This easy buffalo chicken wrap is stuffed with crispy buffalo chicken tenders, shredded cheese, lettuce, and tomatoes. I like to serve it with ranch and blue cheese on the side for a sandwich-shop-style lunch.
I’ve been hooked on buffalo chicken wraps ever since I lived in St. Louis. There’s just something I love so much about buffalo sauce-drenched fried chicken tenders layered in a tortilla with lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese. I’ve made other crispy chicken sandwiches since, like my Nashville Hot Chicken Sandwich and my Chicken Cutlet Sandwich, but my taste buds will never stop craving the original wrap I ordered from that St. Louis sandwich shop all those years ago.
Homemade Buffalo Chicken Wraps
Buffalo chicken wraps take everything you love about classic buffalo wings and stuff them into a tortilla. For years, I didn’t think that they were my thing. Why have a wrap when you can just order a plate of wings? Back when I lived in St. Louis, my roommate ordered one every single time we hit up our favorite sandwich shop. Finally, I tried a bite one day—I was hooked.
Decades later, I’m still obsessed with the same flavors and textures in these wraps. My version is the same as the sandwich shop wrap I’d order almost weekly: crispy, deep-fried chicken strips tossed in a homemade buffalo wing sauce layered in a tortilla with shredded cheese, lettuce, and tomatoes. Using my Homemade Buffalo Sauce takes the spicy kick up a notch, but that’s exactly why I recommend pairing the wraps with a side of cooling ranch dressing or creamy blue cheese.
Ingredients and Substitutions
This is a super-simple wrap that gets its bold flavors from everyday spices and homemade Buffalo sauce. Here’s what I used to make it:
- Eggs are used as the “glue” that binds the flour to the chicken. Buttermilk can work as a substitute.
- Flour , just all-purpose.
- Seasonings – Sweet paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. If you want a little more heat in the breading, swap the sweet paprika for smoked paprika or add a pinch of cayenne.
- Chicken – 2 pounds of chicken tenders.
- Tortillas – The standard 10- to 12-inch burrito-size flour tortillas are big enough to fit all of the fillings.
- Cheese – shredded sharp cheddar and Monterey Jack from the block. Blue cheese crumbles would also be delicious.
- Vegetables just like the sandwich shop uses. Thinly sliced Bibb or iceberg lettuce and ripe tomato slices.
- Buffalo Sauce – I make my Homemade Buffalo Sauce for this. It only takes a few minutes, but store-bought sauces, like Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Sauce or Primal Kitchen, are great, too.
How to Make Buffalo Chicken Wraps
Heat: Fill a pot halfway with oil, then heat it over medium-low until it reaches 350°F.
Prep the dredging stations: In a shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs with a pinch of salt and pepper. In a separate shallow bowl, whisk together the flour and seasonings.
Bread and rest: Coat 4 to 5 chicken tenders at a time, first in the egg wash and then in the seasoned flour. Lay them on a parchment-lined sheet tray and let them rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
Fry: Carefully submerge the breaded tenders into the hot oil and fry until each piece is golden and has an internal temperature of 165°F. Immediately transfer them to a wire rack set over a sheet tray.
Toss in sauce: Move the warm tenders to a large bowl, pour in the buffalo sauce, and toss until the chicken is completely coated.
Warm the tortillas: To make them more pliable, warm the tortillas one at a time.
Assemble: Lay a few buffalo tenders in the center of a warm tortilla. Then, top it with cheese, lettuce, and tomatoes.
Roll: Fold the wrap and roll it closed.
Slice: Slice the wrap on a bias and serve.
Baking Instructions
If you don’t want to fry the chicken tenders, bake them in the oven instead. Lay the breaded chicken tenders on a wire rack set on a sheet tray, spray the tops with cooking spray, and bake in a 425°F oven for 18 to 22 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden brown and cooked through.
Chef Tip + Notes
It’s really important to keep the oil temperature between 350°F and 375°F. I always keep a thermometer nearby to check the oil temperature. If it’s too cold, the breading will soak up grease, making the tenders soggy. If it’s too hot, the breading will burn before the chicken is cooked through. And if you fry too many tenders in the oil at once, it will drop below the ideal temperature.
- Dry the chicken: I always start by patting the chicken tenders dry with paper towels. If the chicken is damp, the flour will gum up and peel off when frying.
- Rest the chicken: Don’t underestimate that 10- to 15-minute rest. Setting the breaded chicken aside after dredging helps the breading stick instead of peeling off and ending up at the bottom of the pot.
- Warm up the sauce: I highly recommend gently warming the buffalo sauce in a saucepan before pouring it over the chicken. Trust me, a warm buffalo chicken wrap is so much more satisfying.
- Optional add-ins: I love the classic lettuce-and-tomato combo, but thinly sliced red onions, a few slices of crispy bacon, and avocado would also taste great in this wrap.
Serving Suggestions
Just like buffalo chicken wings, this wrap just isn’t complete without a few creamy dipping sauces on the side. My Buttermilk Ranch Dressing is my all-time favorite, but this chunky Blue Cheese Dressing pairs just as well.
I like to serve this wrap just as they would in a pub or sandwich shop. I’ll usually have well-seasoned potato wedges or a batch of french fries on the side, along with celery and carrot sticks for those classic chicken wing vibes.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: The assembled wraps are best served right away. However, you can fry the tenders in advance and keep them warm on a wire rack in a 200ºF oven for up to 30 minutes before assembling the wraps.
How to Store: I keep the wraps tightly wrapped in a layer of plastic wrap or foil and store them in the fridge for 2 to 3 days.
More Sandwich Recipes
Buffalo Chicken Wrap Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons sweet paprika
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder or granules
- 2 teaspoons onion powder or granules
- 2 pounds chicken tenders
- 6 large flour tortillas
- 1 cup shredded cheddar or Monterey jack cheese, or both
- 1 cup shredded or thinly sliced bibb or iceberg lettuce
- 12 tomato slices
- 1 cup heated buffalo sauce
- salt and pepper to taste
- oil for frying
Instructions
- Add enough oil to fill a medium-sized pot halfway and heat it until it reaches 350°F.
- In a shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs with salt and pepper. Set to the side.
- Using a separate shallow bowl, whisk together the flour, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
- Next, pat the chicken tenders dry using paper towels.
- Take 4 to 5 tenders at a time, coat them completely on all sides in the egg wash. Then transfer them to the seasoned flour. Place them spread out on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper. Let them sit for 10 to 15 minutes. This will help the breading stick.
- Then, add 4 to 6 tenders to the hot frying oil and fry for 4 to 5 minutes, or until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Cook in batches until all the chicken tenders have been fried. Drain on a rack over a sheet tray.
- Add the tenders and buffalo sauce to a bowl and toss to coat.
- To make the burrito shell more pliable, heat a shell over an open flame for 10 to 15 seconds per side, or on a griddle or large pan over medium heat. All will work.
- Place some buffalo tenders on the heated burrito shell, then add the cheese, lettuce, and tomato.
- Next, fold in the sides, then, starting from the back, roll the burrito forward until it is tight and secure.
- Slice in half and serve with additional buffalo sauce, ranch, blue cheese, carrot sticks, and celery sticks.
Buffalo Chicken Wrap Recipe