This easy Chicken Salad Wrap with a creamy dressing and tons of flavor is a nutritious meal you can meal prep ahead of time for an easy lunch! And it's a tasty way to use up leftover chicken. 😊
As a dietitian, I'm always excited to create healthy recipes that make life a little easier for people. And this is a new favorite way to make chicken salad and enjoy it in a wrap when I'm short on time. It's a lunch recipe the whole family will love and the best part is you can meal prep enough to have lunch for a few days!
This was inspired by my Chicken Salad without Mayo. I wanted to make it into a meal that is a little bit more filling.
If you're looking for more chicken salad recipes, try my Buffalo Chicken Salad, Green Goddess Chicken Salad, or Tuscan Chicken Salad!
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Key Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
This Chicken Salad Wrap recipe is made with a handful of ingredients. Below are some ingredient notes. Check the printable recipe card at the bottom for complete ingredient list.
Chicken Salad Ingredients
- Chicken - I use store-bought rotisserie chicken for this recipe. Feel free to use cooked chicken breasts or chicken thighs.
- Celery - Crunchy celery adds fiber for a healthy gut. Feel free to leave it out or substitute it with different crunchy fresh vegetables like English or Persian cucumber, bell pepper, or snap peas.
- Red Onion - to add a hint of delicate peppery taste.
- Grapes - one of my favorite things to add to chicken salad for a bit of sweetness and balance out the savory dressing.
- Parsley - fresh parsley adds so much flavor to chicken salad and it also adds antioxidants. Dill, oregano, or fresh cilantro would work too.
- Nuts - I like to use walnuts but any nuts or seeds work. Crunchy pecans, sliced almonds, pine nuts, or pumpkin seeds work well.
- Plain Greek Yogurt - Greek yogurt replaces mayo or sour cream typically found in chicken salad. It's lower in saturated fats and also provides a similar flavor and gives this chicken salad a creamy consistency! If you don't like the flavor of plain Greek yogurt, feel free to substitute it with blended cottage cheese..
- Dijon Mustard - a little bit of Dijon elevates the flavor and adds some tang and spice.
- Lemon Juice - lemon juice adds citric acid which helps brighten the flavor. It also adds vitamin C for your immune system. If you prefer, substitute with lime juice instead.
- Garlic Powder - I prefer using garlic powder instead of fresh garlic here because it's a bit more concentrated and a little goes a long way.
- Kosher Salt and Black Pepper - a pinch of salt and pepper ties all the flavors together.
Wrap Ingredients
- Wrap or tortilla - I suggest using a burrito-sized tortilla that will wrap easily! Using a tortilla that is too small makes it hard to wrap and is more effort than it's worth. Look for a wrap that is at least 10 inches in size. If you can find them, Siete brand has tasty gluten-free burrito wraps. You can find them in the frozen section of the grocery store. If you aren't gluten-free, I suggest using a whole-wheat tortilla for a bit more fiber.
- Fillings of choice (optional) - sometimes I like to add spinach for greens. You can skip it or use your own favorite greens like arugula, kale, or romaine lettuce.
How to Make a Chicken Salad Wrap
Below are the instructions for how to make these easy chicken salad wraps with some process shots that I hope are helpful! Don't forget to check out the recipe card at the bottom for the full recipe.
- Step 1: Shred or chop the chicken, celery, red onion, grapes, walnuts, and parsley. Whisk together the dressing ingredients in the bottom of a large bowl.
- Step 2: Add the chicken, celery, red onions, parsley, grapes, and nuts.
- Step 3: Toss everything together. Give it a taste and add more salt as needed.
- Step 4: Heat a burrito-sized wrap or tortilla to make it more pliable by covering it with a damp paper towel and microwaving it for about 10-20 seconds. Place it on a clean flat surface. Add a layer of greens on the end of the wrap closest to you, leaving at least an inch of space on the sides and bottom edge. Add the chicken salad on top of the greens in the center of the tortilla. To wrap, fold sides of the tortilla toward the middle. Then fold the bottom of the tortilla and tuck the edges of the wrap under. Roll the tortilla away from you to the edge.
Hint: to make shredding the chicken easier, pulse it a few times in a food processor!
Dietitian Tip
Eating a balanced lunch that contains protein, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats and helps you meet your percent daily value for several nutrients is a great way to ensure you feel satisfied! It can help decrease late afternoon cravings and also supports hormone health. This Chicken Salad Wrap is a balanced option for a satisfying lunch. 😊
Variations
The great thing about Chicken Salad wrap is you can customize to your taste! Below are some great options but feel free to get creative.
- Creamy Avocado Chicken Salad Wrap - add creaminess, extra fiber, and potassium by adding a layer of avocado mash to the tortilla before adding the chicken salad.
