Thai-Style Chicken Salad Rainbow Wraps
Thai-Style Chicken Salad Rainbow Wraps are a perfect portable lunch! This chicken salad is full of crunch and flavor, all wrapped in healthy rainbow chard!
Thai-Style Chicken Salad Rainbow Wraps are a perfect portable lunch! This chicken salad is full of crunch and flavor, all wrapped in healthy rainbow chard!
I’ve spent so much time in theatres in the last several weeks. Maybe since May! Each weekend, there have been shows and recitals, back to back to back, thanks to all the different productions my daughter and son have been in, each one in different shows, different casts, plus band recitals and dance recitals – who knew my June would turn up this way!?
And then yesterday, we celebrated Father’s Day by driving up to Sacramento to catch a bit of more theatre magic at the Broadway at Music Circus for their closing performance of Singing in the Rain. Leave it to my husband to spend his special day doing what makes the kids most happy! It was our first time catching a show at that venue, and I quite honestly wasn’t sure what to expect. Would the caliber of production be just as good as NYC Broadway or London’s West End?
We were, in a word, enchanted.
There was rain, on a circular stage! Incredible talent from Broadway alumni and beyond. An intimate setting where you are so close to the actors. We all came away agreeing that it was one of our favorite productions — and we’ve seen quite a lot.
But what impressed me more was learning that years and years ago, the venue began quite humbly, indeed, under an open-air, circus-style big top! Can you imagine, a tent under the hot Sacramento sun, in 1951 — meager beginnings that have grown to become such a renowned stage that attracts amazing talent and crowds of theatre lovers?
It reminded me of other special stages across the country, beautiful settings where I have other happy memories. I told the kids about Ravinia in the suburbs of Chicago, and the open air stage, how the music would drift into the tree tops. How many summer evenings my friends and I would spend there, with elaborate picnics! I couldn’t help but think of this Thai-style chicken salad I loved to bring, a recipe I still love to make, even today.
Lately, I’ve been enjoying it more in rainbow chard wraps — I personally love how it lightens up lunch while adding extra crunch and nutrients. But I encourage you to enjoy the chicken salad however you wish! My husband loves them wrapped in tortillas, and they’re also delicious wraped in lavash or in a pita. All options are delicious and perfectly portable, so if ever an open-air picnic with music is in the plans, you’ll be all ready to go!
Thai-Style Chicken Salad Rainbow Wraps
Ingredients
For the Thai-style Chicken Salad
- 4 cups shredded chicken
- 1/2 cup sliced scallions
- 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
- 1/3 cup finely diced red onion
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 1/4 cup chopped pickled jalapeno
- 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
For the Rainbow Chard Wraps
- 8 rainbow chard leaves
- 2 cups shredded red cabbage
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1 cucumber sliced
- 4 radishes sliced
Instructions
Make the Thai-style Chicken Salad
- In a large bowl, mix together the shredded chicken, scallions, cilantro, red onion, mayonnaise, pickled jalapeno, coriander, cayenne pepper, and salt. Mix until well combined. Season to taste with pepper.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve. This can be done in advance.
Make the Rainbow Chard Wraps
- Prepare an ice bath and set aside. Trim the stems off the rainbow chard and discard.
- Heat a deep sided skillet filled with about 1 inch with water over high heat until boiling.
- Working in batches, blanch the rainbow chard leaves for about 10 seconds, then transfer to the ice bath. Dry the chard, using paper towels to blot any excess moisture.
- Take two leaves, overlapping slightly. Place a big spoonful of chicken salad in the center, along with red cabbage, carrots, cucumber and radishes.
- Roll the chard leaves starting at the bottom, folding in the sides to seal as you continue to roll. Slice the wrap in half.
- Continue wrapping until all the rolls are assembled. The wraps can also be made in advance in refrigerated until ready to serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Comments
COOKBOOK
I’m glad that you shared this useful info with us. thank you
I had to make a few substitutions because I was dealing with ingredients already in the house (parsley for cilantro, Ortega green chilies for jalapeños, green cabbage for red) but it was great! Mild taste yet left my mouth with a warm, satisfying feeling. Yumm
I’m so glad you liked the wraps, Sandy! The substitutions sound delicious!
Liren, I made thiese. With quinoa instead of chicken! A little less mayo, scapes instead of scallions, and Bubbie’s pickle instead of pickled jalapeño! Incredible!
I am SO making this vegetarian version, Letty! I’m so glad you liked it – and I can just imagine how the quinoa soaks up the flavors even more!