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  6. 15 Creamy Lunch Salads That Are Packed with Protein

15 Creamy Lunch Salads That Are Packed with Protein

Leah Goggins headshot
Leah Goggins Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD April 04, 2022
Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD
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Avocado Egg Salad Sandwiches

Egg, chicken, tuna, shrimp, salmon and chickpeas all add a boost of satisfying protein to these delicious make-ahead salads. Pile them onto your favorite toast, a lettuce wrap or a bowl of greens for a lunch that's full of flavor and nutrition. Each serving has at least 15 grams of protein per serving, so you can feel full and satisfied while promoting healthy digestion, bone health and muscle health. Recipes like our Avocado Egg Salad Sandwiches and Chickpea Salad Sandwiches are fresh, creamy recipes that are perfect for a healthy lunch.

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Avocado Egg Salad

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This quick recipe takes classic egg salad to the next level with the addition of creamy avocado. Serve it on a piece of toasted whole-grain bread or inside a tender lettuce leaf. Avocados brown quickly, so plan on making it no more than two hours before you plan to serve it.

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Salmon-Stuffed Avocados

Salmon-Stuffed Avocados
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Canned salmon is a valuable pantry staple and a practical way to include heart-healthy omega-3-rich fish in your diet. Here, we combine it with avocados in an easy no-cook meal.

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Avocado Ranch Chicken Salad

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Avocado makes an exceptionally creamy and healthful dressing for this chicken salad. A bit of ranch dressing with pickled jalapeño adds a tangy spin to the lunchtime classic. Serve it on a slice of whole-wheat toast for an open-face sandwich or in a lettuce cup for a low-carb lunch.

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Egg Salad Lettuce Wraps

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We love the retro vibe of these egg salad lettuce wraps. Iceberg lettuce makes a perfect low-carb swap for bread to serve the egg salad.

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Avocado Egg Salad Sandwiches

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Lighten up classic egg salad by swapping in creamy avocado instead of using mayonnaise. Sandwich it between toasted whole-wheat bread and you've got an easy, packable lunch ready for work or school.

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Chickpea Salad Sandwich

Chickpea Salad Sandwich
Credit: Photography / Caitlin Bensel, Food Styling / Ruth Blackburn
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This vegan chickpea salad sandwich is lemony, bright and surprisingly delicious. It's got all the flavors of a classic tuna salad sandwich—dill, lemon and a bit of garlic—but with chickpeas instead to add a vegan source of protein and a healthy boost of fiber. Celery brings a nice crunch.

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3-Ingredient Creamy Rotisserie Chicken Salad

3-Ingredient Creamy Rotisserie Chicken Salad
Credit: Carolyn Hodges
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We put a flavor twist on the classic chicken salad by using a lemon-herb mayonnaise. Try other mayo varieties, like roasted garlic or chipotle lime, in this fast, no-cook lunch recipe. Serve with whole-grain crackers.

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Tuna Salad with Egg

Tuna Salad with Egg
Credit: Photography / Jennifer Causey, Styling / Ali Ramee / Audrey Davis
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This simple tuna salad with egg has a clean and balanced flavor. The capers and lemon bring acidity to help everything come together and chopped arugula adds a peppery kick. Enjoy it with greens or on a slice of your favorite whole-grain bread.

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Creamy Shrimp Salad

Creamy Shrimp Salad
Credit: Victor Protasio
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A bright mayonnaise dressing with lemon and Old Bay seasoning marries the flavors of shrimp, celery and scallions. Serve this easy shrimp salad over Bibb lettuce or a spring mix.

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Egg Salad & Avocado Toasts with Capers

Egg Salad & Avocado Toasts with Capers
Credit: Jason Donnelly
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This creamy egg salad gets a briny boost of flavor from capers and nice crunch from yellow bell pepper and celery.

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Egg Salad English-Muffin Sandwich

Egg Salad English-Muffin Sandwich
Credit: Brie Passano
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When you boil eggs ahead of time, it's easy to create a lickety-split and delightful lunchtime egg salad. And using the flavorful leafy carrot tops in it is like getting herbs for free.

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Chicken Salad-Stuffed Avocados

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Looking for a clean, packable lunch for work? This healthy homemade chicken salad served inside an avocado instead of with bread is just the ticket. Plus, this recipe makes enough for ready-made lunches for the week! If you have leftover cooked chicken on hand, skip Step 1 and use about 2 1/2 cups shredded chicken in Step 2.

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Mediterranean Tuna-Spinach Salad

Mediterranean Tuna-Spinach Salad
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This tuna salad recipe gets an upgrade with olives, feta and a tahini dressing. Served over baby spinach, this is the perfect easy and light lunch or dinner salad.

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Creamy Pesto Chicken Salad with Greens

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For a healthy variation on creamy chicken salad, we've replaced half the mayonnaise with basil pesto. Serve over greens or make it into a sandwich for a healthy lunch.

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Fresh Egg Salad

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This egg salad isn't the one you remember from your childhood, but it will be one you'll want to serve your guests. Instead of mayonnaise and celery, we use Greek yogurt, chopped cucumber and green onions, and then season it with dill.

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By Leah Goggins

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    1 of 15 Avocado Egg Salad
    2 of 15 Salmon-Stuffed Avocados
    3 of 15 Avocado Ranch Chicken Salad
    4 of 15 Egg Salad Lettuce Wraps
    5 of 15 Avocado Egg Salad Sandwiches
    6 of 15 Chickpea Salad Sandwich
    7 of 15 3-Ingredient Creamy Rotisserie Chicken Salad
    8 of 15 Tuna Salad with Egg
    9 of 15 Creamy Shrimp Salad
    10 of 15 Egg Salad & Avocado Toasts with Capers
    11 of 15 Egg Salad English-Muffin Sandwich
    12 of 15 Chicken Salad-Stuffed Avocados
    13 of 15 Mediterranean Tuna-Spinach Salad
    14 of 15 Creamy Pesto Chicken Salad with Greens
    15 of 15 Fresh Egg Salad

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    15 Creamy Lunch Salads That Are Packed with Protein
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