Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps: A Light and Tasty Meal

Chicken salad lettuce wraps are simple: chicken salad served in lettuce leaves instead of bread. This small change makes a big difference! You get all the protein and flavor of chicken salad without the heavy bread. The lettuce adds a nice crunch that makes each bite more exciting.

These wraps are perfect when you want something:

• Light but filling
• Quick to make
• Healthy and fresh
• Easy to customize with your favorite flavors

Let’s learn how to make these tasty wraps at home!

Why Use Lettuce Instead of Bread?

Switching from bread to lettuce gives you several benefits:

It’s Lighter

Lettuce has far fewer calories than bread. Two slices of bread have about 150-200 calories, while lettuce leaves have only 5-10 calories. That’s a big difference if you’re watching what you eat!

It’s Low in Carbs

If you’re trying to eat fewer carbs, lettuce is a great choice. Bread has about 25-30 grams of carbs per sandwich, but lettuce has less than 1 gram.

It’s Gluten-Free

For people who can’t eat gluten (a protein found in wheat), lettuce is naturally gluten-free. No special ingredients needed!

It Adds Crunch

The crisp texture of lettuce makes eating more fun. It gives a satisfying crunch that soft bread can’t match.

It Adds Nutrients

Lettuce contains vitamins A and K, which are good for your eyes and bones. It also has lots of water, which helps keep you hydrated.

Picking the Best Lettuce

Not all lettuce works well for wraps. Here are the best kinds to use:

Butter Lettuce (Also Called Boston or Bibb)

This is often the best choice because:

• The leaves form natural cups that hold filling well
• It has a mild, sweet flavor
• The leaves are both soft and strong
• It’s easy to fold without breaking

Romaine Hearts

These long, narrow leaves are sturdy and can hold heavier fillings. They have:

• A crisp texture
• A slightly bitter flavor that adds character
• Good strength for folding

Iceberg Lettuce

Don’t let food snobs fool you – iceberg works great for wraps! It offers:

• The most crunch of any lettuce
• A neutral flavor that doesn’t compete with your filling
• Cup-shaped leaves that hold filling well

Green or Red Leaf Lettuce

These varieties offer:

• A nice middle ground between tender and sturdy
• Ruffled edges that look pretty
• Mild flavor

Getting Your Lettuce Ready

Follow these steps for perfect lettuce leaves:

1. Wash thoroughly: Rinse each leaf under cold water, paying special attention to the base where dirt hides.
2. Dry completely: Wet lettuce makes soggy wraps! Use a salad spinner or pat dry with paper towels.
3. Chill: Place washed and dried leaves in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before using them. This makes them crisper and less likely to tear.
4. Remove thick ribs if needed: For types like romaine, you might want to trim the thickest part of the center rib if it makes folding difficult.

Making Great Chicken Salad

The chicken salad is the star of your wrap. Here’s how to make it delicious:

Choosing Your Chicken

Store-bought rotisserie chicken: This is the easiest option! Just pull the meat off, remove the skin, and chop or shred it.

Poached chicken: Simmer chicken breasts in water or broth with some salt until cooked through. This gives you tender, juicy chicken.

Grilled chicken: If you want smoky flavor, grilled chicken is perfect. Let it cool before chopping.

Baked chicken: Simple oven-baked chicken works well too. Season with salt and pepper, bake until done, then cool and chop.

Canned chicken: In a pinch, canned chicken works. Drain it well before using.

Always let your chicken cool completely before mixing it with other ingredients.

Making It Creamy

You need something to hold your chicken salad together. Here are good options:

Mayonnaise: The classic choice that gives richness and flavor.

Greek yogurt: Has half the calories of mayo and adds protein. Mix with a little mayo for the best flavor.

Mashed avocado: A healthy option that adds good fats. Add lemon juice to keep it from turning brown.

Hummus: For a different flavor, hummus makes a tasty binder.

Olive oil and vinegar: For a lighter option without cream, a simple dressing of oil and vinegar works well.

Adding Flavor

Good chicken salad needs proper seasoning:

Salt and pepper: These basics enhance all other flavors.

Fresh herbs: Add chopped herbs like dill, parsley, or cilantro for freshness.

Lemon or lime juice: A squeeze of citrus brightens everything up.

