Sometimes, it’s hard to find good restaurant chains that offer a lot of protein dishes. So, to save you time, we’ve collected 11 top high-protein restaurant chains that offer a good amount of protein meals. Let’s also talk about how good they are and how delicious the dishes can be. 🥩🍗🍖
11. Ruby Tuesday: Grilled Salmon
Fish is generally a lean source of protein. Ruby Tuesday’s Grilled salmon on our first list contains less fat than other fish varieties but also essential omega-3. This makes salmon better than other lean meats like chicken. This dish gives you a good amount of calories and protein. It also has healthy fats that stop inflammation. But this meal does not have much fiber. You should eat more veggies instead of white rice as this will lower calories while keeping protein high.
Nutrition per order
- Calories: 540 kcal
- Fat: 25 g (Saturated fat: 7 g)
- Sodium: 1,360 mg
- Carbs: 36 g (Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 2 g)
- Protein: 45 g
10. Chili’s: Classic Sirloin With Avocado
On the menu, Chili’s baby back ribs may draw your eye, but those are not the top choice for protein. The big 10-ounce sirloin with avocado gives you a lot of protein, 60 grams, and it only has 510 calories. That calorie count is okay for most folks. But if it is too many for you, eat less steak, like 5 to 8 ounces. Save the rest for later. This meal is low in carbs, too. The avocado adds good fiber.
Nutrition per order
- Calories: 510 kcal
- Fat: 26 g (Saturated fat: 7 g)
- Sodium: 1,310 mg
- Carbs: 13 g (Fiber: 6 g, Sugar: 3 g)
- Protein: 60 g
9. Olive Garden: Grilled Chicken Margherita
You may think Italian food is just pasta and bread. But at Olive Garden, you can find foods with lots of protein. Some choices have lots of calories, though. The grilled chicken margherita has a good amount of protein for the calories. It also has fiber, which helps you feel full. The bad part is it has a lot of salt, but that’s common at restaurants. Just watch how much salt you eat for the rest of the day to balance it out.
Nutrition per order
- Calories: 650 kcal
- Fat: 39 g (Saturated fat: 11 g)
- Sodium: 2,120 mg
- Carbs: 15 g (Fiber: 5 g, Sugar: 5 g)
- Protein: 65 g
8. TGI Fridays: Two 5-ounce Grilled Chicken Breasts
Next on our list is TGI Fridays’ two 5-ounce Grilled chicken breasts. This gives it 40 grams of protein, not counting the side dishes you pick. For only 250 calories, you get a lot of protein in one meal, and most people will have calories left to add more to their plate. A salad and veggie side would be good choices to get more fiber in your meal. Don’t have the sauce that comes with the chicken, as it has empty calories that don’t help.
Nutrition per order
- Calories: 250 kcal
- Fat: 10 g (Saturated fat: 2.5 g)
- Sodium: 810 mg
- Carbs: 3 g (Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 1 g)
- Protein: 40 g
7. Applebee’s: Grilled Chicken Breast
A plain chicken breast is a good choice when you want some protein at Applebee’s. It is best to keep things simple when picking food at a place to eat. The more sauce, extras, and fancy items in a dish, the more calories it will likely have. This grilled chicken breast meal keeps it very basic by having lean grilled meat with two sides. Mashed potatoes and broccoli makes a balanced meal that has 6 grams of fiber and almost 50 grams of protein at 550 calories.
Nutrition per order
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Fat: 22 g (Saturated fat: 8 g)
- Sodium: 1,730 mg
- Carbs: 43 g (Fiber: 6 g, Sugar: 5 g)
- Protein: 48 g
6. The Cheesecake Factory: Grilled Steak Medallions
The menu at The Cheesecake Factory has many items, making it hard to pick a favorite. But it has a section with low-calorie foods, which is a good start if you prefer those low-calorie but high in protein foods. A meal with under 600 calories can still have protein. The steak medallions show this. They have 45 grams of protein in a 440-calorie dish. This meal comes with veggies and mashed potatoes. It also has 4 grams of fiber. You can swap the potatoes for more veg, adding even more filling fiber to the meal.
