Now, for the cheesy finale. I sprinkle all of the shredded mozzarella, cheddar, and Parmesan cheeses directly over the hot chicken in the skillet. I don’t stir yet. I just let the residual heat begin to melt the cheese for a minute. Then, I give it one gentle toss to create a gloriously cheesy, garlicky chicken mixture where every strip is coated. I warm my tortillas briefly in the microwave or a dry pan to make them pliable. I divide the cheesy chicken mixture among the tortillas, add any desired fresh toppings like lettuce or tomato, roll them up tightly, and dinner is served.
Pro Tips for Best Results
I tested cooking the chicken three different ways: whole breasts, cubed, and thin strips. The thin strips were the clear winner. They cook in minutes, get more surface area for browning and seasoning, and are the perfect size for wrapping. Cubes can dry out, and whole breasts take too long and don’t integrate into the wrap as nicely.
Here’s what I learned the hard way about the garlic: add the fresh minced garlic after cooking the chicken. I once added it with the raw chicken, and it burned in the time it took for the chicken to cook, leaving a bitter taste. By quickly cooking the garlic in the residual pan juices after the chicken is done, you get the perfect, potent garlic flavor without any bitterness.
Don’t use pre-shredded bagged cheese if you can help it. Those cheeses are coated to prevent clumping, which also prevents them from melting into a smooth, cohesive sauce. Taking two extra minutes to shred a block of cheese yourself makes the cheesiness in these wraps incredibly smooth and gooey. It’s a small step with a big payoff.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
My biggest first-time mistake was overfilling the wraps. I loaded up each tortilla so much that when I went to roll it, cheese and chicken spilled out everywhere, creating a messy eat. A moderate, even filling down the center of the tortilla is much easier to roll tightly and eat without disaster. You can always make a fifth wrap if you have extra filling.(See the next page below to continue…)