Sticky chicken wraps

With fresh coleslaw

In the category “not exactly healthy, but definitely really good,” this is one of our favorites: sticky chicken wraps with coleslaw.

Tender pieces of chicken thighs in a sweet and slightly spicy marinade, paired with a fresh, crunchy coleslaw. The kind of dish that gets your hands messy, which is exactly the point. These chicken and coleslaw wraps come together quickly on a weeknight, but they also work great for a relaxed Saturday night with friends. In under 30 minutes, you’ll have something on the table that feels like more than the effort it takes.

The chicken: sticky, tender, and full of flavor

A big part of what makes these wraps so good is the chicken. We use boneless, skinless chicken thighs because they stay a bit more tender than chicken breast. The marinade is simple and really good, made with kecap manis, ketchup, brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, and a pinch of cayenne pepper (or 1 teaspoon sriracha if you like a bit more heat).

Kecap manis

An important ingredient in these sticky chicken is kecap manis. This is a sweet Indonesian soy sauce with a distinctive flavor that’s widely used in Indonesian cooking. If you don’t have it on hand, you can easily make a substitute at home.

In this recipe, we use 4 tablespoons kecap manis. You can replace it with a mix of 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon molasses, and 1 tablespoon brown sugar. You can make this ahead of time if you want the sauce to thicken slightly, but that’s not required.

Making your own coleslaw is easy

Coleslaw is more than just a side here. It’s fresh, crunchy, and the perfect contrast to the sweet chicken. And homemade tastes so much better than store-bought. You only need a few ingredients: green cabbage, carrot, red onion, and a simple dressing made with mayonnaise, white wine vinegar, lemon juice, and a pinch of sugar.

You can also add a little mustard for some extra bite. The key is to slice or shred everything as thinly as possible and let the dressing sit for a bit. That way the flavors soak into the cabbage and the salad gets that creamy texture that pairs so well with the chicken.

Assembling the wraps

Once the chicken is sticky and golden brown, and the coleslaw is nicely dressed, it’s time to assemble. Use large tortillas (more room means more filling), add a generous scoop of coleslaw, and top with a good amount of sticky chicken. Fold in the bottom, roll it up tightly, and you’re done. Or slice it in half on a diagonal and serve it open.

Full of flavor, no fuss

These sticky chicken wraps with coleslaw are the kind of comfort food where everything works together: tender chicken, a sweet and slightly spicy sauce, fresh crunch from the slaw, and a soft tortilla to bring it all together. Perfect for a weeknight meal when you don’t want a lot of hassle but still want something that tastes great. And you really don’t need much in the kitchen, just a pan, a bowl, and a cutting board will do. One last thing, make enough, because going back for a second wrap is pretty much guaranteed.

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