- Lettuce Wraps - if you want a low carb option, lettuce wraps are a great way to serve these. Whole lettuce leaf like romaine lettuce or butter lettuce are both sturdy with a bit of crunch and work well for this.
- Mediterranean -add cherry tomatoes, feta cheese or goat cheese, and cucumber slices to give these chicken wraps a Mediterranean flare.
- Dairy Free - make this recipe dairy-free by replacing Greek yogurt with your favorite plant-based yogurt. Coconut yogurt, cashew yogurt, or almond milk yogurt would all work here.
- Spicy - add chili pepper flakes or sriracha to the mix if you like your chicken salad on the spicy side.
- Sweet - add sweet flavor with fresh fruit like crisp apples or use dried cranberries or chopped dates for extra sweetness!
- Double Dill - for a touch of a salty, briny taste, turn it into dill pickle chicken salad by adding chopped dill pickles and fresh dill in place of grapes and pickle juice in place of lemon juice.
Meal Prep and Storage for Chicken Salad Wrap
- Meal Prep - chop the chicken and veggies ahead of time and make the dressing. That way everything is ready to throw together at lunchtime!
- Refrigerator - store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
Expert Tips
- Be sure to use seasoned chicken that you like the flavor of!
- Give it a taste and add salt if needed. If you prefer a creamier chicken salad, add more Greek yogurt or a tablespoon or 2 of mayo.
- Use a burrito sized wrap to make it easier to fold!
- One of the easiest ways to shred chicken for chicken salads is to shred it in a food processor. All you have to do is pulse it for a few seconds.
- For the best flavor, I suggest using fresh lemon juice in the dressing instead of bottled lemon juice if possible.
FAQ
While healthy means something different to everyone, this Chicken Salad Wrap is a nutrient-rich option. It contains lean proteins from the chicken, calcium from the Greek yogurt, and other nutrients including antioxidants, vitamins C and B6, and magnesium from the additional ingredients. Walnuts add ALAs and Omega-3s that support brain health. A whole-grain tortilla adds fiber and carbohydrates which are your brain's preferred source of energy.
Nope! I usually use rotisserie chicken because it's convenient. I choose the natural chicken without a lot of added ingredients. But you can use any shredded chicken you prefer. If you want get fresh chicken breasts or chicken thighs and cook them using your preferred cooking method, that works too.
Related
Looking for other dietitian recipes like this? Try these:
Perfect for Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with this Chicken Salad Wrap:
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! I would love to hear from you! If you made this recipe, please leave me a review below or tag me in a photo or story on Instagram. Your reviews help support me and make it possible for me to continue to create the recipes you know and love. 🙂 IG: @mallorythedietitian
📖 Recipe
Creamy Chicken Salad Wrap Recipe (Easy Meal Prep)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups shredded chicken
- 2 stalks celery, chopped ~½ cup chopped
- ¼ cup red onion, chopped
- ½ cup grapes, quartered
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, loosely packed, chopped
- 2 tablespoon walnuts, chopped
For Dressing
- ½ cup Greek yogurt
- 1-2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 large lemon, juiced ~3.5 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt more to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper more to taste
For Assembling
- large tortillas or wraps, I recommend using 10 inch sized wraps
- your favorite greens
Instructions
- Shred or chop the chicken, celery, red onion, grapes, walnuts, and parsley.
- Whisk together the dressing ingredients in the bottom of a large bowl.
- Add the chicken and other ingredients and toss everything together. Give it a taste and add more salt as needed.
- Heat a burrito-sized wrap or tortilla to make it more pliable by covering it with a damp paper towel and microwaving it for about 10-20 seconds. Place it on a clean flat surface. Add a layer of greens on the end of the wrap closest to you, leaving at least an inch of space on the sides and bottom edge.
- Add a heaping half cup of the chicken salad on top of the greens in the center of the tortilla. To wrap, fold sides of the tortilla toward the middle. Then fold the bottom of the tortilla and tuck the edges of the wrap under. Roll the tortilla away from you to the edge.
- Hint: to make shredding the chicken even easier, pulse it a few times in a food processor!
Notes
- Be sure to use seasoned chicken that you like the flavor of!
- Give it a taste and add salt if needed. If you prefer a creamier chicken salad, add more Greek yogurt or a tablespoon or 2 of mayo.
- Use a burrito sized wrap to make it easier to fold!
- For the best flavor, I suggest using fresh lemon juice in the dressing instead of bottled lemon juice if possible.
- Meal Prep - chop the chicken and veggies ahead of time and make the dressing. That way everything is ready to throw together at lunchtime!
- Refrigerator - store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
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