One of the best, most flavorful finger foods out there, buffalo chicken lettuce wraps are easy to make and fun to eat. They're ready in 30 minutes!
I owe this recipe to my daughter. She made an initial version, which was delicious but time-consuming. Being a lazy cook, I immediately set out to make an easy one. It took a few tries, but the result is so good that this has become a family favorite. It's so easy that the other day, I had just one leftover chicken breast, so I adjusted the amounts and quickly whipped up a single serving for my lunch. I was a happy camper!
Ingredients
See the recipe card for exact measurements. Here are my comments on some of the ingredients.
- Cooked chicken breast, shredded: I usually use baked chicken breast. You can also use grilled chicken breast, poached chicken, or broiled chicken breast.
- Lettuce: Boston or Bibb lettuces are the best varieties for wraps. They have round, soft leaves, and unlike Romaine, they don't have a crunchy middle that can snap.
- Buffalo sauce: I make it by mixing together cayenne pepper sauce (I use Frank's), melted butter, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. It's the same sauce I use in buffalo wings and buffalo cauliflower.
- Blue cheese dressing: I love this homemade blue cheese dressing. It's wonderfully rich and creamy, providing the perfect balance to the chicken's spiciness. Ranch dressing is also very good.
- Optional additions: You can add veggies (such as chopped celery and shredded carrots) to the chicken mixture or add them on top of the chicken mounds.
Easy Shortcuts
- Use store-bought buffalo sauce instead of making your own.
- Use rotisserie chicken, discarding the skin.
- Use store-bought ranch or blue cheese dressing.
Instructions
The detailed instructions and step-by-step photos are included in the recipe card. Here's a quick overview.
Whisk together the buffalo sauce ingredients in a large bowl.
Add the shredded chicken in batches and mix until thoroughly coated.
Spoon the chicken mixture into the lettuce leaves. Top with blue cheese dressing and serve!
Recipe Tips
- There's no need to add salt to the sauce - the cayenne pepper sauce is very high in sodium.
- You can use shredded boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts for even more flavor. Pulled chicken, for example, is wonderful in wraps.
- Make-ahead: You can make these wraps up to two hours ahead of time and keep them in the fridge until it's time to serve them. Just make sure to dry the lettuce well so it doesn't wilt.
- Storage: The chicken mixture itself, without the lettuce, can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Count these four days from the day the chicken was initially cooked.
Serving Suggestions
These wraps make a great appetizer, and they are absolutely perfect for game day!
You can also serve them as a meal. When I do this, I double the amounts per person and add an easy side salad like arugula salad, creamy cucumber salad, or cherry tomato salad.
I serve these wraps cold, but if you're not making them ahead of time, you can briefly reheat the chicken before piling it on top of the lettuce leaves. If serving them warm, you can add a cooked side dish like cauliflower rice or zucchini noodles.
Recipe Card
Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Video
Ingredients
Buffalo sauce:
- ⅓ cup hot pepper sauce
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter - melted
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Wraps:
- 2 cups cooked chicken breast - shredded; 10 ounces, from 2 medium chicken breasts
- 8 Boston lettuce leaves - washed and well-dried
Topping:
- Blue cheese dressing - homemade or store-bought
Instructions
- Mix the buffalo sauce ingredients (hot pepper sauce, melted butter, garlic powder, and smoked paprika) in a large bowl.
- Add the shredded chicken in batches and mix thoroughly, until well-coated. If desired, cover and heat the chicken in the microwave until heated through, for 1-2 minutes. I usually serve these wraps cold.
- Place two lettuce leaves on each plate. Pile ¼ cup of the chicken mixture on top of each leave. Drizzle with the blue cheese dressing. Serve immediately, or refrigerate for up to two hours before serving.
Notes
- The nutrition info doesn’t include the blue cheese dressing, since I don’t know which you will use.
- If you need to cook the chicken breasts, place them in a baking dish, lightly spray them with oil, season with a pinch of salt and pepper, and bake them in a preheated 450°F oven until cooked through, for 25-30 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let them rest until cool enough to handle, then shred them. Here’s a detailed recipe for baked chicken breasts.
- You can use shredded skinless chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts.
- You can add veggies (such as chopped celery and shredded carrots) to the chicken mixture, or add them on top of the chicken mounds.
- You can top the wraps with chopped cilantro or thinly sliced green onions.
- There's no need to add salt to the sauce - the cayenne pepper sauce is very high in sodium.
- Boston or Bibb lettuces are the best varieties for wraps. They have round, soft leaves, and unlike Romaine, they don't have a crunchy middle that can snap.
- Using rotisserie chicken is a great way to make this recipe as easy as can be. Just remember to remove the skin before shredding the chicken.
- Make-ahead: You can make these wraps up to two hours ahead of time and keep them in the fridge until it's time to serve them. Just make sure to dry the lettuce well so it doesn't wilt. The chicken mixture itself, without the lettuce, can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Count these four days from the day the chicken was cooked.
Nutrition per Serving
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Disclaimers
Most recipes are low-carb and gluten-free, but some are not. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate. Please verify it independently. The carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Please read these Terms of Use before using any of my recipes.
Karine says
Hi Vered,
I have recently come across your site and have made 3 of your recipes so far. All amazing! For this one (we love buffalo wings), do you have a suggestion for a quick way to shred chicken? I find it time consuming so I tend to avoid recipes that call for it (I know, silly!). You seem to have great tips, so thought I would ask 🙂
Thanks!
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Karine,
I'm so glad you've been enjoying my recipes! Yay!
Hmm... I don't really have any great tips. I make sure the chicken isn't too hot and shred it with my hands. It takes just a few minutes. I'm lazy, so I go for fairly big shreds. I hope this helps!
Dee says
can I use a different cheese other than Bleu cheese?
Vered DeLeeuw says
Hi Dee,
You can use ranch dressing instead of blue cheese dressing.