Onion family: Chopped green onions, red onion, or chives add zippy flavor.

Mustard: A spoonful of Dijon mustard adds tang and helps mix everything well.

Tasty Flavor Combinations

One of the best things about chicken salad lettuce wraps is how easily you can change the flavors. Here are five delicious options:

Mediterranean Style

This version tastes like sunshine:

• Mix chicken with Greek yogurt and olive oil
• Add diced cucumber, olives, tomatoes, and crumbled feta cheese
• Mix in fresh herbs like oregano and dill
• Season with lemon juice and garlic
• Finish with a drizzle of olive oil

Asian-Inspired

These flavors are bright and exciting:

• Mix chicken with mayonnaise and a little sesame oil
• Add mandarin orange pieces, water chestnuts, and snow peas
• Mix in green onions, cilantro, and sesame seeds
• Season with soy sauce, rice vinegar, ginger, and honey
• Add a little hot sauce if you like spice

Southwest

Bold Tex-Mex flavors make this version special:

• Mix chicken with Greek yogurt and mashed avocado
• Add black beans, corn, diced red bell pepper, and red onion
• Mix in plenty of cilantro and a little chopped jalapeño (seeds removed)
• Season with lime juice, cumin, and chili powder
• Add a sprinkle of cheese if you like

Curry Chicken Salad

Warm spices make this version cozy and delicious:

• Mix chicken with mayonnaise and curry powder
• Add diced apples, raisins, and almonds
• Mix in diced celery and red onion
• Season with lime juice and honey
• Add a little mango chutney if you have it

Herb Garden

Fresh herbs make this version bright and flavorful:

• Mix chicken with mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, and lots of chopped herbs
• Use a mix of dill, parsley, basil, and chives
• Add diced celery, green apples, and walnuts
• Season with lemon juice and a little mustard
• Add cracked black pepper

Adding Texture and Nutrition

Make your chicken salad more interesting by adding different textures:

Crunchy Add-ins

Nuts and seeds: Chopped almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, or pumpkin seeds add healthy crunch.

Celery: The classic addition that adds watery crunch.

Water chestnuts: These canned vegetables have amazing crunch with little flavor.

Apple: Diced apple adds sweet crunch. Toss with lemon juice to prevent browning.

Sweet Additions

Grapes: Halved grapes add juicy sweetness that goes well with chicken.

Dried cranberries or cherries: These add chewy texture and bright flavor.

Mandarin oranges: Canned or fresh segments add juicy citrus flavor to Asian-style wraps.

Diced mango: Adds tropical sweetness that pairs well with curry flavors.

Colorful Vegetables

Shredded carrots: Add color, sweetness, and nutrients.

Bell peppers: Diced red, yellow, or orange peppers add vitamin C and bright color.

Cucumber: Adds refreshing crunch that works with most chicken salad recipes.

Making Perfect Wraps

Follow these tips to build lettuce wraps that don’t fall apart:

Before You Start

1. Make sure your chicken pieces and add-ins are about the same size for easy eating.
2. Don’t make your chicken salad too wet or it will drip.
3. Let cold ingredients warm up for 10-15 minutes before making wraps. Very cold lettuce breaks more easily.

Building Your Wrap

1. Don’t overfill: Use about 3-4 tablespoons of chicken salad per lettuce leaf.
2. Place filling correctly: Put the chicken salad slightly below the center of the leaf, leaving room at the bottom and sides for folding.
3. Spread it out: Instead of making a tall pile, spread the filling in an oval shape for easier wrapping.
4. Double up if needed: For extra support, overlap two leaves to make one stronger wrapper.

How to Fold Different Lettuce Types

Butter Lettuce (Cup Method):

• Place filling in the natural cup shape
• Fold the sides in toward the center
• Roll from the bottom up, tucking sides as you go

Romaine Hearts (Taco Style):

• Place filling along the center ridge
• Simply fold the sides up like a taco
• Use a toothpick to hold it together if needed

Iceberg Lettuce (Envelope Fold):

• Place filling in the center
• Fold bottom up over filling
• Fold sides in toward center
• Roll from bottom to top

Handle the lettuce gently, and don’t try to put too much filling in each wrap.

