Southwest Chipotle Chicken Wraps

About 40 minutes total. Makes 4 generous dinner wraps using 12-inch flour tortillas. Salt measurements use fine table salt or fine sea salt.

Ingredients

Chicken

• 1¼ lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil, such as avocado or canola oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 2 teaspoons mild American chili powder blend
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon fine salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Corn and beans

• 1 teaspoon neutral oil
• ½ cup corn kernels, fresh or thawed and thoroughly dried
• ½ cup canned black beans, rinsed and well drained
• 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
• ⅛ teaspoon fine salt

Chipotle-lime sauce

• ⅓ cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 2 teaspoons finely minced chipotle pepper in adobo
• 1 teaspoon adobo sauce from the can
• ½ teaspoon honey
• ⅛ teaspoon fine salt

For the wraps

• 4 large flour tortillas
• 2 oz pepper jack, shredded—about ½ cup
• 1 medium avocado, thinly sliced
• 1 cup shredded romaine, thoroughly dried
• ¼ cup tortilla strips or coarsely crushed tortilla chips

Instructions

1. Season the chicken. Pat dry and flatten thick sections to approximately ½ inch. Toss with the oil, lime juice, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Set aside for 10 minutes while preparing the other components.
2. Make the sauce. Stir together all sauce ingredients. For gentler heat, start with half the chipotle and adobo sauce, then taste before adding more.
3. Char the corn. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add the dried corn and leave it undisturbed for about 2 minutes. Stir and cook another 1–2 minutes until browned in spots.
4. Add the beans. Stir the beans into the corn and warm for 1 minute. Add the teaspoon of lime juice and ⅛ teaspoon salt. Transfer to an uncovered plate so steam can escape.
5. Cook the chicken. Return the skillet to medium-high. Add the oil-coated chicken in a single layer, working in batches if necessary. Cook approximately 4–6 minutes per side, until browned and 165°F inside. Rest 5 minutes, then slice.
6. Assemble. Warm the tortillas. Divide the cheese, chicken, corn and beans, avocado, and lettuce among them. Add 2 tablespoons chipotle sauce per wrap.
7. Finish with crunch. Scatter on the tortilla strips immediately before folding and rolling. Serve promptly with extra sauce alongside.

Notes

• The detail that makes it great: Give the corn time to brown before stirring. Its sweetness and toasted flavor work especially well with the smoky sauce and fresh lime.
• Warm the tortillas first. Use a dry skillet for about 10–15 seconds per side, or microwave the stack under a slightly damp paper towel in short bursts until flexible.
• Leave room to roll. Keep about a 2-inch border clear. If you have 10-inch tortillas, make six smaller wraps with the same filling.
• Assemble just before eating. Keep sauces, vegetables, cooked fillings, and crunchy toppings separate until then.
• For leftovers: Refrigerate cooked fillings within 2 hours, keep them at 40°F or below, and use within 3–4 days.