Back-to-School Lunch! Mango Chicken Salad Wraps

Photo by: EA Stewart ©2016, Television Food Network, G. P. All Rights Reserved.

EA Stewart, 2016, Television Food Network, G. P. All Rights Reserved.

“That’s good!” my 13-year-old son proclaimed as he chomped down on a big bite of this Mango Chicken Salad Wrap. I also got two thumbs up from my 14-year-old daughter. If you have teenagers — or children of any age, for that matter — you know what a good feeling it is when your kids actually eat what you make them for lunch.

With the back-to-school season upon us, now is the perfect time to whip up this super-nutritious and delicious Mango Chicken Salad Wrap. Made with just a handful of ingredients, including chopped chicken breast, sweet mango, and sliced almonds for extra fiber and crunch, plus a hint of mayo lightened up with Greek yogurt, this Chicken Salad Wrap is a protein-packed school lunch your kids will love!

This recipe is also super-versatile. Your kids don’t like almonds? Try cashew nuts. Or, skip the nuts altogether. And, while the mango is absolutely delicious in this wrap, you can make this with apples, grapes or your child’s favorite fruit.

The chicken salad recipe makes five 1-cup servings, so it’s easy to make ahead of time and store leftovers in the fridge. When you’re ready to pack lunch the next morning, the only things left to do are wrap the chicken salad up in a whole-wheat or gluten-free tortilla and pack it up in a brown bag or a lunchbox. Lunch is served!

Mango Chicken Salad Wraps

Makes 5

Ingredients:

12 ounces (about 3 cups or 2 breasts) cooked, chopped chicken breast meat

2 cups chopped mango, about 1/4-inch cubes

1/3 cup finely chopped sweet onion

1/2 cup sliced almonds

1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

1/4 cup mayonnaise

Salt and pepper to taste

Five 8-inch tortillas (whole-wheat or gluten-free)

Directions:

Combine the chicken breast, mango, onion, almonds, yogurt and mayonnaise in a mixing bowl. Stir well to combine ingredients. Season to taste with salt and ground black pepper. Store chicken salad in refrigerator in a sealed container for up to 3 days, or until ready to serve.

To serve, place about 1 cup of chicken salad on a tortilla. Fold sides in to wrap up. If packing for lunch, place the tortilla on a piece of parchment paper before wrapping up, then slice in half.

Notes: You can buy precooked chicken breasts, use rotisserie chicken or make your own poached chicken breasts ahead of time.

Per serving: Calories 500; Fat 21 g (Saturated 3 g); Cholesterol 84 mg; Sodium 382 mg; Carbohydrate 39 g; Fiber 6 g; Sugars 15 g; Protein 41 g

Get more great dish ideas:

EA Stewart, MBA, RD is a registered dietitian nutritionist specializing in wellness and GI nutrition. In addition, EA is the creator of The Spicy RD, which features delicious gluten-free recipes made from healthy, seasonal ingredients.

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