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Learn how to turn chicken strips into a satisfying teen-favorite salad lunch that’s perfect for school. Plus, all the tips so everything stays fresh and crisp for hours inside the lunch bag here.
School Lunch for Teens: Chicken Strip Salad
Whenever I make chicken strips, my teen daughter claims any leftovers to make this salad or a crispy chicken wrap. It’s one of her favorite shortcuts to making a filling teen lunch because most of the work is already done and it only takes a few minutes to assemble.
How to Pack Chicken Strip Salad for School
The biggest difference between a good packed salad and a soggy one is keeping the wet ingredients away from the lettuce until it’s time to eat. Here’s how I pack this one for school:
- Assemble
Add the chopped Romaine to a lunch container, then top with whole grape tomatoes, diced avocado, and sliced chicken strips. These go in cold so they’re room temp by lunch. - Pack the dressing
Pour Ranch or another favorite dressing into a small leak-proof container. Keep it separate and add it to the salad at lunchtime. - Pack for lunch
Close the salad container and refrigerate until it’s time to leave. Pack it inside an insulated lunch bag with an ice pack to keep everything chilled until lunch.
Laura’s Tips for Packing This Lunch
Yes. Cooked chicken strips can be packed cold straight from the refrigerator, so there’s no need for your teen to have access to a microwave at school. If they’re eating the salad at home and prefer warm chicken, they can heat the strips separately in the microwave or air fryer and add them before eating.
Pack the dressing separately and keep the grape tomatoes whole. Both help keep excess moisture away from the lettuce. Add the dressing right before eating instead of tossing the salad before packing it.
A squeeze of lime juice can slow down browning. You can also swap the diced avocado for a single-serve guacamole cup and add it to the salad at lunchtime.
Yes. You can assemble the lettuce, whole tomatoes, chicken strips, and avocado ahead of time and refrigerate the salad in a tightly closed container. Always keep the dressing separate until you’re ready to eat.
Refrigerate it until it’s time to leave and pack the container in an insulated lunch bag with an ice pack. For older kids who carry larger lunches, these are my teen-approved lunchbox picks.
More Lunches for Teens
Teens need lunches that are substantial enough to get them through a long school day, but they also need to be practical to pack and eat. Find more healthy school lunch ideas for teens here or try these high-protein lunches for teenage athletes and active kids when you need more filling options.
Chicken Strip Salad for Teens
Watch How It’s Made:
Ingredients
- 2 cups chopped Romaine lettuce
- ½ cup grape tomatoes
- ¼ avocado, diced
- 2 chicken tenders, cooked and sliced
- 2 tablespoons Ranch dressing
Instructions
Assemble
- Add the chopped Romaine to a lunch container. Top with the whole grape tomatoes, diced avocado, and sliced cooked chicken strips.
Pack the Dressing
- Add the Ranch dressing to a small lidded container and place it inside the lunchbox.
Pack for Lunch
- Close the container and refrigerate until ready to pack. Place inside an insulated lunch bag with an ice pack and keep chilled until lunchtime. Add the dressing just before eating.
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