Description
Grilled Pesto Chicken Wraps packed with juicy chicken, flavorful pesto, and crunchy veggies. Quick, crowd-pleasing recipe for a satisfying meal.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 lb (450g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 3 tbsp (45ml) basil pesto, plus extra for spreading
- 1 tbsp (15ml) olive oil
- 1 tsp (5g) lemon zest
- 1 tbsp (15ml) lemon juice
- ½ tsp (3g) salt
- ¼ tsp (1g) black pepper
- 4 large flour tortillas (10-inch/25cm diameter)
- ½ cup (120g) cream cheese, softened (optional)
- 2 cups (80g) fresh spinach or romaine lettuce
- 1 cup (150g) cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 medium avocado, sliced
- ½ cup (50g) red onion, thinly sliced
- ½ cup (50g) cucumber, thinly sliced
- 4 tbsp (60g) crumbled feta cheese
Instructions
- Step 1: Marinate the Chicken In a medium bowl, combine 3 tablespoons of pesto, olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Mix well until you have a smooth marinade. Add the chicken breasts, turning to coat completely. For thicker chicken breasts, consider butterflying them first as mentioned in the pro tips. Allow the chicken to marinate for at least 15 minutes, though you can extend this up to 4 hours in the refrigerator for deeper flavor development.
- Step 2: Grill the Chicken Preheat your grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Once hot, lightly oil the grates to prevent sticking. Remove the chicken from the marinade, allowing excess to drip off. Place the chicken on the grill and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side until golden with nice grill marks and the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C). Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing into strips against the grain. This resting period ensures the chicken stays juicy when you slice it.
- Step 3: Prepare Wrap Components While the chicken rests, prepare your vegetables and other components. Halve the cherry tomatoes, slice the avocado, cucumber, and red onion, and wash and dry the lettuce or spinach. Having all components ready creates an efficient assembly line for your wraps. If using cream cheese, set it out to soften slightly for easier spreading.
- Step 4: Assemble the Wraps Warm the tortillas slightly to make them more pliable – about 10-15 seconds in the microwave or a few seconds on each side in a dry skillet. Lay each tortilla flat and spread with 1-2 tablespoons of additional pesto or the softened cream cheese, leaving a one-inch border around the edge. Layer on the spinach or lettuce, sliced grilled chicken, tomatoes, avocado, cucumber, red onion, and crumbled feta. Remember not to overfill, as this makes wrapping difficult.
- Step 5: Fold and Serve To properly fold your Grilled Pesto Chicken Wraps, first fold up the bottom of the tortilla about one-third of the way. Next, fold in both sides, then continue rolling from the bottom up, creating a tight cylinder that encloses all the fillings. For picnics or lunch boxes, wrap tightly in parchment paper or foil. For immediate serving, cut diagonally in half to showcase the colorful interior. Serve with additional pesto on the side for dipping if desired.
Notes
Fresh ingredients will always yield the best flavor results.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 wrap
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 810mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 27g
- Cholesterol: 80mg