Easy to make and cheap because you can use what’s left in your fridge! These California chicken wraps will become a family favorite. Homemade hamburger helper is another great option for a frugal family dinner. That’s two easy dinners for your menu this week.
Here’s the promised recipe for the second way my family uses avocados (after guac). I learned this wrap at a Pampered Chef party, and we looooove it around here. I always feel like I’m at a good restaurant when I serve them. So easy, so yummy.
Let the Kids Help Make Dinner
California chicken wraps are both a family favorite to eat…and make! Yes, kids can make them. After using the Kids Cook Real Food eCourse your kids will be masters at making homemade tortillas and ranch dressing and at chopping veggies. All the skills you need for this delicious dinner.
Your kids can learn to cook, even if you don’t know where to start.
My 4 kids and I created the Kids Cook Real Food eCourse to help bring real food and independence to families all over. Over 10,000 kids have joined us and we’d love to invite you along for the adventure!
PLUS we’re so pleased to offer a little gift from our family to yours: “10 Snacks Your Kids Can Make” packed with our favorites for the road! GRAB THAT HERE!
Print
PinIngredients
- Tortillas (whole wheat or homemade)
- Mashed or sliced avocado
- Cooked shredded chicken
- Sliced cucumbers
- Sliced tomatoes
- Sliced red onion
- Homemade ranch dressing (+ cut cucumbers, optional)
- Shredded cheese
- Lettuce
Instructions
- Chop some cucumbers and cover with ranch dressing;
- Stir and let sit while you cut everything else.
- Cook chicken if necessary and slice vegetables.
- Salt chicken and add a little Italian seasoning if you have it.
- Assemble wraps in order given.
- Roll tightly and grill on a George Foreman or in a very hot pan (dry, no Teflon), seam side down first.
- Turn once if in pan.
- Remove when tortillas are lightly browned.
Notes
Cost: less than $1 per wrap; varies depending on what kind of chicken and tortillas you buy. Can be made as a grilled sandwich on whole wheat bread, too. Super foods: 1, plus 3 honorable mentions (use herbed plain yogurt instead of ranch and add some spinach leaves to make 3 super foods!)
2 Tools for Real Food Success:
It’s never easy to keep up with real food goals! If my meal isn’t planned ahead and/or I don’t have the right food on hand, it’s SO tempting to give up and grab convenience food!
I have to almost trick myself into getting it right sometimes…like this:
Butcher Box
I love my raw milk farm, and they usually have beef for me too – but not all the cuts. And chicken is hard to come by. And pork is hit or miss.
I’m sure you’ve experienced the same sourcing frustrations!
That’s why I’m always grateful that there’s an online source of incredibly high quality meat that I can always count on. A box from Butcher Box is guaranteed to be grassfed/organic/pastured/free range = all the labels important to your family’s health!
If you live in an area (like my mom) where organic local farms are nowhere to be found or have trouble sourcing certain meats or cuts, Butcher Box has you covered.
(free shipping too!)
Real Plans
But if I forget to plan ahead, all that amazing meat just sits in the freezer! Enter Real Plans, an online meal planning software that is probably smarter than I am.
I can enter that cut of meat along with my food restrictions and find the perfect meal, then generate a shopping list, multiply it by 4 if we have company, and enter my own fav recipes too.
Real Plans takes the stress out of meal planning and puts the nourishing food BACK on your table. There’s a plan for every diet type:
Pile onto a homemade tortilla. I like them with mustard!
Or…happily toasting on the George.
Tips and Transformations:
- We like it with plain ranch and mustard, because hubby doesn’t like cucumbers.
- I almost always serve it with a side of Chicken Rice-a-Roni, homemade version.
- Add bacon or pepperoni and hot pepper for an Italian twist.
- Use Caesar dressing for something different
- Chicken is best stir fried or leftover roasted chicken, BUT if you want to use your chicken from making stock, I would recommend sautéing it in olive oil first for flavor.
