Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Spicy buffalo chicken, crisp veggies and tangy blue cheese come together in these yummy lettuce wraps. Delivering big flavor, maximum crunch, and just the right amount of heat, they're a must try.

Jun 20, 2023

All the flavors of restaurant-style buffalo chicken wings come together in these healthy lettuce wraps. They’re especially nice if you’re looking for a light, low-carb dinner option.

What I love most about this recipe is how easy it comes together. Lean ground chicken breast, onion, and celery are sautéed in a tangy and spicy buffalo sauce. The savory chicken mixture is nestled into a cool, crunchy lettuce leaf and topped with shredded carrot, red cabbage, and blue cheese crumbles. No dressing is required for these wraps as the buffalo sauce that infuses the chicken provides all the flavor you need.

While iceberg is often the lettuce of choice for such wraps, I used artisan romaine lettuce for today’s recipe. Also known as baby romaine, this lettuce is a smaller, stockier version of traditional romaine lettuce. Essentially, it’s romaine lettuce picked at a younger stage of growth. The flavor is similar to iceberg lettuce and the texture is crisp yet very tender. Artisan romaine leaves are a bit lighter in color and have a more rounded, cupped shape compared to traditional romaine leaves. The shape of the artisan romaine leaf makes it a perfect choice for wraps. If you can’t find artisan romaine, try bibb lettuce (also known as butterhead or Boston lettuce) or good old iceberg.

Buffalo chicken is often served with “cooling” vegetables to soften the heat of the spicy sauce. I opted for shredded carrot and red cabbage. But use whatever toppings you like. Chopped tomatoes, avocado, green onion, cucumber, or red bell pepper would be fantastic on these wraps. Don’t forget the blue cheese. Not only does it add a sharp, tangy flavor and creamy texture, but it also helps to temper the heat of the zesty sauce.

To your health,

Darlene

BUFFALO CHICKEN LETTUCE WRAPS

Yield: 6 servings

Serving Size: 2 lettuce wraps

Prep: 20 minutes

Ready: 45 minutes

INGREDIENTS

12 artisan romaine lettuce leaves (baby romaine lettuce)
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/3 cup diced onion
1/3 cup diced celery
1 pound ground chicken breast
3 tablespoons tomato paste
3 tablespoons hot sauce (such as Frank’s RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce)
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
3/4 cup shredded carrot
3/4 cup shredded red cabbage
3/4 cup crumbled blue cheese

DIRECTIONS

Rinse and pat dry whole lettuce leaves, taking care not to tear them. Refrigerate leaves until ready to use.
To prepare chicken filling, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and celery and sauté 2 to 4 minutes, allowing vegetables to soften slightly. Add ground chicken and continue to cook until chicken is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. To the chicken mixture, add tomato paste, hot sauce, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and sugar. Stir mixture well and continue to cook until heated through and bubbly, about 5 minutes.
To prepare one serving, take two lettuce leaves and fill each one with a 1/4 cup buffalo chicken filling. Top each wrap with 1 tablespoon shredded carrot, 1 tablespoon shredded red cabbage, and 1 tablespoon crumbled blue cheese.

Nutrition Information per Serving

187 Calories, 8 g Total fat, 3 g Saturated fat, 0 g Trans fat, 61 mg Cholesterol, 497 mg Sodium, 6 g Total carbohydrate, 1 g Dietary fiber, 3 g Total sugars, 1 g Added sugars, 22 g Protein, 0 mcg (0%) Vitamin D, 98 mg (8%) Calcium, 1 mg (6%) Iron, 220 mg (4%) Potassium