Chicken Caesar Wraps

Here's an easy lunch or dinner. 

I came across something similar on an Instagram account where a mom made incredible meals for her large family every night. These were something they had for lunch. I can't be bothered to make actual lunch so that didn't quite hit for me but I decided to try them anyway. Along those same lines, I had to eventually unfollow because the unrealistic standards of making elaborate dinners every night and shopping only at Whole Foods made me a little crazy. I like to cook but I don't want to spend more than 30 minutes, hands on time, at the stove. Lately, since it's been staying light later in the day, I've been starting dinner later too. It's only a matter of time before we are eating at 8pm again because it's so light out that we lose track of time. 

But I've made this with frozen chicken nuggets cooked in the air fryer, rotisserie chicken, grilled chicken, chicken I've pan fried on the stove, etc. You can do whatever you want! I can see us eating this a lot in the warmer months because it truly can be a no-cook dinner. 

Large tortillas or burrito wraps

Cooked chicken, seasoned however you want

Caesar salad mix

Extra shredded parmesan cheese, extra dressing (I use ranch), extra croutons

In a large bowl, toss all the ingredients together. I add extra cheese and croutons because, depending on the mix you buy, they can be a little skimpy on the toppings. I also add extra dressing to make the wraps stick together better. 

Put together a burrito any way you can (I'm terrible at it) and slice in half. 

**This year, I'm rewriting or redoing or adding to my recipe index. I'm putting all of the ones I'm posting in 2026 at the top of the page.**

Burrito Bowls

Recipe challenge, week eighteen.

Since tomorrow is Cinco de Mayo, you can make this for dinner and enjoy it with a margarita. Or two.  Unless you're going out somewhere.  In which case you can still make this and enjoy it with a margarita (or two) on any old Tuesday night.

Aside from the Chipotle that I enjoyed for lunch on Friday, I've only been to a Chipotle restaurant twice.  Once in Springfield, Missouri and...well, I feel like I've been there twice.  Maybe I haven't. I really can't remember.  I've been to Qdoba dozens and dozens of times because it's always been more accessible.  Though there is a Chipotle on every corner in Colorado Springs so I don't know if my reasoning makes any sense.

I think the reason why I never go there is because I can make stuff at home that tastes just as good.  I mean, the Chipotle I had was okay.  Nothing wrong with it.  I'd probably eat it often if it was set down in front of me.  But I swear that if you buy a particular array of ingredients at the beginning of the week, you can eat Chipotle-like food every day.

-Chicken or steak (pre-cooked)
-Frozen or fresh corn
-Tomatoes
-Pico de gallo (or salsa)
-Black beans
-Garlic
-Onion
-Peppers
-Cilantro
-Lime
-Shredded cheese
-Avocado
-Smoked Paprika
-Tortillas

I almost always have these foods on hand, and have put them together in several combinations and it always tastes amazing.

Start off by sauteing the thinly sliced peppers and onions in some olive oil for a few minutes. Add in thinly sliced garlic (sliced gives a sweeter flavor than minced) and let it cook for another minute or so.  Add in bite-sized pieces of chicken or steak (or you can make it without) and sprinkle on some smoked paprika.  Toss in the frozen corn, drained and rinsed black beans, and tomatoes.  Let it all cook together for a few minutes.  Add in some chopped cilantro and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.

In a bowl, place a warmed tortilla.  Top with the filling and sprinkle cheese on it.  Add slices of avocado and enjoy.

Often, I'll just make burritos out of the mixture and then warm them in the oven for 20 minutes before topping with avocado.

Another variation is to leave out the meat and use diced, roasted sweet potatoes.  This is my go-to dinner/lunch-prep meal because it's so easy and tasty.

Go-to Vegetarian Dinner

I don't eat meat everyday.  I rarely crave it and don't miss it when I go a day or so without it. My favorite non-meat meal is a veggie quesadilla.  However, sometimes I get it into my head that I just want or need a really big salad for dinner.  I love this version of a salad because the mashed up avocado acts as a very creamy (and healthy) dressing.  We were eating a lot of this salad over the last couple of months in Missouri because it's easy and uses up a ton of fresh ingredients all at once.  (Anyone else guilty of buying produce and letting it rot away in the crisper?)

