These Crispy Chicken Wraps deliver a delightful fusion of flavors with smoky, spiced shredded chicken and rich, creamy refried beans, and melty Cheddar cheese nestled inside a crispy, golden-brown tortilla. Not only are these wraps incredibly tasty, but they also provide a convenient meal option that can be prepared quickly and easily!
Crispy Chicken Wraps
These irresistible chicken wraps are truly the best! They’re loaded with so much flavor AND they’re incredibly easy to make. Filled to the brim and loaded with protein, they make an excellent option for a filling weeknight dinner.
The wraps start with succulent, shredded chicken that is impeccably seasoned with a mild taco seasoning blend. This chicken is combined with a tangy, smoky mild enchilada sauce and freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese, producing a filling that is deeply flavorful and satisfying.
Adding another layer of flavor and texture, the filling is paired with creamy, smooth refried beans. This delicious concoction is then wrapped snugly in a soft, large flour tortilla and before serving, each wrap is lightly sprayed with olive oil and browned until it achieves a beautiful golden color and a slight crunch.
The beauty of these wraps is the flexibility in garnishing. You can add as many or as few toppings as you prefer. Essentially, anything you’d typically enjoy on burritos or tacos will complement these wraps beautifully!
Crispy Chicken Wraps Ingredients:
- Cooked and shredded chicken: Most grocery stores offer hot-and-ready rotisserie chickens that are flavorful and loaded with meat – enough to yield a decent number of wraps! However, for the quickest prep time, I suggest buying rotisserie chicken meat that has already been pulled from the bones and shredded. You can usually find this in the deli section of most grocery stores.
- OR: Leftover cooked or grilled chicken: If you have some on hand, leftover cooked or grilled chicken with a basic salt and pepper seasoning can also work well for this recipe. Don’t worry about heating it beforehand; the chicken will warm up nicely as we cook the wraps.
- Mild taco seasoning: Choose a taco seasoning with mild heat to keep the wraps family-friendly. You can adjust the amount of seasoning to your taste preferences.
- Mild enchilada sauce: This ingredient can vary greatly in flavor and heat from brand to brand. Personally, I love and recommend Old El Paso® mild red enchilada sauce. If you aren’t able to find this specific brand, I’d recommend tasting the enchilada sauce first and making sure it isn’t too spicy and that you enjoy the flavor. Alternatively, try our fave homemade Enchilada Sauce. If you prefer a spicier kick, use medium or hot enchilada sauce instead.
- Freshly grated sharp Cheddar cheese: Grating your own cheese ensures a smoother and creamier texture compared to pre-shredded varieties. Use sharp or extra-sharp Cheddar for a more pronounced and flavorful cheese taste.
- Large flour tortillas: Choose large flour tortillas that can hold a generous amount of filling without tearing. Corn tortillas tear and rip easier.
- Refried beans: The refried beans add creaminess and an additional layer of flavor to the wraps. If you happen to have a batch of these pinto beans on hand, they’re incredible in these wraps!
- Olive oil cooking spray: Cooking spray helps achieve a beautiful crisp texture on these wraps. Make sure to spray all sides evenly for a golden brown crust.
Crispy Chicken Wrap Toppings
There are so many delicious toppings that you can add to these crispy chicken wraps to take them to the next level! Here are some ideas:
- Diced tomatoes: Add a burst of freshness and color with fresh tomatoes, or add a spoonful of salsa or pico de gallo on top.
- Sliced avocado or guacamole: Creamy ripe avocado or guacamole adds richness and flavor to your wrap.
- Sour cream: A dollop of sour cream lends a nice creaminess and richness, even if it’s fat-free or light sour cream. We love making a quick crema by combining two parts sour cream with one part lime juice.
- Jalapeños: Go bold and spice up the wraps with a bit of diced jalapeño pepper.
- Lime wedges: A squeeze of fresh lime juice adds a bright freshness and flavor.
- Chopped onions: Adds a bit of crunch and a nice savory flavor.
