One of my simple life pleasures is coming up with new and fun ways to use up leftovers… it’s true, just ask Dave! Few things bring me more joy than concocting a delicious and completely “new-tasting” meal from various odds and ends in the refrigerator.
Of course, I also love that leftover meals save so much time and energy… and the cost savings on our grocery bill really adds up too as we rarely waste even the smallest amount of leftover food (I just throw it in a freezer bag if I’m not planning to use it up quickly).
“Wraps” are one of my go-to staples for transforming various leftovers into a brand new meal — they work for breakfast, lunch, or dinner at our house.
Simply throw any type of already-cooked meat, beans, eggs, veggies, herbs, and cheese into one of my favorite make-at-home tortillas from Costco and serve with a side of fruit or a simple salad. Done!
Grilled Chicken Ranch Wraps are always on the menu a day or two after we grill chicken — although you could definitely make them with leftover baked chicken, rotisserie chicken, or even canned chicken.
They are great for lunch or dinner, mixed with whatever beans, veggies, herbs, and cheese you have in the house… and of course, a squeeze of Ranch!
If you’re looking for an extremely simple, make-ahead, no-bake meal for quick lunches, busy weeknights, or hot weather days, Grilled Chicken Ranch Wraps are a “must” for your menu plan!
Grilled Chicken Ranch Wraps
Last night's chicken leftovers will quickly become a family favorite when mixed with a few pantry staples and grilled
Ingredients
- 8 tortillas (I use 8" or 9")
- 1/2 c. Ranch Dressing; divided
- 1 c. grilled chicken; shredded or diced
- 1/2 c. black beans
- 1/2 c. corn (frozen, canned, or fresh)
- 1/4 c. red onion; diced
- 1/4 c. fresh cilantro; chopped
- 1 T. minced garlic
- 1/2 c. cheese; divided (we love pepper jack, fresh mozzarella, and cheddar)
Instructions
- Cook tortillas (if necessary)
- Squeeze roughly 1 T. Ranch dressing down the center of each tortilla
- In a small bowl, mix chicken, beans, corn, onion, cilantro, and garlic
- Scoop roughly 1/4 cup chicken filling into each tortilla
- Sprinkle with 1 T. cheese
- Tightly roll up each wrap and grill until the outside is crispy and the cheese is melted (about 5 minutes)
- Serve with additional Ranch or any of your favorite dipping sauces
Notes
Please keep in mind that none of these measurements are exact -- feel free to use more or less of anything (or completely omit an ingredient).
You might also want to experiment with different sauce, herb, and cheese combinations for a totally new taste.
For example:
- BBQ sauce, rosemary, feta cheese (sounds weird, but it's good!)
- Guacamole, cilantro, and queso cheese (or a Mexican blend)
- Sour cream, chives, and cheddar cheese
- Teriyaki sauce and ginger
Nutrition Information
Yield
8Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 325Total Fat 14gSaturated Fat 4gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 9gCholesterol 42mgSodium 281mgCarbohydrates 34gFiber 3gSugar 2gProtein 16g
Nutritional information is approximate and does not account for additional ingredients or added toppings.
A Few Tips:
I usually mix up the chicken filling ahead of time and layer it with the Ranch and cheese when I’m assembling the wraps. I guess I just prefer to have more control over the amount of Ranch and cheese, but you could certainly just mix everything together in one bowl.
These wraps can easily be made in advance (several hours or even the day before) and stored in a zip-top bag or aluminum foil until you’re ready to warm them up.
And speaking of warming them up, we love using our cast iron pans and our George Foreman grill for these wraps. Both options work wonderfully — you just want to get the outside crispy and the inside hot and melty.
Simple Side Dish Ideas:
Here are a few simple side dish options to get you thinking…
- Fresh fruit
- Raw veggies and dip (more Ranch!)
- Chips, salsa, and guacamole
- Cowboy Caviar
- Easy 7-Layer Dip and chips
- Broccoli Bacon Salad
- Easy Italian Chopped Salad
- Grilled Corn, Tomato, Avocado Salad
- Chicken Fiesta Salad (pictured below)
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as my family does… and feel free to experiment with the different flavor combos and sauces I noted on the recipe card.
As always, visit my virtual recipe box for more simple, delicious, family-friendly recipes!
Chris says
Mmm. These sound really good!
Tj says
I just made these tonight and like another poster said, I’d never though to grill a stuffed tortilla on the Foreman, but that simple step is truly a game changer. Not only was this a big hit, but super simple for me (I kept things separate so teen could build her own) and everyone was chiming in on what else we could add or riff on the future. Thx for posting what may seem like an obvious recipe but is just the kind of thing busy families need.
Andrea says
sounds like a winning meal at your house! And yes, we let our kiddos customize the toppings as well!
Amy says
When I’m really on the ball, I’ll assemble versions of this as I’m putting away the leftovers of a Mexican meal. Then put them in a zip lock in the fridge or freezer for a future meal!
Rhonda says
I have a “black bean, corn, and red pepper with chili-lime dressing” salad that I like to make. The leftovers would be easy to fill into tortillas with the chicken and cheese like you have here. I have a panini/grilled sandwich maker that would work well, like your GF grill (in fact, after you posted on here that you make your quesadillas in the GF grill, I started mostly making my quesadillas on my press – so much less to clean up!)
Andrea says
yum, that salad dressing sounds amazing! And yes, using the GF for quesadillas and other grilled sandwiches is SO easy!
Mara says
Thank you!!!!
Rose | Rose Bakes says
I made these for supper tonight and they were a HUGE hit with my family! Thanks!
Andrea says
yay!! Thanks for sharing! I’m thinking of making them for lunch tomorrow with leftover chicken from our chicken and steak fajitas tonight!
Olivia says
These look so good, and so simple! I have leftover chicken from making enchiladas that would be perfect for this. Somehow I’ve never thought to put wraps on my George Foreman – how have I never done that????
Andrea says
yes, the GF really is a great way to “grill” foods inside — less mess, less heat, less chance of things falling through the grates, etc.
JJ says
Those look amazing!!! Walmart sells JUST Ranch for those who are dairy and gluten free!!!
Andrea says
good to know — thanks for sharing!
Karyn says
These look delicious!! Thanks for sharing such great recipes with us!!
Andrea says
you’re welcome Karyn!! And they ARE delicious 🙂