BBQ Chicken and Black Bean Lettuce Wraps are a surprisingly simple weeknight meal that is light, fresh and flavorful. A sweet and tangy homemade BBQ sauce coats pieces of shredded chicken and black beans for all the flavors of a summer BBQ with very little work. The whole family can choose their own toppings to make this meal fun and adaptable for all!
The long days of summer invite us to the pool when daddy gets home, working in the yard and evening nature walks when the heat has begun to subside. But this often delays dinner time. Sometimes I find myself scurrying around the kitchen trying to piecemeal dinner because mommy lost track of time and everyone is hangry. Meal prepping on the weekends is my saving grace.
Meal prepping looks different for everyone, but for me, it includes preparing ingredients (not entire meals) so that each night dinner comes together quickly or quick-er. One thing we do almost every weekend is cook some extra chicken like skinless breasts or thighs. I write about my weekend easy meal prep here.
If you are not in the habit of doing some meal prep each week, don’t get overwhelmed. It can be as easy as putting some extra chicken on the grill OR baking some sweet potatoes while you are cleaning the kitchen on Saturday morning OR stirring up a big batch of overnight oats before you go to bed Sunday night.
Remember, meal prep is about reducing stress, NOT adding it!
These BBQ Chicken Lettuce Wraps use cooked, shredded chicken breasts, a can of black beans and a few easy prep toppings, depending on what you have in your fridge and your family enjoys. If you get some resistance about ‘lettuce wraps’, you can always offer corn or whole grain tortillas as an alternate option. The best part is that this is an entire meal that includes lean protein, fiber and nutrient rich veggies and it can be put together in under 20 minutes and even under 15 minutes if you prepped your toppings in advance!
Take a gander at the BBQ sauce label in your fridge or at the grocery store and you might be surprised at how much sugar is added. It might be the first ingredient listed. Most popular brands have 1 tablespoon of sugar (12 grams) or MORE per 2 tablespoon serving. Yes, 50% of it is sugar. And, many of these brands use high fructose corn syrup, a sugar most of us wouldn’t include in our diet if we had another option.
If you have never made your own homemade BBQ sauce, this one is so very easy and delicious. It has a perfect balance of sweet and tang. Molasses and maple syrup add a bit of sweet and smokiness, yet mustard and apple cider vinegar add a nice bit of tang. This keeps the added sugar to about 1 tsp, about ⅓ of the amount added to many common brands.
There are only a few ingredients in this BBQ sauce and smoked paprika is a necessary one. This flavorful spice is what makes the chicken taste like it just came off the grill. Trader Joe’s has this spice as well as McCormick brand that is at most grocery stores.
If you are looking for some quick and simple weeknight meals for hot summer nights, this is one to try! Serve these flavorful BBQ Chicken and Black Bean Lettuce Wraps with a fruit salad for a no-fuss, light and satisfying dinner.
BBQ Chicken & Black Bean Lettuce Wraps
Ingredients
- 2 large chicken breasts cooked and shredded (about 1 ¼ pounds before cooking)
- 1 cup tomato sauce 8 oz can
- 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp molasses
- 1 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1 ½ tsp yellow mustard
- ⅛ tsp smoked paprika
- ⅛ tsp paprika
- 15 oz can black beans drained & rinsed
- 1-2 hearts of romaine lettuce
Optional Toppings
- Chopped cilantro
- Chopped green onion
- Chopped yellow, orange or red bell pepper fresh, sauteed or grilled
- Chopped mango
- Sliced avocado
- Fresh or frozen corn
Instructions
- In a medium bowl combine tomato sauce, apple cider vinegar, molasses, maple syrup, mustard, paprika and smoked paprika. Heat large non-stick skillet on medium low and add sauce to warm through 3-4 minutes, or until just barely simmering. Stir in shredded chicken and beans to warm through and allow to simmer until the sauce has been absorbed.
- Meanwhile, wash and dry lettuce, separating the leaves. Prepare any desired toppings.
- Serve BBQ chicken and beans in a bowl along with lettuce and toppings so that each person can build their own wrap. Create your lettuce wrap masterpiece and enjoy!
Notes
- Cook extra chicken on your meal prep day so that this recipe comes together in less than 20 minutes during your weeknight.
- I season my chicken with salt, pepper and garlic powder and pan sear on the stove top. You could certainly use shredded rotisserie chicken or grilled chicken as well.
- Chicken is easier to shred when warm or room temp and a bit more difficult when cold, out of the fridge.
- This recipe was tested using Bibb/Butter Leaf lettuce but we found it was too soft and the crisp romaine held up much better.
BBQ Chicken and Black Bean Lettuce Wraps- a perfectly light and fresh summer dinner that takes only minutes to make! Which toppings will you choose?
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