High Protein Vegan “Chicken” Wrap
This is my go to lunch wrap! Quick, easy, and super high in plant protein. This recipe is for 1 very large or 2 smaller wraps and is ready in just 20 minutes.
You can also add more greens and serve this as a salad (either without the tortilla or by cutting it into smaller strips and mixing it with the other ingredients.) Here’s how to make this wrap.
Table of Contents
What You’ll Need
For the “Chicken”
- 1 tablespoon avocado or olive oil
- 1 small onion, sliced or diced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 5.5 ounces vegan chicken strips (about 150 grams)
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon chipotle (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme (optional)
To serve
- 1 large (or 2 small) wrap(s)
- 2-3 tablespoons unsweetened vegan Greek yogurt (about 50g)
- 1 cup mixed greens (about 30 grams)
- 5 cherry tomatoes, halved
Did you know?
The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. Contrary to common beliefs, it is possible to meet all of your protein recommendations on a plant-based diet, as long as you make sure you plan it well and consume a variety of good quality protein sources.
How to Make this High Protein Vegan “Chicken” Wrap
Step one: sauté the onion
Heat the oil in a non stick pan over medium to high heat. Once the pan is hot (depending on the kind of stovetop you’re using, this will take 1-3 minutes), sauté the sliced (or diced) onion for 3 minutes.
Step two: add the garlic, “chicken”, and spices
Add the garlic, spices, and vegan “chicken” to the pan, stir occasional and cook for 5-7 more minutes. Tip: some vegan “chicken” brands can become a little too dry when cooking. If that’s the case, feel free to add 3 to 4 tablespoons of vegetable broth or water to the pan about 2 minutes after adding the garlic, “chicken”, and spices. Some of the liquid will be absorbed by the “chicken”, making it a little juicier, the rest will evaporate while cooking.
If you’re using frozen “chicken” strips, no need to thaw them, but you might need to increase the cooking time by an extra 2 to 3 minutes.
Step three: assemble the wrap
Warm your tortilla (optional), then spread the vegan green yogurt on top. Add the vegan “chicken”, greens, and tomatoes. Wrap and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
- Instead of vegan “chicken”, you can also use: seitan, tempeh, chickpeas, (white) butter beans, textured vegetable protein (also known as soy curls, you’d just need to rehydrate them beforehand by soaking them in boiling hot broth or water for 15 minutes, then training them).
- Instead of vegan greek yogurt, you can use plain unsweetened vegan yogurt, vegan mayonnaise, tahini, or maple mustard.
- Use high protein wraps to add even more protein.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is vegan chicken made out of?
Vegan chicken can be made out of a variety of ingredients including soy beans (in various forms such as tofu or textured vegetable protein also known as TVP or soy curls), seitan (a plant protein derived from wheat gluten), jackfruit. Note that soy or seitan based vegan chicken alternative are significantly higher in protein than jackfruit.
How healthy is vegan chicken?
Depending on which ingredients are used, vegan chicken can be more or less processed. The more processed forms are higher in saturated fat, but not as high as animal products, making them a healthier alternative. It can also help you meet your protein needs and keep you full longer if you’re using a version that is made with ingredients that are high in protein.
Why is it called vegan “chicken” if it’s not actually chicken?
The simple answer is that it helps those who choose to no longer consume meat for ethical (or other) reasons even though they actually like the taste and/or texture of meat to easily identify an alternative.
Does vegan chicken taste like real chicken?
Yes, some alternatives come extremely close to real chicken, to the point where it’s sometimes hard for people to tell them apart. That said, not all alternatives come as close and some actually prefer alternatives that don’t resemble meat toon closely.
Ingredients
- For the “Chicken”
- 1 tablespoon avocado or olive oil
- 1 small onion sliced or diced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 5.5 ounces vegan chicken strips about 150 grams
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon chipotle optional
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt or to taste
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme optional
- To serve
- 1 large or 2 small wrap(s)
- 2-3 tablespoons unsweetened vegan Greek yogurt about 50g
- 1 cup mixed greens about 30 grams
- 5 cherry tomatoes halved
Instructions
- Step one: sauté the onion
- Heat the oil in a non stick pan over medium to high heat. Once the pan is hot (depending on the kind of stovetop you’re using, this will take 1-3 minutes), sauté the sliced (or diced) onion for 3 minutes.
- Step two: add the garlic, “chicken”, and spices
- Add the garlic, spices, and vegan “chicken” to the pan, stir occasional and cook for 5-7 more minutes. Tip: some vegan “chicken” brands can become a little too dry when cooking. If that’s the case, feel free to add 3 to 4 tablespoons of vegetable broth or water to the pan about 2 minutes after adding the garlic, “chicken”, and spices. Some of the liquid will be absorbed by the “chicken”, making it a little juicier, the rest will evaporate while cooking.
- If you’re using frozen “chicken” strips, no need to thaw them, but you might need to increase the cooking time by an extra 2 to 3 minutes.
- Step three: assemble the wrap
- Warm your tortilla (optional), then spread the vegan green yogurt on top. Add the vegan “chicken”, greens, and tomatoes. Wrap and enjoy!
Notes
- Instead of vegan “chicken”, you can also use: seitan, tempeh, chickpeas, (white) butter beans, textured vegetable protein (also known as soy curls, you’d just need to rehydrate them beforehand by soaking them in boiling hot broth or water for 15 minutes, then training them).
- Instead of vegan greek yogurt, you can use plain unsweetened vegan yogurt, vegan mayonnaise, tahini, or maple mustard.
- Use high protein wraps to add even more protein.