This ready to eat Mason Jar Chicken Taco Salad is the perfect, easy, healthy, on-the-go and WW friendly lunch (@ 2 WW points on blue) that your whole family will love!
And the best part is that it uses canned chicken breast so there is NO COOKING! You'll be amazed at just how incredible it tastes and no one will ever suspect it's canned chicken. It's like a chicken taco in a jar!
Chicken Taco Salad
Because of the nature of my job, I will often eat lunch on the run, on my lap in my van, or at my desk. I need lunches that work in those situations and finding those recipes can be a challenge! This chicken taco salad checked every box!
Mason Jar Lunches
Mason jar lunches are quick, convenient, ready to eat and great for eating on-the-go just about anywhere. They can also be prepped in advance, making them an ideal lunch option! And this chicken taco salad mason jar lunch has the added bonus of no precooking chicken breasts.
My kids need ready to eat meals at school now too, as they no longer have access to a microwave. And I don't know about you, but I've never have the time, energy or resources to make different meals for my kids and that includes lunch. I also want to teach my kids healthy eating habits, so they eat what we eat. My kids loved this chicken taco salad!
School lunch ideas for teens can be a challenge. Even if they are able to make their own, they don't always prepare and I often get the panicked 7:00 AM, "Mom, what should I take for lunch?!" Mornings are busy, so it needs to be something make-ahead and grab and go. And it has to be filling! This taco salad was totally satisfying and filling enough for my 15 year old son (I pack a whole taco shell for the kids.)
Taco Salad in a Mason Jar
I’ve always been a big fan of taco salad and often take the leftovers to work. But to cook up the the meat just to make a salad for lunches feels like a lot of unnecessary work. And then you have to heat the meat up at lunch before you eat it. I don't always have that option. This cold Taco salad in a mason jar is a convenient, portable and FUN way to eat taco salad, with no heating required!
Plus, eating food out of mason jars is just all 'round plain fun! Check out my Weight Watchers Healthy Bananas Foster Overnight Oats. They are also a make-ahead, quick and convenient grab and go meal that's only 5 WW points on the blue plan!
Mason Jar Salad Recipe
So, if you're looking for an easy mason jar salad recipe that's quick to put together, this no cook chicken taco salad is healthy and Weight Watchers friendly. It's only 2 WW points on the blue plan, making it the perfect, on-the-go, ready to eat lunchbox meal for adults and kids!
Need some jars? My Amazon recommendations (affiliate links)
Mason Jar Chicken Taco Salad
Ingredients
- 3 cups lettuce, chopped
- 3 whole tomatoes
- 1 ½ tbsp taco seasoning I use low sodium
- 6 tsp -of hot water
- 3- 142 g - cans of chicken breast, drained
- 8 tbsp sour cream
- 8 tbsp salsa
- ⅓ cup green onion, chopped
- ½ cup shredded low-fat cheddar cheese
Garnish
- 1 large taco shell or tortilla chips
- cilantro (optional, if you like and have on hand)
- lime (optional, if you like and have on hand)
Instructions
- Mix hot water and taco seasoning together to form a paste.
- Mix paste with drained chicken breast, stirring it and breaking mixture up with a fork until well incorporated (will look similar to pulled chicken)
- In 4 -8 oz mason jars, add lettuce to the bottom, dividing evenly between all 4 jars, then add tomatoes.
- Next add taco flavored chicken breast mixture, dividing evenly by all 4 jars.
- Then add 2 tbsp of sour cream to each jar, followed by 2 tbsp of salsa.
- Divide green onions by all 4 jars and add on top of salsa.
- Sprinkle on cheese (dividing evenly by 4 jars)
Garnish
- Garnish with ¼ of a large taco shell or a couple tortilla chips. If packing for lunch, pack the taco shell/tortilla chips separately. Garnish with lime and/or cilantro if you like it and have it on hand)
Gayle Kadlec
Wish I had had this when I was working. It will be great for picnics and road trips.
Terri Gilson
Thanks, Gayle. Yeah, I wish I created it years ago - I ate it at my desk last week and it was awesome! I'll be making it a lot. I agree - great for picnics and road trips too!