5 Healthy Lunch Ideas That Will Keep You Full Until Dinner

If you want to have more energy and feel at your best, it's so important to have a wide variety of not just carbohydrates, proteins and healthy fats, but also vitamins and minerals too. And one of the easiest ways you can start adding in more variety to your meals, is through your lunches! So here are 5 healthy lunch ideas that will keep you full until dinner to help you get started. Enjoy!

1. Harissa Chicken, Hummus and Flatbread

Light, refreshing but really filling; this harissa chicken, hummus and flatbread is my new favourite go-to lunch! You could buy your own flatbread if you're really short of time, but if you're like me and prefer a simple version that's kinder to your gut, then try making your own flatbread and let me know how you get on this week. 

Serves: 1 

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients: 

• 120g chicken breast 
• 1 tablespoon of harissa paste 
• 1 teaspoon of olive oil 
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground cumin
• 25g flour with a few extra pinches for the worktop surface
• 25g Greek yoghurt
• 3 tablespoons of hummus 
• An inch of cucumber 
• 1/2 a red bell pepper
• Handful of rocket 
• 5-6 cherry tomatoes 
• 1 tablespoon of Greek yogurt 
• Half a lemon 

Method: 

1. In a mixing bowl, add the harissa, olive oil and ground cumin and mix well.
2. Slice up the chicken breast and add to the mixing bowl, stiring well to coat the chicken evenly. Leave to marinate for a few minutes.
3. In a separate bowl, add the flour and Greek yoghurt, and combine to make a 'dough'. Grab a few pinches of flour and sprinkle over a clean worktop surface. Add the dough and using a rolling pin, flatten and roll out to make a flatbread. 
4. Cook the chicken pieces in a medium sized frying pan on a medium to high heat until cooked through. 
5. In a separate frying pan, heat a teaspoon of butter on a medium to high heat and add the flatbread. Cook for a few minutes turning over to cook evenly. 
6. Once the chicken and the flatbread are done, add to a plate along with the hummus, rocket, cucumber, pepper and tomatoes. 
7. Mix the tablespoon of Greek yoghurt with lemon and add to the plate on the side or drizzle over. 

2. Mediterranean Loaded Jacket Potato

Is there anything more filling and tasty than a jacket potato?! This Mediterranean twist is packed full of protein, flavour and fibre which is perfect for when you want to stay full until dinnertime. 

Serves: 1 

Cooking Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients: 

• 1 medium baking potato
• 1 teaspoon of olive oil 
• Pinch of salt and black pepper
• 1 teaspoon of dried rosemary
• Half a red bell pepper
• 3-4 baby plum or cherry tomatoes 
• 1 inch of courgette 
• A few slices of aubergine 
• 1/4 red onion 
• A can of tinned tuna in spring water 
• 3 tablespoons of hummus
• 30g feta cheese 
• Handful of mixed leaf salad 
• Lemon wedge 
• Fresh coriander

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C or 180°C if you're using a fan oven. 
2. Wash and prick the jacket potato. Rub a little olive oil and place on a baking tray with baking paper. Sprinkle over a pinch of salt, black pepper and dried rosemary.
3. Pop the potato in the oven and cook until to your liking (I usually do about 50-60 minutes to make sure it's nice and fluffy on the inside). 
4. While the potato is cooking, slice up the red bell pepper, courgette, aubergine and onion and add to a pan on a medium heat. Throw in the tomatoes too and stir well to combine. Heat all the way through until softened. 
5. Add the mixed leaf salad to the plate, along with the veggies and lemon wedge. Crumble over the feta cheese. 
6. When the potato is cooked, add to the plate and spoon in the hummus, tuna and top with fresh coriander - enjoy!

3. Chicken Tikka Wrap

If you fancy a wrap with a twist and a bit of heat, then you have to try this one! The mango chutney and Greek yoghurt give it a takeaway-flavour feel but with the spices and fresh ingredients, this is a lot lower in calories and a lot cheaper too. 

