Save The first time I made buffalo chicken wraps, it was snowing outside and I had leftover rotisserie chicken. My roommate kept peeking around the corner asking if they were ready yet, which turned a regular Tuesday into something that felt like a tiny kitchen party.
I started making these for Sunday football gatherings, but now they appear at least twice a month because someone in the house specifically requests them. The ritual of setting out four bowls of fillings and letting everyone build their own has become its own kind of comfort.
Ingredients
- 2 cups cooked chicken breast, shredded: Rotisserie chicken works perfectly here, or poach your own breasts ahead of time
- 1/2 cup buffalo wing sauce: Franks RedHot is the classic choice, but any hot sauce will work
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted: This small addition mellows the sharpness of the hot sauce
- 4 large flour tortillas: Room temperature tortillas fold without cracking
- 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese: Mild cheddar balances the heat without overwhelming the other flavors
- 1/2 cup ranch dressing: Homemade or bottled, just make sure its creamy not watery
- 1/4 cup cream cheese, softened: Acts as the glue that holds everything together
- 1 cup shredded romaine lettuce: Iceberg works too but romaine holds up better to the warm chicken
- 1/2 cup diced celery: Essential crunch that cuts through the richness
- 1/2 cup diced tomato: Seed the tomatoes first or your wrap gets soggy
- 1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion: Soak in cold water for 10 minutes to tame the bite
Instructions
- Coat the chicken:
- Toss the shredded chicken with buffalo sauce and melted butter until every piece is evenly coated, then warm it in a skillet over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally so it heats through without drying out.
- Prep the tortillas:
- Lay out one tortilla and make a single straight cut from the center to the edge like youre cutting a slice of pizza.
- Layer the quarters:
- Imagine the tortilla divided into four sections and spread 1 tablespoon cream cheese on one quarter, pile the chicken mixture on the next, add cheddar cheese on the third, and arrange lettuce, celery, tomato, and red onion on the fourth.
- Add the finishing touches:
- Drizzle ranch dressing over the vegetables and sprinkle with blue cheese if you want extra tang.
- Fold into triangles:
- Starting from the cream cheese quarter, fold each section over the next one clockwise until you have a neat layered triangle.
- Crisp it up:
- Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat and cook the wrap seam side down for 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden brown and heated through.
- Repeat and serve:
- Make the remaining wraps with the rest of your ingredients and serve them while theyre still warm.
Save My friend Sarah refused to eat buffalo anything until she tried these at my place. Now she texts me every time she makes them, which feels like the highest compliment a recipe can receive.
Making These Ahead
You can cook the buffalo chicken up to three days in advance and store it in the refrigerator. Reheat it gently in the microwave before assembling the wraps so it melts the cheese properly.
Choosing Your Heat Level
Start with less buffalo sauce than you think you need. You can always drizzle more over the vegetables before folding, but you cannot take it back once the chicken is coated.
Getting That Perfect Crisp
A hot pan is nonnegotiable for the golden exterior. Let your skillet warm up for at least 2 minutes before adding the first wrap.
- Do not press down on the wrap with your spatula
- Keep the heat at medium to avoid burning the tortilla before the cheese melts
- Let the wrap rest for 1 minute after cooking so the filling sets
Save These wraps have saved more weeknight dinners than I can count, and the fact that they come together in under half an hour makes them feel like a small victory.