July 15, 2022
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If you’re looking for a lunch you can pack that will be enough food for your teenager, this leftover chicken lunchbox is the way to go. It offers a variety of filling ingredients and 35 grams of protein to help satisfy bigger appetites.
This is also a super easy lunch to assemble, and I’ll provide instructions on how to keep cooked chicken fresh until lunchtime.
Protein Lunchbox with Chicken
Adding variety to packed lunches is often as simple as using what you have on hand, including dinner leftovers. Chicken is a perfect option because most kids love it, and you can serve it with their favorite snacks and dipping sauce (where are my BBQ sauce fans?!).
This recipe is a perfect lunch idea for teens to keep their growing bodies fueled all afternoon.
If you aren’t certain how to pack cooked chicken for school lunches, it’s easy. Chicken stored at a cool temperature is safe to eat and easier to transport. An ice pack and an insulated lunch bag are all you need to keep the ingredients chilled and fresh.
What to Pack in the Lunchbox
There are so many fresh options you can include in this protein lunchbox. In this recipe, you’ll find:
- Chicken: use grilled or roasted.
- Veggies: sugar snap peas and cherry tomatoes or your favorite veggies.
- Hard-boiled egg: an additional source of protein and healthy fats.
- Bacon: cooked until crisp and added to this box for more flavor. Your kids will thank you.
- Treat: this lunch includes cheese crisps, but you could swap them for fruit or homemade energy bites.
More lunchbox inspiration for older kids can be found in my lunch ebook!
101 Packed Lunches eBook
All my best kid-friendly lunches from over a decade of creating meal plans. Add some variety to your child’s lunchbox with these epic lunches, plus receive my Pack Meals Like a Pro ebook, free with purchase!
How to Pack Leftover Chicken for Lunch
Here’s how to pack a school lunch with leftover chicken so it stays fresh and safe to eat:
- Pack the chicken
Remove the chicken from the fridge and slice it into strips before adding it to the lunch container. Do not reheat unless you plan to pack it in a warmed thermos. - Separate wet and dry ingredients
Pack the veggies with the chicken. Add the hard-boiled egg and bacon to a separate compartment. - Include a treat
Place the cheese crisps or your snack choice separate from the other ingredients. - Keep it chilled
Add the lunch container to an insulated lunch bag with an ice pack to keep it fresh.
Leftover Chicken Lunchbox for Teens
Ingredients
- 3 ounces grilled or roasted chicken cut into strips
- 1 cup sugar snap peas
- ½ cup grape tomatoes
- 1 hard-boiled egg
- 1-2 slices bacon cooked and cut into 2-inch pieces
- Puffed cheese crisps or snack of choice
Instructions
- Place the chicken strips and veggies into the lunch container.
- Add the hard-boiled egg, bacon, and cheese crisps to the empty compartments, keeping the dry ingredients separate from the hard-boiled egg.
- Close the container and pack it into the lunch bag with an ice pack.
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