Making Wraps Ahead of Time

With a little planning, you can prepare components ahead:

Preparing Parts Separately

1. Chicken Salad: This can be made 1-3 days ahead. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
2. Lettuce Leaves: Wash, dry, and store between paper towels in a sealed container or plastic bag up to 3 days ahead.
3. Fresh Garnishes: Prepare herbs or green onions no more than a day ahead.

Keeping Everything Fresh

• Always keep chicken salad cold. Don’t leave it out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
• Store chicken salad in shallow containers that cool quickly in the fridge.
• Adding lemon juice or vinegar to your recipe helps keep it fresh longer.

Storing Assembled Wraps

While best made fresh, you can prepare wraps ahead:

1. For a few hours: Wrap each one in parchment paper, then loosely in plastic wrap.
2. For lunch boxes: Pack chicken salad and lettuce leaves separately and assemble just before eating.
3. For parties: Set up a “build-your-own” station with chicken salad in a bowl over ice and lettuce leaves on a platter.

Serving Ideas

Make your chicken salad lettuce wraps into a complete meal:

Side Dishes That Go Well

Fresh fruit: A simple fruit salad or sliced melon makes a refreshing side.

Light soup: Clear broth soups or cold soups like gazpacho pair nicely.

Grain salads: Quinoa or rice salads with light dressing add more substance.

Roasted vegetables: Seasoned roasted veggies make a warm contrast to cool wraps.

Sweet potato chips: These add satisfying crunch without competing flavors.

Making It Look Nice

On a platter: Arrange wraps in a spiral or fan pattern on a round plate.

Individual servings: Give each person two wraps on a small plate.

DIY station: Let everyone make their own with bowls of chicken salad, lettuce leaves, and toppings.

Tasty Dipping Sauces

Herb yogurt sauce: Mix Greek yogurt with fresh herbs, lemon, and garlic.

Honey mustard: Mix equal parts Dijon mustard and honey.

Sesame ginger sauce: Mix soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, ginger, and honey.

Spicy mayo: Mix mayonnaise with hot sauce to taste.

Easy Classic Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps Recipe

Here’s a simple recipe to get you started:

What You Need

For the Chicken Salad:

• 3 cups cooked chicken breast, cooled and chopped (about 1 pound)
• ½ cup mayonnaise (or ¼ cup mayo and ¼ cup Greek yogurt for a lighter version)
• 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
• ¼ cup red onion, finely chopped
• ¼ cup sliced almonds, toasted
• ¼ cup dried cranberries
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

For Assembly:

• 1-2 heads butter lettuce, leaves separated, washed and dried
• Optional garnishes: more herbs, lemon wedges, pepper

How to Make It

1. In a large bowl, mix mayonnaise (or mayo-yogurt mixture), lemon juice, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. Stir until smooth.
2. Add the chopped chicken to the dressing and stir gently to coat.
3. Add celery, red onion, almonds, cranberries, dill, and parsley. Stir until everything is mixed evenly.
4. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors blend (you can make it up to a day ahead).
5. When ready to eat, put about 3 tablespoons of chicken salad onto the center of each lettuce leaf.
6. Fold the bottom of the leaf up over the filling, then fold in the sides, and roll to create a wrap. Or simply serve as open cups.
7. Arrange on a plate, add any garnishes, and enjoy right away!

Nutrition Facts (per wrap, using 2 tablespoons filling and 1 butter lettuce leaf):

• Calories: 95
• Protein: 9g
• Carbohydrates: 3g
• Fat: 6g
• Fiber: 1g
• Sodium: 135mg

Why You’ll Love These Wraps

Chicken salad lettuce wraps are a winner for so many reasons:

They’re easy to make – you can even use leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken from the store.

They’re healthy – packed with protein and vegetables with fewer calories than sandwiches.

They’re flexible – change the flavors based on what you like or what you have in your kitchen.

They work for any occasion – from quick lunches to fancy party appetizers.

Most importantly, they show that eating lighter doesn’t mean eating boring food! By combining protein, vegetables, fruits, and tasty seasonings, these wraps give you lots of flavor and different textures while still being good for you.

Use the ideas in this article as a starting point, then experiment with your own favorite ingredients. The possibilities are endless!

What’s your favorite way to make chicken salad lettuce wraps? Do you have a special ingredient that makes them extra delicious? We’d love to hear about it!