Grilled Chicken Wrap

Tom's birthday was good. I drove over with the cake and stayed for the afternoon. His daughter called from Colorado and he talked to her for an hour in the living room while I sat on the porch with a cup of coffee and read one of the paperbacks he keeps in a stack by the door. His granddaughter sent a card with photographs of his great-grandchildren that he carried in his shirt pocket for the rest of the afternoon. He's seventy-nine and the people who love him know it and show it. That's a good position to be in at seventy-nine.

He read me a section from Horses I Have Known after lunch — the section about a horse named Cinder who he'd shod for a family in Paradise Valley in the 1980s, a mare with a difficult personality that he eventually won over through a specific sequence of quiet approaches he'd developed himself. He read it without affect, like he was reading a report, but the portrait of the horse that emerged from the plain prose was completely vivid. I said: Tom, this is good writing. He said: It's just what happened. Which is what all good writing is.

The second cutting of hay will start in August. I've been keeping an eye on the weather and the alfalfa and the timing looks right for the second week of August. Dad's hands have been better these last few months — the medication is working, the neurologist in Bozeman was pleased with the July checkup. He's sixty-eight now, moving through his days at a pace that's slower than it was five years ago but still deliberate, still engaged. The ranch is still his. That will change. But not today.

Made grilled corn for dinner three nights running. Nothing but fire and salt. That's all a good ear of corn needs in July.

Three nights of corn was right, and I’d do it again — but on the fourth night I wanted something to wrap around all that same July heat, something that kept the grill going but gave the meal a little more shape. This grilled chicken wrap is the answer I keep coming back to when the evening is warm and the day has already been full enough: fast, honest, no performance required. It would’ve fit right in on Tom’s porch.

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 15 min | Total Time: 30 min | Servings: 4

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4 large flour tortillas (10-inch)
1 cup romaine lettuce, shredded
1 medium tomato, diced
1/2 cup shredded cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup red onion, thinly sliced
1/3 cup ranch dressing or chipotle mayo

Instructions

Season the chicken. Pat chicken breasts dry and brush with olive oil. Combine garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper and rub evenly over both sides of each breast.
Preheat the grill. Heat an outdoor grill or grill pan to medium-high heat (around 400°F). Oil the grates lightly to prevent sticking.
Grill the chicken. Place chicken on the grill and cook 6–7 minutes per side, until internal temperature reaches 165°F and grill marks are well set. Remove and rest for 5 minutes.
Slice. Slice chicken against the grain into thin strips or bite-sized pieces.
Warm the tortillas. Place tortillas on the grill for 20–30 seconds per side just until pliable and lightly marked. Keep warm in a clean towel.
Assemble the wraps. Spread 1–2 tablespoons of dressing down the center of each tortilla. Layer with lettuce, tomato, red onion, cheese, and sliced chicken.
Wrap and serve. Fold in the sides of the tortilla and roll tightly from the bottom up. Slice in half on a diagonal and serve immediately.

Nutrition (per serving)

Grilled Chicken Wrap — When the Fire’s Already Going, Keep It Simple