Thai Chicken Pinwheels offer a delicious, bite-sized fusion of Asian flavors, with a tangy cream cheese spread, sweet chili-coated chicken, fresh spinach, and crunchy peanuts, all wrapped in a soft tortilla. These easy-to-make pinwheels are perfect for parties, picnics, or casual get-togethers, delivering incredible savory, sweet, and slightly spicy flavors in every bite!
Thai Chicken Pinwheels
Sometimes, dinner needs to bring the spirit of a party to the table, especially as we wave goodbye to summer and embrace the back-to-school season. Can you relate? This is precisely the moment for these vibrant Thai Chicken Pinwheels!
This recipe blends the irresistible flavors of Asia into a bite-sized treat! Starting with a tangy, savory cream cheese spread flavored with soy sauce, sesame oil, minced garlic, and green onions, we lay the foundation on large flour tortillas. Then, we layer on finely diced cooked chicken tossed in sweet chili sauce, fresh baby spinach, and topped off with a sprinkle of crunchy, dry-roasted peanuts.
The result? A delightful pinwheel brimming with a balance of flavors! Easy to prepare and even more enjoyable to eat, these pinwheels are poised to take center stage at your back-to-school dinner table.
Thai Chicken Pinwheels Ingredients (The Spread)
These pinwheels begin with an absolutely divine cream cheese spread! Here’s what it contains:
- Cream cheese: The cream cheese base adds a rich, creamy texture. Using reduced-fat cream cheese can make the recipe lighter, but regular cream cheese delivers a richer flavor. We typically use 1/3-less-fat cream cheese in this recipe.
- Low-sodium soy sauce: This ingredient adds a rich umami flavor. You can use regular soy sauce if you prefer, but be mindful of the additional salt content.
- Toasted sesame oil: This oil imparts a deep, nutty flavor that complements the other Asian-inspired ingredients. Be sure to use toasted sesame oil rather than regular sesame oil for a more intense flavor.
- Minced garlic: Garlic provides a robust, aromatic kick to the recipe. Freshly minced garlic usually gives the best flavor, but jarred minced garlic works great as a time-saving alternative.
- Green onions: These add a mild, onion-like flavor and a hint of color to the cream cheese spread. Use both the green and white parts for the best flavor.
Thai Chicken Pinwheel Ingredients (Toppings)
Beyond the spread, large flour tortillas hold everything together, and the recipe incorporates the following toppings:
- Cooked chicken: The chicken offers a hearty protein to the pinwheels. Rotisserie chicken works well here because it’s typically moist and flavorful.
- Sweet chili sauce: This adds a sweet heat to the wraps and delivers a delicious Thai-inspired flavor. Mae Ploy’s® sauce is our favorite and can typically be found on the condiment or international aisle of your grocery store.
- Baby spinach (or romaine lettuce): Add a fresh, crisp contrast to the creamy spread and chicken with some spinach or romaine lettuce. Either option works well!
- Dry roasted, lightly salted peanuts: These offer a nice crunchy texture and nutty flavor to the pinwheels. Make sure to chop them finely for the best texture in each bite, or for those with allergies, consider an alternative like sunflower seeds.
Quick Tip
Pre-cooked and seasoned chicken is a real time-saver, and for even greater convenience, pick up rotisserie chicken meat that’s already been deboned and shredded or diced — many grocery stores offer this.
How To Make Thai Chicken Pinwheels (Tips)
- Dice the chicken finely: It’s important to dice the chicken very finely to ensure every bite is balanced and easy to eat. Large chunks might make the pinwheels harder to roll and could create a less unified flavor profile.
- Use fresh ingredients: Fresh garlic and green onions can make a noticeable difference in the depth of flavor of the cream cheese spread.
- Consider the tortilla size: Be mindful of the tortilla size. Using large, burrito-sized tortillas allows ample room for filling and makes the rolling process easier.
- Adjust the heat: Customize the heat level to your preference. If you like a bit more kick, use a spicier chili sauce or add a bit of sriracha to the chicken mixture.
- Chill before cutting: Make sure to chill the prepared Thai Chicken Pinwheels for at least 30 minutes before slicing. This chilling time helps the ingredients meld and makes the slicing process much easier and cleaner.
- Slice with a sharp knife: Use a very sharp, serrated knife to cut the pinwheels. This will help you get clean, even slices without squishing the pinwheel.
Quick Tip
We recommend using burrito-sized tortillas for these Thai Chicken Pinwheels. If you can’t find them at your store, you can tweak this recipe slightly to accommodate the smaller tortillas. Make the recipe using the same quantity of ingredients, but use 6 regular-sized tortillas. Scale back the amount of filling you add to each, so it doesn’t spill out and rip the tortillas.