How To Make Crispy Chicken Wraps (Tips)
- Use freshly grated cheese: Freshly-grated cheese melts better and gives a smoother texture than pre-shredded cheese, which can contain anti-caking agents.
- Choose quality tortillas: High-quality flour tortillas not only taste better but also hold up well to folding and cooking without breaking or becoming soggy.
- Use a non-stick pan: When browning the wraps, using a non-stick pan can make a huge difference. It helps in achieving a nice, crispy exterior without the wraps sticking to the pan.
- Don’t overfill the wraps: Be careful not to overfill the wraps–this could lead to difficulty in folding them and may result in the filling spilling out during cooking.
- Seam-side down cooking: Start by cooking the wraps seam-side down. This helps to seal them and prevents the filling from spilling out.
- Control the heat: Maintain a balance in heat while browning the wraps. High heat might burn the tortilla before the filling is warmed, while low heat may not crisp up the tortilla.
- Cook in batches: Don’t overcrowd the skillet when browning the wraps. Depending on the size of your skillet, you might need to cook the wraps in batches to avoid them from steaming rather than browning.
How to Assemble and Brown Wraps
Assembling the wrap:
- Position a tortilla flat on the workspace, add refried beans, and then heap your filling in the center, being careful to leave a substantial border along the edges.
- Fold in both sides of the tortilla towards the middle, partially overlaying the filling.
- Proceed to fold the side of the tortilla that is nearest to you over the filling and the folded-in sides.
- Lastly, hold the farthest edge of the tortilla and while keeping it taut, pull it over to the other side, ensuring your filling is fully enclosed in a neat packet.
Browning the wrap in a skillet:
- Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.
- When the skillet is hot enough, add your Crispy Chicken Wraps (which should be amply sprayed with cooking spray) with the seam side facing the pan. This method helps secure the wraps and keeps them from unraveling while cooking.
- Allow the wrap to cook for about 1-2 minutes, or until it turns a lovely golden brown and attains a crispy texture.
- With the aid of tongs, cautiously flip the wrap over and allow the other side to cook for another 1-2 minutes, until it also becomes golden brown and crispy.
- Ensure you also crisp up the edges!
- Continue this process with the remaining wraps. Be mindful not to overcrowd the skillet. Based on the size of your skillet, it’s best to cook only two or three wraps at a time.
Quick Tip
The key to perfectly crisp wraps is striking a balance between browning the tortilla and fully heating the filling. We boost the heating by warming the mixture in the microwave, and finish it up while crisping the tortillas. Medium-high heat is usually the most effective. Lower heat may leave the tortilla undercooked, whereas too high heat could result in a burnt tortilla before the filling is warm. And don’t overlook the importance of the cooking spray — it’s the secret to achieving those delightful crispy edges!
Storage
How To Store Crispy Chicken Chicken Wraps
If you plan to store Crispy Chicken Wraps, it’s best to avoid crisping the ones you intend to save. Here’s how to properly store and reheat your wraps:
Short-term storage:
- Cool completely: After microwaving, allow the wraps to cool thoroughly before storage. This step is crucial to prevent condensation from forming, which could make your wraps soggy.
- Wrap individually: Encase each cooled wrap tightly in aluminum foil or plastic wrap.
- Refrigerate: Transfer the wrapped wraps to the refrigerator, where they should stay fresh for 3-4 days.
For freezing:
- Cool completely: Like with refrigeration, it’s important to let the wraps cool entirely before freezing.
- Wrap individually: Securely wrap each wrap in aluminum foil. For an additional layer of protection against freezer burn, place these foil-wrapped wraps into a freezer-safe bag.
- Freeze: Properly stored, the wraps can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Reheating:
- From the refrigerator: Remove the wrap from its aluminum foil or plastic wrap and place it on a microwave-safe dish. Cover with a microwave-safe lid or another plate. Microwave on high for 30-90 seconds or until thoroughly heated. Alternatively, you can reheat in a preheated oven at 350°F for about 10-15 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Once heated, follow the recipe directions to crisp the wrap in a skillet.
- From the freezer: If the Crispy Chicken Wraps are frozen, it’s best to let them thaw in the refrigerator overnight before reheating. Then, follow the same reheating instructions as above.
