Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)
Quick Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 tsp kosher salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil (for grilling) or 1 egg + 1/4 cup flour + 1 tbsp cornstarch + 1/2 cup panko + 1/2 tsp paprika (for crispy)
- 1/3 cup Frank’s RedHot Original + 3 tbsp melted butter + 1 tsp Worcestershire + 1/2 tsp garlic powder + 1 tsp honey (optional)
- 4 large (10-inch) flour tortillas
- 3 cups chopped romaine, 1 large tomato (diced), 2 celery stalks (thinly sliced)
- 1/2 cup blue-cheese or ranch dressing; 1/4 cup blue cheese crumbles (optional)
Do This
- 1. Whisk hot sauce, melted butter, Worcestershire, garlic powder, and honey; reserve 2 tbsp for drizzling.
- 2. Cook chicken: Grilled—season with salt, pepper, oil; cook 4–5 min/side to 165°F. Crispy—flour, egg, panko breading; bake 425°F for 18–20 min (flip once) or air fry 400°F 12–14 min.
- 3. Chop romaine, dice tomato, slice celery. Warm tortillas 20–30 sec/side in a dry skillet.
- 4. Slice chicken; toss with Buffalo sauce.
- 5. Fill tortillas with romaine, sauced chicken, celery, tomato; drizzle dressing and add crumbles if using.
- 6. Roll burrito-style; toast seam-side down 30–60 sec in a skillet. Serve with reserved sauce.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Fast, flexible cooking: choose juicy grilled chicken or crispy oven/air-fried tenders.
- Perfect flavor balance: tangy Buffalo heat, cool creamy dressing, and fresh crunchy veg.
- Meal-prep friendly: cook chicken ahead, assemble in minutes.
- Great handheld for lunch, game day, or weeknight dinners.
Grocery List
- Produce: Romaine hearts, 1 large tomato, 2 celery stalks, chives or parsley (optional)
- Dairy: Unsalted butter, blue-cheese or ranch dressing, blue cheese crumbles (optional), 1 large egg (if making crispy)
- Pantry: Boneless skinless chicken breasts, flour tortillas, Frank’s RedHot (or similar), Worcestershire, garlic powder, honey, olive oil, panko, all-purpose flour, cornstarch, smoked paprika, kosher salt, black pepper, cooking spray
Full Ingredients
Chicken & Buffalo Sauce
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 2 large) or tenders
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil (for grilling)
- 1/3 cup Frank’s RedHot Original (or other cayenne pepper sauce)
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp honey (optional, balances the heat)
Crispy Coating Option (instead of grilling)
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika (or sweet paprika)
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- Cooking spray or 1 tbsp neutral oil
Wraps & Fillings
- 4 large (10-inch) flour tortillas
- 3 cups chopped romaine hearts
- 1 large tomato, diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 celery stalks, thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
- 1/2 cup blue-cheese or ranch dressing
To Finish (Optional)
- 1/4 cup blue cheese crumbles
- 1 tbsp chopped chives or parsley
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Mix the Buffalo sauce
In a small bowl, whisk together 1/3 cup hot sauce, 3 tbsp melted butter, 1 tsp Worcestershire, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, and 1 tsp honey (optional). Whisk until smooth and slightly emulsified. Reserve 2 tbsp of the sauce for drizzling at the end; set the rest aside for tossing the chicken.
Step 2: Prep the chicken
For grilled chicken: Pat the chicken dry. If using large breasts, slice horizontally into cutlets about 1/2 inch thick for even cooking. Season both sides with 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper; rub with 1 tbsp olive oil.
For crispy chicken: Pat dry. Set up three shallow bowls—(1) 1/4 cup flour mixed with 1 tbsp cornstarch, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika, and 1/4 tsp salt; (2) 1 beaten egg; (3) 1/2 cup panko. Dredge chicken in flour, dip in egg, then coat in panko, pressing lightly so crumbs adhere.
Step 3: Cook the chicken (choose grilled or crispy)
Grilled: Heat a grill pan or outdoor grill over medium-high (surface about 450°F). Cook chicken 4–5 minutes per side, until the thickest part reaches 165°F. Transfer to a plate and rest 5 minutes.
Crispy—Oven: Preheat to 425°F. Place breaded chicken on a parchment-lined sheet; spritz lightly with cooking spray. Bake 18–20 minutes, flipping at 10 minutes, until 165°F and golden. Crispy—Air Fryer: Preheat to 400°F. Air-fry 12–14 minutes, flipping halfway, until 165°F and crisp.
Step 4: Prep the crunch and warm tortillas
Chop 3 cups romaine, dice 1 large tomato, and thinly slice 2 celery stalks. Keep chilled for extra crunch. Warm tortillas in a dry skillet 20–30 seconds per side (or microwave under a damp paper towel for 10–15 seconds) until pliable.
Step 5: Slice and sauce the chicken
Slice the rested chicken into thin strips or bite-size pieces. Place in a bowl and toss with the Buffalo sauce (not the reserved 2 tbsp). Coat thoroughly but don’t let the chicken sit too long in the sauce if you chose the crispy method—toss right before assembling to keep it crunchy.
Step 6: Assemble the wraps
Lay out each warm tortilla. Down the center of each, add about 3/4 cup romaine, then one-fourth of the Buffalo chicken, 1/4 cup diced tomato, and 1/4 cup sliced celery. Drizzle each with 2 tbsp blue-cheese or ranch dressing. Add a sprinkle of blue cheese crumbles and herbs if using. Leave a 1 1/2-inch border at the edges for clean folding.
Step 7: Wrap, toast, and serve
Fold the sides over the filling, then roll tightly from the bottom to form a burrito-style wrap. For a warm, lightly crisped exterior, place seam-side down in a dry skillet over medium heat for 30–60 seconds per side. Slice in half, drizzle with the reserved Buffalo sauce, and serve immediately.
Pro Tips
- Use a classic cayenne hot sauce (like Frank’s) for true Buffalo flavor; adjust heat by changing the hot sauce-to-butter ratio.
- Warm tortillas prevent cracking and help the wrap seal tightly.
- For extra-crispy chicken, mix 1 tsp oil into the panko and let it hydrate 5 minutes before breading.
- Toss crispy chicken with sauce at the last moment to keep the crust from softening.
- Slice the wrap with a serrated knife to avoid squishing the layers.
Variations
- Buffalo Caesar Wrap: Swap dressing for Caesar, add shaved Parmesan, and a squeeze of lemon.
- Buffalo Chicken Club: Add 4 slices cooked bacon and 1 sliced avocado to the filling.
- Vegetarian Buffalo Cauliflower: Roast 4 cups cauliflower florets at 450°F for 22–25 minutes, toss with Buffalo sauce, and assemble as written.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Cooked chicken keeps 4 days in the refrigerator. Buffalo sauce can be made 1 week ahead and refrigerated (warm gently to loosen). Chop veggies up to 24 hours in advance and store separately on paper towels to absorb moisture. For crispy chicken, re-crisp in a 400°F oven or 375°F air fryer for 5–7 minutes. Assemble wraps just before serving to preserve crunch. Leftover assembled wraps can be wrapped tightly in foil and refrigerated up to 24 hours, but the lettuce will soften. Cooked chicken (unsauced) can be frozen up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge.
Nutrition (per serving)
Approximate for one grilled wrap with ranch: 620 calories; 28g fat; 44g carbohydrates; 3g fiber; 37g protein; 1650mg sodium. Using blue-cheese dressing is similar; adding blue cheese crumbles adds about 25 calories. Crispy breaded chicken adds approximately 60–90 calories per wrap.
