20 Cozy Diabetes-Friendly Dinners You'll Want to Make All Winter

Creamy Chicken, Brussels Sprouts & Mushrooms One-Pot Pasta
Photo: Photography / Kelsey Hansen, Styling / Sammy Mila

Spice up your night with one of these comforting, top-rated dinners. From a cozy bowl of vegetarian chili to roasted chicken and veggies, these recipes highlight the best winter produce, like kale, winter squash, potatoes and more. Plus, each serving of these dinners focuses on complex carbs, like whole grains, and is lower in saturated fat and sodium for a diabetes-appropriate meal. Recipes like our Creamy Chicken, Brussels Sprouts & Mushrooms One-Pot Pasta and Slow-Cooker Braised Beef with Carrots & Turnips are tasty ways to end the day.

01 of 20

Slow-Cooker Chicken & White Bean Stew

Slow-Cooker Chicken White Bean Stew

This load-and-go slow-cooker chicken recipe is perfect for a busy weeknight dinner. Serve this Tuscan-inspired dish with crusty bread, a glass of Chianti and a salad.

02 of 20

Maple-Roasted Chicken Thighs with Sweet Potato Wedges and Brussels Sprouts

Maple-Roasted Chicken Thighs with Sweet Potato Wedges & Brussels Sprouts

This easy sheet-pan recipe brings together many fall favorites into a hearty dinner.

03 of 20

Slow-Cooker Braised Beef with Carrots & Turnips

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The spice blend in this healthy beef stew recipe--cinnamon, allspice and cloves--may conjure images of apple pie, but the combo is a great fit in savory applications too. Serve over creamy polenta or buttered whole-wheat egg noodles.

04 of 20

Four-Bean & Pumpkin Chili

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This healthy vegetarian chili has a fragrant touch of cinnamon for added flavor. Let diners top it with whatever suits their taste.

05 of 20

Creamy Chicken, Brussels Sprouts & Mushrooms One-Pot Pasta

Creamy Chicken, Brussels Sprouts & Mushrooms One-Pot Pasta
Photography / Kelsey Hansen, Styling / Sammy Mila

You'll only have to dirty one pot in this easy pasta recipe that cooks chicken and vegetables right along with the noodles. Plus, by using the exact amount of water you need to cook the pasta, the starch that usually gets drained off with your pasta water stays in the pot, giving you delectably creamy results.

06 of 20

Sheet-Pan Chicken Fajita Bowls

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Skip the tortillas in favor of this warm fajita salad, which features a nutritious medley of chicken with roasted kale, bell peppers and black beans. The chicken, beans and vegetables are all cooked on the same pan, so this healthy dinner is easy to make and the cleanup is easy too.

07 of 20

Skillet Lemon Chicken & Potatoes with Kale

Skillet Lemon Chicken & Potatoes with Kale

This easy one-pan skillet-roasted lemon chicken is perfect for weeknight dinners. Juicy chicken thighs are cooked in the same pan as baby potatoes and kale for a satisfying meal with the added bonus of minimal cleanup.

08 of 20

Ginger-Tahini Oven-Baked Salmon & Vegetables

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The tahini sauce does double duty in this healthy salmon recipe, serving as a glaze for the fish and also as a drizzle for the entire dish at the end of cooking. The green beans are cooked just slightly in this recipe, to still be crisp. If you like your green beans tenderer, look for thinner beans or haricot verts in the grocery store; they'll cook more quickly. This sheet-pan dinner recipe is not only delicious--it also comes together with just 25 minutes of active prep time, and there's only one pan to clean up afterwards!

09 of 20

Creamy Fettuccine with Brussels Sprouts & Mushrooms

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Sliced Brussels sprouts and mushrooms cook quickly and cling to the pasta in our fall version of pasta primavera. Look for presliced mushrooms to cut prep time. Serve with a tossed salad.

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Pork Paprikash with Cauliflower "Rice"

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Cut carbs and calories by using cauliflower "rice" instead of regular rice in this 30-minute pork paprikash recipe.

11 of 20

Roasted Salmon with Smoky Chickpeas & Greens

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In this healthy salmon dinner, you'll get a dose of greens and green dressing! Chowing down on 6 or more servings of dark leafy greens a week can help keep your brain in top shape. This dish features the Test Kitchen's current go-to method for doctoring a can of chickpeas: spice them up and roast until crispy.

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Irish Pork Roast with Roasted Root Vegetables

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In this easy one-pan dinner, boneless pork loin roast is cooked over a bed of carrots and parsnips for an all-in-one dish that makes an impressive centerpiece for a holiday meal or Sunday dinner. Choose free-range heritage pork if you can--its flavor really shines with no more seasoning than a bit of thyme and a little sea salt. If you'd like, dress up the meal with a traditional Irish apple condiment--Ploughmans chutney or Bramley applesauce, which you can find in specialty stores and online.

13 of 20

Rosemary Chicken with Sweet Potatoes

Rosemary Chicken with Sweet Potatoes

Chicken and sweet potatoes unite with the delicious taste of rosemary in this easy, one-skillet meal. Because we use parcooked and unseasoned sweet potatoes, the cooking time is much shorter--making this recipe perfect for weeknight cooking.

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Chicken-Sausage & Kale Stew

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A splash of vinegar is a long-standing chef's trick for soups. Added just before you serve the soup, vinegar brightens the taste considerably. Use your favorite style of chicken sausage to add variety to this dish.

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Chicken & Mushroom Shepherd's Pie

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The creamy chicken filling is spiked with sherry and the potatoes are mashed with olive oil in this healthy shepherd's pie recipe. To make individual pies, use six 10-ounce ramekins. Serve with a green salad with balsamic vinaigrette and crusty bread.

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Tamari-Ginger Meatball & Eggplant Casserole

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Eggplant soaks up the flavors of ginger, garlic and tamari in this Asian-inspired casserole recipe. A hot pepper in the topping adds a bit of heat, but opt for sweet if you prefer.

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Chicken, Potato, and Gravy Bowls

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Tender potatoes and flavorful chicken are topped with a delicious gravy in this meal-in-a bowl.

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Paprika Baked Pork Tenderloin with Potatoes & Broccoli

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You'd never guess that this elegant meal comes together on just one baking sheet. While the pork rests, whip together an easy red pepper sauce to complete this impressive and healthy dinner. The sauce would also be delicious with chicken. We're willing to bet this easy sheet-pan dinner recipe will go into heavy rotation on your kitchen playlist.

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Chicken Potpie with Cauliflower Topping

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You won't miss the crust on this chicken potpie-we promise! We cut the carbs by swapping in a riced-cauliflower-and-panko topping for a thin and crispy top layer that's more nutritious than pie crust (but every bit as satisfying).

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Curried Pork Chops with Roasted Apples & Leeks

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In this healthy oven-baked pork chop recipe, roasted apples and leeks lend a sweet-and-tart note. If you always chop the dark green tops off your leeks, don't discard them this time--they have a delicious flavor and become meltingly tender when roasted.

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