Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wrap served with carrots and celery with ranch

In honor of both the NBA Finals and Stanley Cup Finals these past few weeks, I have a sports bar-inspired dish for you guys this week. You all know how I feel about watching sporting events – I am less interested in the actual sport and more interested in the festivities surrounding the sport (aka the food). With all this basketball/hockey talk recently, I have been CRAVING a little Buffalo Chicken in some form or fashion.

Typically, for game watches, my go-to would be my Buffalo Chicken Dip, but with so many games on recently, I can’t just be wolfing down my “buff dip” every evening (as tempting as it sounds). So, I decided to make a healthier, lighter buffalo chicken dinner instead.

Feeling slightly indecisive, I left it up to you guys to decide; I posted a poll to my Instagram story to decide between buffalo chicken zucchini boats, lettuce wraps, or meatballs. While I received great feedback for all three (more recipes to come :D), the lettuce wraps came out on top!

Organic ranch is drizzled on the buffalo chicken lettuce wrap

The recipe I came up with for buffalo chicken lettuce wraps involves a lightened-up boneless buffalo wing, topped with celery and light ranch in a low-carb lettuce wrap. Let me just say… I am AMAZED – truly – at how incredible these turned out!

The boneless buffalo bites tasted almost identical to traditional boneless buffalo wings, and I guarantee that I’ll be making them for my next game watch (maybe even without the lettuce wrap!). These are ridiculously delicious and it is laughable how much healthier they are than traditional fried boneless chicken wings – I don’t know if I’ll ever go back!!!

Watch the video to see exactly how to make this recipe!

DOUBLE BAKING YOUR BUFFALO CHICKEN – CRUCIAL

If there is one thing to take away from this post, it is the importance of double-baking your chicken.

To make the boneless buffalo chicken bites, I need to bake the chicken twice. The first round of baking is to cook the chicken, after you have marinated and breaded it.

Boneless Buffalo Chicken Wings (baked not fried!)

Bake the chicken a second time after it has been cooked and tossed in buffalo sauce. This is to crisp the breaded layer around the chicken – because soggy boneless buffalo wings are NOT buffalo wings at all.

AGAIN – this is VERY important. If you don’t bake the chicken twice, don’t come crying “soggy” to me 😉

SKINNY BUFFALO CHICKEN LETTUCE WRAP

As I mentioned, this is a lightened-up version of a traditional buffalo chicken wrap. Typically, a buffalo chicken wrap has a flour tortilla, fried buffalo chicken wings, and is drowning in ranch dressing.

This wrap utilizes a lettuce wrap (fewer refined carbs), baked chicken instead of fried, and calls for only a drizzle of light ranch.

Six (6) Buffalo Wild Wing’s Boneless Buffalo Wings: 660 calories, 34 g fat, 54 g carb, 35 g protein

Six (6) MadebyMoni Boneless Buffalo Wings: 305 calories, 12 g fat, 12 g carb, 36 g protein

Healthy Ranch Options

Now, I recognize that Ranch doesn’t have the best reputation – people often times put ranch dressing in the junk food category, with the likes of French fries, pizza, and burgers. But this is not always correct – you really can use ranch in a healthier way!

There are so many amazing and healthy Ranch dressings out there now – organic, avocado-based, Paleo, gluten free – the options are ENDLESS! It’s so easy to find a healthier version of this classic that works for you. If you’re feeling really ambitious, you can even make your own Greek yogurt-based Ranch dressing at home!

Print Recipe

Buffalo Chicken Lettuce Wrap

These lettuce wraps are a perfect boneless buffalo wing alternative. No frying involved, these buffalo bites taste just like the restaurant wings, with none of the guilt. Baked boneless buffalo wings, wrapped in a low-carb lettuce wrap, and drizzled with celery and light ranch!

Total Cal: 305 calories (11.8 g Fat, 15.9 Carb, 35.7 g Protein)

Prep Time15

Cook Time30

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Buffalo Chicken, Chicken Dishes, Healthy Dinner Recipes, high protein dinner, Lettuce Wrap

Servings: 5

Calories: 305kcal

Equipment

Tongs
Baking Sheet
Oven
Chef's knife
Medium Size Bowl
Gallon Size Plastic Bag

Ingredients

12 leaves iceberg lettuce
3 stalks of celery finely chopped
30 oz boneless skinless chicken breast
1.5 cup panko bread crumbs
5 tbsp ranch dressing
8 tbsp buffalo sauce split in half

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Lightly spray an aluminum foil-covered baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
Using a chef’s knife, slice your chicken into bite-sized pieces.
Into a medium sized bowl, combine chicken and 4 tbsp of buffalo sauce. Let marinate for 10 minutes in refrigerator.

BREAD CHICKEN & FIRST ROUND OF BAKING

Spread out Panko bread crumbs in a shallow baking dish.
After marinating, use tongs to toss each piece of chicken in panko bread crumbs until fully coated.
Place panko-covered chicken onto baking sheet (totally fine if pieces of chicken are close together on pan).
Bake for 30 minutes.

SAUCE CHICKEN & SECOND ROUND OF BAKING

Toss cooked chicken with remaining 4 tbsp of buffalo in a gallon-sized plastic bag (easy way to coat chicken evenly in sauce).
Put sauce-coated chicken back on the baking sheet and bake for another 10 minutes

ASSEMBLE WRAP

To assemble wrap, add around 5 oz of chicken and a handful of chopped celery to a piece of iceberg lettuce.
Drizzle wrap with ranch dressing and serve! Enjoy!