Everything you love about buffalo wings in a cute, tidy, nutrition punched package? Here for it! These Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps deliver – with big flavor, a super simple process, and flexible dietary accommodations. Naturally gluten free and low carb with a Whole30 option, you’ll be reaching for these healthy chicken wraps for quick weeknight dinners, meal prep, game day, and more.
In today’s edition of keeping it real with real foods, we’re going to up the healthy-ish factor while maintaining the flavor bomb factor by making these Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps. And we’re gonna do it in just about 20 minutes.
Magic you say? Nah. Well…maybe a little, but no wand required.
These wraps are oh so perfect in so many ways, so let’s count ’em out:
- They’re super fast. If you use leftover roasted chicken, they go from idea to reality in just 20 minutes.
- They’re incredibly easy – the perfect starter recipe for getting your kids into the kitchen, or anyone who’s intimidating by cooking from scratch.
- They’re pretty darn healthy. Loaded with protein and Vitamin A plus big pops of Vitamin C, calcium and iron, they’re also naturally gluten free and low carb, with a super simple substitution for Whole30 and paleo.
- They’re weeknight dinner friendly, meal prep friendly, crowd-friendly – all of the friendly! The friendliest wraps you ever did meet.
- They’re addictive – move over potato chips because there’s a new “can’t eat just one” game in town.
How to Make Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps
I built these buffalo chicken lettuce wraps a few different ways before settling on simple shredded chicken. This method is quick, healthy, and a terrific way to use up leftover roasted chicken – no waste for the win! Creamy avocado and tangy blue cheese temper the spicy buffalo chicken for a perfectly balanced wrap experience packed with bangin’ flavor. YUM!
- Make some wing sauce. Do it the epic way and use not one, but two kinds of buffalo sauce for best flavor (we like Frank’s Red Hot and Texas Petes).
- Toss the wing sauce with shredded chicken – use the leftovers from a roasted chicken, or toss a few chicken breasts into the Instant Pot.
Oh, hello yummy!
Now let’s gather our lettuce wrap essentials:
- A head of butter lettuce or romaine, leaves separated
- Shredded cabbage and carrots for color and crunch
- Avocado slices for creaminess and healthy fats
- Blue cheese crumbles for tang – skip these if you’re Whole30 or Paleo and opt for compliant ranch dressing instead
Layer it like a pro!
- Layer 1 – lettuce cup
- Layer 2 – cabbage and carrots
- Layer 3 – avocado slices
- Layer 4 – shredded buffalo chicken
- Layer 5 – blue cheese crumbles
And we’re done – so easy! So delicious! Not to mention punched up with vitamins and totally flexible for so many dietary lifestyles – these guys are naturally gluten free, low carb, and Whole30-friendly.
My Best Tips for Making Crave-worthy Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps
- Use leftover rotisserie chicken for a super fast weeknight dinner.
- Combine two brands of hot sauce for superior flavor.
- Make it Whole30 and Paleo: use ghee in place of butter for the wing sauce; skip the blue cheese crumbles and drizzle with Whole30 ranch dressing.
- Buy lettuce leaves that are large enough to hold the filling, like Bibb Lettuce, romaine, or iceberg.
Need More Buffalo? Your Wish is My Command!
Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Print Recipe Rate This Recipe Pin RecipeIngredients
- 2 cup shredded chicken, about 1 lb cooked
- ½ c Frank’s, or your favorite hot sauce
- ½ c Texas Pete's, or your favorite hot sauce
- 2 tbsp butter, see Notes for Whole30
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp paprika
- 8 lettuce cups, bibb, romaine, or iceberg lettuce
- ½ c shredded red cabbage
- ½ c shredded carrots
- 2 avocados, sliced
- 2 oz blue cheese crumbles, see Notes for Whole30
Instructions
- Make the buffalo sauce. Combine the hot sauces, butter, onion powder, garlic powder and paprika in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat. Simmer, whisking occasionally, until butter melts and sauce thickens.
- Pour buffalo sauce over shredded chicken. Toss to combine.
- Make the wraps. Layer the cabbage and carrots first, then top with the avocado and buffalo chicken, and sprinkle with blue cheese crumbles.
Notes
- Make it Whole30 and Paleo: use ghee in place of butter for the buffalo sauce; skip the blue cheese crumbles and drizzle with Whole30 ranch dressing.
Tonya Peters says
These were very good!!!