger, no bun.
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8. Egg roll in a bowl
All the flavor of a pork egg roll without the wrapper: ground pork, coleslaw mix, ginger, garlic and soy, finished with sesame and sriracha mayo.
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9. Shrimp scampi with zucchini noodles
Juicy shrimp in a garlicky lemon butter and white wine sauce, tossed with quickly sautéed zucchini noodles and parsley. Light, low-carb and on the table in 15 minutes.
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10. Turkey taco lettuce wraps
Lean ground turkey cooked with taco spices and salsa, spooned into crisp lettuce cups and topped with avocado, tomato and a little cheese. Taco night, low-carb.
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11. Garlic butter steak bites
Bite-sized sirloin cubes seared hard in a hot skillet, then tossed in sizzling garlic and herb butter. Juicy, deeply browned steak bites in about 15 minutes.
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12. Shrimp cauliflower fried rice
Riced cauliflower stir-fried hot with shrimp, egg, peas, carrots and scallions in a garlicky soy sauce. All the fried rice flavor with a fraction of the carbs.
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13. Copycat Benihana hibachi chicken
Seared chicken and vegetables in garlic butter, soy and lemon, with a creamy homemade yum yum sauce. Our faster take on Benihana hibachi chicken.
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14. Maryland crab cakes
Maryland-style crab cakes packed with lump crab, Old Bay and just enough cracker to bind, pan-fried golden and served with a quick remoulade.
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15. Seared scallops with lemon-butter caper sauce
Dry sea scallops seared hard for a deep golden crust, then spooned with a quick garlic, lemon and caper brown butter. Restaurant-style in 15 minutes.
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16. Grilled garlic lemon shrimp skewers
Big shrimp tossed in garlic, lemon zest and a pinch of chili flakes, threaded on skewers and grilled hot and fast until pink and lightly charred.
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17. Grilled lemon dill salmon
Skin-on salmon fillets grilled skin side down until crisp and flaky, then spooned with a bright lemon, dill and Dijon dressing. No sticking.
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18. Grilled chicken thighs
Boneless chicken thighs rubbed with smoked paprika, garlic and a little brown sugar, then grilled until charred, juicy and cooked through. No marinating.
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19. Grilled flank steak with garlic herb butter
Flank steak with a simple garlic-pepper rub, grilled hot over the coals, sliced thin against the grain and topped with melting garlic herb butter.
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20. Grilled pork chops with brown sugar rub
Thin boneless pork chops in a sweet, smoky brown sugar and paprika rub, grilled to a juicy 145°F with caramelized, charred edges.
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21. Lemon pepper chicken
Thin chicken cutlets seared golden in a skillet, then glossed in a buttery lemon pepper pan sauce with garlic. A bright, peppery weeknight dinner.
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22. Lemon herb lamb chops
Lamb chops seared in a hot skillet with garlic and oregano, then finished with a bright lemon and olive oil pan sauce over peppery arugula.
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23. Copycat Nando's peri-peri chicken
Thin chicken thighs charred in a hot pan and basted with a quick blender sauce of chile, roasted red pepper, garlic and lemon. Tastes like Nando's.
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24. Steak au poivre
Two pepper-crusted steaks seared hard, then finished with a shallot, cognac and cream pan sauce. The French bistro classic, on the table in under 20 minutes.
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25. Steak with chimichurri and charred broccolini
Seared sirloin sliced over charred broccolini, spooned with a sharp, garlicky parsley and oregano chimichurri. Steakhouse flavor in under 20 minutes.
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Serve them with roasted or steamed vegetables, a big salad or cauliflower rice to keep the meal low-carb. Net carbs are total carbs minus fiber, estimated per serving from USDA data.
Common questions
What are net carbs?
Net carbs are total carbohydrates minus fiber. Many low-carb plans count net carbs because fiber is not digested like other carbs.
Are these dinners keto?
Many are keto-friendly, but check sauces and store-bought ingredients for added sugar if you follow a strict keto plan.
What can I serve instead of rice or pasta?
Cauliflower rice, zucchini noodles, a crisp salad or roasted vegetables all work and keep the meal low in carbs.