The Best Chicken Salad Wraps
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When it comes to easy, make-ahead meals, chicken salad wraps are a lifesaver. They’re quick to make, packed with flavor, and perfect for lunches, picnics, or meal prep.
This homemade chicken salad wrap is loaded with tender chicken, toasted walnuts, sweet cranberries, and crisp apples—all tossed in a creamy dressing and wrapped up for a fuss-free meal.
On those nonstop days when I’m jumping between work and dropping my kid off at yet another playdate, I love having a container of these ready to go in the fridge. They hold up great, and since they’re already wrapped, I can grab one in between the chaos or sneak in five quiet minutes to eat something that’s not a leftover nugget.
No mess, no million dishes—just something quick that actually tastes good and fills you up.
These are great for the kids too. Toss one in a lunchbox or cooler, and boom—dinner’s ready before they’re off to the next thing.
Easy, portable, and honestly kind of a lifesaver.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Quick & Easy – Simple ingredients, minimal prep, and ready in minutes.
- Perfect for Meal Prep – Make wraps ahead and store them for grab-and-go lunches.
- Great for Picnics & Lunchboxes – Wrap, slice, and pack them up with no mess.
- Totally Customizable – Swap ingredients to fit your preferences.
Pro Mom Tip
Mom Tip: Set yourself up for the week with a batch of these chicken salad wraps, turkey and cheese pinwheels, and homemade peanut butter and jelly uncrustables. Store them in the fridge and rotate them into lunchboxes all week long—easy, low-effort lunches that never feel boring.
Ingredients
For these wraps, I use my homemade chicken salad, but feel free to use your own favorite recipe or prepared chicken salad from the deli section at the grocery store.
- Cooked chicken– diced chicken breast or shredded chicken works for this recipe. Use rotisserie chicken to save time!
- Granny Smith Apple– If you don’t want too much fruit in your chicken salad, feel free to use diced celery instead!
- Sweetened Dried Cranberries – The cranberries are what make this chicken salad distinctly New England aka “Cape Cod Style”.
- Toasted Walnuts– chopped. You can toast these yourself or buy them already toasted!
- Mayonnaise– I use full fat mayo, but you can opt for low fat or Greek yogurt instead!
- Dijon Mustard– spicy brown mustard works if that’s all you have, or apple cider vinegar.
- Honey– adds a little sweetness. You can use maple syrup too if you have that on hand. Syrup will add a little smokiness to the flavor.
- Black pepper
- Pinch Of Salt – this is to taste, depending on how salty the chicken and the mayonnaise are.
- 3 large flour tortillas (burrito-size)– White, wheat, or spinach wraps are SO GOOD here.
- Leafy greens (like spinach, arugula, or romaine lettuce)– this not only adds more flavor and veggies, but it keeps the wraps from getting soggy!
How to Make a Chicken Salad Wrap
Step 1: Make the Chicken Salad
This is my homemade chicken salad recipe, feel free to skip this step if you’re using already prepare chicken salad from the deli.
In a large bowl, combine the diced chicken, apples, walnuts, and cranberries, and dressing ingredients.
Gently mix until everything is evenly coated in the dressing and the ingredients are evenly distributed.
Step 2: Assemble the Wraps
Lay a tortilla flat on a clean surface. Top with leafy greens (to protect the tortilla from getting soggy).
Spoon ¾ cup of chicken salad on top of the greens.
Step 3: Fold & Roll the Wrap
Fold up the bottom third of the tortilla. Next fold the sides
Fold in the right side, only about a 1/3 of the way.
Then repeat on the left side, like you’re folding an envelope. Don’t worry; the chicken salad won’t be completely covered. You’re just tucking in the edges.
Tightly roll the tortilla from the bottom up, keeping the filling tucked in as you go. Place the wrap seam side down on a plate or cutting board.
Slice in half for easy serving. Serve immediately or store in airtight containers to serve later.
Tips for the Best Chicken Salad Wraps
- Use fresh, soft tortillas to prevent cracking while rolling.
- Don’t overfill the wrap. This makes it easier to roll up the tortilla without losing all the filling.
- For a lighter option, use whole wheat tortillas or a low-carb wrap.
Make-Ahead & Storage Instructions
These chicken salad wraps can be made in advance and stored for easy grab-and-go meals!
To make ahead, prepare the wraps as written, then either leave them whole or slice them before storing.
Place sliced wraps in an airtight container, or wrap unsliced roll-ups tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate after wrapping.
Stored properly, the chicken salad wraps will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 3 days.
They’re perfect for lunchboxes, picnics, or road trips—just pack them in a cooler and enjoy!
More Ways to Serve This Chicken Salad
- As a Classic Chicken Salad Sandwich – Serve it on toasted wheat bread or a croissant.
- Over Greens – Skip the tortilla and make it a salad.
- With Crackers or Pita Chips – A great snack or appetizer.
- Complete The Meal- Serve your chicken salad wraps alongside some homemade French fries or kettle-cooked potato chips.
Variations:
- Add grapes to the filling instead of apples, for a Sonoma style chicken salad..
- Pecans or almonds are delicious in the place of walnuts.
- Around Thanksgiving, leftover turkey works great in the place of chicken!
- Omit the fruit and add more savory ingredients like pickles and red onion to your chicken salad filling.
- Make chicken salad lettuce wraps by swapping the tortillas for butter or bibb lettuce.
- Spice up the dressing by adding curry powder. Curried chicken salad is top tier delicious.
Frequently Asked Questions
If making ahead, layer leafy greens first before adding the chicken salad. This helps prevent moisture from soaking into the tortilla.
When stored properly, wrapped in plastic or in an airtight container, the wraps will stay fresh for up to 3 days.
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Homemade Chicken Salad Wraps
Ingredients
Chicken Salad Ingredients
- 2 cups of cooked chicken shredded or diced
- 1/2 cup diced tart apple like a Granny Smith
- 1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts
- 2/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon honey
- Pinch of salt
For The Wraps
- 3 large tortillas burrito sized
- 1 1/2 cups of leafy greens or lettuce
Instructions
Make The Chicken Salad
- In a large bowl, combine the diced chicken, apples, walnuts, and cranberries.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the mayo, mustard, honey, black pepper, and salt.
- Pour the dressing over the chicken mixture and stir until everything is evenly coated. Give the salad a taste and add more salt and pepper if needed.
Assemble The Wraps
- Lay a tortilla flat on a clean surface.
- Line with ½ cup leafy greens and place ¾ cup of chicken salad in the center.
- Fold up the bottom, one third of the way up the tortilla.
- Next, fold the left side 1/3 of the way towards the center and then repeat with the right side, like folding an envelope. The chicken salad should still be visible in the center.
- Tightly roll from the bottom up, keeping the filling tucked in as you go. Place the wrap seam side down on a plate or cutting board.
- Slice the wrap in half for easy serving.
- Repeat until you've reached the quantity of wraps needed. Refrigerate any leftover chicken salad you're not using.
Notes
- Dice the apples into bite sized pieces, about 1/4″
- To make the wraps ahead, follow the instructions above and either keep the wraps whole and wrap tightly in plastic wrap or slice in half and store in an airtight container in the fridge. The lettuce will keep the wraps from getting soggy, and the wraps will stay fresh for up to 3 days in the fridge.
