No Cook Mason Jar Chicken Taco Salad

This ready-to-eat Mason Jar Chicken Taco Salad is the perfect, easy, healthy, on-the-go, and WW friendly lunch and delicious salad that your whole family will love! And it's only 2 WW points if you are following the weight watchers weight-loss program

And the best part is that this chicken taco mason jar salad uses canned chicken breast so unlike using taco meat, 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 eating chicken tacos in a jar! It makes a great lunch or Taco Tuesday dinner.

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 ww chicken salad checked every box!

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.

🥘 Ingredients

You'll need the following salad ingredients to make this low carb taco salad:

• lettuce- any type, but I like to use romaine or leaf lettuce
• tomatoes - any type (I use Roma)
• taco seasoning (I use low sodium) store-bought or homemade taco seasoning
• canned chicken breast
• sour cream (I use light, but you could use fat-free)
• salsa
• green onions
• shredded cheddar cheese (I use low-fat)

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 had 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 mason jar salad recipe!

🥗 PAIRING

These WW friendly desserts are perfect for packing along with this taco salad!

💭 Top tip

Pack the taco shells separately (not in the fridge if possible) to prevent them from getting soggy. Then crush them up and add them just before serving!

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 in a jar is packed with healthy ingredients, and totally satisfying and filling enough for my 15-year-old son (I pack a whole taco shell for the kids.)

📖Variations & Substitutions

• Sour cream - you can use light or fat-free or substitute Greek yogurt
• Lettuce - you can use leaf lettuce, head lettuce or romaine lettuce
• Onions - you can use red onions instead of green onions
• Add-ins - squirt on a little lime juice for extra flavor! Add some bell peppers (green peppers),or black-eyed peas, or black beans, if you desire. You can also use your favorite taco toppings, such as hot sauce
• Canned chicken - if you have cooked/leftover ground meat (ground chicken or ground turkey) you can use that instead. You could also use leftover rotisserie chicken
• Vegetarian - you can make this vegetarian by using canned refried beans
• Tomatoes - use chopped cherry tomatoes instead of regular tomatoes if you like
• Tortillas - you can use a couple of tortilla strips or tortilla chips instead of taco shells

I’ve always been a big fan of taco salad and often take the leftovers to work. But to cook up the meat just to make a salad for lunches feels like a lot of unnecessary work. And then you have to heat the meat 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!

🍽Equipment

You will need 8 oz mason jars (affiliate link) for this layered taco salad recipe.

👪 Serving size

This healthy taco salad recipe makes 4 servings (4 -8 oz jars). If you want to make more or less, then simply click the blue serving size on the recipe card, select the number of servings and the recipe will adjust accordingly. 

🔢WW Points

This Weight Watchers taco salad recipe is Weight Watchers friendly @ 2 WW points, according to the ww app.

🌡️Storing

If you like meal prep, you'll love these mason jar salads! You can make this canned chicken taco salad in advance (the night before) and store it in the jar in (or another airtight container) the fridge, so it's perfect to grab and go in the morning!

I do not recommend making more than 2 days in advance or you'll end up with soggy salad.

Eating food out of mason jars is just all 'round plain fun! Check out my Weight Watchers Healthy Bananas Foster Overnight Oats. This jar recipe also a make-ahead, quick, and convenient grab-and-go meal that's only 5 WW points.