Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps — a delicious, low-carb option featuring shredded buffalo chicken topped with shredded carrots, celery and a light blue cheese dressing. These wraps are ideal for quick lunches, casual dinners, or meal prep when you want bold flavor with fewer carbs.
Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Shredded buffalo chicken is incredibly versatile and easy to prepare. Make it in a slow cooker or Instant Pot and use it for lettuce wraps, salads, sandwiches, pizza toppings and more. Below you’ll find methods for both slow cooker and Instant Pot, along with serving ideas, tips for choosing lettuce, and simple variations to tailor the recipe to your taste.
Why Choose Lettuce Wraps
Lettuce wraps are naturally low in carbohydrates, gluten-free and light, allowing the flavors of the filling to shine. They’re a great choice when you want a fresher alternative to bread or wraps, or when you’re balancing a higher-carb meal later in the day. Choose crisp, sturdy leaves to hold the filling without tearing.
How To Make Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps
A few tips before you start:
- Start by cooking and shredding the chicken using the slow cooker or Instant Pot method below. You can also use leftover rotisserie chicken or canned chicken in a pinch.
- Pick large, sturdy lettuce leaves for cups — iceberg and Bibb (butter) lettuce create nice, wide cups. Romaine and baby romaine also work well and add more texture.
- Top each wrap with shredded carrots and thin celery matchsticks for crunch. Finish with a light blue cheese dressing or your preferred dip.
What To Serve With Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps
- For a crunchy side, pair with baked chips or whole-grain crackers.
- Turn the filling into a chopped salad by serving the buffalo chicken over a bed of mixed greens.
- Keep it low-carb with extra celery sticks, carrot sticks and a small bowl of blue cheese or ranch dressing for dipping.
- Add extra protein or creaminess with a side of cottage cheese or Greek yogurt if desired.
- For contrast, serve with fresh fruit such as apple or pear slices on the side.
Equipment
- Slow cooker (crockpot) — for low-and-slow shredding
- Instant Pot or other electric pressure cooker — for a faster method
Recipe Summary
Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wraps (Slow Cooker or Instant Pot). Yield: 6 servings. Serving: 1/2 cup buffalo chicken + vegetables. Calories per serving (without blue cheese dressing): 147.5 kcal. Protein: 25 g. Carbohydrates: 5.2 g. Fat: 0.1 g. Fiber: 1.5 g. Sodium: 879 mg.
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 24 oz (about 3) boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 celery stalk, diced
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 16 oz fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth (or more water if needed)
- 1/2 cup cayenne pepper sauce (such as Frank’s) — adjust to taste
For the wraps
- 6 large lettuce leaves (Bibb or iceberg are great)
- 1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
- 2 large celery stalks, cut into 2-inch matchsticks
- Light blue cheese dressing, to taste
Instructions
Slow cooker method
- Place the chicken breasts, diced onion, diced celery stalk, minced garlic and enough chicken broth to nearly cover the chicken in the slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on high for about 4 hours, until the chicken is tender and easily shreds with two forks.
- Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking broth; discard the remaining liquid.
- Shred the chicken with two forks, return it to the slow cooker with 1/4 to 1/2 cup reserved broth and the cayenne pepper sauce. Stir to combine and set the cooker on high for an additional 30 minutes to let the flavors meld. This yields about 3 cups of shredded buffalo chicken.
- To assemble the wraps, spoon about 1/2 cup buffalo chicken into each lettuce leaf. Top with about 1/4 cup shredded carrots, a few celery matchsticks and a drizzle of blue cheese dressing. Fold the leaf around the filling and enjoy.
Instant Pot method
- Place the chicken, onion, celery, garlic and enough broth to nearly cover the chicken into the Instant Pot. Seal and cook on high pressure for 15 minutes, then allow a natural pressure release.
- Remove the chicken and reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid; discard the rest. Shred the chicken with two forks, return it to the pot with 1/4 to 1/2 cup reserved liquid and the cayenne pepper sauce.
- Use the sauté setting for 2–3 minutes to warm and slightly reduce the sauce so the flavors concentrate. This makes about 3 cups of buffalo chicken.
- Assemble the lettuce cups as described above and serve.
Variations & Tips
- Adjust the heat: reduce the cayenne sauce if you prefer milder buffalo flavor or add more for extra spice.
- Swap greens: romaine leaves offer a firmer option, while Bibb and iceberg provide wider cups that are easy to fold.
- Make it a salad: serve the shredded buffalo chicken over chopped lettuce, add carrots and celery, and drizzle with dressing for a hearty chopped salad.
- Meal prep: the shredded buffalo chicken stores well refrigerated in an airtight container for 3–4 days; reheat gently on the stovetop or microwave before assembling wraps.
- Leftovers: use leftover buffalo chicken on sandwiches, in tacos, as a pizza topping, or stirred into pasta for a flavor boost.
Notes
Nutritional information provided does not include the blue cheese dressing. Quantities and nutrition may vary based on brands and exact measurements used.
Other Buffalo-Inspired Ideas
- Buffalo chicken meatballs
- Buffalo chicken dip (lighter version)
- Baked buffalo wings
- Buffalo shrimp lettuce wraps
- Stuffed buffalo chicken breasts
