Name: Crunchy Chicken Caesar Wraps with Hatch Chile Caesar Dressing
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1/4 cup Mayonnaise (I like Duke's); 1/2 teaspoon Dijon Mustard; 3 tablespoons finely chopped Roasted Hatch Green Chiles; 1 teaspoon fresh Lemon Juice; 1 small Garlic Clove (grated on a microplane or very finely minced); 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce; 2 tablespoons Grated Parmesan Cheese; Cracked Black Pepper (to taste (at least 1/4 teaspoon)); 2 large Chicken Tenders (about 1/2 pound / 8 ounces); 3 cups packed Chopped Romaine Lettuce; 1/3 cup Hatch Green Chile Caesar Dressing; 1/3 cup crushed Croutons; Cracked Black Pepper (optional); 3 large Burrito-Sized Flour Tortillas

Makes: 3 wraps | Total Time: 20 minutes

These chicken Caesar wraps are basically my favorite kind of lunch: they feel a little restaurant-y, they taste really good, and they’re super easy to make! I used a couple of shortcuts that deliver big on flavor but require almost zero effort (like getting crispy tendies from the deli department at the grocery store).

Most grocery stores have fried chicken, chicken tenders, and sides somewhere near their deli department. If you really want to keep things easy, grab some lettuce, croutons, and Parmesan cheese from the salad bar, too!

The fun twist here is the Hatch green chile Caesar dressing. It’s mayo-based, with lots of flavor mixed into it! These wraps end up having an awesome crunch factor with the crispy chicken, fresh crunchy romaine lettuce, and some crushed, crunchy seasoned croutons all mixed together, and the creamy Hatch green chile Caesar dressing pulls everything together. I really hope this one becomes a repeat recipe for you!

Ingredients

For the Hatch Green Chile Caesar Dressing:

1/4 cup Mayonnaise (I love Duke’s)
1/2 tsp. Dijon Mustard
3 tablespoons finely chopped Roasted Hatch Green Chiles
1 teaspoon fresh Lemon Juice
1 small clove Garlic, grated on a microplane (about 1/2 tsp.)
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
2 tablespoons Grated Parmesan Cheese
Cracked Black Pepper, to taste (at least 1/4 tsp.)

For the Chicken Caesar Wraps:

2 large Chicken Tenders (about 1/2 lb. / 8 ounces total)
3 packed cups Romaine Lettuce
about 1/3 cup Hatch Green Chile Caesar Dressing (recipe included)
a heaping 1/3 cup Crushed Croutons (Italian seasoned would be great!)
Cracked Black Pepper, optional
3 large Burrito-Sized Flour Tortillas

Ingredients needed to make a chicken caesar wrap with green chile caesar dressing laid out on a surface and labeled.

Ingredient Notes

Chicken Tenders: I get mine from the deli department at the grocery store! Most grocery stores (at least here in the Midwest) have a fried chicken station, and it’s easy to grab 2-3 a la cart chicken tenders from there. You’ll want a couple of really large tenders, or 3-4 smaller ones. About 1/2 pound of chicken tenders is perfect for three wraps, and you can totally get the spicy ones if you’re feeling it!

Romaine Lettuce: My favorite hack for getting greens for a specific recipe, when I know I won’t use them before they go bad, is to just get some from the salad bar at the grocery store. Grab a large salad container and fill it up! It’s super light, so it shouldn’t be very expensive.

Green Chile Caesar Dressing: This is the fun part! The homemade dressing is really easy to make, but if you’d rather use store-bought Caesar dressing, go for it. Just stir some chopped green chiles into it for the fun part. ☺️

Hatch Green Chiles: Hatch green chiles are pretty much just a special green chile grown in the Hatch Valley in New Mexico. They hit most grocery stores nationwide towards the end of summer (late August). If you find fresh Hatch chiles, most grocery stores will roast them to you, or sell them roasted! Grab a few and freeze them for future use (hot tip, because it’s worth it!)

However, canned Hatch green chiles are available year-round! If you can’t find them, any canned green chiles will work!

Croutons: You can also grab a scoop of these from the grocery store salad bar! That’s the easiest way to get what you need without buying a whole bag.

