Chicken Caesar Wrap

Name: Chicken Caesar Wrap
Prep time: 26 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 41 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 lb (about 2 medium breasts) (450 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to an even ¾-inch (2 cm) thickness and patted dry; 1 tbsp (14 ml) olive oil; ½ tsp (3 g) kosher salt; ½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground; ½ tsp (1½ g) garlic powder; ½ tsp (1 g) sweet paprika; ½ cup (115 g) mayonnaise; 3 tbsp (15 g) Parmesan cheese, finely grated; 1½ tbsp (22 ml) fresh lemon juice; 1½ tsp (8 g) Dijon mustard; 1½ tsp (8 ml) Worcestershire sauce; 1 clove (3 g) small garlic clove, grated on a fine grater or minced to a paste; ¾ tsp (4 g) anchovy paste (optional); 1½ tbsp (22 ml) cold water; 6 cups (220 g) romaine lettuce hearts, washed, spun very dry and cut into ½-inch (1 cm) wide ribbons; ½ cup (30 g) Parmesan cheese, shaved into thin shards with a vegetable peeler; ½ cup (25 g) plain croutons, lightly crushed (optional); 4 tortillas (240 g) large flour tortillas, 10-inch (25 cm), at room temperature

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Juicy pan-seared chicken, crisp romaine and a punchy homemade Caesar dressing are rolled up in a warm flour tortilla. It's a fast, handheld lunch or dinner that tastes far better than the deli version.

Prep: 26 min
Cook: 15 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 46 min
Makes: 4 wraps (each about 8 inches long)

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the chicken
1 lb (about 2 medium breasts) (450 g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to an even ¾-inch (2 cm) thickness and patted dry
1 tbsp (14 ml) olive oil
½ tsp (3 g) kosher salt
½ tsp (1 g) black pepper, freshly ground
½ tsp (1.5 g) garlic powder
½ tsp (1 g) sweet paprika
For the Caesar dressing
½ cup (115 g) mayonnaise
3 tbsp (15 g) Parmesan cheese, finely grated
1½ tbsp (22 ml) fresh lemon juice
1½ tsp (8 g) Dijon mustard
1½ tsp (8 ml) Worcestershire sauce
1 clove (3 g) small garlic clove, grated on a fine grater or minced to a paste
¾ tsp (4 g) anchovy paste (optional)
1½ tbsp (22 ml) cold water
For the wraps
6 cups (220 g) romaine lettuce hearts, washed, spun very dry and cut into ½-inch (1 cm) wide ribbons
½ cup (30 g) Parmesan cheese, shaved into thin shards with a vegetable peeler
½ cup (25 g) plain croutons, lightly crushed (optional)
4 tortillas (240 g) large flour tortillas, 10-inch (25 cm), at room temperature

Equipment (9)

12-inch (30 cm) heavy skillet (cast iron or stainless steel)
Instant-read thermometer
Meat mallet or heavy rolling pin
Cutting board and sharp knife
Small bowl and whisk
Large mixing bowl
Plastic wrap or parchment, for pounding the chicken
Vegetable peeler, for shaving the Parmesan
Clean kitchen towel, for keeping tortillas warm

Steps

Before you start

Take the chicken out of the fridge when you start; it cooks more evenly after about 10 minutes at room temperature. The seasoning rest overlaps with making the dressing and prepping the greens, so it adds no extra time.
Use large 10-inch (25 cm) flour tortillas. Smaller ones are hard to fold without tearing.
Wash and thoroughly dry the romaine. Wet leaves water down the dressing and make the wraps soggy.
Use an instant-read thermometer. Chicken is safe at 165°F (74°C); cook until the thickest part reads 165°F, then take it off the heat right away so it stays juicy.
The dressing makes about ¾ cup (180 ml): 4 tbsp for the lettuce, 4 tbsp to spread on the tortillas and 4 tbsp for dipping.

