Cool Chicken Salad for Kids

Getting kids to eat a healthy lunch can feel like solving a puzzle, especially when you’re dealing with picky eaters who turn their nose up at anything green. Between rushing to pack lunch boxes in the morning and trying to create something nutritious that won’t come back untouched, parents often find themselves stuck in a sandwich rut.

That’s where this kid-friendly chicken salad recipe comes to the rescue: it’s quick to make, packed with protein, and most importantly, something children actually want to eat. Plus, you can easily prep it on Sunday for the whole week ahead and customize it to match your family’s taste preferences.

What Kind of Chicken Should I Use?

For chicken salad, you’ve got several good options that’ll work great. Rotisserie chicken from the store is a super convenient choice and adds nice flavor, or you can use leftover cooked chicken breast from your weekly meal prep. If you’re cooking chicken specifically for this recipe, boneless skinless chicken breasts are your best bet – just poach them gently in water or broth until they’re cooked through but still juicy. Dark meat like chicken thighs will work too, though they might make the salad a bit richer than what kids typically prefer. Just make sure whatever chicken you use has cooled completely before you dice it up and mix it into your salad.

Options for Substitutions

This kid-friendly chicken salad recipe is easy to adapt based on what you have in your kitchen:

• Diced chicken: You can use canned chicken, leftover rotisserie chicken, or even turkey as a swap. Just make sure it’s well-drained and shredded or diced into small, kid-friendly pieces.
• Homemade mayo: Store-bought mayo works perfectly fine here. You can also use Greek yogurt for a tangier, protein-rich option – just know the texture will be a bit different.
• Dijon mustard: Regular yellow mustard can work if that’s what your kids prefer, or you can leave it out if your little ones aren’t mustard fans.
• Celery: If your kids don’t like celery, try using finely diced apple for crunch, or simply skip it altogether.
• Fresh dill: Dried dill works too – just use 1 teaspoon instead of 1 tablespoon. You can also try other herbs like parsley if dill isn’t your thing.
• Dill pickle relish: Sweet pickle relish is a good alternative if your kids prefer less tangy flavors. You can also finely chop regular pickles or leave this out completely.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making kid-friendly chicken salad is using chicken that’s too warm – always let your cooked chicken cool completely before mixing with mayo to prevent a greasy, separated mess and ensure food safety. Another common error is over-mixing the ingredients, which can turn your chicken into a paste-like consistency – instead, fold the ingredients together gently until just combined. To keep the salad from becoming watery, make sure to pat your diced celery dry with paper towels before adding it to the mix, and if you’re making it ahead, wait to add the pickle relish until just before serving to maintain the best texture. For the perfect balance of flavors that kids will love, start with less mayo and mustard than the recipe calls for – you can always add more, but too much can overwhelm young taste buds.

What to Serve With Chicken Salad?

This kid-friendly chicken salad works great as a sandwich filling between soft bread slices, but there are lots of other fun ways to serve it too! Try scooping it onto a bed of lettuce leaves, or serve it with whole grain crackers for little hands to dig in. Kids especially love when you hollow out mini cucumber boats or cherry tomatoes and fill them with the chicken salad for a fun presentation. For a complete lunch, pair it with some fresh fruit like apple slices or grapes, and maybe add some crunchy veggie sticks on the side – carrots and celery are perfect since they’re mild and crisp.

Storage Instructions

Keep Cool: Since this chicken salad contains mayo, it needs to be kept in the fridge in an airtight container. It’ll stay fresh and yummy for up to 3 days. Perfect for making sandwiches throughout the week for the kids’ lunchboxes!

Pack for Lunch: When packing this chicken salad for school lunches, use an insulated lunch box with an ice pack to keep it at a safe temperature. I like to pack the chicken salad separately from the bread to prevent soggy sandwiches – just let the kids assemble their sandwiches at lunchtime.

Make Ahead: You can prep all the ingredients a day ahead and mix them together just before serving. If you’re making it in advance, try adding the celery right before serving to keep that nice crunch that kids love.

Preparation Time	10-15 minutes
Cooking Time	0-0 minutes
Total Time	10-15 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Easy

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 950-1050
• Protein: 90-100 g
• Fat: 60-70 g
• Carbohydrates: 20-25 g

Ingredients

• 3 cups diced chicken
• 1/2 cup mayo made from scratch
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup diced celery
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
• 2 tablespoons dill pickle relish

Step 1: Combine Ingredients

Add all your ingredients into a large bowl.

Using a spoon or spatula, mix everything together until all components are thoroughly combined and the mixture appears uniform.

Step 2: Serve and Enjoy

Once the mixture is well-combined, it’s ready to be served in a variety of ways.

You can enjoy it with your favorite crackers for a delicious snack, stuff it into a bell pepper for a fun presentation, or serve it over a bed of spinach for a light, healthy meal.

Choose your favorite serving style and savor the flavors!