Festive Chicken Pomegranate Salad for Kids

One bite and all doubts will be erased! You can't beat this easy, healthy, and delicious chicken salad recipe that looks like Christmas and is ready in just five minutes! Pomegranate seeds add a pop of color and flavor that kids love.

Recipe Highlights

• This festive salad will liven up lunches for kids. It also makes an easy dinner on busy weeknights.
• Makes a tasty addition to holiday parties. Afterall, it's always nice to have a delicious kid-friendly option.
• Easy to make.
• Can be served in a variety of ways: with crackers, in a wrap, or as a sandwich using bread or a croissant.
• Uses up leftover meal-prep, rotisserie, or grilled chicken.
• The colors from pomegranate and celery make this chicken salad festive. It looks like Christmas!
• Contains protein and fiber so kids feel full longer.

Dietitian Tip

Ask your kids how they like chicken salad served. If they say 'no' to a chicken salad sandwich, it may simply because they don't like the texture combination when it is served on soft slices of bread. My kids prefer to eat chicken salad either with hearty crackers (specifically, Trader Joe's multi-grain pita crackers) or on a croissant.

Ingredient Notes

• Chicken Good source of protein (7 grams of protein per ounce). Use either meal-prep shredded chicken, leftover rotisserie, or left-over chicken that is minimally seasoned.
• Pomegranate seeds Pomegranates have several health benefits. Specifically, it is a potent anti-oxidant, rich in flavonoids, anthocyanins, and other components that give it anti-inflammatory properties and more. Pomegranate seeds add wonderful color, texture, and flavor to this recipe.
• Celery High in fiber and rich in minerals. Celery adds color, texture, and flavor. According to my kids, chicken salad isn't chicken salad without celery.
• Hemp hearts Hemp hearts, shelled hemp seeds, and hulled hemp seeds are the same thing. Hemp hearts contain omega-3 fatty acids.
• Greek yogurt Contains protein and calcium. Greek yogurt is thicker than traditional yogurt, so it helps to keep the dressing thick.
• Mayonnaise Just a little mayonnaise is all you need to give this the familiar flavor expected from chicken salad.
• Orange juice Adds a touch natural sweetness and helps balance out the spices in this recipe.
• Spices Chili powder, garlic powder, and paprika come together to give a barbeque-like flavor.
• Salt To enhance the flavor.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Here's a quick overview of the steps to make this kid-favorite and super easy chicken salad recipe. For the full list of ingredients and specific instructions, scroll down to the recipe.

1. Make the dressing: Add Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, orange juice, spices, and salt to a medium mixing bowl. Whisk well.
2. Add chicken, celery, and pomegranate seeds to the dressing and mix well.
3. Sprinkle with hemp hearts and it's ready to serve.

Expert Tips

• Pomegranate seeds only last a few days once opened. Taste one before adding them to this salad to make sure they don't taste fermented.
• Use 2% or whole milk Greek yogurt. Substituting traditional yogurt for Greek yogurt will cause the dressing to be watery.
• Using leftover shredded chicken, rotisserie chicken, or grilled chicken will minimize waste by using up leftovers.
• This chicken salad can be made the night before. Store it refrigerated in an airtight container for up to two days.

Recipe FAQs

More Lunch Ideas For Kids

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