1
Season the chicken
- Place the chicken breasts between two sheets of plastic wrap or parchment.
- Pound with a mallet or rolling pin to an even ¾-inch (2 cm) thickness.
- Pat both sides very dry with paper towels.
- Mix the kosher salt, black pepper, garlic powder and paprika in a small dish and rub it over both sides of the chicken.
- Set it aside at room temperature while you make the dressing and prep the greens (about 10 minutes in total).
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Ready when: Chicken is an even thickness all over, with no thick hump at one end
Tip: Even thickness stops the thin end drying out before the thick end is cooked.
2
Whisk the dressing
- In a small bowl whisk the mayonnaise, finely grated Parmesan, lemon juice, Dijon, Worcestershire, grated garlic and anchovy paste (if using).
- Whisk in the cold water a little at a time until the dressing is pourable, like thick cream.
- It makes about ¾ cup (180 ml).
- Taste it: it should be tangy, savory and garlicky.
- Add a few drops more lemon juice if it tastes flat.
- Refrigerate until needed.
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Ready when: Smooth, pale and slowly drips off the whisk
Tip: Skip extra salt. The Parmesan, anchovy and Worcestershire already season it well.
3
Prep romaine and Parmesan
- Cut the dry romaine into ½-inch (1 cm) ribbons and put them in a large bowl.
- Shave the Parmesan into thin shards with a vegetable peeler.
- Keep both ready but undressed.
- By now the chicken has sat out about 10 minutes.
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Ready when: Romaine ribbons are dry and Parmesan shards are thin and wide
Tip: Any damp lettuce will thin the dressing, so blot it with a towel if needed.
4
Sear the chicken
- Heat a 12-inch (30 cm) skillet over medium-high heat for 2 minutes.
- Add the olive oil and swirl.
- Lay the chicken in the pan, spaced apart.
- Cook without moving for 5 to 6 minutes, until the underside is deep golden brown and releases easily.
- Flip and cook 4 to 5 minutes more.
- Check the thickest part with a thermometer; if it is under 165°F (74°C), cook 1 minute longer and check again.
- Transfer to a cutting board as soon as it reads 165°F (74°C).
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Ready when: Golden brown crust and 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part
Tip: If the chicken sticks, wait another 30 seconds; it releases once the crust forms. If the oil smokes heavily, lower the heat to medium.
5
Rest the chicken
- Leave the chicken undisturbed on the cutting board for 5 minutes, loosely tented with foil if you like.
- Do not cut it yet.
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Ready when: Thermometer still reads at least 165°F (74°C) after resting
Tip: Cutting too early lets the juices run onto the board and leaves the chicken dry.
6
Slice the chicken
- Slice the rested chicken against the grain into strips about ½ inch (1 cm) thick.
- Cut any strips longer than 4 inches (10 cm) in half so they sit neatly in the wrap.
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Ready when: Slices are opaque and white throughout, with no pink and clear juices
7
Dress the lettuce
- Add 4 tablespoons (60 ml) of the dressing and half of the shaved Parmesan to the bowl of romaine.
- Toss with your hands or tongs until every leaf is lightly coated.
- Leave the remaining 8 tablespoons (120 ml) of dressing in the fridge for spreading and dipping.
- Do this right before assembling, as dressed lettuce wilts within minutes.
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Ready when: Leaves are glossy and evenly coated, not dripping or pooled with dressing
Tip: Add the dressing a spoonful at a time and stop when the leaves are coated; extra will make the wraps soggy.
8
Warm the tortillas
- Heat a clean, dry skillet over medium heat.
- Warm each tortilla for 15 to 20 seconds per side, until soft, pliable and dotted with a few light brown spots.
- Stack the warmed tortillas under a clean kitchen towel to keep them flexible.
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Ready when: Tortilla bends without cracking and puffs slightly
Tip: Cold tortillas crack when rolled. Do not overheat or they turn stiff and crisp.
9
Fill the wraps
- Lay one tortilla flat.
- Spread 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of the reserved dressing in a strip down the center, leaving a 2-inch (5 cm) border at the bottom and sides.
- Pile on a quarter of the dressed romaine, then a quarter of the chicken slices.
- Top with a quarter of the remaining shaved Parmesan and some crushed croutons, if using.
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Ready when: Filling forms a compact log in the center with room to fold
Tip: Overfilling is the main cause of torn wraps. Keep the filling to about 3 inches (7.5 cm) wide.
10
Fold and roll
- Fold the bottom edge of the tortilla up over the filling.
- Fold in the left and right sides.
- Roll away from you, tucking as you go, into a tight cylinder with the seam on the bottom.
- Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
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Ready when: Wrap is tight and holds its shape with the seam facing down
Tip: Hold the filling snugly with your fingertips as you roll so it doesn't push out the ends.
11
Slice and serve
- Using a sharp serrated knife, cut each wrap in half on a diagonal.
- Serve right away with the remaining 4 tablespoons (60 ml) of dressing for dipping.
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Ready when: Clean cut with filling visible and intact
Tip: For neater halves, wrap the bottom half in parchment or foil to hold it together.

Good to know

Tips

Pound the chicken to an even thickness. It's the single biggest factor in juicy, evenly cooked chicken.
Dry the romaine thoroughly with a salad spinner or towels. Water thins the dressing and makes the tortilla soggy.
Warm the tortillas just before rolling. Warm tortillas are flexible, and cold ones crack at the folds.
Dress the lettuce right before assembling. Dressed leaves wilt quickly, so don't toss them ahead of time.

Make ahead

Cook, rest and slice the chicken up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate it in an airtight container. Make the dressing up to 3 days ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. Wash and dry the romaine up to 1 day ahead. Dress the lettuce and assemble the wraps just before serving.

Storage & reheating

Best eaten right away. Assembled wraps can be wrapped tightly in foil and refrigerated for up to 4 hours, though the tortilla will soften. Leftover cooked chicken keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days, and the dressing for up to 3 days. The assembled wraps do not freeze well because of the lettuce and mayonnaise-based dressing. Cooked chicken alone freezes for up to 2 months. To reheat chicken, warm the slices in a skillet over medium-low heat for 2 to 3 minutes until hot to 165°F (74°C), then assemble the wraps with fresh lettuce.

Substitutions

mayonnaise → plain full-fat Greek yogurt. Gives a tangier, lighter dressing. Use the same amount and add an extra ½ tsp of water if it's too thick.
boneless, skinless chicken breasts → boneless, skinless chicken thighs. More forgiving and juicier. Cook 5 to 6 minutes per side until 175°F (79°C).
large flour tortillas, 10-inch (25 cm) → spinach or whole-wheat tortillas, 10-inch (25 cm). Warm them the same way. Whole-wheat tortillas tear a little more easily, so don't overfill.
anchovy paste → an extra ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce. Keeps the savory depth if you don't have anchovy paste or want to skip fish.