These crisp, crunchy, and colorful Rainbow Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps make the most perfect lunch. They're full of delicious fruits, veggies, and flavor, and are great for meal prep!
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chicken salad: rainbow edition
I used to be SO skeptical of chicken salad, but now look at me making every version under the sun! 😂 It's so easy to mix and match different ingredients and flavors for a delicious and meal preppable lunch. Plus, it really helps you clean out the fridge, am I right?
These Rainbow Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps are packed with delicious crunch and flavor. Filled with fresh fruits and veggies like apples, celery, bell peppers, and onion, there's something tasty in each and every bite! I also love that you truly are eating the rainbow in this recipe. All of these colors indicate you're getting in a lot of healthy nutrients, which is so important for a balanced lifestyle.
I specifically used a mandolin to slice and dice all of the ingredients as finely as I could. This technique helps integrate each ingredient equally into the salad so you get bits and pieces of everything throughout your entire meal!
If you don't have romaine lettuce on hand, no problem. You can still serve this chicken salad on bread, with crackers, or enjoy it straight out of a bowl.
Grab a mandolin or cutting board and knife...whatever you got, let's get to choppin', friends!
Grab these ingredients for your Rainbow Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps
Greek Yogurt: I used a 5.3oz container of plain Greek yogurt.
Coleslaw Dressing: Fresh chicken and coleslaw tastes absolutely delicious. A coleslaw dressing is a close second! I used Kraft Brands Coleslaw.
Sriracha: This adds just enough of a hot kick to elevate this chicken salad.
Lemon Juice: Brings all of our flavors together and adds a little citrusy twist.
Salt + Pepper: Start with just a pinch, but you can add more if desired.
Chicken: You could cook your own chicken or use an already cooked rotisserie chicken. Do what works best for you.
Red Onion: Adds such a nice bitter crunch.
Celery: A chicken salad staple that adds great texture.
Apple: I love adding diced apple to my chicken salad. It adds so much flavor and helps introduce multiple textures.
Bell Pepper: I used both a red and orange bell pepper.
Cucumber: Fresh, clean, and crunchy!
Romaine Lettuce: Wash and dry and then scoop your chicken salad inside to complete this recipe.
Minimal tools needed
To make these Rainbow Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps, you'll need a cutting board, knife, measuring cups and spoons, mixing bowl, and a rubber spatula. If you have a mandolin, you could use that in place of the knife and cutting board.
How to make Rainbow Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps
- Start off by preparing your ingredients. I cooked chicken breast I already had on hand, but you could also use an already cooked rotisserie chicken. See the notes below for some tips on preparing chicken if needed.
- In a mixing bowl, add Greek yogurt, coleslaw dressing, lemon juice, sriracha, and salt + pepper. Whisk it all together.
- Next, finely dice all of the fruits and vegetables. I used a mandolin chopper and it was so quick and efficient. I loved how everything came out the same size.
- Add diced fruits and veggies to the Greek yogurt mixture. Then, stir in the shredded chicken.
- Wash and dry your romaine lettuce leaves. Then, add chicken salad mixture to the center to create lettuce wraps.
- Top with salt and pepper and serve. You can also serve on fresh rolls or with crackers.
Rainbow Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps tips & tricks
Chicken salad is a great lunch option because it's so customizable. Depending on your preferences, you may find yourself wanting to add more/less fresh/wet ingredients. I like a really dense chicken salad with lots of chicken and add-ins. Measure accordingly for your liking, and if you don’t like a certain ingredient, swap it out for something else!
Here are some other ideas to up your pesto chicken salad game:
- Mix mashed avocado with mayonnaise or Greek yogurt to add some extra healthy fat.
- Want add nuts? Easy! Walnuts, pecans, or almonds would taste great. Be sure to chop them finely like the other ingredients.
- Looking for more of a Waldorf chicken salad? Add chopped green or purple grapes!
- Chop up other kinds of dried fruit like mangoes or apricots.
Frequently asked questions
How do I store these chicken salad lettuce wraps?
I recommend storing the chicken salad and lettuce separately. Storing them together would make the lettuce soggy. The chicken salad will have some excess moisture in it after storage because of the high water volume of the vegetables. Strain it prior to serving or use a slotted spoon to avoid excess water.
Do you have any tips for success?
I love getting a little bit of each ingredient in EVERY bite. I use a vegetable mandolin to ensure that the veggies are all the same size. It makes the chicken salad super tasty!
Is there an alternative to coleslaw dressing?
I love the subtle sweetness coleslaw dressing adds to this dish. Personally, I think that chicken salad can be very dull if not seasoned properly. I would recommend adding some mayo with sugar/stevia to the mixture if you are not using coleslaw dressing. Poppyseed dressing would also be a lovely addition or substition.
Can I freeze this recipe?
No, I do not recommend freezing this chicken salad recipe. It will not thaw well.
What's the best way to prepare raw chicken?
I suggest you check out my Ninja Foodi Grilled Chicken blog post for some tips on preparing the best grilled chicken. You can also use rotisserie, canned, or pre-shredded chicken for convenience. I love the pre-shredded chicken from Costco or Target.
More lunch recipes you'll love
Healthy Pesto Chicken Salad Wrap
Rotisserie Chicken Hawaiian Sliders
Roasted Garlic and Basil Chicken Burgers
Rainbow Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps Recipe
Equipment
- Cutting Board
- Knife
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Mixing Bowl
- Rubber Spatula
- mandolin (optional to replace cutting board and knife)
Ingredients
- 5.3 oz container of plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons coleslaw dressing
- 1 tsp sriracha
- ½ tsp lemon juice
- Pinch salt + pepper
- 1 cup shredded chicken
- ¼ cup red onion
- ½ cup celery
- ½ cup diced apple
- ½ cup red pepper
- ½ cup orange pepper
- ½ cup cucumber
Instructions
- Start off by preparing your ingredients. I cooked chicken breast I already had on hand, but you could also use an already cooked rotisserie chicken. See the notes below for some tips on preparing chicken if needed.
- In a mixing bowl, add Greek yogurt, coleslaw dressing, lemon juice, sriracha, and salt + pepper. Whisk it all together.
- Next, finely dice all of the fruits and vegetables. I used a mandolin chopper and it was so quick and efficient. I loved how everything came out the same size.
- Add diced fruits and veggies to the Greek yogurt mixture. Then, stir in the shredded chicken.
- Wash and dry your romaine lettuce leaves. Then, add chicken salad mixture to the center to create lettuce wraps.
- Top with salt and pepper and serve. You can also serve on fresh rolls or with crackers.
Notes
I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below. It’s my passion to create dishes that can be shared with others. Tell me something you loved, something that you think it might need, or just say hi!
Looking for this in MyFitnessPal?
If you're using MyFitnessPal, search 'A Paige Of Positivity' and find Rainbow Chicken Salad
1 serving: 22 grams Carbs | 5 grams Fat | 25 grams Protein
NOTE: the nutrition label to the right is auto-generated and often does not include specific brands or types of ingredients. Example: fat free milk vs. whole milk, chicken breast vs. chicken thigh, etc.
**Disclaimer: for most accurate macronutrients and caloric breakdown, it is recommended that you input each ingredient into your MyFitnessPal food diary.
