A simple chicken salad wrap is such an easy way to get a delicious meal on the table in very little time.
A chicken salad wrap is great to pack for on-the-go lunches and a nice way to switch things up from the usual sandwich. It’s also great for using up leftovers, which is music to our ears when we’re trying to eliminate waste.
This is one of the recipes that I reach for when I need a quick lunch and I already have chicken in the fridge. So, whether you have chicken leftover from a weeknight dinner or you have a rotisserie chicken waiting to be eaten, a chicken salad wrap is a perfect way to use it up.
I love this recipe because it has a hint of sweetness and crunch, and makes for a very refreshing meal. Since you have fruit and veggies and protein in one salad it’s not necessary to add anything on the side. But of course, that doesn’t mean you can’t!
Preparing the Chicken Salad Wrap
Ingredients
Rotisserie Chicken:
My preference for rotisserie chicken for this recipe is solely based on its ease and simplicity. I would never make a rotisserie chicken just to chop it up. But they are so affordable in the ready-made section of the grocery store that it’s hard to pass them up. Try to get a herb-based flavour as opposed to something saucy like BBQ which might change the flavour of your chicken salad.
Gala Apple: Gala apples are one of my favourites. They are sweet and crisp but not too crunchy. They provide a great texture contrast to the chicken in this chicken salad.
Green Onion: Also known as scallions, green onions add a fresh flavour to this dish. Use the green parts of the green onion for a milder flavour or chop up the whites as well if you like a stronger taste.
Mayonnaise: Mayo is the glue that keeps the chicken salad together. The sweetness of the mayo is also a critical flavour component.
Tortilla Wrap: I use 7-inch white flour tortillas for most of my wraps. The flavour is not overwhelming and the wraps are easy to roll to enclose all the ingredients. If you like your wraps grilled it also toasts very nicely on a pan or a panini press.
Lettuce: Romain lettuce is my green of choice for this wrap. It adds another complementary texture to the wrap. Also, the fresh crisp flavour goes great with the sweetness of the apples.
Cheese: I like to use sliced Havarti or Swiss cheese for wraps, however, you can use any cheese that you like.
How to Make a Simple Chicken Salad Wrap
The recipe is very simple though gets a little messy with the rotisserie chicken. Don’t let that discourage you though! The process is easy and takes just a minute so it will be over in no time.
Make the Simple Chicken Salad
Start by taking all of the meat off the bones of the chicken. I like to use the skin as well as it will have some added flavour so don’t hold back, take off everything that you can.
Once you’ve removed the meat, either use your hands to shred it into small pieces or chop it up using a knife. I like to chop the chicken to get more even pieces, plus I feel like it’s faster. When ready, put the small pieces of chicken in a medium bowl.
Tip: Save the bones to make chicken stock.
Next, you want to prep the apple. I prefer to peel the apple as I have some picky eaters. If you don’t mind the peel, however, I recommend you keep it on. This will make the recipe that much faster and easier and will add beautiful colour to your chicken salad.
Core the apple and dice it into pieces similar in size to the chicken. Once chopped, squeeze a bit of lemon over the apples and toss them to coat in the juice. This will ensure that the apples don’t brown if you don’t use the chicken salad right away. Add the apple pieces to the chicken in the medium bowl.
The last piece of prep for the chicken salad is to wash and chop the green onion. I like to cut it into small pieces so that you get some in every bite without it overpowering the other flavours. I also use most of the whites, as well as all the greens. You can skip the whites if you find that taste too sharp for your liking.
Add the green onions to the bowl, along with the salt, pepper and mayonnaise. Mix everything well to make sure all the fresh ingredients are evenly coated in the mayo. Set aside.
Make the Wrap
Now it’s time to make the wrap. Take out four 7-inch tortilla wraps, wash and pat dry a few romaine leaves and get the cheese ready.
Start by putting down a piece of lettuce on each wrap. Divide the chicken salad into four portions and spread each quarter onto a wrap. Top with a slice of cheese and enclose the ingredients in the wrap. You can use a toothpick to keep it closed if you find that it’s opening on its own.
I kept the wrap ingredients simple to make this recipe easy and to keep the chicken salad the star of the dish. But you are not limited to the toppings that I have suggested. Feel free to add avocado, tomato, pickles, hot peppers, or any other favourites you may have.
Substitutions
Rotisserie Chicken: If you forgot to pick up a ready-made rotisserie chicken from the grocery store you can just as easily bake a couple of chicken breasts or chicken thighs. Just add some herbs, G&K all-purpose spice, or just salt and pepper and bake for 40 minutes on 350°F. Then chop or shred as indicated above.
You can also turn this into a turkey salad wrap by using leftover turkey from your latest holiday dinner.
Gala Apple: You can use any sweet apple in this recipe like McIntosh, Honeycrisp or even Fuji. I do not recommend sour or tart apples in this recipe.
Green Onions: If green onions are to sharp in flavour try using chives instead. They will add a mild taste and nice colour to the chicken salad.
Serving the Simple Chicken Salad Wrap
You can serve the wrap with a side of chips or a side spinach salad with our lemon dressing.
If you’re looking for a heartier lunch add a side of fries or sweet potato fries, or some grilled vegetables for a complete meal.
A nice hot bowl of tomato soup would also pair very nicely with this chicken salad wrap.
Check out some other lunch ideas:
If you like this recipe make sure to give us 5-stars below by clicking on the star icons.
Please also let us know your thoughts in the comments section. We always love to hear about your variations.
Simple Chicken Salad Wrap Recipe
Equipment
- small bowl
- Knife
Ingredients
Chicken Salad:
- 1 quarter chicken Tip: get a ready-made rotisserie chicken from the grocery store
- 1 gala apple
- 1 green onions
- ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ tsp salt
- Pinch ground black pepper
- Squeeze lemon
For the Wrap:
- 4 tortillas 7-inch wraps
- 2 Cheese slices
- 2 Romaine lettuce leaves
Instructions
- Take all of the meat off the bones and chop it into small pieces. Add the chicken to a bowl.1 quarter chicken
- Peel and core the apple, then dice it into small pieces. Once chopped, squeeze a bit of lemon over the apples and toss them to coat in the juice. Add them to the chicken.1 gala apple, Squeeze lemon
- Wash the green onions and chop them into small pieces. Also, add it to the bowl.1 green onions
- Add salt, pepper and mayonnaise to the bowl and mix all the ingredients together. You want to make sure that all the pieces are nicely coated in the mayo.¼ tsp salt, Pinch ground black pepper, ¼ cup mayonnaise
- Now it’s time to make the wrap. There is enough chicken salad for four 7-inch wraps so if you use different size wraps take that into account. Add the chicken sala and your favourite toppings like cheese and lettuce and wrap them up.4 tortillas, 2 Cheese slices, 2 Romaine lettuce leaves
- Serve immediately or keep refrigerated in an airtight container.
