High Protein Portuguese Chicken Wraps

These Portuguese chicken wraps are clean, simple, and full of flavour. Tender chicken strips are marinated and pan-seared until lightly charred, then wrapped in warm flatbread with a creamy chilli mayo and fresh lettuce. They come together quickly, use minimal ingredients, and are ideal for both easy weeknight meals and meal prep. While they’re best enjoyed fresh, the components store well and can be reheated when needed. This is a lighter, more balanced take on a classic Portuguese chicken wrap that still delivers big flavour and a satisfying bite.

Portuguese Chicken Wraps

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Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Calories: 545kcal
Servings: 5 People

Ingredients

Chicken

  • 1 kg Chicken Tenderloins
  • 20 ml Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 3 Garlic Cloves Grated
  • 6 g Smoked Paprika
  • 4 g Sweet Paprika
  • 2 g Dried Oregano
  • 1 g Dried Chilli Flakes
  • ½ wedge Lemon, Juiced
  • Salt To Taste
  • Cracked Black Pepper To Taste

Chilli Oil

  • 125 g Sambal Oelek
  • 125 ml Neutral Oil
  • 30 ml Lemon Juice
  • 2 g Lemon Zest
  • 1 Garlic Clove Grated
  • 5 g Ginger Grated
  • 10 g Dijon Mustard
  • Salt & Pepper

Creamy Chilli Mayo

  • 150 g Greek Yogurt
  • 40 g Mayonnaise
  • 40 g Chilli Oil (Recipe Above)
  • Salt To Taste
  • Cracked Black Pepper To Taste

To Serve

  • 6 Flat Breads or Wraps
  • Lettuce Shredded

Method

Make the Sauces

  • In a bowl, add all of the chilli oil ingredients and whisk well to combine. Store in a jar and refrigerate until ready to serve. This recipe makes more than what you’ll need.
  • In a separate bowl, add all of the creamy chilli mayo ingredients and whisk well to combine. Store in the fridge until ready to serve.

Marinate the Chicken

  • Combine tenderloins with olive oil, garlic, smoked paprika, sweet paprika, oregano, chilli flakes, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Marinate 20–30 minutes.

Cook the Chicken

  • Heat a non-stick or cast-iron pan over medium-high heat. Cook tenderloins in batches for 3–4 minutes per side until charred and cooked through. Glaze lightly with your chilli sauce in the final 30 seconds. Rest briefly.

Assemble the Wraps

  • Warm each flatbread. Spread creamy chilli mayo down the centre, add shredded lettuce, 3–4 tenderloins per wrap and a drizzle of extra chilli oil. Wrap tightly and serve.
Chef's Tips
Let the chicken marinate the full 20–30 minutes rather than rushing it — with grated garlic and lemon juice in the mix, that time is what actually gets the flavour into the tenderloins rather than just sitting on the surface.
Cook the tenderloins in batches without crowding the pan. Too many pieces at once drops the pan's temperature and steams the chicken instead of charring it, and that char is a big part of this dish.
Only glaze with the chilli sauce in the final 30 seconds, as written — brushing it on any earlier risks the sugars in the sambal catching and burning before the chicken's even done.
Storage & Reheating
Store the chicken, chilli oil, creamy chilli mayo and wraps separately in the fridge rather than assembling ahead — the mayo and lettuce will make the wrap soggy if put together early.
Chicken keeps in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat in a pan over medium heat for a couple of minutes just to warm through, so it doesn't dry out.
The chilli oil contains raw garlic and ginger steeped in oil, so keep it refrigerated at all times and use it within about a week rather than storing it at room temperature — garlic-in-oil mixtures aren't shelf-stable.
Creamy chilli mayo (Greek yogurt-based) keeps refrigerated for up to 4 days. Assemble the wraps fresh with warm flatbread just before eating.
Serving 1WrapCalories 545kcalCarbohydrates 38.5gProtein 56.4gFat 18.1gSaturated Fat 3.2gPolyunsaturated Fat 2.81gMonounsaturated Fat 10.7gTrans Fat 0.1gCholesterol 146mgSodium 1842mgPotassium 800.4mgFiber 1.8gSugar 4.2gVitamin A 124.4IUVitamin C 0.29mgCalcium 43.9mgIron 0.2mg

The above nutrition guide is based on daily averages and is calculated for a single portion. 

Recipe Notes

Storage Instructions

Fridge

These wraps are best eaten fresh, but they can be stored for up to 3 days in airtight containers. For the best texture, store the chicken, lettuce, and sauce separately and assemble just before eating.

Freezer

The cooked chicken freezes well for up to 4 months. Freeze the tenderloins and sauce separately; do not freeze the lettuce or assembled wraps.

Reheating Instructions

Reheating

Reheat the chicken in a pan over medium heat for 3–4 minutes, or microwave for 1–2 minutes until hot. Warm the flatbread or wrap in a dry pan, assemble with fresh lettuce and sauce, and serve immediately.

Watch How To Make The Recipe

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