Tortillas: You want the BIG tortillas to make these wraps. Look for the burrito-sized tortillas that are about 10-12 inches in diameter. I also love to use these spinach, sun-dried tomato, or cheddar wraps. They’re super soft and big, which makes them perfect here!

Ingredients needed to make a Caesar dressing with Hatch green chiles laid out on a surface and labeled.

Directions

Step One: Make the Green Chile Caesar Dressing. In a small bowl, combine all of the dressing ingredients (mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, green chiles, lemon juice, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, Parmesan cheese, and pepper). Stir to thoroughly mix, then season with pepper to taste. You can use it right away, or cover and refrigerate it for 15 minutes (or up to overnight) to give the flavors time to blend.

a small bowl of ingredients needed to make hatch green chile caesar dressing.

A small bowl of caesar dressing mixed with hatch green chiles. a spoon rests on the side.

Step Two: Make the Chicken Caesar Filling. On a large cutting board (the biggest you’ve got!), layer the romaine lettuce, chicken tenders, and dressing. Chop everything together, mixing and chopping as you go, until the chicken and lettuce are cut into small pieces and everything is evenly combined.

Mix in crushed croutons and a few cracks of black pepper, if desired.

Step Three: Make the Wraps. Lay the tortillas on a flat surface. Divide the chopped chicken Caesar filling between them, placing the filling directly in the center of each tortilla. There should be about one heaping cup per tortilla.

Spread the filling slightly, forming it into almost a line across the center of the tortilla, leaving about 1 1/2″ – 2″ border at each edge. Fold in the sides of the tortilla, then roll it up into a wrap, tucking the sides in as you roll it. Cut in half and enjoy!

Flavor Journal Notes ✍️

The grocery store salad bar is totally your friend! Romaine (or any salad greens!), croutons, and even the chopped chicken tenders from some salad bars are all so perfect for this recipe if you don’t want leftovers of those ingredients!
Want more green chile flavor? I love the subtle green chile flavor in this recipe, but you could totally add more green chiles to the filling or dressing! And while roasted Hatch green chiles are SO good, any green chile will work!
Add the croutons last. Mixing the crushed croutons into the dressing and lettuce too early can make them soggy, so mix them in right before assembling to keep that crunch intact.
Let the dressing sit for a few minutes if you have time. You can totally use it right away, but if you can let it sit for a few minutes, the flavors blend together and it’s REALLY good! The garlic flavor will amplify if it sits for more than 12 hours, so be mindful of that. I kept the garlic amount low for this very reason.

Make it Yours!

A chicken caesar wrap cut in half and displayed cut side up on a plate with other wrap halves.

Make it Spicy. Add some fresh jalapeños or a few dashes of hot sauce!
Use Grilled Chicken. Grilled chicken tenders or leftover grilled chicken breast or thighs are really good in these wraps, too!
Add more ingredients. Avocado, crispy bacon, extra Parmesan, pickled onions, green onions, or whatever sounds good to you!
Swap the greens. Massaged kale, iceberg lettuce, arugula, or any salad mix will work here. Use what you love or what you have on hand, or mix a couple of different greens together for a fun flavor + texture twist.

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How to Store Leftovers

Assembled Wraps: Store assembled wraps in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a day. Just a heads up: they can get a little soggy as they sit!

If you’re planning ahead: Chop the chicken and lettuce together, then store them separately from the dressing and croutons. When you’re ready to eat, mix everything together and roll it all into a wrap.

You can also make these in the morning and take them with you for lunch! They’ll hold up well for a few hours once you make them.

If you’re into chicken wraps, I’ve got some more really great recipes for you to try!!

More Chicken Wraps for Two

My favorite thing about this recipe is that they feel like something I’d seek out at a casual café-y place for lunch, but they’re built almost entirely from grocery store shortcuts. And they totally show that food doesn’t always need to be complicated to be fun! A couple of crispy chicken tenders, some crunchy lettuce, a tortilla, and a fun twist on Caesar dressing are all you need to make something seriously craveable. Simple food can be fun, and these wraps totally do that!

If you make these Hatch Green Chile Chicken Caesar Wraps, I’d love to hear what you think! Leave a comment below and don’t forget to rate the recipe! It helps other readers find it, and I always love hearing how you made it your own. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram if you share pics there, too!

xx Sara

Ingredients