I don't even have a name for this salad, but maybe you've made something like it before.

Black beans, lettuce, corn, tomatoes, cilantro, avocado, a squirt of lime, and a sprinkle of sea salt.  Red onion would be great too, mixed in with the avocado.  

I mentioned that when we're in the process of moving into or out of a new house, I generally lose my appetite.  This time, since the process is definitely being prolonged with the remodeling, there is nothing I feel like cooking for dinner.  Like, nothing.  

What are your easy, go-to summer meals?  

Healthiness in 2014: Lunch

Eating lunch is a new thing for me.

I know that sounds strange, but here's the story…My first year teaching (2010-2011), I used to eat lunch at school when lunchtime was appropriate.

Two years ago, I had some stomach/anxiety issues, and I started eating a very small breakfast, taking the medication I was prescribed and it would kill my appetite.  So I was never hungry at 11:45, which was my class's lunchtime.  That year, I had my prep period at 2:30, so I would eat a late lunch around then and would feel okay, usually, to go to the gym after school.  My meds would wear off by that point and my stomach was generally okay after noon.

This completely messed me up.  By the next year, I never really got into the habit of lunch.  I'd eat a big breakfast (coffee, oatmeal, a smoothie), have a snack during my morning prep period, and then eat again right after school pre-gym, and then eat a late dinner with Scott (because he often worked late in Alaska).

This year, my prep period is 9:50-10:40.  I eat what I call "second-breakfast" during this time, because I love breakfast, and then try to eat something again at 11:00.  I say try, because after 11:25, I am with those kids until 3:30.  I don't get a break to even go to the bathroom (though, I often have the teacher from across the hall pop in so I can run out). Since it's winter and we're not outside for recess, I will often have a Larabar or something while they're watching The Magic School bus during what I call their "recess".  (I cannot deal with that indoor recess nonsense.)

It generally looks like this:

7am: Oatmeal/coffee

10am: Greek yogurt/apple/granola

11am: Whatever I packed for lunch (if I'm hungry)

2:30 or 3:30: Larabar, pretzels, carrots, or fruit

4:15pm: Smoothie

6pm: Dinner

8pm: Dessert, which is usually this marshmallow stuff (2 T. chocolate chips, 1 T pb, handful mini-marshallows) or a few pieces of chocolate

So what does fall into the "Whatever I packed for lunch" category?

Good question.

Sometimes it's more oatmeal.  Sometimes leftovers.  Sometimes I don't get around to "second breakfast" and just have it for lunch.  I am so, so bad at lunch.  When I do take leftovers, it's often a deconstructed quesadilla that I just heat up in the microwave or a homemade black bean burrito.  Sometimes it's leftover roasted sweet potatoes.  Sometimes pasta.

Something else I have working against me is that I generally don't like savory foods until way after noon.  My 11am lunch period is currently the bane of my school-day existence.  When I see the 10:30am lunch period teachers with school lunches of chicken, mashed potatoes, etc. at 10:30am, my stomach turns a bit.

I probably could eat the school lunch, but in my experience that's an easy way to throw money out the window.  It's like $4 a day for school-lunch-food.  That's not awesome food, you know?  I could go to Panera and spend $6 and get good food.  If I was allowed to leave the school grounds during lunch that is.  Or if I had enough time.  But no one really wants to get into the habit of eating out for lunch anyway, right?

Right.

So, what do I eat for lunch at home?  Usually a combination of these things.

+Hummus, carrots, tortilla chips is my favorite during the summer, with a blueberry smoothie. I eat this in the winter too, but of course, I don't have the luxury of a blender and frozen fruit in my classroom.

+Spinach flatbread sandwiches (or put it in a wrap)

+Quesadillas

+Leftover homemade pizza or a quick flatbread pizza thrown together

+Yogurt/granola/fruit

+Smoothies

……..

I told you I need help.

What do you eat for lunch?

Previous posts in the Healthiness series…
Quick Dinners
Breakfasts