This Baja Chicken Wrap is a lunchtime favorite! It’s fresh, hearty, nutritious, and loaded with flavor-packed chicken, creamy cilantro sauce, lettuce, tomato, feta, and more!
This Baja Chicken Wrap is one of my favorite quick and easy lunches that doesn’t taste quick and easy!
This recipe is my version of a wrap that was made popular by Tropical Smoothie Cafe and Sonic. It’s a soft tortilla filled with the most flavorful chicken, a homemade creamy sauce, and tons of fresh toppings.
Why I LOVE this recipe!
- Super Flavorful Chicken – The Baja chicken is marinated, seared in a skillet, then baked in the oven. This process yields deliciously moist and flavorful chicken.
- Easy to Put Together – Just 10 minutes of hands-on time, a little bit of waiting, and a few minutes of assembly to whip this recipe up.
- Make-Ahead Friendly – You can make these on the spot OR you can prep the ingredients ahead of time for an easy meal prep option.
Recipe Notes
This chicken wrap recipe is as simple as promised! Just a quick 10 minutes of prep for a family friendly meal.
In this section I am going to go through a few tips and tricks I use for how to make a chicken wrap and get the absolute best and most delicious results.
Make sure to scroll to the bottom for the FULL recipe card.
Ingredients + Substitutions
- Chicken Breast – Use boneless, skinless chicken breast for this recipe.
- Citrus Juice – I use a combination of lime juice and orange juice to marinate the chicken.
- Jalapeños – Remember, the seeds are what make the jalapeños super spicy. Feel free to leave them in if you like a lot of heat or remove them for a more mild flavor.
- Spices – A combination of garlic, oregano, cumin, salt, and pepper takes the chicken flavor to the next level.
- Cooking Oil
- Creamy Cilantro Sauce – Our cilantro sauce is made of a combination of Greek yogurt, salsa verde, cilantro, lime juice, and garlic.
- Tortillas
- Toppings – You can fill up your wrap with any combination of avocado, black bean and corn salsa, romaine lettuce, grape tomatoes, and feta cheese.
Make sure to see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full quantities and ingredients list.
Recipe Variations
If you love this recipe as much as we do and want some quick ways to change it up for variety, these little tips will do the trick!
- Cheesy Baja Chicken Wrap – I love this recipe as-is, but you can absolutely make it into a cheesier chicken wrap. Simply add a layer of cheddar cheese.
- Baja Chicken Salad Wrap – Skip the tortillas and make this into a low carb meal by making these into fresh lettuce wraps.
Recipe Step by Step
I am going to highlight a few key steps in the recipe here. Make sure to jump down to the recipe card for comprehensive instructions on how to make Baja Chicken Wraps.
Place the chicken into a ziplock bag or container, then add in lime juice, orange juice, jalapeño, garlic, spices, and half of the cooking oil. Mix until coated, then marinate in the fridge.
Once the chicken is marinated, add to a hot skillet and sear both sides. Transfer the skillet to the oven set to 350ºF and cook until the internal temp reaches 165ºF.
In a blender or food processor, combine all of the cilantro sauce ingredients, then blend until smooth.
Lay your tortillas out onto a clean workspace, then smash the avocado on top. Place sliced chicken onto the avocado, then layer on salsa, tomatoes, and romaine. Finish with a drizzle of sauce and a sprinkle of feta, then roll and serve.
Recipe Tips
- Marinate for longer! If you’re short on time, you can marinate the chicken for a quick 20 minutes with flavorful results. However, for the best flavor, I recommend giving the chicken a little extra time to soak in that marinade.
- Use an oven-safe skillet. To dirty fewer dishes, I like to sear the chicken in an oven-safe skillet so that I can easily transfer it to the oven for the baking portion of the cooking process. If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, you can sear the chicken, then transfer it to a baking dish to cook.
- Check the chicken temperature. To make sure your chicken is ready to go, I recommend using a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature. It should be 165ºF.
Recipe Short Cuts
If you need to make this recipe, but are extra short on time, here are a few ideas that can help make this recipe even faster!
- Make the chicken ahead of time – The cooked chicken will last in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for 2-3 months. You can get ahead by prepping it in advance, then warming it up (thawing first, if frozen) before serving.
- Prep the toppings in advance – You can easily whip up your creamy cilantro sauce and salsa a couple of days ahead of serving your wraps. You can also prepare your fillings, such as the chopped lettuce and halved grape tomatoes, ahead of time, but I recommend prepping these no more than a day ahead of time.
Freezer Meal Instructions
Making this Baja Chicken Wrap recipe into a freezer meal is simple! Follow the steps below and you can store this recipe in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Prepare and cook the chicken as instructed. Let it cool completely.