Katie Kimball is a trusted educator and author of 8 real food cookbooks. She is passionate about researching natural remedies and making healthy cooking easier for busy families. She’s been featured on media outlets like ABC, NBC and First for Women magazine as well as contributing regularly on the FOX Network. Over the last 10 years, Katie has spoken prolifically at conferences, online summits and podcasts and become a trusted authority and advocate for children’s health. Busy moms look to this certified educator for honest, in-depth natural product reviews and thorough research. She often partners with health experts and medical practitioners to deliver the most current information to the Kitchen Stewardship community. In 2016 she created the #1 bestselling online kids cooking course, Kids Cook Real Food, helping thousands of families around the world learn to cook. A mom of 4 kids from Michigan, she is a Stress Mastery Educator and member of the American Institute of Stress.
Christal via Facebook says
Cukes & toms diced up with some cilantro, diced onion, minced garlic, splash of olive oil & drenched in balsmic vinegar.
Berny says
Sounds really good – now if only I could find a good recipe for homemade Ranch Dressing….
Katie Kimball @ Kitchen Stewardship says
Berny,
Here’s mine! http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/recipes/homemade-ranch-dressing/ 🙂 Katie
lara says
hi there
thank you so much for your great website I have just found it. I have been looking for a cast iron grill like GF for ages but all the GF ones I can find are non stick-do you know the type of yours?
thanks so much
Katie says
Lara,
Mine is just the standard George – non stick. I know non-stick isn’t great, but it doesn’t get over 500F, so it’s much more safe that way. Sorry! Katie
Christina says
I just found your blog and I LOVE it!! Thank you so much for everything you have posted. We are just beginning our journey to whole, organic, non-GMO foods, and your blog has been immensely helpful to me in going from overwhelmed to “maybe I can do this”. 🙂
We just tried these wraps tonight and they were SO good! We’ll definitely be trying more of your recipes in the future!!
Katie says
Christina,
Welcome aboard! Glad the baby steps style is speaking to you. 🙂 Katie
Sonia says
We just tried these last night (without avocado’s because we were out!) But it was fantastic!! Thanks for sharing this delicious recipe!
Jess says
These sound amazing! We’ll have to try them soon!
Jess’s last blog post..Best Waffles EVAH!
meghan says
Oh now this looks good & I love my George Forman grill to cook on!
Thanks for the idea.
meghan’s last blog post..Vampires are all the rage, so donate today.
Sandy says
This looks good…and so healthy!
Sherrie says
Hi!
I’ve never ate avocado’s before. They are kind of expensive around here. I’ll have to try some of your alternatives. Thanks for sharing! Have a great day!!
Sherrie
Sherrie’s last blog post..MOUTHWATERING MONDAYS
Stacie says
This looks really good. Going to have to try it this week!
Stacie’s last blog post..Mouthwatering Monday
rachel-asouthernfairytale says
hit enter too fast 😉
rachel-asouthernfairytale’s last blog post..Cumin Garlic Chicken with Tomatillo Sauce and Chipotle Rice
rachel-asouthernfairytale says
Those sound DELISH! I love everything in them!!! Will have to add that to next week’s recipe list!
[email protected] says
Those sound awesome! Thanks for sharing!
~Liz
[email protected]’s last blog post..Meals ~ June 8 – 14
Designs by Gollum says
I LOVE wraps! This is such a wonderful post. The variations are a treasure. Hope you have a wonderful week!
Designs by Gollum’s last blog post..A Store-bought Foodie Friday
Nicole Feliciano says
Thanks so much for stopping by! I have a new recipe to share next week. I’ll try to post on Monday. Happy cooking.
Amy @ Finer Things says
What a tasty summer meal. Yum!
Amy @ Finer Things’s last blog post..FTF: Breaking the Rules
Laura V. says
I make these kinds of wraps all the time, but never thought about grilling them in my GF grill. Thanks for sharing, I’ll be grilling mine next time!
Laura V.’s last blog post..Menu Plan Monday – June 1
Jenna @ Newlyweds says
What a super great idea, we almost always have all those ingriednts on hand, including (now) Fresh cucumbers and tomatoes!
Jenna @ Newlyweds’s last blog post..Newest Addition to the Family