Oh my gosh, you know those days when you open the fridge and realize you have maybe ten minutes before you absolutely *have* to sit down and eat, but you refuse to touch a microwave meal? I live for those emergencies! That’s exactly when I whip up my favorite lunch secret: these incredible Pesto Chicken Lettuce Wraps. Seriously, they are the definition of fast, fresh flavor, and my absolute go-to when I need something juicy but want to keep things decidedly low-carb. Forget everything you think you know about boring chicken salad; this is totally different.

We’re talking juicy shredded chicken smothered in bright, herbaceous basil pesto, tucked into crisp lettuce cups. It’s reliable, it tastes like summer even in the dead of winter, and they come together faster than waiting for the kettle to boil. I promise, once you try these Pesto Chicken Lettuce Wraps, they’ll take up permanent residence in your weekly rotation!

Why You Will Love These Pesto Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Honestly, what’s not to love about a meal that practically makes itself? These wrappers hit every single perfect note for a quick lunch. You’ll be reaching for this recipe again and again, trust me on this one.

They are impossibly fast! We’re talking ten minutes from start to finish. Lunch is served before you even set the table.
That bright, fresh flavor from real basil pesto is just intoxicating. It wakes up the taste buds!
Perfect for keeping things light—these are wonderfully low carb, and you can easily make them low fat too.
Assembly is a dream. You just mix, scoop, and wrap. No fancy cooking skills needed whatsoever. You can check out my other quick salad ideas right here if you need more speed inspiration!
The crunch of the celery mixed with the creamy pesto chicken filling gives you the best texture contrast.

It’s just so easy when you need something healthy without the effort!

Essential Ingredients for Perfect Pesto Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Okay, you need to make sure you have your ducks in a row for this, because the magic of these Pesto Chicken Lettuce Wraps really comes down to using good components. Since the prep is so fast, there isn’t much time for flavors to deepen, so quality matters!

Don’t stress too much, though; it’s a short list. My main advice here is to use a basil pesto you truly love because it’s the star player. You’ll need:

One full pound of cooked chicken breast, and this needs to be shredded well. I mean proper shredding, not big chunks!
Half a cup of your favorite basil pesto. Gelato quality stuff makes a huge difference here.
Half a cup of mayonnaise for that creamy binding—but we will talk about swapping this in a minute!
A quarter cup of celery, and you have to chop it finely. We want crunch, not big celery chunks getting in the way of the wrap.
Just one tablespoon of fresh lemon juice. It brightens everything up beautifully.
Salt and pepper, obviously, just to taste once it’s all mixed up.
And finally, you need about eight nice, large butter lettuce leaves. They have to be cups big enough to hold all that goodness!

If you like quick lettuce wraps, you should also peek at my tuna version; it uses a similar assembly style!

Quick Tips and Ingredient Substitutions for Pesto Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Listen up, because this is where we shave off real time and where we make these Pesto Chicken Lettuce Wraps fit *your* life. My biggest secret to cutting down the prep time? You guessed it: rotisserie chicken! Seriously, if you grab a pre-cooked bird, you’ve knocked out nearly all the work right there. Just shred it up nice and fine, and you’re good to go.

Now, if you’re trying to keep things super light, don’t reach for the mayo! I love swapping it out for plain Greek yogurt. It gives you that gorgeous, creamy texture without loading up on fat, and honestly, the slight tang works really well with the basil. You can check out my tip on making an amazing chicken cream base if you want a different kind of binder sometime.

One final thing about the pesto: if you usually buy the jarred stuff, try warming it up for literally ten seconds in the microwave before adding it to the bowl. It loosens it up just enough so it coats the shredded chicken perfectly instead of clumping in spots. It sounds silly, but trust me, it makes for better wraps!

Step-by-Step Instructions for Making Pesto Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Putting these Pesto Chicken Lettuce Wraps together is so straightforward, it almost feels like cheating! We’re aiming for a perfectly coated, scoopable filling that doesn’t dry out, so pay attention to the order of operations. If you’ve got your shredded chicken ready, we can do this in under five minutes flat!

Here is exactly how I handle it every single time to guarantee the best results:

First things first, grab yourself a medium mixing bowl—nothing fancy, just big enough for everything to move around easily.
Into that bowl, you’re going to toss in that lovely shredded chicken, the vibrant basil pesto, the mayonnaise (or your yogurt swap—don’t forget!), that finely chopped celery, and the squeeze of lemon juice.
Now for the mixing! You want to stir everything together until that chicken looks completely coated in the green goodness. Make sure you scrape the bottom of the bowl so no lonely bits of dry chicken are hiding out.
Once it looks homogenous, give it a quick taste test. Add salt and pepper until it tastes exactly how you want it to taste. This is yours!
Time for assembly! Take those beautiful butter lettuce leaves—make sure they are patted dry if they were washed, we don’t want watery wraps! Spoon a fair amount of the pesto chicken mixture right into the center of each leaf.
Gently fold or roll those lettuce leaves around the filling. Don’t pack them too tightly; you want that nice crunch when you bite in.

Seriously, the most important part—because these are best when the lettuce is crisp—is to Serve immediately. If you need ideas for what to serve alongside your wraps, check out this fun Thai Peanut Chicken wrap recipe, which is another excellent hand-held meal for a quick dinner night!

Serving Suggestions for Your Pesto Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Because these Pesto Chicken Lettuce Wraps are so light and fresh, you don’t want to weigh them down with heavy sides, right? I usually pair them with something that keeps the meal feeling bright and quick. Think simple, easy companions!

