Easy Chicken Spinach Wraps – With Leftover Chicken
A super quick dinner that’s great for mid-week or when you’re in a rush. Use up leftover chicken in these easy Chicken spinach wraps with flavours of pesto mayonnaise that the whole family can enjoy. Ready in only 15 minutes!
Recipe Overview
Skill Level:
BEGINNER
Prep Time:
5 MINUTES
Cook Time:
10 MINUTES
What Makes This Recipe Great
A money-saving recipe that utilises leftovers.
Very quick and easy to make but packed with flavour.
You only need one pan and a few steps, so there’s minimal clean up and fuss with this recipe. Perfect for mid-week meals.
I like to save on food waste and when you have leftovers, it sometimes takes a little time figuring out what you are going to do with it.
Leftover chicken from roast dinners is often something families will have and that’s where these chicken spinach wraps come in.
Ready to eat in only 15 minutes, chicken spinach wraps make a great Monday night meal after a Sunday roast that you can even serve up for lunch too, since they can be eaten hot or cold.
We shred the cooked chicken, add in some pesto mayo and combine everything together in a flour tortilla that is then lightly toasted for crispiness.
Serve alongside some fries, mac and cheese bites or pesto roasted vegetables for a complete meal.
Check Out More Wrap Recipes:
Equipment Needed:
- Large Mixing Bowl: For mixing the shredded chicken, avocado, pesto, and mayonnaise.
- Small Mixing Bowl: To combine the pesto and mayonnaise before adding to the chicken and avocado mixture.
- Forks or Stand Mixer: To shred the cooked chicken. A stand mixer can be used for quicker shredding.
- Sharp Knife & Chopping Board: For chopping the avocados.
- Skillet Pan (or Griddle Pan): For toasting the folded tortillas until crispy.
- Spatula or Tongs: To turn the chicken spinach wraps in the pan and prevent them from burning.
Ingredients:
- Flour Tortillas: You can use shop-bought tortillas or make your own.
- Cooked Leftover Chicken: The leftover chicken from a roast works really well.
- Fresh Baby Spinach Leaves: Used as a salad garnish inside the wraps.
- Mozzarella Cheese: I use cooking mozzarella as it’s drier and prevents sogginess. If you want to use fresh mozzarella, cut it into cubes and allow it to drain for an hour or 2 before use.
- Avocados: Fresh ripe avocados give the best result.
- Pesto: Use a shop-bought basil pesto or make your own.
- Mayonnaise: Adds creaminess to the filling.
Substitutions and Additions:
Wondering if you can substitute or add an ingredient? Here, I will tell you if that’s possible.
- Flour Tortillas: You can use whole wheat or corn tortillas for a different flavour.
- Cooked Leftover Chicken: If you don’t have leftover chicken, you can cook fresh chicken breasts or use rotisserie chicken for convenience.
- Fresh Baby Spinach Leaves: Arugula, kale, or mixed salad greens can be used in place of spinach for a different texture and flavour.
- Mozzarella Cheese: Cheddar, Monterey Jack, or a Mexican blend of cheeses would work as alternatives for a slightly different taste and melt.
- Pesto: If you don’t have pesto, you can substitute with a simple herb sauce like chimichurri.
Additions:
- Grilled Veggies: Zucchini, bell peppers, or onions can be grilled and added for more texture and flavour.
- Spicy Jalapeños: Add some fresh jalapeño slices for a spicy kick.
- Sun-dried Tomatoes: These can add a tangy, umami-packed flavour to the filling.
Smart Shortcuts:
In a rush and need to take some shortcuts with this recipe? Here’s some ideas:
Pre-cooked Chicken: If you don’t have any leftover chicken, you can use rotisserie chicken or pre-cooked chicken breast from the store to save time on cooking and shredding.
Pre-washed Spinach: Buy pre-washed, bagged spinach to skip the washing and drying step.
Grated Cheese: Purchase pre-grated mozzarella to skip the time spent grating the cheese.