Nutrition per order
- Calories: 440 kcal
- Fat: 19 g (Saturated fat: 10 g)
- Sodium: 1,320 mg
- Carbs: 24 g (Fiber: 4 g, Sugar: 6 g)
- Protein: 45 g
5. PF Chang’s: Chicken With Broccoli
Many Chinese food spots serve fried proteins like sweet and sour chicken. But this ginger chicken from PF Chang’s is cooked in a pan with oil, not fried. It tastes great and has less fat and calories. It has 30 grams of protein. The count includes broccoli but not rice. Adding brown rice gives more carbs, calories, and fiber. Feel free to pick a portion that fits your needs.
Nutrition per order
- Calories: 240 kcal
- Fat: 7 g (Saturated fat: 1.5g)
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Carbs: 15 g (Fiber: 3 g, Sugar: 10 g)
- Protein: 30 g
4. Red Lobster: Grilled Rainbow Trout
Coming out in our fourth place is Red Lobster’s Grilled Rainbow Trout. It is another source of lean protein to tell you honestly. This meal has 68 grams of protein, which is more than enough. However, the 550 calories are just for the fish and do not include side dishes. To keep calories low, do not eat the fish skin. Choose veggie side dishes instead of starchy or fried foods, because they likely have fewer calories.
Nutrition per order
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Fat: 29 g (Saturated fat: 6 g)
- Sodium: 730 mg
- Carbs: 1 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 0 g)
- Protein: 68 g
3. Texas Roadhouse: Dallas Filet
The thin meat is the top option for protein at Texas Roadhouse. For 270 calories, you get 45 grams of protein and only 10 grams of fat. This is a good balance of nutrients. It lets you have two sides too. The steamed veggies, green beans, and side salad are great choices. You can even have its famous roll for a little more than 100 calories without butter.
Nutrition per order
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Fat: 10 g (Saturated fat: 4 g)
- Sodium: 720 mg
- Carbs: 6 g (Fiber: 2 g, Sugar: 2 g)
- Protein: 45 g
2. California Pizza Kitchen: Lettuce Wraps With Chicken
You may think a pizza place is not a good spot for high-protein meals. But the chicken lettuce wraps at California Pizza Kitchen give you 40 grams of protein and 7 grams of fiber with only 570 calories. Skip the lettuce wrap sauce to save lots of calories and sugar without losing other nutrients. This dish has high sodium, but skipping the sauce will lower it, and you can be mindful of sodium for the rest of the day to balance it out.
Nutrition per order
- Calories: 570 kcal
- Fat: 26 g (Saturated fat: 3 g)
- Sodium: 3,660 mg
- Carbs: 45 g (Fiber: 7 g, Sugar: 31 g)
- Protein: 40 g
1. LongHorn Steakhouse: LongHorn Salmon
Last on our list is the LongHorn Salmon from LongHorn Steakhouse. The salmon is a great fish choice that gives you lots of protein at 33 grams per 7-ounce serving. It has good fats and only 310 mg of sodium, which is the lowest on this list. The dish comes with rice for 230 more calories. You can pick a veggie side like broccoli to get fiber, too. Salmon is a very common and easy food with simple flavors that most people like. The protein helps build muscle and the good fats are healthy for your heart. Low sodium won’t make you bloated or thirsty as rice is a plain starch that gives energy. Broccoli also has lots of vitamins and fiber to help digestion. Overall, this salmon meal hits many healthy checkboxes.
Nutrition per order
- Calories: 300 kcal
- Fat: 16 g (Saturated fat: 3 g)
- Sodium: 310 mg
- Carbs: 2 g (Fiber: 0 g, Sugar: 1 g)
- Protein: 33 g
When you eat out and thinking about getting one of these high-protein meals to help your body be healthy, you can either get grilled salmon at Ruby Tuesday or chicken lettuce wraps at California Pizza Kitchen. These meals show you can get many kinds of foods at popular places to eat while maintaining your healthy lifestyle. If you make good choices and eat meals with lots of nutrients, you can enjoy eating out and still take care of your health.