Based on our work teaching undergraduate Calculus courses, we offer insight into teaching the chain rule to reduce cognitive load for students. A particularly difficult topic for students to grasp, problems likely arise due to student struggles with the concept of function and, particularly, function composition relative to when they first encounter the chain rule. We suggest that, by incorporating the intentional use of color in instruction, we can highlight the particular aspects of the symbols we want students to focus on, thereby reducing cognitive load and early difficulties solidifying the topic.