Homemade chipotle chicken Crunchwraps are loaded with cilantro lime rice, pico de Gallo, chipotle marinated chicken, black beans, and a swoop of sour cream! So fun to make and delicious too!

hand holding cut chicken Crunchwrap showing layers

This is take two✌🏼

Not because there was anything wrong with the first one, because I couldn’t get enough and needed more! Chipotle Chicken Crunchwraps (say that five times fast) are my second take on a homemade Crunchwrap, and it probably won’t be the last. 

I shared the original Crunchwrap Supreme recipe earlier this year, and so many of you loved it that I wanted to bring a different version to the table too! Not going to lie, I’m obsessed with them too, so this was the perfect opportunity to try something different! Chicken crunchwraps are stuffed with garlic-scented cilantro lime rice, queso blanco, and of course, the most tender chipotle marinated chicken

three cut Crunchwraps on parchment with bowl of pico and hot sauce

What do you need to make chipotle chicken crunchwraps?

  • Chicken: you can use boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs for this recipe. I like to marinate the chicken for at least 1-2 hours if time permits, so get the best flavor. Once the chicken is cooked, allow it to cool slightly before dicing it into ½ inch pieces. It’s much easier to wrap the Crunchwrap if the chicken is in small pieces, so chop the chicken smaller rather than larger! 
  • Seasonings: we’re using pantry staple ingredients like smoked paprika, garlic powder, and ground cumin to 
  • Chipotle peppers: go into the chicken marinade. They add a delicious, deep smoky flavor to the chicken and work really well with all the other elements of the Crunchwrap.
  • Tortillas + tostada shells: You’ll need tortillas in two sizes. I suggest using the ones that are labeled ‘burrito sized’ for the larger tortilla. I use ‘street taco’ sized ones for the cover on top. You’ll also need tostada shells for the center. If you can’t find tostadas in your area, tortilla chips or even cheese-flavored tortilla chips will work well here!
  • Cilantro Lime Rice: Homemade cilantro lime rice really takes these crunchwraps to the next level! You can certainly doctor up leftover white rice with some cilantro and lime juice if you’d didn’t want to make the whole thing from scratch! You can also use store-bought frozen cilantro lime rice here.
  • Queso Blanco: I use my favorite queso recipe here and swap the cheeses to make queso blanco! You can use Oaxaca, pepper jack, and white American cheese or Asadero. Store-bought queso blanco will also work if you didn’t want to make your own.
  • Sour Cream: Sour cream gives these wraps creaminess! It’s perfect for cooling down the palate from the chipotle chicken.
  • Shredded Lettuce: Iceberg lettuce is what I like to use, but shredded romaine will work just fine too.
  • Pico de Gallo: This is my favorite Pico de Gallo recipe, and it works like a charm in chicken Crunchwraps. I like using pico here instead of chopped tomatoes because the onions and other ingredients give this a bit more flavor. Feel free to add chop tomatoes here instead, though!
  • Roasted corn: You can use frozen or canned roasted corn. In the summertime, I like to buy corn and grill it outdoors or over an open flame indoors (minus the husk, of course)
  • Black beans: They are a bit more protein and bulk up the Crunchwrap.
  • Shredded cheese: I like to use shredded pepper jack with chicken. You can also use Monterey Jack or even a blend of Mexican cheeses if you’d like.
gif showing the processor of how to build a chicken Crunchwrap

How to make homemade chicken crunchwraps:

  1. Marinate and prepare the chicken. Start by mincing the chipotle peppers and adding them to a bowl along with the adobo sauce and the salt, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and ground cumin. Marinate the chicken for at least 10 minutes, and if time permits, allow the chicken to marinate covered in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. When you’re ready to prepare, heat the oil in a large skillet, add the chicken and cook for about 10-12 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through to 165ºF on an instant thermometer. Allow the chicken to cool for several minutes and then dice it up into small pieces.
  2. Build a Crunchwrap. Beware — the first time you make this wrap, less is more! See the step-by-step pictures so that it’s easy for you to make these at home. Start with the ‘burrito’ tortilla on a clean surface. Add ⅓ cup of cilantro lime rice, top with ⅓ cup grilled chicken, a dollop of queso blanco goes next. Then place a tostada over the queso and spread with sour cream. Sprinkle with shredded lettuce, black beans, roasted corn, pico, and finally, the shredded cheese. Top with the small ‘street taco’ tortilla and tart folding the tortilla towards the center.
  3. Cook the Crunchwrap and serve! If you have a panini press, it works beautifully here, but you can also make this on a skillet as well. Heat a drizzle of oil; when warm, place the wrap in the skillet, moving our fingers back as you lay it in the pan. Allow the crunchwrap to cook for several minutes and then flip and continue cooking. Cut the wrap in half before serving, so show all the layers and serve with hot sauce and prepared avocado dip!
images showing the steps to fold a Crunchwrap

FAQs about chicken crunchwraps:

  1. Can you make this dairy-free? This dairy-free cashew blanco is the perfect replacement for the queso! You can swap the sour cream for dairy-free sour cream and the shredded cheese for dairy-free cheese.
  2. How would you make these vegetarian? I’d recommend using sautéed onions and peppers in place of the chicken. You can season the chicken with the same seasonings; just use a pinch of each! You can also add a layer or refried pinto or black beans too to make this heartier.
  3. Do the chipotle peppers make this spicy? Spice is so subjective! For us, one pepper makes this mild; two peppers is a medium-ish amount of heat. If you’re worried or cooking for small children, you can always use ½ a pepper or omit the pepper entirely and just use the adobo sauce!
cut open wrap on plate stacked

If you like this recipe, you might also like:

hand holding cut Crunchwrap showing layers
Yield: makes 5-6 wraps

Loaded Chipotle Chicken Crunchwraps

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Additional Time 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour

Homemade chipotle chicken Crunchwraps are loaded with cilantro lime rice, pico de Gallo, chipotle marinated chicken, black beans, and a swoop of sour cream! So fun to make and delicious too!

Loaded Chipotle Chicken Crunchwraps

Ingredients

Chipotle Chicken:

  • 1-2 chipotle peppers + 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts (or thighs)
  • 1 ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon EACH: kosher salt AND ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon garlic power
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

Crunchwrap:

Instructions

    1. CHICKEN: Mince the chipotle peppers finely, add them to a medium bowl along with adobo sauce and all the other seasonings. Add the chicken to the bowl and stir to combine. Let chicken marinate for at least 10 minutes and ideally, for 1-2 hours, covered in the refrigerator. When ready to cook, add the oil to a hot skillet (or grill pan) over medium heat. Add chicken and cook for 4-6 minutes per side or until the chicken cooks through to 165ºF. Remove from heat, let cool for at least 10 minutes before dicing into ½ inch pieces.
    2. BUILD: If this is the first time you’re making a crunchwrap, remember, less is more! Use fewer toppings until you get the hang of folding them. Place the large “burrito” tortilla on a clean surface. Add a scant ⅓ cup of cilantro lime rice, followed by ⅓ cup chicken, and a dollop of queso blanco. Place a tostada on top. Spread a dollop of sour cream over the tostada and add ⅓ cup shredded lettuce. Sprinkle with roughly 1 tablespoon of each the black beans, roasted corn, pico de Gallo, 2 scant tablespoons of the shredded cheese. Place the small 'street taco' tortilla over the stack. Fold the edges of the burrito tortilla towards the center (see image in post.)
    3. COOK: If you have a panini press with a grill plate use that! If not, heat a small drizzle of oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Place the prepared crunchwrap, seam side down, using two hands to gently lay it in the skillet, start moving your fingers back as you lay it in the pan, so the edges don’t lift. It does take a bit of practice but not over stuffing is key! Cook until golden, about 2-3 minutes per side. Cut the crunchwrap and serve with tons of hot sauce or avocado dip!

Notes

  • To make queso blanco using my queso recipe, use Oaxaca, Pepper Jack, and swap the medium cheddar for white American cheese or Asadero!

Have you made this recipe?

If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating and a comment below. You can also share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #LITTLESPICEJAR, I'd love to see what you made!