Name: Thai Peanut Chicken Wraps
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: 2 cups cooked chicken breast, sliced; 4 large flour tortillas; 1 cup shredded carrots; 1 cup shredded red cabbage; 1/2 cucumber, julienned; 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro; 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter; 2 tablespoons soy sauce; 1 tablespoon rice vinegar; 1 tablespoon honey; 1 teaspoon sriracha sauce; 2 tablespoons water

If there’s one recipe that’s saved my bacon (do people still say that?) on hectic weeknights, it’s Thai Peanut Chicken Wraps. I actually first made these kind of by accident—I’d planned chicken stir-fry, realized I had wraps on hand, and honestly couldn’t be bothered to make rice. Voila: something way tastier than my original plan, and of course my family now requests ‘peanut chicken burritos,’ which, well, isn’t exactly what they are, but close enough. I still mess up and call them ‘roll ups’ half the time, for what it’s worth.

Why You’ll Genuinely Love This Recipe

I make these wraps when I want to feel like I’ve accomplished something fancy, but really, it’s about as easy as making a sandwich (maybe easier, unless you leave your peanut butter open on the counter and then wonder why it’s full of crumbs). My kids practically do a happy dance when they see these on the table. Also: they keep *insisting* the peanut sauce is good enough to drink, and, um, they might be right. Not naming names, but I do sometimes make a double batch of the sauce and dip random veggies into it while pretending I’m prepping dinner (multitasking, right?).

What You’ll Need (And What I Substitute When I’m Out of Stuff)

2 large cooked chicken breasts, thinly sliced (I use rotisserie if the day’s been nuts, or leftover grilled chicken—totally fine)
6 large tortillas or wraps (spinach wraps are great, or any soft tortillas, my gran swore by “Mission” but I use whatever’s at the shop)
1 ½ cups coleslaw mix (sometimes I shred red cabbage and carrots myself when I’m feeling ambitious…or when I’ve run out of the bagged kind, which happens more than I’d like to admit)
1 small cucumber, julienned or cut into little matchsticks
Fresh cilantro—you can skip it if you’re a cilantro-is-soap type, but I love it
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/3 cup roasted peanuts, roughly chopped (I’ve used cashews in a pinch—don’t tell my brother, he’s a peanut purist)
Lime wedges, optional but lovely
For the Peanut Sauce:
- 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter (chunky also works—just makes sauce a bit thicker; I once used almond butter and survived, so…)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce (or coconut aminos if you’re gluten free or just feeling fancy)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (bottled, if you must, but real is better)
- 1 tablespoon honey (or maple syrup, or skip it because my friend does and it’s still good)
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 garlic clove, minced – or use the jarred stuff, I honestly won’t judge
- 1-2 tablespoons warm water, to thin
- A pinch of chili flakes, sriracha, or nothing at all if mild is your thing

How I Throw These Wraps Together (No Perfection Needed)

Whip up the peanut sauce: In a bowl, plop in the peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, honey, sesame oil, and garlic. Stir ’til it looks mostly combined. It’ll look a bit gloopy at first; don’t worry if it seems weird—add a tablespoon of warm water and keep mixing. This is where I always have to taste it (to make sure it’s, you know, safe?). Tweak with chili flakes or sriracha if you like some kick.
Chop, slice, and generally prepare your fillings: This is where the counter always turns into an explosion of veggies. No shame. Just get everything more or less bite-sized.
Warm the wraps: I do it in a dry frying pan for a few seconds each side, or sometimes microwave (if I’m in a real hurry). Cold wraps don’t roll right in my experience.
Now, assemble! Slather a good spoonful of peanut sauce down the center of each wrap. Pile up the chicken, then the rest—coleslaw, peppers, cucumber, cilantro, and a sprinkle of peanuts.
Fold both ends a little (so the fillings don’t escape), then roll it up burrito-style. I still can’t roll these perfectly, but somehow they always taste good anyway. If you’re feeling fancy, slice them on a diagonal; if you’re in a rush, just eat it as is.
Squeeze some lime over the top if you’ve got it—actually, this makes a bigger difference than I thought the first few times!