Step-By-Step Guide – How To Make Pesto Chicken Spinach Wraps
Prep-Ahead Time Saving Tips for Chicken Spinach Wraps
Planning ahead makes this recipe even faster! Here are some ways to streamline your prep:
TOTAL TIME SAVED:
11 MINUTES
Shred the Chicken (Save 5 minutes): Shred the leftover chicken ahead of time and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. This eliminates the need to shred it during your main prep time.
Mix the Pesto and Mayonnaise (Save 1 minute): Combine the pesto and mayonnaise in a small bowl and store in the fridge. This can be done up to 2 days ahead, giving you a creamy sauce ready to mix into the chicken and avocado.
Grate the Cheese (Save 5 minutes): Grate the mozzarella cheese ahead of time and store it in an airtight container. Pre-grating eliminates the time spent on this step while ensuring the cheese melts easily when the quesadillas are toasted.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! If you don’t have leftover chicken, you can cook fresh chicken breast, shred them, and use them in this recipe.
Make sure your skillet is medium-hot, not too high. Press the tortillas gently with a spatula to help them toast evenly. If needed, reduce the heat slightly and toast the tortillas for a bit longer on each side.
Fold the tortillas tightly, starting at the bottom and folding in the sides. This will help seal the filling inside. Also, pressing down gently with a spatula while toasting helps keep the filling in place.
Mastering This Recipe – Expert Tips
- Don’t Overstuff the Tortillas: Avoid adding too much filling to the tortillas. Overstuffing can make it difficult to toast the quesadilla evenly and can cause the filling to spill out. A generous but controlled amount of filling is ideal.
- Toast Over Medium Heat: Toast the quesadillas over medium heat, seal side down to ensure the cheese melts evenly without burning the tortillas. If the heat is too high, the tortillas might burn before the cheese melts completely.
- Serve Immediately: These quesadillas are best enjoyed fresh and hot, right after they’re toasted. Serve with a side of salsa, sour cream, or extra pesto for dipping.
Storage
- Assembled Wraps: Chicken spinach wraps are best eaten fresh, but you can store leftovers for 1-2 days.
- Chicken Spinach Wrap Filling: It’s best to store the wraps unassembled. The mixed filling will store in the fridge for 1-2 days.
- Reheating: To reheat the quesadillas, place them in a skillet over medium heat for 2-3 minutes on each side, pressing gently with a spatula. This will help them crisp up again and ensure the cheese is melted. Alternatively, you can reheat them in the oven at 175°C (350°F) for 10 minutes, or until heated through and crispy.
- Freezing: I don’t recommend freezing the mixed filling or assembled wraps as the texture will change and they will turn soggy upon defrosting. However, you can freeze flour tortillas separately as well as cooked chicken.
Easy Chicken Spinach Wraps – With Leftover Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 Large Flour Tortillas
- 500 g Cooked Leftover Chicken
- 80 g Fresh Baby Spinach Leaves
- 150 g Mozzarella Cheese
- 2 Medium Avocados
- 3 tbsp Pesto
- 6 tbsp Mayonnaise
Instructions
- Shred the cooked chicken using two forks, or place them in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment and beat gently until shredded.
- Chop the avocados into small chunks and place them in a large mixing bowl. Add the shredded chicken.
- In a separate small bowl, mix the pesto and mayonnaise together. Add the mixture to the chicken and avocado, and mix everything thoroughly.
- Lay out the tortillas on a clean surface.
- Divide the mozzarella into 4 equal portions and sprinkle onto each tortilla.
- Divide the spinach leaves between the 4 tortillas.
- Spoon the pesto chicken mixture onto each tortilla.
- Heat a skillet pan until hot.
- Fold each tortilla, starting at the bottom, then folding in the sides.
- Place the tortillas fold-side down onto the hot skillet and toast on each side until crispy and slightly browned.
- Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
- The filling is best stored separately but you can store them for 1-2 days in the fridge – be aware the avocado might brown slightly, so store in an airtight container wrapped in clingfilm.
- Reheat in the oven or in a skillet pan.
- Be careful not to overfill the wraps, as the filling may fall out as you toast them.
- Add jalapenos for a spicy kick.
