Equipment
Ingredients
Chicken
- 200 g chicken breast, boneless, skinless, pounded to even thickness
- 10 ml olive oil
- 3 g kosher salt
- 2 g black pepper, freshly cracked
Filling and Wrap
- 100 g romaine lettuce, washed, thoroughly dried, and chopped
- 30 g parmesan cheese, shaved or grated
- 60 ml caesar dressing
- 2 flour tortillas
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 671 kcal
- Protein
- 33 g
- Carbohydrates
- 38 g
- Fat
- 42 g
- Fiber
- 4 g
- Sugar
- 4 g
- Sodium
- 1723 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 10 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 14 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 15 g
- Cholesterol
- 86 mg
- Potassium
- 467 mg
- Calcium
- 327 mg
- Iron
- 4.4 mg
- Magnesium
- 56 mg
- Phosphorus
- 445 mg
- Zinc
- 1.8 mg
- Vitamin A
- 276 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 2 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.5 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 2.6 mg
- Vitamin K
- 94 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.5 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.46 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.38 mg
- Niacin
- 13.2 mg
- Folate
- 140 mcg
- Water
- 155 g
Sources: USDA FoodData Central
Method
Coat the chicken breast evenly with olive oil, kosher salt, and black pepper.
Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat until hot.
Place the chicken in the hot pan and cook for 5 to 6 minutes per side, or until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 74 Celsius / 165 Fahrenheit.
Remove the chicken from the pan and let it rest on a cutting board to allow juices to redistribute.
Cut the rested chicken into bite-sized strips.
Combine the chopped romaine lettuce, chicken strips, parmesan cheese, and Caesar dressing in a large mixing bowl. Toss thoroughly to coat.
Place the flour tortillas flat on a work surface and spoon the dressed mixture onto the lower third of each tortilla.
Fold the left and right sides of the tortilla over the filling, then roll tightly upward from the bottom to form a secure wrap.
Slice each wrap in half diagonally and serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Pounding the chicken breast to an even thickness ensures uniform cooking and prevents dry edges while waiting for the thicker parts to finish.
- For the crispest texture, use a salad spinner to ensure the romaine lettuce is completely dry. Residual water will dilute the rich Caesar dressing and make the wrap soggy.
- Briefly warming the tortillas in a dry skillet or microwave makes them significantly more pliable, preventing frustrating tears during the rolling process.
Storage
Refrigerator: 24 hours — Wrap tightly in foil or parchment; lettuce will gradually lose crispness.
Troubleshooting
Wrap falls apart while eating
Cause: Overfilling the tortilla or improper folding technique
Fix: Wrap the bottom half tightly in foil or parchment paper to hold it together while eating
Prevention: Leave an adequate border around the edges and ensure the sides are folded in tightly before rolling
Soggy wrap
Cause: Wet lettuce or applying dressing too far in advance
Fix: Cannot be fixed once assembled
Prevention: Thoroughly dry romaine lettuce after washing and mix dressing immediately before assembly
Tortilla tears when rolling
Cause: Tortilla is cold or stale
Fix: Double wrap with a second warmed tortilla
Prevention: Warm tortillas for 10 seconds in a microwave or dry skillet before rolling
Cultural Context
The Caesar salad was famously invented in Tijuana, Mexico by Italian-American restaurateur Caesar Cardini in 1924. Adapting this iconic salad into a portable wrap form became a massive trend in American quick-service lunch culture during the late 1990s, blending classic restaurant flavors with modern convenience.
