Chicken Caesar Wrap with Cheddar

We're taking the iconic chicken Caesar salad and stuffing it into a wrap for the ultimate handheld lunch! The cheddar cheese and toasted breadcrumbs add a touch of unexpected magic to this easy and delicious cheddar chicken Caesar wrap.

Recipe

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5 from 1 vote

Chicken Caesar Wrap with Cheddar

Total Time30 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chicken, sandwich

Servings: 2

Author: Christine Ma

Ingredients

Toasted breadcrumbs

• 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper

Cheddar caesar dressing

• ¾ cup freshly grated cheddar
• ¾ cup mayonnaise
• 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 anchovy filets
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon worcestershire
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Chicken caesar wraps

• 2 cooked chicken breasts, chopped (about 1 ½ cups)
• 3 cups chopped romaine lettuce (about 1 large head)
• 2 strips cooked bacon, crumbled
• ⅓ cup freshly grated cheddar cheese
• 2 10-inch tortillas

Instructions

• Prepare breadcrumbs. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in medium sauce pan over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs and stir to combine. Continue to toast until golden brown. Season with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper and toast for another 30 seconds. Remove from heat and let cool.
• Make dressing. Combine all of the ingredients including cheddar cheese, mayonnaise, lemon, garlic, anchovies, Dijon mustard, worcestershire, salt, and pepper in a blender. Puree until smooth and set aside.
• Assemble wraps. In a large bowl, combine chicken, romaine, bacon, cheese, and ¾ cup of the breadcrumbs. Add as much dressing as you like and toss to combine.
• Lay tortillas on a clean work surface and divide the chicken caesar filling among both tortillas. Wrap tortillas, folding in the edges. Serve immediately.

Video

Notes

Both the breadcrumbs and dressing can be prepared up to 5 days in advance.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Toast breadcrumbs

Let's dive into this cheddar chicken Caesar wrap that's about to change your lunch game. First up, we're making those toasted breadcrumbs.

Instead of croutons, I decided to go for breadcrumbs to make sure every bite had a little crunch.

Grab a medium saucepan and heat olive oil and butter. Toss in your fresh breadcrumbs, stirring so that every crumb is coated in oil and butter. Continue to cook and let them get all golden and crispy.

Season the toasted breadcrumbs with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, and pepper for an extra flavor kick. Feel free to adjust the spices and herbs according to your preference.

Step 2: Make salad dressing

Now, it's time to make the main component, the cheddar Caesar dressing. Throw your freshly grated cheddar, mayonnaise, lemon juice, garlic cloves, anchovy filets, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper into a blender.

It's important to use freshly grated cheddar instead of store-bought cheddar. Yes, that means you need to take an extra step to grate the cheese yourself, but trust me, it makes all the difference.

Pre-grated cheese is coated with an anti-caking agent and added preservatives, whereas the block of cheese isn't. So when you use freshly grated cheddar, you get a purer flavor and smoother texture.

Blend the ingredients until they're smooth and creamy. Feel free to make the dressing ahead of time and let those flavors meld.

Step 3: Assemble wraps

Now it's time to assemble the wraps. In a large bowl, toss your chopped chicken (leftover grilled chicken works great here), crisp romaine, crumbled bacon, cheese, and those amazing toasted breadcrumbs we made earlier.

I only added ¾ cup of the breadcrumbs, but you can add all of it if you prefer. If you're using my recommended amount, set aside the rest for another use (like for this roasted green chile salmon).

Drizzle in that cheddar Caesar dressing and give it all a good mix. I normally dress my salads lightly, but you want to be generous with the sauce here because we're going to wrap it in a tortilla. The tortillas will dull the flavors a bit, so it's better to add a touch more dressing.

Next, lay out your tortillas and pile that flavor-packed filling right in the center. Fold in the sides first, then roll it up tight from the bottom, tucking in the edges as you go. This'll keep all that deliciousness from escaping. 

There you have it, folks! This cheddar chicken Caesar Wrap was even better than I expected. It's crunchy, it's creamy, it's truly delicious. Slice it in half and dive in - just don't be surprised if you find yourself making these on repeat!

For another fantastic, quick chicken lunch, check out this hiyashi chuka and chicken tamale pie!

Make-ahead and storage tips

• Make-ahead: You can toast the breadcrumbs and prepare the salad dressing up to 5 days in advance. However, it's best to assemble the wraps right before serving.
• Store: Keep the salad dressing, chicken, lettuce, cheese, and bacon in separate containers in the refridgerator. Store the breadcrumbs and tortillas at room temperature.

More chicken sandwich recipes

Looking for more chicken sandwich recipes? Try these: