These BBQ Chicken Coleslaw Wraps are the ultimate quick and satisfying lunch or dinner. Featuring juicy, spice-rubbed chicken smothered in sticky BBQ sauce and paired with a fresh, creamy homemade coleslaw, every bite is packed with flavor.
With warm, smoky meat and cool, crunchy vegetables wrapped in a soft tortilla, this meal offers the perfect balance of textures and savory sweetness.
Recipe Details
This recipe turns simple chicken breasts into a restaurant-quality meal in under 30 minutes. Here is what makes these wraps special:
- Flavor Profile: You get a smoky, savory kick from the paprika and garlic rub, sweetness from the BBQ sauce, and a tangy bite from the apple cider vinegar in the coleslaw.
- Texture: The tender chicken contrasts beautifully with the crisp, fresh crunch of cabbage and carrots.
- Time: The active cooking time is quick, making this ideal for busy weeknights.
- Difficulty: This is an easy recipe that involves basic pan-frying and chopping skills.
What You’ll Need
To make these wraps, you will need chicken breasts seasoned with a simple spice blend and your favorite BBQ sauce. The fresh element comes from a mix of red and green cabbage, onion, and carrot, tossed in a creamy dressing made from mayonnaise, sour cream, and Dijon mustard. Everything is bundled up in large flour tortillas with fresh greens.
Ingredient Notes
- 2 large Chicken Breasts – Taking them out of the fridge 10-15 minutes before cooking ensures they cook evenly and stay juicy.
- Smoked Paprika & Garlic Powder – These spices form the base of the flavorful rub that gives the chicken its smoky depth before the sauce is added.
- Good Quality BBQ Sauce – Since this is a main flavor driver, use a sauce you love. A thick, smoky, or sweet sauce works best here.
- Cabbage (Red & Green/White) – Using a mix of red and green cabbage adds vibrant color and a satisfying crunch to the slaw.
- Mayo (full fat) & Sour Cream – This combination creates a rich, creamy dressing that isn’t too heavy, while the sour cream adds a nice tang.
- Dijon Mustard & Apple Cider Vinegar – These cut through the creaminess of the mayo and balance the sweetness of the BBQ sauce.
- White Flour Tortilla Wraps – Large wraps are essential so you can fold them burrito-style without tearing.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Cheese – A sprinkle of grated cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese inside the wrap adds extra richness.
- Spice Level – If you prefer more heat, increase the cayenne pepper in the rub or use a spicy BBQ sauce.
- Greens – While spinach is suggested, arugula or romaine lettuce work well for a different kind of crunch.
- Onion – If raw white onion is too strong for your taste, you can substitute it with red onion or sliced green onions for a milder flavor.
How to Make BBQ Chicken Coleslaw Wraps
- Prep and season the chicken. Butterfly slice your two chicken breasts in half to make 4 even-sized cutlets. Coat them in the smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper (adjusting cayenne to preference) along with a good drizzle of olive oil.
- Fry the chicken. Heat a pan over medium-high heat. Fry the chicken for 3-4 minutes on one side.
- Glaze and finish cooking. Flip the chicken and immediately coat the cooked top side with BBQ sauce. Fry for another few minutes until cooked through.
- Rest and sauce. Remove the chicken from the pan and place it sauce-side-down on a chopping board. Brush the top with more BBQ sauce and let it rest for 5 minutes.
- Slice. Once rested, slice the chicken into strips. Ensure you slice at an angle and against the grain for the most tender bite.
- Make the coleslaw. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the mayo, sour cream, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, and sugar. Taste and adjust seasoning. In a larger bowl, combine the grated carrot, sliced onion, and sliced cabbages. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and mix until well combined.
- Assemble the wraps. Lay a large wrap down flat. Place a small handful of spinach (or your greens of choice) in a strip between the center and bottom of the wrap. Top the greens with a generous helping of coleslaw, followed by the BBQ chicken strips.
- Roll and serve. Fold the sides in and roll it up like a burrito, or simply roll it up tightly. Enjoy immediately!
Pro Tip: Cutting the chicken “against the grain” (perpendicular to the direction the muscle fibers run) significantly shortens the fibers, making each bite of chicken incredibly tender and easy to chew within the wrap.
Recipe Tips
- Don’t skip the rest: Letting the chicken rest for 5 minutes allows the juices to redistribute. If you cut it too soon, the juices will run out, making the wrap soggy and the meat dry.
- Sauce-side down: Placing the hot chicken sauce-side down on the board helps caramelize the sauce slightly while it rests and makes brushing the other side easier.
- Slice cabbage thinly: For the best coleslaw texture, take your time to slice the cabbage and onion as finely as possible. This ensures the dressing coats everything evenly.
- Warm the wraps: If your tortillas are stiff, warm them in the microwave for 10 seconds or in a dry pan for a few seconds. This makes them more pliable and easier to roll without cracking.
FAQs
Can I make the coleslaw ahead of time? Yes, the coleslaw can be made a few hours in advance. In fact, letting it sit for about 30 minutes allows the flavors to meld. If making it a day ahead, keep the dressing separate from the vegetables to keep the crunch.
Is this recipe spicy? It has a mild kick from the cayenne pepper and smoked paprika. If you are sensitive to spice, you can omit the cayenne pepper entirely or use a sweet BBQ sauce.
How do I stop the wrap from getting soggy? To prevent sogginess, layer the spinach on the tortilla first. This creates a barrier between the moist coleslaw and the bread. Also, serve the wraps immediately after assembling.
Serving Suggestions
These wraps are a complete meal on their own, but they pair great with classic barbecue sides.
- Fries or Chips: Serve with sweet potato fries, potato wedges, or your favorite kettle chips.
- Pickles: A side of dill pickles cuts through the richness of the BBQ sauce.
- Corn on the Cob: Grilled or boiled corn makes for a summery, fresh side dish.
Make This Recipe in Advance
You can prep parts of this meal to make assembly faster during the week.
- Chicken: You can cook the BBQ chicken ahead of time and store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently or eat cold.
- Coleslaw: Shred the cabbage and carrots and store them in a sealed bag. Mix the dressing in a jar. Toss them together just before serving.
BBQ Chicken Coleslaw Wraps (Quick & Flavor-Packed)
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 wraps 1x
Description
These BBQ Chicken Coleslaw Wraps are a quick, satisfying, and flavor-packed meal perfect for lunch or a weeknight dinner. They feature tender chicken breast, seasoned with a smoky paprika rub and glazed in a sticky BBQ sauce, nestled with a fresh, tangy homemade coleslaw and crisp greens in a soft flour tortilla.
Ingredients
BBQ Chicken
- 2 large Chicken Breasts
- 1 cup Good Quality BBQ Sauce, or as needed
- 1 heaped tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1 tsp Garlic Powder
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper
- 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
- Olive Oil
Coleslaw
- 1 large Carrot, grated on a box grater
- 1/4 Red Cabbage, finely sliced
- 1/4 Green/White Cabbage, finely sliced
- 1/2 medium White Onion, finely sliced
- 4 tbsp Mayo (full fat)
- 1 tbsp Sour Cream
- 2 tsp Dijon Mustard
- 2 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1/2 tsp Sugar
- Salt & Black Pepper, to taste
Wraps
- 4 large White Flour Tortilla Wraps
- 4 small handfuls Spinach (or greens of choice)
Instructions
Step 1: Prep and Season the Chicken
Butterfly slice your two chicken breasts in half horizontally to create four even-sized cutlets. In a small bowl, mix the smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Coat the chicken cutlets with a drizzle of olive oil, then rub the spice mixture evenly over both sides.
Step 2: Fry the Chicken
Heat a pan over medium-high heat with a small amount of olive oil. Fry the seasoned chicken cutlets for 3-4 minutes on one side until browned.
Step 3: Glaze and Finish Cooking
Flip the chicken pieces and immediately brush the cooked top side generously with the BBQ sauce. Fry for another few minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
Step 4: Rest and Slice
Remove the chicken from the pan and place it sauce-side-down on a chopping board. Brush the top (the plain side) with more BBQ sauce and let it rest for 5 minutes. Once rested, slice the chicken into thin strips, ensuring you slice at an angle and against the grain for maximum tenderness.
Step 5: Make the Coleslaw Dressing
While the chicken rests, prepare the coleslaw dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayo, sour cream, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, and sugar. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.
Step 6: Mix the Coleslaw
In a separate, larger bowl, combine the grated carrot, finely sliced onion, and sliced cabbages. Pour the prepared dressing over the vegetables and mix thoroughly until all the cabbage and carrot are well coated.
Step 7: Assemble the Wraps
Lay a large flour tortilla wrap down flat. Place a small handful of spinach (or your preferred greens) in a strip on the lower half of the wrap. Top the greens with a generous amount of coleslaw, followed by the warm BBQ chicken strips.
Step 8: Roll and Serve
Fold the sides of the wrap inward, then roll it up tightly from the bottom (burrito-style) to secure the filling. Serve immediately for the best texture and temperature contrast.
Notes
Prevent Soggy Wraps: To prevent the wrap from getting soggy from the moist coleslaw and chicken, always layer the spinach or greens directly onto the tortilla first. This creates a barrier. Also, serve the wraps immediately after assembling.
Make the Coleslaw Ahead: You can prepare the shredded cabbage/carrot mix and the dressing separately up to a day in advance. Store them in airtight containers in the fridge and combine them just before assembling the wraps to maintain the ultimate crunch.
Tender Chicken Technique: To ensure the chicken is juicy and tender in your wraps, make sure you let it rest for the full 5 minutes after cooking. Cutting the meat against the grain also shortens the muscle fibers, making each bite easier to chew.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Pan-Frying
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 wrap
- Calories: 540
- Sugar: 16g
- Sodium: 980mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 50g
- Fiber: 4g
- Protein: 38g
- Cholesterol: 90mg
Keywords: BBQ chicken wraps, coleslaw wraps, quick dinner, easy lunch, chicken coleslaw, weeknight meal, smoky chicken
