If you have cooked chicken in the fridge, lunch is already halfway done. These chicken lunch ideas for school turn leftover chicken into easy sandwiches, wraps, bentos, salads, and hot lunches that are filling and simple to pack.
Here, I'm sharing the chicken lunches my kids actually eat, plus practical ways to keep them hot or cold until lunchtime so the chicken is safe to eat.
Chicken Lunch Ideas for School
Some nights I cook extra chicken breasts (or thighs) or save what’s left from a rotisserie just so I can have enough for lunches the next day. After years of packing school lunches for my three kids, leftover chicken is still one of my favorite shortcuts because it works in everything from bento lunches and wraps to salads and sandwiches.
Use the ideas below when you need a quick chicken lunch, then scroll to the bottom for my tips on packing cooked chicken safely for school.
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How to Safely Pack Chicken for School Lunches
Cooked chicken needs to stay cold or hot until lunchtime. For cold lunches, pack it in an insulated lunch bag with at least two cold sources, such as frozen gel packs (ice packs) or a frozen water bottle, and place the cold packs around the food. USDA guidance recommends keeping cold foods at 40°F or below.
For hot chicken lunches, use a preheated thermos container and keep the food at 140°F or above. Perishable foods should not sit at room temperature for more than two hours, or one hour when temperatures are above 90°F.
Still wondering what to pack?
Download my Printable Lunchbox Builder to turn the ingredients you already have into lunch ideas in minutes, or browse hundreds more kid-approved lunch recipes here.
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