Recipe

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Flaky and buttery on the outside and creamy and delicious filling make this chicken salad croissant sandwich ridiculously delish.

Learn how to make this protein-rich chicken salad croissant for lunch and how to pack it for school so it stays fresh for hours.

chicken salad croissant with a large lettuce leaf on the sandwich

Croissant Sandwich with Chicken Salad

Last week, I made these chicken salad croissants for my kids at home and my youngest loved it so much he asked me to make it again for school. Next week, I’m making Ham and Cheese Croissant Sandwiches to mix things up.

Even though croissants are not the healthiest of options, I love that it’s a high-protein lunch idea so it balances out nutrition and what my kid likes. The best part is that you can make a batch of healthy chicken salad and make this lunch one day, a chicken wrap another, or a simple chicken salad bento box.

One quick and easy recipe transformed into several no-cook lunches makes packing lunches on a busy morning a breeze.

What You Need

Whether you make the quick and easy chicken salad in the recipe card or buy it already made at the store, you’ll see that you don’t need a lot of ingredients to make this chicken salad croissant:

Croissants: large or small croissants are perfect for this lunch.
Chicken salad: creamy, chunky, or somewhere in between. Your favorite recipe or the one below.
Lettuce: an optional ingredient that gives this croissant sandwich a deli-like feel.

How to Make a Chicken Salad Croissant

Whether you make this sandwich and enjoy it now or pack it in a lunch box to eat later, here are some helpful tips in each step:

Prep 
If you’re adding lettuce to this sandwich, dry it well so it doesn’t transfer the moisture to your croissant. Season your store-bought salad, or use my famous Southern Chicken Salad if you want a tastier option.
Assemble sandwich 
I recommend placing the lettuce at the bottom of the sandwich, below the chicken salad, as a barrier to prevent the croissant from getting soft and soggy.
Pack it for lunch
If packing this for school, place it in a sandwich container and pack any healthy lunch sides separately. Keep the inside of the lunch bag cool by adding an ice pack.

First time packing a croissant sandwich for lunch? Watch this quick video to see me make it and get additional tips for keeping everything fresh until lunch at school.

Preventing a Soggy Croissant at Lunch  

My secret to packing sandwiches that stay fresh until lunch without getting soggy is to always layer the ingredients so there’s always a barrier between a moist ingredient, like the chicken salad, and the croissant.

And if your kids are anything like mine and their lunch bags, and what’s packed inside, gets shaken up throughout the day, packing this croissant in a sturdy container is best instead of a zip bag where it can get squished.

The other culprit to soggy sandwiches and croissants is warm temps inside the lunch bag, which can be prevented by adding an ice pack or two!

closeup of a chicken salad croissant with lettuce

School Lunch Packing Tips for a Chicken Salad Croissant

If you’re new to packing croissant sandwiches for school and want more tips for making packed lunches easier, consider:

Keep things separate
While crunchy sides like crackers, banana chips, and carrot sticks complement this lunch perfectly, packing them in a separate compartment or container keeps them fresh and crisp too!

Add nutrition in fun ways
A sweet, healthy lunchbox dessert like these amazing no-bake energy chocolate brownie bites are delicious and nutritious.

Keep the food safe to eat
On hot days or if your child’s lunch bag is kept outside, an extra ice pack or a frozen water bottle in the bag is always a good idea to keep food safe to eat.

Chicken Salad Croissant

Servings: 1 Sandwich

Prep Time: 5

Total Time: 5

Flaky and buttery on the outside and creamy and delicious filling make this chicken salad croissant sandwich ridiculously delish.

5 from 7 votes

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Watch How It’s Packed:

Ingredients

Simple chicken salad:

2 tablespoons plain Greek yogurt or mayo
½ teaspoon mustard, optional
½ celery rib, finely chopped
Pinch of salt and pepper
4 oz ½ cup cooked chicken, finely chopped or shredded

For the sandwich:

1 croissant, sliced horizontally in half
½ cup chicken salad
Lettuce leaves

Instructions

Make the chicken salad:

In a medium bowl, combine the plain Greek yogurt with the mustard, salt and pepper. Then, add the finely chopped chicken and celery. Mix to combine.

Make it a sandwich:

Slice the croissant in half horizontally and open both sides.
Place lettuce on top of the bottom half. Spoon the chicken salad on top of the lettuce and place the top of the croissant in half, closing the sandwich.
Slice in half and enjoy.

Pack it for lunch:

Place the croissant sandwich in a lunch container where it fits snugly. Pack any sides, like fruits and veggies, in a separate compartment or container. Refrigerate until ready to pack inside a lunch bag, with or without an ice pack.