These shawarma-spiced chicken wraps, with fresh guacamole, and golden onions and peppers, are so refreshing, wholesome, and satisfying.
I’ve been making these chicken wraps for more than a decade (maybe almost two?). Throughout all the years and changes in my family’s taste buds, this has been a constant. They’re healthy, and yet so delicious and popular. They’ve simply been that feel-good meal that never gets old.
Chicken wraps are simply that light yet filling meal that has that Whether it’s these Grilled Chicken Caesar Wraps we enjoyed in the summer, this Truffle-Inspired Version, or the popular Creamy Chicken Tacos, wraps are that light yet filling meal that has family-friendly appeal.
I love that I can assemble them when the first wave of children are coming home, and they’re still delicious at room temperature hours later when the bochurim want to enjoy.
So why hasn’t it been on BetweenCarpools.com or in a Dinner Done book just yet? Because, we always thought, it’s an “old” recipe. “Everyone makes something like that already.” Or, the ultimate recipe nixxer: “It’s nothing new.”
But then, one day, Renee Muller spotted “Chicken Guacamole Wraps” on my personal dinner menu list and said, “What’s Chicken Guacamole Wraps? How do you make that?”
And so, here we finally are! Now, you be the judge whether you’re happy they finally made it here to BCP or if they should have simply stayed in my personal repertoire.
Whether you marinate the chicken ahead of time (even freeze it raw like this!) or simple season it when it’s already in the pan, it doesn’t matter. But if you are going to prep anything ahead, add the olive oil, salt, and shawarma spice blend to a Ziploc bag.
Add the chicken and mix well. Again, you don’t have to mix it in the Ziploc. You can add the spices in the pan. But it’s nice to do some advance prep when we can. Meals simply come together more quickly when we don’t have to start pulling out all the ingredients from scratch.
As far as the spices, sometimes I have shawarma spice mix on hand, but when I don’t, I just use cumin, smoked paprika, turmeric, and garlic powder (feel free to add coriander and/or dried parsley…any shawarma-inspired combination you have on hand).
Here’s our veg. Two onions and a couple of peppers.
Now let’s cook. Start by sauteing the onion and garlic. Once the onions start to soften, add the peppers. Now let it cook for a while, until the mixture is nice and caramelized and wilted.
While you’re waiting, take the opportunity to make the guacamole.
Yes, you can make guacamole any type you like. This version of guacamole is more authentic. But that’s not necessary here. We’re simply mashing that avocado with salt, pepper, and lemon.
Once the vegetables are completely cooked through, remove from pan.
Replenish the oil if needed. Add the chicken and cook for 3-4 minutes per side. You’ll need to do this in a couple of batches.
The chicken should be mostly cooked through at this point, but if you have some thicker pieces that are not, don’t worry, as it’s going back into the pan soon. Slice the chicken into thin strips.
Then, return everything to the pan. Mix in lemon juice and cook for a couple minutes to let the flavors blend.
Now it’s time to assemble the wraps. My colleagues recommend charring the wraps first as you first saw here. Add a strip of avocado down the center.
Top with chicken/onion/pepper mixture.
Roll up tightly, first folding in the sides and then rolling up.
I like to wrap in parchment paper to secure (this keeps it closed and makes it easier to eat).
You can serve them sliced like this.
Now you’re ready to enjoy!
Some make ahead tips:
*Marinate the chicken with spices ahead and refrigerate up to 24 hours ahead, or freeze if you want to prep earlier in the week.
*Onion and pepper mixture can also be made ahead and kept in the fridge. Return to pan to warm in step 5.
*The leftover chicken/onion/pepper mixture can be kept in the fridge if you’d like to assemble more wraps the next day for lunch. I’ve also frozen the mixture if I wanted to use it at a later date. Wrap mixture in foil and warm in oven. It also reheats well in a Betty Crocker (if you have one for meat). Thaw slightly first.
Chicken Guacamole Wraps
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs thinly sliced chicken cutlets
- 1-2 tbsp olive oil divided
- 4 tsp Shawarma Seasoning store-bought or homemade, see below
- 2 tsp salt divided
- 2 onions thinly sliced
- 3-4 garlic cloves crushed or sliced
- 2 bell peppers thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 5 8- inch wraps
Guacamole:
- 2 ripe avocados
- ½ tsp salt or to taste
- pinch black pepper or to taste
- 2 tbsp lemon or lime juice
- Shwarama Spice Blend or use store-bought mix:
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp turmeric
Instructions
- In a Ziploc bag, combine chicken, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp salt, and Shawarma Seasoning. This can be done immediately before cooking or 24 hours ahead.
- Heat remaining oil in a sautè pan over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic and sautè until beginning to soften, 3-4 minutes.
- Add peppers and cook until mixture is cooked down and caramelized, 15-20 minutes. Season with remaining 1 tsp salt. Remove onion/pepper mixture from pan.
- Add additional tbsp oil if needed. Add chicken to pan and cook in batches for 3-4 minutes per side. It will be cooked through at this point, but if you have some thicker pieces that are not cooked through, don’t worry, as you’ll be slicing and returning it to the pan shortly.
- Remove chicken from pan. Once cool enough to handle, slice into thin strips. Add chicken and onion/pepper mixture back to pan, stir in lemon juice, and cook for 1-2 more minutes to blend flavors.
- In a small bowl, mash avocado with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Add avocado along the center of each wrap, Top with onion/pepper/mixture. Roll up wraps, folding in the sides first, and then rolling up. Wrap in parchment paper to keep secured. Slice and enjoy.
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