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Learn how to pack this satisfying salad school lunch for teens so it stays fresh inside the lunch bag for hours.
School Lunch for Teens: Chicken Strip Salad
This easy salad recipe is the perfect way to turn leftover chicken strips from dinner into a tasty high school lunch. You can use homemade chicken tenders or your favorite frozen brand. Add veggies and a dressing, and this lunch is ready to eat!
I used Ranch dressing for this recipe, but this epic Chicken Strip Salad also pairs great with other creamy dressings or vinaigrettes. Plus, it’s so easy to assemble that teens can pack this high-protein lunch from start to finish all by themselves!
Warming up the chicken strips is not necessary. If you’re eating this salad at home or have access to a microwave or air fryer, you can warm up the chicken strips separately before eating this salad if you prefer it.
Make Next: Crispy Chicken Strip Wrap
What is in Chicken Strip School Lunch Salad
Leftover chicken strips and other healthy ingredients come together for a tasty salad lunch that fills hungry teens’ bellies. Here’s what you need:
- Lettuce: Romaine or another lettuce chopped for the base.
- Grape tomatoes: keep them whole to maximize the crispness of the lettuce.
- Avocado: creamy, delicious, and packed with healthy fats.
- Chicken tenders: you can use this homemade recipe or your favorite frozen brand.
- Ranch dressing: other sauces that pair great with this salad are Avocado Lime Dressing, Maple Dijon Vinaigrette, and Balsamic Vinaigrette.
You’ll find the measurements in the recipe card below.
How to Pack Chicken Strip Salad for a School Lunch
Follow these tips for pulling together this amazing high-protein salad so it stays fresh until lunchtime. Here’s how I packed this salad in the lunchbox:
- Build the salad base
Make a bed of salad greens as a base inside a container with chopped Romaine lettuce. Top with grape tomatoes and diced avocado. - Add the chicken strips
Place the sliced chicken strips on top of the salad, sliced diagonally so you don’t need to pack a knife. - Pack the dressing
Fill a small lidded container with the dressing and drizzle over the salad at lunch. - Pack it for lunch
Refrigerate the chicken salad or pack it with an ice pack inside a lunch bag.
First time making and packing a chicken tender salad? Watch this quick video to see how it’s made and get additional tips.
More tips for packing this salad for a perfect high school lunch
This Chicken Strip Salad will stay fresh and delish for hours from the time you pack it at home until you eat it at school with these tips:
Keep it chilled
Pack this salad inside an insulated lunch bag and use an ice pack to keep the temperature inside the bag cool. See my teen-approved lunchbox picks here.
Slice the chicken strips
Eliminate the need for a knife by pre-slicing the chicken strips at home.
Pack the dressing separately
Drizzling the salad dressing over the salad when you pack this lunch can lead to soggy lettuce. It’s best to drizzle it over the salad before serving. Pack the dressing in a small leak-proof container to avoid any lunch bag mess.
Prevent avocados from browning
While you can’t prevent avocados from browning, you’ll hardly notice them once mixed with the lettuce in the salad. You can squeeze a little lime over them to slow down the browning or swap them with a guacamole single.
Maximize crispness
Keep the cherry tomatoes whole. While slicing them won’t affect the texture of the lettuce leaves too much, keep them whole to maximize the crispness of the lettuce.
Chicken Strip Salad for Teens
Watch How It’s Packed:
Ingredients
- 2 cups chopped Romaine lettuce
- ½ cup grape tomatoes
- ¼ avocado, diced
- 2 chicken tenders, cooked and sliced
- 2 tablespoons Ranch dressing
Instructions
- Make a green salad base inside a container with chopped Romaine lettuce. Top with grape tomatoes and diced avocado.
- Place the sliced chicken strips on top of the salad.
- Fill a small lidded container with the dressing and drizzle over the salad at lunch.
- Refrigerate the chicken salad or pack it with an ice pack inside a lunch bag.
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