More Quick Wrap Recipes:
- Chicken Bacon Avocado Wraps with a creamy dressing
- Cashew Chicken Wraps with loads of veggies
- Buffalo Chicken Wraps with avocado
- Tuna Salad Wrap with sriracha
- Turkey Lettuce Wraps in lettuce boats
Crispy Chicken Wraps
These Crispy Chicken Wraps deliver a delightful fusion of flavors with smoky, spiced shredded chicken and rich, creamy refried beans, and melty Cheddar cheese nestled inside a crispy, golden-brown tortilla. Not only are these wraps incredibly tasty, but they also provide a convenient meal option that can be prepared quickly and easily!Using mild taco seasoning (McCormick®) and mild enchilada sauce (Old El Paso®), these wraps have a bit of heat, but we find them well balanced when topped with a cooling element like sour cream or avocado.
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked, shredded (or diced) chicken (Note 1)
- 1 oz. packet mild taco seasoning (about 2 tbsp; See Note 2)
- ¾ cup mild enchilada sauce (Note 3)
- 2 cups freshly grated sharp Cheddar cheese (Note 4)
- 6 large (burrito-sized) flour tortillas
- 1 can (16 oz) refried beans
- Olive oil cooking spray
- Optional, for serving: favorite toppings such as sour cream and fresh lime, guac or avocado, salsa or pico de gallo
Instructions
- COMBINE: Add first 4 ingredients to a large bowl. Stir the ingredients gently with a wooden spoon. Taste and season with salt and pepper (if needed, depending on the saltiness of taco seasoning).
- ASSEMBLE: Arrange the tortillas on a clean, flat surface. Divide the refried beans evenly in the center of each of the 6 tortillas (~a heaping ¼ cup per tortilla). Evenly distribute the filling right in the center of the 6 tortillas (~½ cup of the mixture per tortilla). Fold up like a packet (See Note 5). Microwave each wrap (one at a time) for 20-30 seconds.
- BROWN: After microwaving, spray each wrap generously on all sides with olive oil cooking spray. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Place the wraps into the skillet, seam side down, cooking 2 or 3 at a time to avoid crowding. Use the tongs to rotate the wraps every 1-2 minutes, or until each side turns golden brown and crispy. Continue this process until all wraps are crisped.
- ENJOY: Serve the chicken wraps hot, straight out of the skillet with your favorite toppings. We love mixing 2 tbsp sour cream with 1 tbsp lime juice for a cooling quick crema. A ripe avocado or guac and a scoop of pico is also so good!
- STORAGE: Should you find yourself with leftover wraps and wish to refrigerate or freeze them for later, please refer to the "Storage" section within this post for comprehensive instructions.
Video
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Chicken: Many grocery and warehouse stores offer hot-and-ready rotisserie chickens that are flavorful and loaded with meat - enough to yield a decent number of wraps! However, for the quickest prep time, I suggest buying rotisserie chicken meat that has already been pulled from the bones and shredded. You can usually find this in the deli section of most grocery stores.
- OR: Leftover cooked or grilled chicken: If you have some on hand, leftover cooked or grilled chicken with a basic salt and pepper seasoning can also work well for this recipe. Don't worry about heating it beforehand; the chicken will warm up nicely as we cook the wraps.
- Lay the tortilla flat on your work surface and spoon the filling onto the center, ensuring to leave a generous border around all edges.
- Fold both sides of the tortilla into the center partially covering the filling.
- Next, fold the edge of the tortilla that's closest to you over the filling and the folded-in sides.
- Finally, grasp the last edge of the tortilla furthest away from you and, while keeping it tight, pull it over the other side until you have a neatly wrapped packet. The filling should now be completely enclosed.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 344kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 1144mg | Potassium: 173mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 1040IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 316mg | Iron: 2mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Cant wait to make this soon for me can i use tofu and vegan cheese i never had crispy chicken wraps before perfect for my after office meals love your recipes as always brightens up my day everyday after work
I hope you enjoy! Thanks Ramya! 🙂