Basil Chicken Wraps

Try these Basil Chicken Wraps for your next picnic. Double the basil dressing recipe and keep the extra on hand to toss with hot cooked pasta or whole grains, or use it to dress a hearty romaine salad.

Basil Chicken Wrap

When making Basil Chicken Wraps, double the basil dressing recipe and keep the extra on hand to toss with hot cooked pasta or whole grains, or use it to dress a hearty romaine salad. Serves 6.

Ingredients

  • 1½ cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves
  • ⅓ cup buttermilk
  • 3 tbsp grated fresh Parmiagiano-Reggiano cheese
  • 3 tbsp toasted pine nuts
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 cups chopped cooked chicken, chopped into bit-sized pieces
  • 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 6 (8-inch) whole-wheat tortillas

Instructions

  • Combine basil, buttermilk, cheese, nuts, and salt in a blender; process until smooth. With the motor running, slowly add oil through the food chute, followed by the lemon juice and process until smooth.
  • Place the chicken in a medium bowl.
  • Pour basil dressing over the chicken, tossing to combine. Stir in tomatoes.
  • Divide chicken mixture among tortillas. Roll up each tortilla and wrap individually in parchment paper; halve crosswise, if desired.
Basil Chicken Wraps Recipe
Basil Chicken Wraps!

Featured Ingredient: Sweet Basil

Basil is most commonly paired with tomatoes, and in the summertime, there isn't much that can beat a fresh tomato slice with minced basil. Yet basil complements a wide variety of delicious foods. Sweet basil is very aromatic, with a flavor that is sweeter than that of other varieties, and has just a hint of pepper and mint. It's a great variety to have on hand for a wide array of uses, so it's an excellent herb to grow yourself. Not only will doing so be more cost-effective than buying it at the grocery store, but you'll be able to pick just the amount you want when you need it. Basil can be grown in a small pot on a windowsill inside for several months. For more abundant harvests and variety, grow a few different types of it in a container or garden bed outside. Basil is a warm weather plant, but it also stores nicely when pureed with water or oil (or turned into pesto), then frozen. For the fullest flavor when using in a hot dish, add fresh basil within the last 5 or 10 minutes of cooking time. Learn how easy it is to grow your own basil!Article by Julianna K. Grimes, owner of Black Sheep Kitchen in Birmingham, AL.

Basil growing
Basil growing in ground