Good things come in small packages, and these Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps aren’t just good – they’re great! Bold buffalo flavor, protein packed chicken, and fresh veggies make these healthy buffalo chicken wraps perfect for quick weeknight dinners, meal prep, game day, and more. Flexible gluten free, keto, and Whole30 options offer something for everyone!
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If I said “Buffalo chicken,” “healthy” probably isn’t the first thing to come to mind. And that’s fair. Images of greasy wings, salty snacks, and sticky sports bars are also accurate associations. But in and of itself, our version of buffalo chicken is not only healthy and nutrient-packed, it’s gluten-free, low carb, keto, and becomes Whole30 and Paleo with the flick of a wrist.
Like so many of my Whole30 recipes, I developed this buffalo chicken lettuce wraps recipe be as delicious (and inclusive) as possible during our annual Whole30 “reset.” With picky kids, not everyone can play along.
But these buffalo chicken lettuce cups are a staple. I mean, we eat these regularly, and they’re literally in weekly rotation during January. Thankfully – and thanks to my mom’s kick ass buffalo sauce recipe (see below) – all of us love shredded buffalo chicken and lettuce wraps are just fun and interactive enough that we have zero kinder-complaints.
Why You Should Make ‘Em Too
- This buffalo chicken lettuce wrap recipe clocks in at just 20 minutes (if you use leftover or rotisserie chicken for shredding).
- Lettuce cups are incredibly easy to make – the perfect starter recipe for anyone to learn, including the kiddos!
- Our version of buffalo chicken is 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.
- Shredded buffalo chicken wraps are weeknight dinner friendly, meal prep friendly, crowd-friendly – all of the friendlies! The friendliest wraps you ever did meet.
How to Make Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Move over wings! Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps are taking over as the healthy way to enjoy a hands-on buffalo chicken experience. This method is quick, healthy, and a terrific way to use up leftover 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 buffalo 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 what you’ve got or make a fresh batch:
- Use leftovers from a roasted chicken
- Grab your favorite rotisserie chicken from the store
- Toss chicken breasts in the Instant Pot – fuss-free and ready-to-shred!
- Save a few bucks and cook up a whole roaster to get healthy shredded chicken from your Crockpot, Instant Pot, or oven.
3. Gather your 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
Now, layer it like a pro!
- Lettuce cup
- Cabbage and carrots
- Avocado slices
- Shredded buffalo chicken
- Blue cheese crumbles
And you’re ready to tuck your bibs and dig in. It’s as easy as that!
Tips for Crave-worthy Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps
- Use leftover rotisserie chicken for a super fast weeknight dinner.
- We recommend making your own sauce (try ours – it’s amazing!) but regardless, definitely combine two brands of hot sauce for superior flavor.
- Buy lettuce leaves that are large (and strong) enough to hold the filling, like Bibb, romaine, or iceberg.
Make it Your Way
- Whole30 and Paleo: use ghee in place of butter for the wing sauce; skip the blue cheese crumbles and drizzle with Whole30 ranch dressing.
- Keto: if you’re being a stickler, skip the carrots or swap for scallions.
More Healthy Buffalo Chicken Recipes
- Buffalo Chicken Salad
- Healthy Buffalo Chicken Bites
- Buffalo Chicken Meatballs
- Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Sweet Potatoes
Did you make these Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps? I’d love to know how they turned out! Leave a comment and a rating below.
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Recipe
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
These were very good!!!