What is Chicken Salad Meal Planning?
Chicken salad is a meal planner’s dream! These recipes are full of protein, vegetables, and so much variety! Chicken salad can be made a few days in advance and it can be eaten anywhere, no microwave or heating source needed!
Whether you are packing your lunch boxes for the week or trying to decide what to make for a healthy dinner these 6 chicken salad varieties will help you stay on track while enjoying each bite!
Chicken salad is perfect for meal planning and prepping for many reasons, keep reading to find out why I love it and you will too!
Why You’ll Love Chicken Salad
Chicken salad recipes are quick and easy to prepare. Most of the recipes come together in 30 minutes or less! It can even be easier than that if you want to use canned chicken, rotisserie chicken, or leftover chicken!
Chicken salad is also perfect for meal planning because it can be made days in advance and it actually tastes better the longer it sits together. Textures stay the same, flavor enhances, and any of these recipes last up to four days.
High protein, loaded with veggies, and so satisfying are also all reasons why you want to make chicken salad for meal prep. You can easily swap out mayo for Greek yogurt for a healthier option. Or if you aren’t a fan of the straight Greek yogurt you can easily take half the amount of the creamy ingredient called for (like mayo or Greek yogurt) and mix and match. I usually do 1/2 Greek yogurt and 1/2 mayo for the best of both worlds.
Talk about a budget friendly meal! Chicken salad will help you stretch your chicken breasts for the week by bulking up the salad with vegetables. You can also stock pile chicken breasts while they are on sale and freeze them until you are ready to use them.
Chicken salad recipes are also great for both kids and adults! Make these meals ahead of time and your whole family will enjoy a yummy wholesome meal, even on your busiest nights!
6 of My Chicken Salad Recipes to Try:
Ranch Chicken Salad – ranchy, creamy, and full of crunch with the bell peppers and onions, this is one of my kids favorite meals!
Healthier Classic Chicken Salad – creamy, simple, and made with part Greek yogurt and part mayo for the classic creamy texture and flavor, but with a lighter side.
Easy Taco Chicken Salad – Tex-Mex inspired with the corn, taco seasoning, and bell peppers, you are going to love this variety!
Broccoli Chicken Salad – packed with crunchy broccoli and your favorite ranch dressing, this is a protein packed option that you can make to exactly your preferences!
BLT Chicken Salad – the summer classic BLT sandwich but with a protein packed twist and made to be meal prep friendly.
Loaded Chicken Egg Salad – also full of protein, and a new twist on your regular chicken salad with bacon bits, eggs, and the crunch of bell peppers and green onions. This one will be a huge hit!
What to Eat With Your Chicken Salad
The main portion of your chicken salad is going to pack in the protein and vegetables so you have your basics covered there. So what do you eat with the chicken salad?
Favorite things to use to eat the salad (although it is delicious on it’s own) at our house are:
- Pitas – stuff the salad into them or use them to dip into it, either way you can’t go wrong! You can also pick from a variety of pitas, whole wheat, flax and oat, low carb, or a protein pita are all things you can find at the store making it easy to customize to your needs.
- Crackers – crackers are a great way to add a little extra crunch to your chicken salad dish. Crackers can be found in a gluten-free variety so you can enjoy chicken salad and crackers no matter what!
- Veggies – the best veggies to use to scoop up your chicken salad in my opinion would be carrots, celery, bell peppers, or cucumbers. These will add a crunchy texture and will add more fiber and nutrients with each bite.
More Chicken Salad Inspiration from Others:
I love supporting other bloggers and these recipes will add even more variety to your chicken salad meal planning ideas!
Healthy Waldorf Chicken Salad from The Real Food Dietitians.
Curried Chicken Salad form Eating Bird Food
Whole30 Chicken Salad from 40 Aprons
Eating chicken salad is a great way to get all your needs in for the meal you are having, it is great for meal prep or even a summertime BBQ!
Make sure to bookmark this page so you can easily find the recipes when you are ready to make them!