12 Easy 20-Minute Fish Dinners
As much as I love protein sources like chicken, pork, and beef, they can sometimes feel a little high-maintenance. The more affordable cuts of beef and pork need hours in a slow-cooker, oven, or stew pot to become fall-off-the-bone tender. And while chicken dinners are a little faster, I'm always stressed about getting the meat to the perfect level of doneness—undercooked chicken is a health risk, and overcooked chicken is just not delicious. Plus, plenty of chicken dinners end up taking far longer than I initially expect. When I'm crunched for time and want something fast but higher in protein than a PB & J, quick fish dinners are my saving grace.
You see, fish is actually really easy to cook. Thin fillets cook through in minutes, and thicker fillets like salmon taste best cooked to medium or medium-rare, which means less time in the oven or on the stove. Plus, fish is an awesome source of protein. Most white fish is super lean—four ounces of raw tilapia, for example, has 108 calories, 22 grams of protein, and 2 grams of fat. Fattier fish like salmon, char, mackrel, and sardines are also excellent sources of protein, and they're rich in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids.
The next time you want dinner as fast as possible, try one of these 20-minute fish dinners. Whether you prefer salmon, halibut, tilapia, or barramundi, there's a fishy dinner in here for everyone. And, despite the short cook time, they're all filling, fancy, and delicious.