Serves: 1 

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients: 

• 1 wholemeal wrap or naan bread 
• 120g chicken breast 
• 2 tablespoons of Greek yoghurt 
• 1 teaspoon of tikka curry powder 
• 1/2 teaspoon of garam masala 
• 1/2 teaspoon of paprika 
• Fresh juice from 1/2 lemon 
• 1 inch of cucumber 
• Handful of spinach 
• 1/4 red onion 
• 2 tablespoons of mango chutney 
• 1 tablespoon of Greek yoghurt 
• Fresh coriander 

Method:

1. Slice up the chicken breast and in a mixing bowl, combine the 2 tablespoons of Greek yoghurt with the tikka curry powder, garam masala, paprika and lemon juice. 
2. In a frying pan, cook the chicken on a medium to high heat. 
3. On a chopping board, cut up slices of cucumber and thinly slice the red onion. 
4. In a separate frying pan, warm the wholemeal wrap or naan bread for a few minutes, making sure to turn over halfway through to heat evenly. 
5. When done, add the wrap to a plate, and fill with the chicken, spinach, cucumber and red onion. Add the mango chutney, tablespoon of Greek yoghurt and fresh coriander - and voilà!

4. Smoky Bean and Cheese Quesadilla

This version brings some extra gut-friendly ingredients with the black beans plus the red bell pepper is packed full of vitamin C, helping you to increase your absorption of iron when eaten with the rocket. This is one to have on repeat!

Serves: 1 

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients: 

• 1 wholemeal tortilla 
• 100g black beans 
• 30g grated cheddar cheese 
• 1/4 red bell pepper 
• 2 tablespoons of sweetcorn 
• 1/2 teaspoon of smoked paprika 
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin 
• 1 tablespoon tomato salsa 
• 1 teaspoon olive oil 
• 2 tablespoon Greek yoghurt 
• Handful of spinach 
• Lime wedge 

Method:

1. In a bowl, mash roughly half the beans with the smoked paprika, cumin and salsa.
2. In a frying pan, add the tortilla wrap. Then spread the bean mixture over half of one side. 
3. Add the remaining beans whole, along with the sweetcorn, spinach, and cheese. Slice up the red bell pepper into small chunks and add on top too. 
4. Fold the tortilla in half and cook on a medium heat for about 3-5 minutes or until starting to crisp up. 
5. Plate up with rocket, extra red pepper chunks, salsa and a lime wedge. 

5. Greek-Style Chicken and Feta Flatbread

Ever since I spent two weeks in Santorini back in 2022, I've been LOVING making more Greek food at home. There's just something about the combination of using olive oil, herbs and Greek yoghurt that transports me back to somewhere sunny. 

Serves: 1 

Cooking Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients: 

• 25g flour with a few extra pinches for the worktop surface
• 25g Greek yoghurt
• 120g chicken breast
• 1 teaspoon of oregano 
• Half a lemon
• Mixed leaf salad 
• Tomatoes on the vine 
• Mixed herbs or I use a pinch of oregano, thyme and parsley
• 2 tablespoons of Greek yoghurt
• A few slices of cucumber 
• 1 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil 
• 1 clove of garlic

Method: 

1. In a mixing bowl, add the flour and Greek yoghurt, and combine to make a 'dough'. Grab a few pinches of flour and sprinkle over a clean worktop surface. Add the dough and using a rolling pin, flatten and roll out to make a flatbread. 
2. On a chopping board, slice up the chicken breast and add to a frying pan. Cook the chicken pieces with fresh lemon juice on a medium to high heat until cooked through. 
3. In a separate frying pan, heat a teaspoon of butter on a medium to high heat and add the flatbread. Cook for a few minutes turning over to cook evenly. 
4. To make the tzatkiki, in a bowl add the 2 tablespoons of Greek yoghurt, extra virgin olive oil and diced cucumber. Peel and mince the garlic clove and add to the bowl. Stir well to combine. 
5. Plate up with the mixed leaf salad, sliced up tomatoes and mixed herbs. 

Which lunch will you make first? I'd love to see what you're enjoying so please do tag me on Instagram @amy.lee.jackson or send it over in a message! 

Cheering you on, always,