My top choice is usually a vibrant bowl of fresh fruit, maybe some melon or berries, to add a little natural sweetness contrast to the salty pesto. If you want a grain component, a tiny side of the Summer Rice Salad is fantastic because it’s cool and refreshing.

If it’s chilly out, a small cup of classic tomato soup is surprisingly good alongside. It’s comforting but doesn’t require much effort since the wraps are the main event!

Storage and Reheating for Leftover Pesto Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Okay, here’s the deal: leftovers with these Pesto Chicken Lettuce Wraps are wonderful, but they require a little strategy. You absolutely cannot assemble them ahead of time! If you wrap the filling in the butter lettuce and stick it in the fridge, you’ll end up with soggy, sad lettuce about an hour later, and that just ruins the lovely crunch we worked so hard for.

The secret is separation! Store your delicious pesto chicken filling in an airtight container. It keeps beautifully in the fridge for up to three days. It’s even better the next day, trust me. Then, when you are ready to eat, just grab a fresh handful of crisp lettuce leaves and scoop!

The filling itself doesn’t need reheating at all, since these wraps are meant to be served cool or at room temperature. Honestly, this is the best part about making a slightly bigger batch!

Common Questions About Pesto Chicken Lettuce Wraps (FAQ)

Can I use different greens instead of butter lettuce?

You definitely can! Butter lettuce is my favorite because it forms those perfect, floppy cups that hold the filling nicely, but if you don’t have it, romaine hearts work really well. Romaine just gives you a bit more crunch. Some folks even use large Napa cabbage leaves if they prefer something heartier. Just make sure whatever you choose is nice and crisp, and give those leaves a good wash and pat dry so the pesto chicken filling doesn’t get watery!

I’m vegan. How can I adapt these Pesto Chicken Lettuce Wraps?

That’s a great question! Making these vegan is actually really easy since the filling is so mix-and-match friendly. You’ll skip the chicken, of course, and you’ll need a substitute binder. Instead of mayo, use a thick, plain cashew cream or even mashed avocado for richness. Then, look for a vegan basil pesto! Many great ones are out there now that skip the Parmesan cheese. It will taste slightly different, but you’ll still get that bright herbaceous flavor!

Can these Pesto Chicken Lettuce Wraps be made ahead of time?

As I mentioned before, you have to keep the filling and the lettuce separate. The creamy sauce can sometimes make the chicken dry if stored too long, even in the fridge. If you mix the chicken filling, it’s best eaten within 24 hours for peak flavor. If you’re looking for low-carb make-ahead options that don’t rely on lettuce, you might enjoy my recipe for Low-Carb Cucumber Egg Salad; that one keeps excellently!

What kind of pesto works best? Store-bought or homemade?

Honestly, for speed, store-bought is my savior! I look for one that lists olive oil as the first ingredient, not sunflower oil, if I can help it. Homemade is always amazing, of course, if you have basil growing like crazy, but when you only have ten minutes, a good quality jarred pesto is your best friend for these wraps. It carries all that basil punch instantly!

Nutritional Snapshot of Pesto Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Now, I know some of you count macros or are just curious about what you’re eating! Keep in mind that these numbers for our Pesto Chicken Lettuce Wraps are just estimates based on my exact recipe. Since we use different pesto brands and chicken cuts sometimes, the actual numbers will shift a little bit.

Here’s what we’re generally looking at per serving (which is two lovely wraps, by the way):

Calories: About 320
Protein: A whopping 30 grams!
Fat: Around 20 grams
Carbohydrates: Only 5 grams
Sugar: Barely 2 grams
Sodium: 450mg (This is where your pesto brand really makes a difference, so watch that)

It’s a fantastic lean, high-protein meal that keeps things light and guilt-free!

Share Your Pesto Chicken Lettuce Wraps Experience

Whew! That’s it—your ridiculously fast, incredibly fresh lunch is officially ready to go. I’m so excited for you to dig into these!

Now that you’ve tried them, I absolutely want to know what you thought. Did the celery add the perfect snap? Are you already planning your next batch? Don’t be shy!

Please leave a rating for these Pesto Chicken Lettuce Wraps right down below in the comments section. If you snapped a beautiful picture of your finished wraps—maybe packed up for a picnic or just sitting on your counter—I’d love to see it! You can always send pictures directly to me if that feels easier than posting publicly; just use my contact page here.

Happy wrapping, everyone!

Pesto Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Author: ferecipe.com
Total Time: 10 min
Yield: 4 servings 1x
Diet: Low Fat

Print Recipe

Description

Simple, fresh lettuce wraps filled with shredded chicken mixed with basil pesto.

Ingredients

Scale

1 lb cooked chicken breast, shredded
1/2 cup basil pesto
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
8 large butter lettuce leaves

Instructions

In a medium bowl, combine the shredded chicken, basil pesto, mayonnaise, celery, and lemon juice.
Mix until the chicken is evenly coated.
Season with salt and pepper to your preference.
Spoon the chicken mixture evenly into the center of each lettuce leaf.
Fold or roll the lettuce leaves around the filling to create wraps.
Serve immediately.

Notes

You can use rotisserie chicken for faster preparation.
For a lighter version, substitute Greek yogurt for the mayonnaise.

Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 0 min
Category: Lunch
Method: Mixing
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 2 wraps
Calories: 320
Sugar: 2
Sodium: 450
Fat: 20
Saturated Fat: 4
Unsaturated Fat: 16
Trans Fat: 0
Carbohydrates: 5
Fiber: 1
Protein: 30
Cholesterol: 90

Keywords: pesto chicken, lettuce wraps, low carb, quick lunch, chicken salad