Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps
These easy and delicious buffalo chicken lettuce wraps are tender chicken in tangy buffalo sauce and crisp vegetables, drizzled with ranch dressing, and wrapped in tender lettuce leaves. Perfect as fun appetizers or a light lunch.
Buffalo chicken fans are going to love this healthier version of traditional buffalo wings. I’m always looking for ways to add vegetables to my meals, even though I don’t LOL, but I am looking.
I want to make healthy eating fun and taste good. And no I don’t want a salad!
Making a yummy filling and putting it in lettuce cups is a great way to add fresh vegetables. It’s like a salad, but way cooler!
My family eats a ton of chicken wings. Extra crispy, tons of sauce for dipping, and snacking on the carrot sticks in ranch. But I can’t eat them all the time, so I have to make them healthier so we can.
These lettuce wraps are just that. Tender chicken and carrots in crisp lettuce with just a drizzle of ranch. See! Healthier 😉
You can eat them hot or cold, and with or without the breading to make them low carb. They make a great appetizer or a quick and delicious dinner idea.
Other buffalo chicken recipes I love are my buffalo chicken dip, buffalo fries, buffalo chicken pinwheels, and these buffalo chicken deviled eggs.
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See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and their quantities.
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken – Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Substitute chicken thighs or even chicken tenders.
- Breadcrumbs – I like to use Panko crumbs because they get crispier but feel free to use regular bread crumbs.
- Buffalo sauce – Homemade buffalo sauce is best or use your favorite store bought brand.
- Lettuce – Butter lettuce or Boston Bibb lettuce make the best wraps. You can also make “boats” with romaine lettuce leaves.
- Dressing – I prefer ranch dressing but blue cheese dressing is a fan favorite.
What is the best lettuce to use?
There is really no right or wrong lettuce to use but I do have some favorites.
Butter lettuce has super tender leaves and they tend to be more circular in shape so they are easy to wrap around the filling. It’s the same with Bibb lettuce.
Romaine lettuce is firmer so it holds up with the filling, but the leaves are longer in shape (like a boat) and the rib down the middle makes them harder to fold or wrap around the chicken.
Iceberg lettuce doesn’t have much flavor, but it does have wider leaves to hold the chicken. Just like Romaine, it’s a little hard to fold.
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How To Make Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps
- Preheat oven to 375F. In a medium bowl, mix hot sauce, melted butter, salt, and black pepper. Toss in the chicken pieces to coat.
- Cover and marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes. Prep the vegetables while it’s sitting. Dip each piece of chicken into breadcrumbs and place the chicken on a baking sheet
- Bake for 30 minutes until the chicken is crispy and fully cooked. Remove from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes. If desired, toss the chicken in the reserved hot sauce mixture for extra heat and flavor.
- Assemble the wraps by layering lettuce leaves with carrots, red onion, and bell peppers. Add the crispy chicken pieces on top, sprinkle with blue cheese crumbles, and drizzle with ranch or blue cheese dressing. Serve immediately.
For the full recipe and detailed instructions, please refer to the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
How long do they last?
The leftover chicken will last up to 3 days in the fridge. Just be sure to keep in an airtight container. I don’t recommend storing assembled wraps. The lettuce can get soggy and tear.
Reheat the chicken in an air fryer or in a pan for best results. Microwaving it can make the chicken tough.
You can always chop everything up and toss together to make a buffalo chicken salad the next day!
Can I make these in a slow cooker?
You can certainly make the chicken filling in a crockpot and keep warm while serving.
Just add the chicken with a little bit of broth and cook on high for 3 hours or until the chicken is cooked through. Drain, shred, and toss in buffalo sauce.
Turn the temperature to warm to keep the shredded buffalo chicken hot until you are ready to serve them.
Serving Suggestions
These are fun all on their own, but you can pair them with a potato salad, french fries, potato chips, or simple carrot sticks and ranch dressing.
Think about anything you like to eat with your chicken wings and serve it with these!
Want even more buffalo chicken recipes? These buffalo chicken taquitos, this buffalo chicken potato casserole, and this buffalo cauliflower dip.
Tapas Tips & Tricks
- Cut all the chicken into similar sized pieces for even cooking. Make sure they are bite-sized for easier eating.
- I like to use boneless, skinless chicken breast but feel free to use chicken thighs.
- Grab a rotisserie chicken from the deli for easier prep.
- Use ground chicken or substitute ground turkey for smaller lettuce wraps.
- You can use iceberg lettuce if that’s all you can find. Just slowly peel off the layers until you find a size that will make a nice cup.
- The chicken will be crispy outside and tender inside. Tossing in extra hot sauce after baking gives it a spicier kick and slightly softer texture.
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This buffalo chicken lettuce wrap recipe is perfect for a fun weeknight dinner or appetizers on game day!
Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
- 1 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large boneless skinless chicken breast cut into bite size pieces 1-2 inches thick
- Salt to taste
- Black pepper to taste
- 2 cloves garlic minced (1 tablespoon)
- ⅓ cup hot sauce like Frank's or Valentina
- 2-3 tablespoon butter melted (use 3 for not so spicy)
- 1 large head Butter lettuce boston bib or romaine lettuce
- 1 large carrot cut into matchsticks
- 1 large red onion finely diced
- Blue cheese or ranch dressing for serving
- Blue cheese crumbles for serving optional
- Celery stalks for serving
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix hot sauce, melted butter, salt, and black pepper. Add the chicken pieces and toss until coated. (For extra flavor, set aside a little more sauce to drizzle over the chicken after baking.)
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let the chicken marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Dip each piece of chicken into breadcrumbs, coating evenly. Place the chicken on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or foil, ensuring the pieces are spaced apart.
- Bake for 30 minutes until the chicken is crispy and fully cooked. Remove from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes. If you like, toss the chicken in the reserved hot sauce mixture for extra heat and flavor.
- Assemble the wraps by layering lettuce leaves with carrots, red onion, and bell peppers. Add the crispy chicken pieces on top and drizzle with ranch or blue cheese dressing. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Cut all the chicken into similar sized pieces for even cooking. Make sure they are bite-sized for easier eating.
- I like to use boneless, skinless chicken breast but feel free to use chicken thighs.
- Grab a rotisserie chicken from the deli for easier prep.
- Use ground chicken or substitute ground turkey for smaller lettuce wraps.
- You can use iceberg lettuce if that’s all you can find. Just slowly peel off the layers until you find a size that will make a nice cup.
- The chicken will be crispy outside and tender inside. Tossing in extra hot sauce after baking gives it a spicier kick and slightly softer texture.
Nutrition
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