- Transfer the cooled chicken to a freezer-safe container, then store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- When you’re ready to serve, let it thaw in the fridge overnight, then warm in the oven until heated through.
- Serve as directed, and enjoy!
What to Serve with a Baja Chicken Wrap
Since this protein based dinner has the delicious flavors of Southwestern cuisine, it will pair well with many of your favorite Southwestern inspired side dishes.
Choose one or several of these side dishes to create a wholesome, well-rounded dinner. There are both classic options and some healthy options to keep it light.
Side Dish Ideas
- Oven-Baked Potato Wedges – Round out your meal with these Oven-Baked Potato Wedges. They’re perfectly fluffy on the inside, with deliciously crispy edges. Tie them into the baja chicken flavor with a sprinkle of Southwest seasoning!
- Creamy Southern Coleslaw – This Creamy Southern Coleslaw is a fresh, simple, and delicious side dish – perfect for chicken wraps. It’s a 10 minute recipe featuring crunchy cabbage and yellow onion in a tangy, creamy dressing.
- Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice – This simple Chipotle Cilantro Lime Rice is a tasty way to round out your meal. You’ll have just the right hint of cilantro and lime with this dish.
Chicken Wrap Leftovers
If you have leftovers after making this recipe, then it is your lucky day! They save and reheat well, and can make the start of another delicious dish.
To save leftovers, separate into meal sized portions and then place in an airtight container and store:
- in the refrigerator for 3-4 days
- in the freezer up to a month
Leftover Recipes
Here are a few ways to repurpose those leftovers and give them a delicious makeover!
- Chicken Salad – serve on toast or with crackers
- Baja Chicken Mac and Cheese – Turn your leftover chicken into a hearty pasta dinner by dicing it up and tossing it with Baked Macaroni and Cheese.
- Baja Chicken Salad – Turn your Baja chicken into a chicken salad by chopping it up, tossing it with creamy cilantro dressing, or another dressing of your choice, then serving it as a chicken salad sandwich or on crackers as a tasty snack!
Recipe FAQ’s
What is in a Baja Chicken Wrap at Tropical Smoothie?
The Baja Chicken Wrap at Tropical Smoothie Cafe is super similar to this recipe with just a couple of differences. The key components are grilled chicken, chipotle mayo, lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese all wrapped up in a tortilla.
Is a Baja Chicken Wrap healthy?
Absolutely! This Baja Chicken Wrap recipe is packed full of fresh and good-for-you ingredients that taste good too!
More EASY Chicken Recipes
If you enjoyed this recipe, I really hope you will take a moment to grab a few more easy recipes for another busy night!
You can check out all of my easy chicken recipes here, or see a few of our readers favorite recipes below.
Baja Chicken Wraps
Ingredients
For the Baja Chicken
- 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 2 tablespoons lime juice, juice of about 2 limes
- ¼ cup orange juice, juice of about 1 orange
- 2 jalapeños, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic , minced
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 3 tablespoons cooking oil, divided
For the Creamy Cilantro Sauce
- ½ cup greek yogurt
- ½ cup salsa verde
- ½ cup cilantro, (about ½ bunch)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice, (juice of about 1 lime)
- 1 clove garlic
For the Baja Wraps
- 4 large tortillas , (or other wrap)
- 1 avocado, smashed
- 1 cup black bean and corn salsa, prepared
- 1 heart of romaine, chopped
- 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
- ¼ cup feta cheese
Instructions
To make the Baja Chicken
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F.
- Place the chicken breast in a zip top bag, or covered container. Add the lime juice, orange juice, jalapeno slices, garlic, oregano, cumin, salt, pepper, and half of the cooking oil.
- Mix well until the chicken is evenly coated in the marinade. Let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes, or up to 3 hours.
- Heat the remaining oil in a large oven-safe skillet over medium high heat. Once hot, add the chicken breast to the skillet and let sit on the first side 2-3 minutes without moving to sear. Once a nice golden brown sear has formed, flip the chicken and cook an additional 2-3 minutes.
- Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes or until chicken reaches 165˚F internal temperature. Note: if you don't have an oven-proof skillet, you can transfer the chicken to a baking sheet or casserole dish, but it may take a couple of extra minutes to cook.
- Let sit 5 minutes, then slice.
To make the Creamy Cilantro Sauce
- Place all sauce ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
To assemble the Baja Chicken Wraps
- Smash the avocado and spread ¼ of the mixture over each tortilla. Place sliced Baja chicken on top of the avocado.
- Layer on the black bean and corn salsa, tomatoes, and romaine.
- Drizzle the creamy cilantro sauce over the fillings, then sprinkle feta cheese.
- Fold the ends of the tortilla in, then roll tightly. Serve as is, or cut in half.
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