During the past few weeks after graduation and before medical school, unemployed and done with applications, I’ve had more time for self-care and life enrichment. So far my biggest accomplishments include completion of 8 seasons of Friends, the planning of my dream house through Instagram, and assessment of 985638254856 Amazon products. I’ve also been working on my practice of self-control–I only ordered about half of those things.
So my activities overall haven’t been the most productive. But I have been playing around with more recipes and taking the time to perfect them for you. Exhibit THIS ONE:
The timeless Caesar salad is universally loved for good reason–the creaminess, salty Parmesan, garlic, and iconic umami flavor combined with a crunch is comforting enough to even get the pickiest kids on board. But a traditional Caesar dressing, made with egg yolks and anchovies, isn’t particularly convenient to make and can be rather heavy. (Although if you are one of those people who has anchovies on hand, we should be friends.) Store-bought blends may taste ok, but you’re often sacrificing quality and nutrition (take a peek at that ingredient list), plus the ability to customize the consistency–i.e. we want it super thick to help bind everything up in a wrap, but thinned with olive oil for pouring over a salad.
Another reason I support breaking tradition: The possibilities are endless for creative, wholesome, satisfying, ultra-flavorful spin-offs from the classic. This includes swaps for convenience like mayo/Greek yogurt in the dressing, as well as yummy additions for taste, texture, and nutrition.
Anatomy of the Loaded Chicken Caesar Wrap
The Dressing
- light mayo and plain Greek yogurt– Skip the egg yolk and get right to the creaminess with these two ingredient hacks. Any fat content works for this.
- Dijon– An staple for flavor, plus a little color.
- Worcestershire– This is our secret to achieve that deep savory umami component without going out of our way for anchovies. If you have some anchovy paste, though, you can sub a dollop of it.
- lemon juice and apple cider vinegar– A splash of acidity brightens the flavors.
- minced fresh garlic– Essential for the classic Caesar taste.
- parmigiano reggiano– Another fundamental component! It thickens the sauce and adds the perfect rich nuttiness. Look for “parmigiano reggiano” rather than “parmesan” for the highest quality cheese. Grand padano and Romano are good subs.
- chives or oregano– Using my creative license to add a little herbiness.
- black pepper– Customize to your taste.
I left out the olive oil to make more of a thick sauce. This way we can maximize flavor, help the ingredients bind up in the wrap, and avoid a runny mess. If adapting for a salad, add a good olive oil to desired consistency.
The Big Stuff
- chicken– Simply grill up some tenders and pull into small hunks (for the best texture in my opinion). This is also a fabulous way to jazz up leftover chicken or roasted turkey!
- avocado– Needs no explanation.
- fresh corn– Try this and you’ll never turn back! The corn is hearty and filling and adds the perfect fresh crunch and burst of juicy sweetness. Plus, the crunch is essential since we’re leaving out croutons (which would get soggy if wrapping this up for later).
- pickled red onion– My most recent condiment obsession. I’ll put these on just about anything, but they taste AMAZING in this wrap. You can sub raw red onion, but I would also add a chopped jarred artichoke heart or a few capers for the briny tang.
- Romaine– Chop it up and be sure to include some crunchy end pieces. 🙂
- tortilla– Whole wheat works great for heartiness and pliability when rolling. If big enough, fold the sides inward to make a neat burrito-style wrap. Or else I recommend wrapping it tightly in foil/Saran wrap/plastic alternative to keep it together on the go.
Above I paired it with Crunchmaster Garden Vegetable crackers and sliced peach.
Loaded Chicken Caesar Wrap with Instant Homemade Dressing
Notes
To make a pourable dressing for a salad, simply add olive oil to the dressing mixture to reach desired consistency.
See post for additional notes and substitutions.
Ingredients
For the dressing:
- 1 tsp light mayo
- 1/2 tsp plain Greek yogurt (or additional 1/2 tsp mayo)
- 1/4 tsp Dijon
- 1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 tsp lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp apple cider vinegar (or red wine vinegar)
- 1/4 tsp minced fresh garlic
- ~1 Tbsp (7g) freshly shredded parmigiano reggiano
- ground black pepper, to taste
- sprinkle fresh or lightly dried chives
- sprinkle chopped fresh tarragon or oregano
For the wrap:
- 2 oz raw chicken breast (1 tenderloin strip)
- 1 whole grain tortilla or wrap
- 12 g ripe avocado
- 2-3 Tbsp fresh corn kernels
- 1 Tbsp pickled red onion
- ~1/2 cup chopped Romaine
Instructions
- Sprinkle chicken with a pinch salt and pepper. Lightly grease a nonstick skillet and heat over medium. Cook chicken 3-4 minutes per side, or until cooked through. Set aside to cool, then pull into small pieces.
- Combine all dressing ingredients in a mixing bowl (just big enough to toss the lettuce in later), and stir until incorporated. It should be very thick.
- On the front half of a whole grain tortilla/wrap, mash and spread avocado. Top with pulled chicken, a few dollops of the dressing (about half), corn, and pickled red onion. Toss chopped lettuce with the remaining dressing, then place on top.
- (If big enough, first fold in the sides of the tortilla.) Carefully fold the front half of the tortilla over the contents and roll. Slice in half. Wrap tightly in foil or Saran wrap/plastic alternative if packing to-go.
Nutrition information is calculated with a 110-calorie whole wheat tortilla.
Can’t wait to try these new recipes!