Twelve ingredients and thirty-five minutes, with one hot job and one cold one.
The chicken is cooked, shredded and sauced while the coleslaw stays in the fridge. They meet only inside the tortilla.
Why This Recipe Works
- Resting the chicken before shredding keeps the strands juicy.
- Tossing it in barbecue sauce while warm lets the sauce cling.
- Two colours of cabbage give the slaw crunch and colour.
- A little honey and cider vinegar balance the creamy mayonnaise dressing.
- Warming the tortillas just until pliable keeps them soft enough to roll.
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken breast with barbecue sauce
- A pound with three quarters of a cup. Cooked to 165°F, shredded, then tossed in the sauce.
- Green and purple cabbage
- Two cups and one cup, shredded. The purple is what gives the slaw its colour inside the wrap.
- Mayonnaise, cider vinegar and honey
- A third of a cup, a tablespoon and a teaspoon. The creamy slaw dressing.
- Large flour tortillas
- Four, warmed just until soft enough to roll.
How to Make It
Chicken cooked to 165°F, rested, shredded, sauced
Season chicken with salt and cook in olive oil over medium heat until it reaches 165°F. Rest 5 minutes, shred, and toss with barbecue sauce.
Both cabbages mixed with mayo, vinegar, honey, salt and herb
Mix green cabbage, purple cabbage, mayonnaise, vinegar, honey, slaw salt and chopped herb to make a creamy coleslaw.
Tortillas warmed just until pliable
Warm tortillas just until pliable, keeping them soft rather than crisp.
Filled with chicken and slaw, rolled tightly, cut in half
Fill each tortilla with shredded BBQ chicken and creamy coleslaw, roll tightly, and cut in half.
A Hot Track, a Cold Track, and a Tortilla
Barbecue chicken with creamy coleslaw, rolled into a tortilla. The wrap matters as much as the filling, and the two halves of the filling are kept at their own temperatures until they meet inside it.
On the stove - hot
- Until 165°F
1 lb of CHICKEN BREAST seasoned with 1/2 tsp SALT and COOKED IN 1 tbsp OLIVE OIL OVER MEDIUM HEAT UNTIL IT REACHES 165°F - it needs to get there before shredding.
- 5 minutes, then shredded
RESTED 5 MINUTES, SHREDDED, and TOSSED WITH 3/4 cup BARBECUE SAUCE. Tossed warm, so the sauce clings to every strand.
In the fridge - cold
- Mixed and kept cold
2 cups SHREDDED GREEN CABBAGE and 1 cup SHREDDED PURPLE CABBAGE mixed with 1/3 cup MAYONNAISE, 1 tbsp APPLE CIDER VINEGAR, 1 tsp HONEY, 1/4 tsp SALT and 2 tbsp CHOPPED PARSLEY OR CILANTRO into A CREAMY COLESLAW. For safety: KEEP THE CREAMY COLESLAW REFRIGERATED AT 40°F OR BELOW UNTIL ASSEMBLY.
The wrap
4 LARGE FLOUR TORTILLAS WARMED JUST UNTIL PLIABLE, KEEPING THEM SOFT RATHER THAN CRISP - soft is what rolls without cracking. Each FILLED WITH SHREDDED BBQ CHICKEN AND CREAMY COLESLAW, ROLLED TIGHTLY AND CUT IN HALF. The slaw goes inside, not on the side: the COLESLAW should be CREAMY AND INSIDE THE WRAP.
Success Tips
- Keep the slaw in the fridge until the moment you assemble.
- Don't overheat the tortillas — crisp ones crack when rolled.
- Roll firmly and cut with a sharp knife so the halves hold together.
Serving Ideas
Four soft flour-tortilla wraps, each cut in half to show shredded chicken in dark barbecue sauce and a creamy green and purple coleslaw with chopped herb.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should the coleslaw go on the side?
No, it goes inside the wrap with the chicken. That creamy slaw inside is part of the recipe.
How do I know the chicken is done?
It should reach 165°F before you rest and shred it.
Can I make the wraps ahead?
They're best rolled just before eating. Keep the coleslaw refrigerated at 40°F or below until you assemble.
