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Switching up Tuesday night with these Folded Crispy Chipotle Chicken Wraps. Spicy chipotle chicken, rice, peppers, spicy ranch, and a little cheddar cheese, all folded up in wraps, then pan-fried until warm and crispy. These easy wraps come together quickly. They’re crunchy on the outside, and spicy and cheesy inside. Serve them up with the most deliciously creamy, spicy ranch, and tajin. Great for both lunch and dinner, but equally fun for upcoming Cinco de Mayo.
Well, aren’t these fun? I have been excited to share these all week long. They’re easy, but yet so delicious and so much fun! A cross between a wrap and a warm, cheesy quesadilla. They’re crispy outside, but cheesy inside, and full of so much flavor!
So the quick story, and I’m sure I’ve mentioned this before, but chicken quesadillas were one of the first things I made for my brothers after we moved to Colorado. They’re one of the foods that really got me hooked on cooking. They’d come home from snowboarding around four o’clock and be starving. We would usually have leftover chicken and tortillas, so I started making them quesadillas.
At first, these started out pretty simple, but over time I got better and better at making them. Soon they were requesting these quesadillas pretty much every day. They even preferred them to their beloved Chipotle burritos.
I swear I was making them quesadillas four or five times a week. Pretty much any day they’d go out snowboarding. At some point, I started to do two things that really made my quesadillas better than any others.
First, I’d sprinkle the chicken with taco seasoning…and a lot of it. Usually the chicken was already cooked, but with no seasoning. So I’d add the taco seasoning we had in the pantry…this was the KEY. It gave everything so much flavor and a little kick too.
Second, the rice. We almost always had leftover rice in the fridge and one day I sprinkled some into the quesadillas. The day I did that, they never looked back. The rice sealed the deal and made for a complete all-in-one meal. Like a burrito with all the fixings, but better, because the crispy pan-fried tortillas are really everyone’s favorites.
Here are the details
They are SIMPLE.
Pick up some chicken, brown the meat, add seasonings, and fold each one up into cheesy wraps with rice and spicy ranch. Pan fry until crispy!
Doesn’t get any easier, yet this is a dinner that everyone will love.
Over the years, I feel like I’ve kind of perfected the taco seasoning mix. It’s just a touch spicy, a little smoky, and hinted with garlic. I use a mix of chipotle chili powder (key ingredient) and smoked paprika to keep the chicken extra flavorful.
Once the chicken is cooked, mix up a quick homemade ranch….but make it spicy!
I use fresh cilantro and plenty of lime in place of the usual herb mix, then I stir in some jalapeños for a spicy kick. This is the perfect sauce to swirl into each wrap.
Now assemble.
I took a lot of photos so you could see how this is done, but guys it’s easy. Make a cut down the center of your tortillas, then add the chicken to one corner, and the rice and peppers to another corner, and finally the cheese to another. Fold it all up, then pan-fry.
So you’ve got….
One-quarter of chipotle chicken.
Another quarter of rice, peppers, and cilantro.
A quarter full of spicy ranch.
And finally a quarter full of cheese.
Fold it all up into one triangle.
As the wraps cook, the cheese on the outer layer melts out a bit and the most magical thing happens. The cheese melts onto the skillet and becomes crispy and almost fried. It’s really good.
And then, everything else cooks together into a wrap that’s crispy on the outside, but cheesy and saucy inside.
And the final thing? A sprinkle of tajin on top of each wrap just after it comes out of the skillet. It adds a salty, spicy touch with hints of lime. SO DELICIOUS.
If you wanted to take the toppings a step further, I would recommend a little mango on the side, sprinkled with more of that tajin. But you all know me, I love a good fruity salsa. Oh, and maybe add a nice margarita too. This spicy Spicy Cucumber Margarita is my personal favorite.
