By Ready in 20 minutes and packed with protein and flavor?! Yup! That's this buffalo chicken lettuce wrap! I love adding rice to my lettuce wraps for carbs to keep me going, but in all honesty, I love lettuce wraps because they are refreshing and crisp. So let's wrap this up and make it!
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A lot of people like lettuce wraps because they are low in carbs. But carbs are life, yet I still love a great lettuce wrap so why? Well, because they are refreshing and delicious! This holds true for everything from buffalo chicken lettuce wrap to cajun wrap to even burgers I prefer with a lettuce wrap.
I don't feel as bogged down as I do with a tortilla wrap, but by adding some rice into my lettuce wrap, I'm still eating the carbohydrates to keep me going.
If you want an even more low-calorie high-protein lunch recipes, you can always use the filling with our egg white wraps.
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big butter or iceberg lettuce
The key to making lettuce wraps is using not only large heads of lettuce with big leaves (like iceberg or butter lettuce), but also doubling up. For my wraps, I like to use 3 or 4 layers of lettuce rotated in different directions to make sure there are no cracks and everything is overlapped.
key ingredients & swaps
All substitutions are a 1:1 substitute unless otherwise noted. See the recipe card for quantities.
- Rice: I like to use white rice or a cilantro lime microwave rice (Ralston Family Farms makes a great one). This adds carbs to keep me full and fueled. You can always use our protein rice for even more protein.
- Chicken tenderloins: These are best grilled for this recipe. We like tenders because they cook so much quicker. For more ideas on how to use tenderloins, check out our full high-protein chicken recipes list!
- Lettuce: I prefer iceberg lettuce, but butter will work too. Just look for the biggest head and with the least broken leaves.
- Ranch seasoning: We like to make our own 3-ingredient protein ranch, but of course, you can use store-bought.
This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
step by step: tips to nail this recipe every time
- Grill your chicken: If at all possible, because it results in the best overall flavor.
- Chop small: I like everything bite-sized and cubed, so I chop everything small.
- Layer your leaves: This ensures there aren't any cracks for the filling to seep out of.
- Optional: Mix everything in a bowl first, then roll for the perfect bite. This way, you get the perfect bite every time!
quick recipe video
wrap it up
The easiest way to keep your wrap together is to use parchment paper or foil to guide your rolling. This helps hold everything together.
how to store & meal prep it
Storing lettuce wraps isn't usually recommended. Instead, I'd recommend mixing everything together, except the rice, and storing it in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container. When you want the wrap, heat the rice and roll up a fresh wrap. Or, just enjoy it with rice in a bowl.
Recipe
buffalo chicken lettuce wrap
Ingredients
Before you start!
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Instructions
- Cook 1 lb chicken tenders in the air fryer at 400 degrees F for 10 minutes. Or grill with a bit of salt and pepper.
- While the chicken cooks, dice your ½ red onion and 1 avocado. Shred your ½ cup white cheddar and make the ½ cup protein ranch* (instructions below). Make your 8.5 oz rice as desired.Also, set up your lettuce wraps by placing 4 pieces of foil or parchment paper and topping each with 3-4 big lettuce leaves, ensuring there are minimal gaps.
- Once the chicken is done, cube it and toss it in about ¼ cup of buffalo sauce. Add diced avocado, cheese, and red onion to the chicken and mix it all together.
- Layer the rice, chicken mixture, ranch, and a bit more buffalo sauce on top of the lettuce leaves. Roll it up, using the parchment paper as a guide. Then slice it in half and enjoy!
Video
Notes
Looking for more information?
Additional substitution information can be found above in the substitution section of this post.
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate and for informational purposes only.
Nutrition
| Main post | Recipe card notes | |
|---|---|---|
| Why/Story | ✅ | ❌ |
| Detailed subs | ✅ (full) | ✅ (brief) |
| Process shots/tips | ✅ | ❌ |
| Storage | ✅ | ✅ (condensed) |
| FAQs | ✅ | ❌ |
| Critical warnings | ✅ | ✅ |
| Nutrition | ✅ (contextual) | ✅ (summary) |
| Allergen call-out | ✅ | ✅ |
wow! this is so good! lots of bowls to get stuff ready but the outcome was amazing! used primal kitchen buffalo sauce, made the protein ranch and used leftover rotisserie chicken. thank you!
So glad it was worth it!! It's one of my favorites 🙂