What To Serve With Thai Chicken Pinwheels
These delectable pinwheels can be served with a variety of accompaniments, depending on the occasion. Here are a few suggestions:
- Asian-inspired dips: Pair these pinwheels with additional sweet chili sauce for dipping, or a spicy peanut sauce to add another layer of flavor.
- Salad: A simple Asian-inspired salad with lettuce, shredded cabbage, carrots, and a sesame or ginger dressing would be a light and refreshing side.
- Soup: A clear or mildly flavored soup, like a miso soup or a simple chicken broth with some veggies could work well.
- Noodles: Cold sesame noodles or a light noodle salad with a vinaigrette dressing would also complement the flavors of the pinwheels.
- Fruit salad: A tropical fruit salad featuring fruits like pineapple, mango, and papaya could provide a sweet and refreshing contrast. (We love this Pina Colada Fruit Salad!)
- Pickled vegetables: A side of quick-pickled cucumbers, carrots, or radishes would add a tangy crunch that can balance the creamy and rich flavors in these Thai Chicken Pinwheels. (Try the quick pickled veggies in these Banh Mi Bowls.)
Storage
If you plan to prepare this recipe in advance, it’s best to store the components separately– namely the saucy chicken and cream cheese mixture– to avoid making the tortillas soggy. Assemble the pinwheels when you’re ready to serve them. Keep in mind that these pinwheels don’t store well once assembled, as they tend to become soggy fairly quickly.
Use Leftover Tortillas In These EASY Recipes:
- Ham and Cheese Pinwheels with bacon
- Tortilla Pie with refried beans and Cheddar cheese
- Buffalo Chicken Wraps with ranch or blue cheese dressing
- Chicken Caesar Wrap with only four ingredients!
- Cashew Chicken Wraps with loads of crunchy veggies
Thai Chicken Pinwheels
Ingredients
- 1½ tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- ½ cup finely chopped green onions (5 green onions)
- 8 ounces reduced-fat (or regular) cream cheese, softened
- 4 large flour tortillas (10-inch/burrito-sized)
- 3 cups (1 lb) finely chopped cooked chicken (like rotisserie chicken) (Note 1)
- ½ cup sweet chili sauce (Note 2)
- 4 handfuls fresh baby spinach (or 1 head romaine lettuce)
- ½ cup finely chopped dry roasted and salted peanuts
Instructions
- CREAM CHEESE SPREAD: In a large bowl combine the first 5 ingredients. Use an electric hand mixer to beat the ingredients until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Lay out 4 large tortillas. Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly across the four tortillas, covering each one entirely.
- CHICKEN: Finely dice the chicken and add it to a bowl (you can use the same bowl as the cream cheese spread). Mix in the sweet chili sauce until the chicken is thoroughly coated.
- ASSEMBLE: Gently press a layer of baby spinach (or romaine leaves) evenly onto each tortilla, completely covering the cream cheese. Add the saucy chicken on top of the spinach, distributing evenly among each tortilla. Scatter the chopped peanuts evenly across the chicken layer on each tortilla. Start at one end and roll up each tortilla tightly. Wrap each roll tightly in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- SERVE: After removing the rolls from the fridge, discard the plastic wrap. Use a very sharp serrated knife to slice each tortilla roll into 1-inch pinwheels. Enjoy immediately!
- STORAGE: If you plan to prepare these Thai Chicken Pinwheels in advance, it's best to store the components separately-- namely the saucy chicken and cream cheese mixture-- to avoid making the tortillas soggy. Assemble the pinwheels when you're ready to serve them. Keep in mind that these pinwheels don't store well once assembled; they tend to become soggy fairly quickly.
Video
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
LOVE the flavors in this recipe! I brought these pinwheels to a party, and everyone raved about them. I simplified things just a bit by using Perdue Short Cuts chicken, finely chopped — but I followed the rest of the recipe exactly. They had a little heat, some delicious creaminess, the crunch of the peanuts, and a nice umami flavor from the soy sauce and sesame oil. One tip is to cut off the ends of each roll since the tortilla is thinnest there. Snack on those pieces while you cut the 1″ pinwheels! Thanks for another great recipe, Chelsea! (I might make these as wraps next time.)
I am so thrilled to hear this! Thanks so much! 🙂
How long would these keep? I am planning to make some lunches while we travel and these sound delicious! I didn’t know how well the spinach would keep though. Thanks.
From my experience once these are assembled they’ll stay good for about a day or two before they start getting soggy. Just keep them in the fridge or a cooler while traveling! I hope this helps!
Cant wait to make this soon for me can i use vegan cream cheese and tofu i never had thai chicken pinwheels 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! 🙂