Messy Notes from My Kitchen (Read: Learn from My Chaos)

I tried to use low-fat peanut butter once. It was a weird move. Wouldn’t recommend. Tasted fine, but not as good, you know?
If your sauce gets too thick, just add water in tiny bits. Or milk, I did that once by accident and it was fine.
My wraps crack sometimes if I overstuff them (I always do). But honestly, just scoop up the extras and claim it’s deconstructed if anyone asks.
I figure you can use tofu, shrimp, or whatever protein you like if chicken’s off the table. I haven’t tried with tempeh yet…maybe one day.

Experiments Gone Right (And One That Went Uh, Not-So-Great)

Tried swapping tortillas for lettuce leaves once—tiny little wraps, but so crunchy and fresh! If you want low-carb, do it this way. Although, fair warning: they’re a bit hard to eat without making a mess.
Added leftover cooked rice inside once. More filling, but I found it a bit mushy? Maybe if I’d let the rice cool down more first.
Sriracha spiral on top looks great for photos. For, you know, Instagram inspiration if you’re into that.
One time I tried throwing chopped apple in. Wouldn’t do that again. Sweet plus peanut is great, but apple didn’t play nicely here for my taste!

The Gear I Use (Or Don’t, Honestly)

I use a chopping board, a good sharp knife, and usually a silicon spatula for the sauce. Oh, and if you don’t have a microwave, just warm the wraps on a skillet for a bit—they’ll roll just fine. I once used my oven, setting the wraps straight on the rack for like a minute or two; not ideal, but worked in a pinch when the microwave was ‘occupied,’ a.k.a. mysteriously sticky inside.

How to Store (If You Actually Have Leftovers!)

Wrap ’em tight in plastic wrap or pop them in a sealed container. They’ll keep in the fridge for about 24 hours, maybe 36, but they tend to get a bit soggy after a day. So, best made fresh (though honestly, in my house it never lasts more than a day!). If you want to pack for lunch, keep sauce on the side—sog-factor avoided.

This is How I Serve Them (But, You Do You)

They’re great as is for lunch or dinner, but I like a pile of extra peanuts and lime wedges on the side because sometimes the more the merrier, at least when it comes to crunch and zest. My sister insists that a quick salad of chopped mango and mint is the best thing alongside. I sometimes just throw out a bowl of chips because—let’s be real—weeknights call for easy wins.

Mistakes I’ve Made and Lessons Learned

I tried rushing the sauce once. Lumpy peanut butter just doesn’t break down unless you take your time. Actually, I find it works better if I warm the peanut butter for a few seconds first, then stir.
Don’t skip the lime unless you truly hate citrus. It’s weirdly important.
Definitely chop your veggies nice and thin, or else every bite is just one big chunk of pepper (not the vibe I was going for, but maybe you’ll like it!).

Real FAQ From Real People (Okay, Some Are From Me)

Can I make these vegan? Sure can! Just swap the chicken for baked tofu or tempeh, and use maple syrup instead of honey. If you need a step-by-step tofu baking guide, I actually like this one at Minimalist Baker.
Is there a store-bought peanut sauce you’d recommend? Oh for sure—when I can’t be bothered, I grab the “House of Tsang” brand (not sponsored, just lazy), or honestly whatever’s on sale at the grocer.
What wraps do you actually use? Usually flour tortillas—sometimes thin naan if I’m going fusion! Once I used rice paper and…let’s just say it’s not my usual pick. But try it if you want.
Can I freeze them? I wouldn’t. The veggies go limp and it’s just not nice. But you can freeze the cooked chicken if you’re meal-prepping.
What if I hate cilantro? No problem, just leave it out. Maybe add some extra green onions for bite?
Peanut allergy? Alternatives? I’m not an expert, but sunbutter or almond butter both work (only tried the latter; if you try the first, let me know how it goes!)

Unrelated but I had to share—I once made these wraps in the middle of a power cut with only a camping lantern and a wind-up radio for entertainment. Still delicious. So, you know, they really are pretty foolproof.

Thai Peanut Chicken Wraps: An Easy, Craveable Dinner Idea