Looking for a few other fun Mexican dinner ideas? Try these…
Crockpot Carne Asada Tacos with Cilantro Lime Garlic Sauce
Lastly, if you make these Folded Crispy Chipotle Chicken Wraps be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Folded Crispy Chipotle Chicken Wraps
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken tenders, cut into bite size pieces
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 2 teaspoons chipotle chili powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 large tortillas (burrito size)
- 1 cup cooked white or brown rice
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro chopped
- 1 poblano pepper chopped
- 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese
- tajin, for serving , (optional)
Spicy Ranch
- 1 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- 3/4 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 jalapeño seeded (if desired) and chopped
- juice from 2 limes
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- 1. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the chicken and onion. Cook until the chicken is browned, about 5 minutes. Add the chipotle chili powder, paprika, cumin, garlic powder, oregano, and salt. Add 3/4 cup water. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the sauce has thickened slightly around the chicken, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat.2. Meanwhile, make the ranch. Combine all ingredients in a glass jar and shake or stir until creamy. 3. To assemble, cut down from the center of the tortilla to the edge (see above photo). Spread the chicken in the bottom left corner, then add a spoon of rice, a few poblano peppers, and cilantro on the top left corner. Spread the ranch on the top right corner, and the cheese on the bottom right corner (see photos for visuals). Fold the chicken over the rice. Then, working clock-wise, folding that quarter over the ranch. And finally, fold that quarter over the cheese.4. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a skillet, add 1 wrap and cook 2-3 minutes per side until crisp and golden brown. Sprinkle the wraps with tajin and lime zest. Serve warm with additional ranch, avocado, and any other desired toppings.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Did you make this recipe? Please rate & comment below.
Could I shred the chicken instead of cutting it up?
Totally! I hope you love the recipe Sarah!
Ive made these once and loved them! Wondering if you think the chicken could be cooked in the instant pot?
Hey Amy,
Wonderful! I am so glad that this recipe was enjoyed, thank you so much for giving the recipe a try!! Sure, I would probably do 10 minutes on high pressure. xTieghan
Wow so spicy! Be warned! I used < 1/2 tsp of chipotle chili powder and my fam still found it super spicy. Flavor was delish for me, the one who can handle spice.
Hey Ann,
Happy Friday! I am so glad this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for making it! xTieghan
These were a hit! Super yummy.
Hey Helen,
Happy Sunday! Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
so easy and SO delicious
Hey Steph,
Happy Sunday! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xxTieghan
So delicious!! I used chicken breast instead of tenders, but I imagine it tasted the same.
Hey Kelsey,
Awesome!! I am delighted to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for making it! xxTieghan
Hi! These look really good and am thinking of making them, but I was wondering how well do these store? Can you make some for the week and just reheat them or do they not do so well?
Hey Kayla,
I’ve really never made them ahead of time, I would bake them in the oven to reheat and ensure that they are crispy. I hope this helps! xTieghan
Loved this recipe. I like that I think you could make the chicken and dressing ahead of time and assemble later. Also could be vegetarian with black beans maybe.
Hey Laura,
Happy Sunday!! Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a go, I am thrilled that it was enjoyed! xxTieghan
Great recipe, although we live in India it was so easy. Really had a blast while cooking and eating. 🙂
Hey Sarah,
Happy Sunday!! Thanks a lot for giving this recipe a go, I am thrilled that it was enjoyed! xxTieghan
I’ve been following for a while and finally made a recipe. This was a huge hit. I have a vegetarian in the family. Very easy to sub beans for the chicken. Love the nuisances of the lime zest and chili lime.
Hey Laura,
Happy Friday! Thanks a bunch for making this recipe, I am thrilled that it was enjoyed:) xTieghan
I made this for the family tonight and they looooved it Definitely going to make again. Amazing!
Hey Dawn,
Awesome! I am delighted that this recipe was enjoyed and truly appreciate you giving it a try! xTieghan
I made this for the family tonight and they looooved ot. Definitely going yo make again. Amazing!
Hey Dawn,
Awesome! I am delighted that this recipe was enjoyed and truly appreciate you giving it a try! xTieghan
Thank you for this amazing recipe! My family asks for it on the weekly.
Hey Heidi,
Wonderful! That’s so great to hear this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it! Have a great Friday:) xTieghan
This way delicious! It a bit longer to prepare but it was worth it. You could make the dressing ahead of time. The dressing is close to the Chuy’s jalapeno ranch. Yummy. Love the spices for the chicken too!
Hey Wendy,
Happy Thursday! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I am delighted that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
I have been wanting to try this recipe for a while now and can’t believe it took me this long to make it! It was a HIT with the family and we will be making this many more times in the future!! Thank you for another delicious recipe!
Hey Cindy,
Fantastic! I am thrilled you enjoyed this recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! Have a great week:) xTieghan